Armstrong Climbs To Tour Lead

Three-time defending champion Lance Armstrong seized the overall lead in the Tour de France by winning Thursday's eleventh stage, the first in the mountains.

Armstrong began the stage trailing Spain's Igor Gonzalez Galdeano by 26 seconds.

The cyclist from Austin, Texas, won with a late sprint, finishing seven seconds ahead of Joseba Beloki of Spain. He finished the 98-mile ride through the Pyrenees in an unofficial time of four hours, 21 minutes, 57 seconds. That leaves Gonzalez Galdeano nearly two minutes off Armstrong's pace.

The first ten stages of the three-week Tour de France were mostly flat. Today gave Armstrong his first chance to assert himself in the climbing at which he excels.

It's the second time in this year's race that Armstrong has taken the overall leader's yellow jersey. He won the prologue but then relinquished the lead in the first full stage.