Armstrong extends lead as Austrian wins 14th Tour stage

Jul 16, 2005, 15:41 GMT

Austrian Georg Totschnig crosses the finish line to win the fourteenth stage of the 2005 Tour de France cycling race, Saturday 16 July 2005 in Ax-3 Domaines. The 220,5km fourteenth stage of the 92nd Tour de France led the cyclists from Agde into the Pyrenees to Ax-3 Domaines. EPA/GERO BRELOER

Ax-3 Domaines, France - Austrian Georg Totschnig on Saturday won the 14th stage of the 2005 Tour de France, as six-time champion Lance Armstrong extended his lead for the championship.

In winning the first-ever Tour stage of his career, the 34-year-old Totschnig covered the grueling 220.5 kilometres from the seashore resort of Agde to the Pyrenees ski resort of Ax-3 Domaines in 5 hr 43:43 min.

Armstrong finished second, 56 seconds adrift, with Italian Ivan Basso placing third, another 2 seconds behind.

Armstrong was able to gain nearly 1 minute on the man who stands second behind him in the overall standings, Mickael Rasmussen, and also increased his lead over German Jan Ullrich, who finished fourth.

Rasmussen now trails the American by 1:41 minutes. Basso is in third, 2:46 adrift, while Ullrich stands fourth, 4:34 behind.

Totschnig's victory was the first victory by an Austrian cyclist in the Tour de France since 1931. The Innsbruck native collapsed from fatigue and emotion after crossing the finish line and also wept on the podium.

"This is an extraordinary day for me, the greatest day of my sporting life," Totschnig said.

The Austrian said he knew that he would have no chance for a stage win if he remained with Armstrong. "So I decided to attack," he said. "But I was a little lucky anyway."

Totschnig was part of a group of 10 riders who broke away from the main pack after about 20 kilometres had been raced. The group gradually dwindled as the race wore on, and Totschnig found himself all alone in front near the top of the first of the stage's two climbs, an ascent of 15.1 kilometres rated beyond category in difficulty, the highest rating.

He was able to maintain a lead over Armstrong and his small group of pursuers as they chased him up the grueling 8-kilometre climb to the finish.

The race was also marked by several attacks on Armstrong by Ullrich and his T-Mobile team-mates, Alexandre Vinokourov and Andreas Kloeden.

The six-time champion was able to counter the attacks easily, but said after the race that it had been a hard day, especially with temperatures that soared to 37 degrees Centigrade.

"It was a very tactical race," Armstrong said. "And with the attacks by T-Mobile, the heat and the distance, it was a very difficult day for me."

Sunday's second stage in the Pyrenees should be even more taxing. It covers 205.5 kilometres over five major climbs, with the finish line at St. Lary Soulan coming after another climb rated beyond category.