Cycling: Armstrong fights back to claim yellow

LANCE ARMSTRONG, wearing the yellow jersey of race leader on the Fourth of July, was just what the Tour de France needed after the past year's misery. And the American will keep it for another day after an unfashionable Estonian, Jaan Kirsipuu, muscled in on the big sprinters for his nation's first Tour victory.

Body-building has strengthened the bulky Kirsipuu for the hustling mass sprints, but apart from a stage win in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) last year, his tally fades against the glittering records of his rivals.

Yesterday they were in the shade for once as the Estonian held off the Belgian Tom Steels and the German Erik Zabel, while the man they all feared, Italy's Mario Cipollini, was nowhere in the final charge.

"I think I am at their level but I am not so famous," Kirsipuu modestly said. "Perhaps that will change now."

Armstrong will be grateful that Stuart O'Grady could scrape only a fourth place. If the Australian had won the stage the winner's time bonus of 20 seconds, the Texan's independence day would have been spoiled. O'Grady's performances at the intermediate sprints helped to clip six seconds from his overnight deficit of 26sec on the American.

Armstrong's victory in Saturday's time trial was another remarkable step in his fightback from testicular cancer. The Tour holds other emotions for him. In 1995 his Italian team-mate Fabio Casartelli died in a crash, and two days later Armstrong finished first at Limoges.

As he crossed the line that day, he blew kisses and pointed to the sky in a heart-tugging dedication to Casartelli. "That day was even bigger than this latest victory," said Armstrong, who a year later was coming to terms with a life-threatening illness.

Two years later he finished fourth in the Vuelta, his first major tour for three years, followed by fourth place in the World Road Race Championship at Valkenburg.

"I cannot take much credit for my being here," he said yesterday. "That goes to my doctors who discovered a cure and put me back together. It can be a fantastic example to other cancer patients. It is possible to return to a normal life and maybe I can prove that you can be better than you were before."

Chris Boardman, for one, was left far behind the American.

"He was far too strong for us," said the Briton, who after three prologue wins in five Tours had to settle for fifth place on Saturday. "I made too many little mistakes, such as approaching the climb much too fast. I slipped a little and lost possibly five seconds. Maybe I could have been second but there was no way I could have beaten Lance."

The shining example of Armstrong is what the head of the Tour, Jean-Marie Leblanc, craves and early on during yesterday's stage, he spoke on Radio Tour, which reaches all those involved in the race.

"Cycling has three weeks to restore its image, and we hope to help," said Leblanc, who was brought close to resignation by last year's doping scandal and subsequent criticism.

To escape the nightmare, Leblanc took time out to write a book about the wildlife and flowers in his native region. There is no avoiding the toxic situation, though, and the latest blow was when the UCI, the sport's international governing body, ordered the reinstatement of Richard Virenque, whose controversial stand against allegations of doping had led to his exclusion from the Tour.

Philippe de Villiers, the president of the Vendee regional council, showed his distaste at the official presentation of the Tour teams. He declined to shake hands with Virenque and Hein Verbruggen, head of the UCI. "They are not welcome on the Tour or in our region," he said. Virenque was cheered at the Montaigu start by his fans, however, who then shouted insults at passing journalists.

"Virenque is paying for others" claimed a roadside sign, but not all were in support. "Jean-Marie - we support you in your fight for a cleaner sport" was splashed across the road. Before Saturday's time trial at Le Puy du Fou, crude images in criticism of Virenque had been painted on the course, but workers burnt them off.

Raymond Poulidor, adored by France as the Eternal Second of the Tour 25 and more years ago, found himself the centre of attention when he was caught in a customs stop-and-search on his way to the race.

"I am no bandit," he argued. They let him go - but not before he had given his autograph. Poulidor holds a Tour record of eight appearances on the final podium in Paris, but never in the yellow jersey.

But then, disappointment and misfortune go hand-in-hand in the Tour. The Frenchman Thierry Gouvenou discovered that yesterday when, after leading for 114, mostly rain-soaked, kilometres, he was overhauled 16 kilometres from the finish.

Then the Belgian Ludo Dierckxsens set out to prove that while he may turn 35 in October, there was still plenty of fight left in him. Five kilometres from the finish his solo effort went sour, however, as the sprinters' team-mates stepped up the pace to draw him in.

The unrelenting pace sent the race average above 42kph, but the tacticians failed to take into account the ambitions of an Estonian.