ARMSTRONG TRIUMPHS AGAIN IN ALPS

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Lance Armstrong gave another demonstration of his total superiority over the Tour de France by sprinting to his fourth stage win of this year's event.

With his record sixth overall victory all but sewn-up, the US Postal rider was in the leading quintet coming into the final kilometre of the 17th stage and did not need to finish first.

But the American chose to rub salt into the wounds of his fellow competitors by out-sprinting T-Mobile rider Andreas Kloden to cross the finishing line first in Le Grand Bornard and winning the 20th Tour stage of his career after a gruelling six hours-plus riding in the Alps.

Armstrong finished a whisker ahead of Kloden, with Kloden's team-mate Jan Ullrich third, Ivan Basso fourth and Floyd Landis fifth.

Landis had set the pace for Armstrong for a large portion of the stage.

Landis' role was vital in a 204.5km-stage of five imposing climbs, as he pulled the man in yellow along with him and ensured Armstrong remained in the leading group.

All Armstrong has now to do is to remain in the saddle and he will be riding up the Champs-Elysees in triumph for the sixth consecutive time.

But he still refused to speculate on the eventual outcome of the Tour.

"I don't know, I really don't know," he told Eurosport. "Let's wait a couple more days."

The 32-year-old has been far more dominant this year than he was last, and Armstrong acknowledged that he was in the form of his life.

"This year I feel amazing on the bike; I have recovered well after every stage," he said.

"It was a tactical race, everyone was trying to win the stage, and I thought I would try my chances as well."

Armstrong was classified one second ahead of Basso, who is second overall but a distant four minutes and nine seconds behind Armstrong.

Kloden holds on to third place, more than a minute behind Basso, with his team leader Ullrich fourth and Jose Azevedo fifth.

Veteran rider Richard Virenque was first across the line in the third and fourth climbs and will hang onto the polka-dot jersey and be crowned King of the Mountains - as long as he finishes the race.

But the day, like so many others in the last six years of this race, belonged to Lance Armstrong.

Stage 17 (Bourg d'Oisans to Le Grand Bornand, 204.5km):

1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor 6hrs 11mins 52secs

2 Andreas Kloden (Ger) T-Mobile Team at same time

3 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team at 0:01

4 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC at same time

5 Floyd Landis (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor at 0:13

6 Axel Merckx (Bel) Lotto-Domo at 1:01

7 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Rabobank at same time

8 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC at 1:02

9 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank

10 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner

11 Jose Azevedo (Por) US Postal p/b Berry Floor all at same time

12 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears - Banesto at 2:00

13 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems at 2:05

14 Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) T-Mobile Team

15 Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) Illes Balears - Banesto

16 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Alessio-Bianchi

17 Richard Virenque (Fra) Quick Step-Davitamon all at same time

18 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Quick Step-Davitamon at 2:08

19 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Crédit Agricole at 2:16

20 Sandy Casar (Fra) Fdjeux.com at 2:20