Lance Armstrong, going for his fourth consecutive Tour de France, won the prologue, a seven-kilometre individual time-trial in Luxembourg on Saturday. The American, riding for the US Postal team, will therefore be the first recipient of the leader's yellow jersey in Sunday's first of 20 stages in the world's most prestigious cycling event which ends in Paris on July 28.
Former world number one Laurent Jalabert of France came second, two seconds behind, and Raimondas Rumsas of Lithuania was third, three seconds behind the Texan. The 30-year-old Armstrong has won this prologue for the second time, having finished first in 1999 at Puy-du-Fou.
"I saw the sun come out when I started and I don't know if that was a sign. It was an unusual prologue, very up-and-down and within the city," said Armstrong. The victory for the tour favourite had clearly boosted morale. "This is a great race and this was a good stage to win," he added.
Tour de France – 7km Prologue in Luxembourg:
1st – Lance Armstrong 9:08
2nd – Laurent Jalabert
3rd – Raimondas Rumsas
4th – Santiago Botero
5th – David Millar
6th – Laurent brochard
Filed by James Shortt
