Armstrong makes history with fifth Tour win

American Lance Armstrong became the fifth rider to win the Tour de France five times after today's final stage.

American Lance Armstrong became the fifth rider to win the Tour de France five times after today's final stage.

The 31-year-old Texan was also the second rider to have won five straight Tour victories after Spain's Miguel Indurain between 1991 and 1995.

Thanks to his fifth victory, the American, who returned from a near-fatal cancer to win his first Tour in 1999, joined a group of riders which also includes Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as well as Belgian Eddy Merckx.

Armstrong, who finished in the main group in today's stage won by Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon, beat second-placed Jan Ullrich by 76 seconds overall.

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Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner, has now finished second in the Tour five times in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2003, three of those behind Armstrong.

Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov was third 4:29 behind.

Frenchman Richard Virenque won a sixth King of the Mountains jersey, equalling the record held jointly by Spain's Federic Bahamontes and Belgian Lucien van Impe.

Australian Baden Cooke narrowly beat compatriot and last year's winner Robbie McEwen to win the points standings green jersey.

Russian Denis Menchov, 11th overall, won the under-25 classification.

His fifth was the hardest victory for Armstrong, who had won his four previous Tours by more than six minutes.