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CNN Live Saturday
Lance Armstrong a Lock to Win Tour de France
Aired July 26, 2003 - 14:54 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: It may be an American tourist's dream, walking down the Champs d'Elysees in Paris while thousands cheer American Lance Armstrong to victory in the Tour de France. That could happen again, for the fifth time tomorrow. More from CNN's Matt Morrison, who is here now with the latest. So what happened to Jan Ullrich?
MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Jan Ullrich? Well, he was a victim of some slippery conditions today, and we will tell you about that. I can also tell you that Robin Williams will be one of those Americans in Paris, enjoying tomorrow's final ride. He is a personal friend of Lance Armstrong, and he is on hand for what will be a fantastic finish.
Sunday's finishing stage will largely be a ceremonial ride down the Champs Elysees, as Lance Armstrong has all but sown up his fifth straight Tour de France championship; Armstrong getting it done in today's final competitive stage. He cleared the final hurdle in stage 19, riding safe and strong through treacherous weather to finish third in the 30-mile individual time trail.
The only rider with a real chance of unseating Armstrong was Jan Ullrich, but the German was himself unseated, when he slipped on a tight turn. This essentially wrecked Ullrich's chances as the 1997 Tour champ continued, but he finished fourth in the stage and gave up 11 seconds to Armstrong.
Armstrong meantime was the last rider out of the chute. Knowing that he needed to keep pace with Ullrich, and knowing Ullrich blew him away in the Tour's first time trial. But Armstrong had the advantage of knowing that Ullrich slipped and fell, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and that allowed Armstrong to be cautious when necessary and still finish the stage third overall. His lead now an insurmountable one minute 16 seconds, and he has locked down his record-tying fifth title at the Tour de France. He joins five riders, greats of the cycling world, Bernard Eno (ph), Eddie Murks (ph), Jacquille Anqatille (ph) and Miguel Indurin (ph) as the only five-time winners of the Tour. Indurin (ph) is the only rider to have won it five straight years, which Armstrong will have matched when he finishes tomorrow.
KOPPEL: So we are not being too optimistic in saying he has won this?
MORRISON: The Sunday ride is traditionally a ceremonial ride around the Champs d'Elysees, where they celebrate, sip champaign, take pictures of each other. There hasn't really ever been a final day competitive ride since Greg LaMont (ph) won the Tour back in 1989, I believe it was. But that was an individual time trail on the very last day, and he outraced Laurent Flignion (ph) of France to get that done.
KOPPEL: Incredible story. Mark Morrison, thanks so much.
MORRISON: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 26, 2003 - 14:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: It may be an American tourist's dream, walking down the Champs d'Elysees in Paris while thousands cheer American Lance Armstrong to victory in the Tour de France. That could happen again, for the fifth time tomorrow. More from CNN's Matt Morrison, who is here now with the latest. So what happened to Jan Ullrich?
MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Jan Ullrich? Well, he was a victim of some slippery conditions today, and we will tell you about that. I can also tell you that Robin Williams will be one of those Americans in Paris, enjoying tomorrow's final ride. He is a personal friend of Lance Armstrong, and he is on hand for what will be a fantastic finish.
Sunday's finishing stage will largely be a ceremonial ride down the Champs Elysees, as Lance Armstrong has all but sown up his fifth straight Tour de France championship; Armstrong getting it done in today's final competitive stage. He cleared the final hurdle in stage 19, riding safe and strong through treacherous weather to finish third in the 30-mile individual time trail.
The only rider with a real chance of unseating Armstrong was Jan Ullrich, but the German was himself unseated, when he slipped on a tight turn. This essentially wrecked Ullrich's chances as the 1997 Tour champ continued, but he finished fourth in the stage and gave up 11 seconds to Armstrong.
Armstrong meantime was the last rider out of the chute. Knowing that he needed to keep pace with Ullrich, and knowing Ullrich blew him away in the Tour's first time trial. But Armstrong had the advantage of knowing that Ullrich slipped and fell, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and that allowed Armstrong to be cautious when necessary and still finish the stage third overall. His lead now an insurmountable one minute 16 seconds, and he has locked down his record-tying fifth title at the Tour de France. He joins five riders, greats of the cycling world, Bernard Eno (ph), Eddie Murks (ph), Jacquille Anqatille (ph) and Miguel Indurin (ph) as the only five-time winners of the Tour. Indurin (ph) is the only rider to have won it five straight years, which Armstrong will have matched when he finishes tomorrow.
KOPPEL: So we are not being too optimistic in saying he has won this?
MORRISON: The Sunday ride is traditionally a ceremonial ride around the Champs d'Elysees, where they celebrate, sip champaign, take pictures of each other. There hasn't really ever been a final day competitive ride since Greg LaMont (ph) won the Tour back in 1989, I believe it was. But that was an individual time trail on the very last day, and he outraced Laurent Flignion (ph) of France to get that done.
KOPPEL: Incredible story. Mark Morrison, thanks so much.
MORRISON: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
