A Record That Will Never Be Broken

[BEST45CAL]

Plano, Texas native Lance Armstrong wins his 7th Tour de France.

This was also his last race as a professional cyclist.

He retired while at the top of his game. His main reason: He wanted to see his kids grow up.
ARMSTRONG GOES OUT AT TOP
Lance Armstrong retired from cycling today after winning a seventh Tour de France title and still at the height of his powers.

The Texan, who turns 34 in September, made a last grand entrance to Paris after three weeks in which he has been as dominant as at any time since he won his first tour six years ago.

He finished four minutes, 40 seconds ahead of the Italian Ivan Basso while Jan Ullrich was third, six minutes 21 seconds away from first place.

Armstrong described it as a "dream podium", paying tribute to both men - Ullrich, who has finished second to him on three occasions, and Basso, who is widely tipped as the man most likely to next year.



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[DesertFox]

Extraordinary athlete.

[Beowulf]

Great athlete and super human being. I don't think I ever heard him praise himself, only others.

Oh, I think that record will fall but not for a long, long time. That's what records are for after all.

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Armstrong wins final Tour de France
Fox Sports as MSN
Associated Press
07-24-2005


Lance Armstrong closed out his amazing career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory Sunday - and did it a little earlier than expected.

Because of wet conditions, race organizers stopped the clock as Armstrong and the main pack entered Paris. Although riders were still racing, with eight laps of the Champs-Elysees to complete, organizers said that Armstrong had officially won.

The stage started as it has done for the past six years - with Armstrong wearing the race leader's yellow jersey. It ended the same way, too - with him celebrating, this time by a comfortable margin of more than 4 1/2 minutes.

One hand on his handlebars, the other holding a flute of champagne, Armstrong toasted his teammates as he pedaled into Paris to collect his crown. He held up seven fingers - one for each win - and a piece of paper with the number 7 on it.

When it was over, Armstrong saluted the race he's made his own.

"Vive le Tour, forever," he said.

The 33-year-old Texan choked up on the victory podium as he stood next to his twin 3-year-old daughters - dressed in bright yellow dresses, appropriately - and his son. His rock star girlfriend Sheryl Crow, wearing a yellow halter top, cried during the ceremony.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cycling/story/3824548