( AFP/Getty Images)
When everyone else gave up, Floyd Landis didn't.
Landis finished third in Saturday's Stage 19 time trial of the Tour de France, but it was the 130-mile personal time trial of courage he rode on Thursday in the Alps -- the ride of redemption after Wednesday's collapse -- that has virtually assured Landis of winning the Tour of France (but shouldn't Sunday's final stage matter for more than the sprinters?).
So, despite the Spanish doping scandal that has cost the sport Jan Ullrich and could ultimately result in a similar fate for Ivan Basso ...
Despite a huge tactical mistake that nearly put Oscar Pereiro in the yellow jersey for keeps ...
Despite the collapse in Stage 17 ...
Floyd Landis will ride into Paris Sunday in the yellow jersey.
The podium: Landis, Pereiro and Andres Kloden, who finished second to the remarkable Sergei Gonchar in Saturday's time trial. That's two time trial victories for Gonchar by more than a minute!
What a great Tour for T-Mobile after dropping Ullrich.
What a great Tour for Damiano Cuenego, who wears the white jersey.
But ultimately, there was Floyd Landis on the podium in yellow, with Bernard Hinault on one side and Eddie Merckx on the other.
America's third Tour winner, joining Our Boy Lance and Greg Lemond.
And an eighth-straight American yellow jersey -- eat that, Frenchies!
Stage Results
1. Sergei Gonchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, 57km in 1:07:45
2. Andréas Klöden (G), T-Mobile, at 00:41
3. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak, at 01:11
4. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., at 02:40
5. Sebastian Lang (G), Gerolsteiner, at 03:18
6. David Zabriskie (USA), CSC, at 03:35
7. Viatceslav Ekimov (Rus), Discovery Channel, at 03:41
8. Cadel Evans (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, at 03:41
9. Bert Grabsch (G), Phonak, at 03:43
10. Damiano Cunego (I), Lampre, at 03:44
COMMENTS: A remarkable pair of time trials by Gonchar ... Kloden back on the podium as Ullrich disappears, perhaps forever ... two great TTs for Floyd ... Pereiro's best TT ever ... A great day for Floyd's buddy, Zabriske ... What is more amazing than 40-year-old Ekimov's finish? ... And does the future belong to 24-year-old Cunego?
The overall picture
1. Floyd Landis (USA), Phonak
2. Oscar Pereiro (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., 00:59
3. Andréas Klöden (G), T-Mobile, 01:29
4. Carlos Sastre (Sp), CSC, 03:13
5. Cadel Evans (Aus), Davitamon-Lotto, 05:08
6. Denis Menchov (Rus), Rabobank, 07:06
7. Cyril Dessel (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, 08:41
8. Christophe Moreau (F), Ag2r Prevoyance, 09:37
9. Haimar Zubeldia (Sp), Euskaltel-Euskadi, 12:05
10. Michael Rogers (Aus), T-Mobile, 15:07
COMMENTS: For Landis, a Tour with panache! ... For Floyd's former teammate Pereiro, a Tour with honor ... T-Mobile has a new leader ... A shame for Sastre ... Look at the Aussies (Evans and Rogers)! ... Honor for France (Dessel and Moreau).
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