Olano wins final time trial; Ullrich readies to take place in the sun
By Andrew Hood
Outside Online correspondent

Abraham Olano

The 27-year-old Spaniard won Saturday's time trial in the Tour de France's closing weekend and shook off the burden of an entire nation's expectations.

While five-time Tour winner Miguel Indurain enjoys retirement, the cycling-crazy nation of Spain looked to the former world champion to step in where Indurain left off.

Racing on Indurain's former team, Banesto, it's an impossible, almost unfair mission.

Olano, who struggled to stay with the leaders in the Pyrenees and the Alps, won in 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 57 seconds, and bounced up to fourth place overall with one day remaining in cycling's greatest race.

"I've been under a lot of pressure. Everyone expects me to be the next Indurain, but there's only one Indurain,”" said Olano, who covered the 63-kilometer course 45 seconds faster than second-place finisher Jan Ullrich (Telekom).

Saturday's win is Olano's first career Tour stage win and salvages his Tour campaign that started with high expectations. In any other nation, a fourth-place racer nets front-page coverage. In Spain — where fans and media became accustomed to winning with Indurain's unprecedented five-straight Tour victories — it's a disappointment.

"Spain wants me to be another Indurain, but I am only Olano and I can only do what I can do," said Olano, who finished ninth in last year's Tour. "It was very important for me to win today. After struggling throughout the race, I had to prove to myself I was able to do something."

Overall race leader Ullrich will become the first German to win the Tour as the three-week race concludes Sunday with a ceremonial spin down the Champs Elysées in Paris in front of hundreds of thousands of fans.

Ullrich won the Tour with aggressive attacks in the mountains and a dominating ride in the time trial. Ullrich and the strong Telekom team fended off endless attacks by second-place overall Richard Virenque and his formidable Festina team.

American Bobby Julich finished a surprising fourth in the time trial, capping a remarkable final week of riding for the 25-year-old rising star. He finished 2'24" back and moved into 17th overall, the best American Tour finish since Andy Hampsten was fourth in 1992.

"The sky's the limit. This Tour showed me that I can ride with the best. I want to set high goals. There's no reason I can't go for the yellow jersey some day," said Julich before his ride. "You got to shoot for the moon and if you miss, you're one of the stars. So you gotta try."

Julich will be among six Americans who roll into Paris on Sunday to mark the end of cycling's grand spectacle.

For defending champion Bjarne Riis (Telekom), three weeks of frustration came to a head when the 33-year-old Dane flatted midway through the time trial. On the wheel change, he dropped his chain. The enraged Riis, who nearly dropped out of the race in the final week after having stomach problems, threw his bike off the course in disgust.

"This sums up my Tour," he said after finishing 93rd at 9'12" back.

Stage 20 results

Andrew Hood is Outside Online's European cycling correspondent.