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Floyd Landis will ride into Paris as the overall leader of the Tour de France after finishing third in the Stage 19 time trial Saturday, virtually assuring him the title Sunday in Paris.
Americans who have worn yellow
Name Tour titles
Greg LeMond '86, '89, '90
Lance Armstrong '99, '00, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05
David Zabriskie None
George Hincapie None
Floyd Landis None
Landis, who started the day in third, passed Carlos Sastre and Oscar Pereiro in the overall standings to retake the yellow jersey he wore earlier in the race.
"I'm happy it was over," Landis said on the Outdoor Life Network broadcast. "That was stressful."
Serhiy Honchar covered the 35.4 miles from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. German Andreas Kloeden was second, 40 seconds adrift, with Landis 1:10 off the pace.
Yellow jersey holder Oscar Pereiro, who started the day with a 30-second lead over Landis, finished fourth 2:38 adrift of Honchar and 1:28 behind Landis.
Pereiro managed to hang on early, losing only 10 seconds to Landis at the first time check. By the second time check, though, it was clear that Landis had taken the lead.
John Lelangue, the sporting director of Landis' Phonak team, coached him from the car along the route, cajoling, positioning his rider and warning of upcoming hazards.
The Tour, won a record seven straight times by Lance Armstrong until his retirement last year, ends on the tree-lined streets of the Champs-Elysees on Sunday.
Landis should become the third American winner of the race, joining Armstrong and Greg Lemond.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Americans who have worn yellow
Name Tour titles
Greg LeMond '86, '89, '90
Lance Armstrong '99, '00, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05
David Zabriskie None
George Hincapie None
Floyd Landis None
Landis, who started the day in third, passed Carlos Sastre and Oscar Pereiro in the overall standings to retake the yellow jersey he wore earlier in the race.
"I'm happy it was over," Landis said on the Outdoor Life Network broadcast. "That was stressful."
Serhiy Honchar covered the 35.4 miles from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines in 1 hour, 7 minutes and 46 seconds. German Andreas Kloeden was second, 40 seconds adrift, with Landis 1:10 off the pace.
Yellow jersey holder Oscar Pereiro, who started the day with a 30-second lead over Landis, finished fourth 2:38 adrift of Honchar and 1:28 behind Landis.
Pereiro managed to hang on early, losing only 10 seconds to Landis at the first time check. By the second time check, though, it was clear that Landis had taken the lead.
John Lelangue, the sporting director of Landis' Phonak team, coached him from the car along the route, cajoling, positioning his rider and warning of upcoming hazards.
The Tour, won a record seven straight times by Lance Armstrong until his retirement last year, ends on the tree-lined streets of the Champs-Elysees on Sunday.
Landis should become the third American winner of the race, joining Armstrong and Greg Lemond.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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