Cycling Tour de France: Lance Armstrong drank what must have been sweetest champagne he has ever tasted after he became the first man to win the Tour de France six times yesterday. And the awkward truth for those who would hope to topple him is that he has rarely looked stronger.

Circumstances were stacked against the Texan when the race started three weeks ago in Liege - the route was implicitly designed to counter his strengths, and his rivals looked to be in fine form.

History was also against him; ill health or bad luck had sabotaged the efforts of Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain, who were all younger than him when they attempted a sixth victory.

But the 32-year-old, who survived an aggressive testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs and his brain eight years ago, thrives in adversity.

He has been racing for three weeks, covering 3,391.1 kilometres in 21 days' racing but the result has not been in serious doubt, certainly not since Stage 12 when an attack on the ski station to La Mongie established a lead of over two minutes on Jan Ullrich.

The 1997 winner from Germany, who has finished second five times - including three times to Armstrong, did not even get a podium place. None of the other men expected to challenge Armstrong - Tyler Hamilton, Iban Mayo and Roberto Heras - finished.

Instead, the German champion Andreas Kloden - a domestique for Ullrich with T-Mobile - was second, over six minutes behind Armstrong while CSC's young Italian Ivan Basso was grateful for third.

With a comfortable lead, the final stage was mostly a ceremonial procession for Armstrong - who also finished second in the King of the Mountains - with the race for the green points jersey offering the only drama.

Despite a valiant effort from the Norwegian champion Thor Hushovd, Australia's Robbie McEwen held on to the green points jersey he lost to compatriot Baden Cooke on the final day last year.

The French, who have had a mixed relationship with Armstrong over the years, had patriotic reasons to celebrate with Richard Virenque winning a seventh King of the Mountains jersey.

And Thomas Voeckler, the French champion who surprised everyone by holding on to the yellow jersey for 10 days, also sprinted ahead of the peloton to take the home cheers.

But the day belonged to Armstrong and the thousands of Americans who crammed the streets of Paris in what must have been the biggest invasion from the New World since the French capital was liberated.

Scanlon happy with first effort

Mark Scanlon yesterday completed his first Tour de France and expressed his satisfaction in doing so.

"It is great to get to Paris," he said. "At the start of the race I wasn't very confident about finishing the Tour but I got through it okay. As a result my confidence is a lot better now, and I should gain a lot in strength too."

Scanlon finished 88th in Saturday's 55km time-trial and then came back from an inopportune puncture to finish with the main field yesterday.

He was forced to change a wheel early on in the finishing circuits on the Champs Elysees, a dangerous time as the speed is so high. "I was pretty annoyed about that happening, I spent a lap in the cavalcade chasing on at about 80km an hour," he said.

"I was able to get back on, though, and from then on I was fine."

The 23-year-old crossed the line in 37th place, finishing in the same time as stage winner Tom Boonen. The former world junior champion finished the race 89th overall.