PUY-DU-FOU, France American Lance Armstrong, the two-time Olympic cyclist who recently returned to racing after overcoming testicular cancer, scored a stunning personal triumph Saturday by winning the prologue of the Tour de France. Riding for the U.S. postal service team, Armstrong won the 6.8-kilometer (4 and 1/4 mile) time trial in 8 minutes, 02.5 seconds, seven seconds faster than the second-place finisher, Alex Zulle of Switzerland, who rode for the Banesto team.

Coming in third, 11 seconds behind the winner, was Abraham Olano of the Spanish team once. Frenchman Christophe Moreau came in fourth and British time-trial specialist Chris Boardman, last year's prologue winner, came in fifth. Armstrong's success came as the Tour de France struggles to emerge from the shadow of the doping scandal that almost destroyed the venerable cycling race last year.

Asked later about the scandal, Armstrong using an expletive said that a lot of untruths have been printed by the media. I'm here for the love of cycling,'' he said, adding that he hoped the other 179 guys are, too.'' Asked about his personal triumph on Saturday, he said: This feeling is incredible. With my problems, my history, it is incredible.'' The Tour de France is the greatest race in the world,'' he said.

(AP)