From the starting line at Montlucon to the finish some 37.88 miles away, [Lance Armstrong] was up, out of his saddle, hips swaying from side to side in the riding style that has become his trademark. He clocked the fastest speed at the first time check and never looked back, winning the stage in 1 hour 14 minutes 16 seconds -- a full 1:24 ahead of his closest rival, Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano. Armstrong's speed averaged a stunning 30 mph.

Jan Ullrich, who appeared to have pedal trouble and lost crucial seconds at one point during his ride, came in a surprising third, 1:43 behind Armstrong. But Ullrich remained in second place overall even as Armstrong expanded his lead over the German and became the all-but-certain winner of his third consecutive Tour.

With Spain's Joseba Beloki nosing out Andrei Kivilev of Khazakstan for third place overall, this year's Tour now looks set to be a replay of the 2000 lineup; Armstrong way out front, followed by Ullrich and Beloki.