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CNN Live Saturday

Armstrong Takes Leader's Yellow Jersey

Aired July 21, 2001 - 17:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: In cycling the defending Tour de France champion now has the lead in the race. American Lance Armstrong takes the leader's yellow jersey for the first time in this tour. There's a week of racing left, and Armstrong looks strong to win a third straight tour title. No American has done that. CNN's Phil Jones recaps today's race

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHIL JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Monumental in the mountains and now the leader of cycling's most prestigious race. Lance Armstrong took huge bite out of the nine minute ten second lead held by Frenchman Francois Simon and then some, in Saturday's 13 stage in the Pyrenees.

France's own Laurent Jalabert led for much of the stage, but two- time defending champion Armstrong and 1997 winner Jan Ullrich of Germany led the chase. Ullrich crashed over a barrier on this decent, but quickly recovered, got on a new bike. His colleagues, Armstrong included, waited for him. That's the spirit of the Tour de France and cycling comrades in general.

Jalabert also came to grief at one point, his lead wouldn't last much longer. Armstrong held off the determined and persistent pressing of Ullrich before pulling away from his chief title rival on the final climb. The relentless Armstrong passed Jalabert won his third of four mountain stages and claimed the overall leader's yellow jersey for the first time on this tour. He's 3 minutes, 54 seconds ahead of the field.

Few are betting against him holding that advantage all the way to the finish in Paris on July 29.

Phil Jones, CNN sports.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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