Virenque and Armstrong big winners atop Ventoux

Richard Virenque of the Domo-Farm Frites team hung tough to win a remarkable stage victory on the summit of Mont Ventoux Sunday , while Lance Armstrong of the U.S. Postal Service left all of his main rivals in the dust to consolidate his yellow jersey and pull 4:21 ahead of runner- up Joseba Beloki of ONCE-Eroski.
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OVERALL - After 14 stages

1. Lance Armstrong (USA), U.S. Postal, at 56:51:39.
2. Joseba Beloki (Spa), ONCE, at at 04:21.
3. Raimondas Rumsas (Lit), Lampre Daikin, at 06:39.
4. Igor Gonzalez Galdeano (Spa), ONCE, at 08:36.
5. Francisco Mancebo (Spa), iBanesto.com, at 10:49.
6. Jose Azevedo (Por), ONCE, at 10:57.
7. Roberto Heras (Spa), U.S. Postal, at 11:35.
8. Oscar Sevilla (Spa), Kelme-Costa Blanca, at 12:45.
9. Levy Leipheimer (USA), Rabobank, at 12:54.
10. Richard Virenque (F), Domo-Farm Frites, at 13:12.

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The coach's perspective: An ace up your sleeve

Patience was the chosen tactic for the day. Lance and Johan Bruyneel wanted to wait and see what the other teams and riders were going to do before showing their cards. The first day in the mountains, Lance said he didn't feel he was climbing at 100-percent. His legs have since come around, and he is back to being right where he wants to be.

When Lance says his legs are good, it is like having four aces up your sleeve. The waiting game paid off when the attacks started coming from the ONCE team. Today was the first time they really tried to attack the yellow jersey, and Lance decided to answer their aggression with one well-timed counter attack.
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Lance goes into the second rest day of the 2002 Tour de France with a 4:21 lead over second-placed Joseba Beloki. There are three hard days in the Alps following the rest day, the hardest of which being the stage to La Plagne. Lance is in the position he wanted to be by this point in the Tour, but he knows the race is far from over. Next week will be the hardest third week of any Tour de France in recent memory.
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Lance is pulling away from his opponents but the fun isn't over. Six stages left.