Armstrong Dons Familiar Yellow

Lance Armstrong took the leader's yellow jersey Wednesday for the first time at this year's Tour de France, after one of the fastest team time trials in the race's history.

Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service squad, working like a well-oiled machine, were dominant in the highly technical and rain-soaked event. The five-time champion, aiming for a record sixth win, smiled broadly as he crossed the line on a special aerodynamic bike with an aerodynamic helmet and suit.

Armstrong's most feared rival, 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, managed just a fourth-place with his T-Mobile team.

The T-Mobiles were more than 1 minute behind, but new rules designed to limit the advantage that top teams gain in the event protected Ullrich to some extent. In all, he lost 40 seconds to Armstrong's postal squad — still a severe setback.

Despite rainy weather that soaked the 40-mile course from Cambrai to Arras, Armstrong's team still clocked an average speed of 53.71 kilometers an hour.

That was the third fastest time in the history of the event.

Armstrong will still be looking to the later mountain stages and individual time trials to put his rivals away for good. But the advantage gained in the team event was a major step toward a record sixth win.

Armstrong and four other teammates now occupy the top places in the overall standings — a sign of the strength of the reigning Tour champion's team.

"It really was a special day for the team. The team was incredible. The rhythm was perfect," said Armstrong. "It's incredible.

Armstrong said the team had started slowly but picked up speed as they went along.

"That's the sign of a great team. We fought hard," he said.

Overall, Armstrong now has a 36-second advantage over American Tyler Hamilton, a former teammate who is now one of his big rivals. Ullrich, a five-time Tour runner-up, and second again to Armstrong last year, is even further back: 55 seconds off Armstrong's overall time.

Other challengers, were also left trailing behind. They include Ivan Basso, who is 1 minute, 17 seconds behind Armstrong overall and Spaniard Roberto Heras, who is now 1 minute, 45 seconds back.

Armstrong's blue-clad Postals celebrated with hugs at the finish line. The Texan smiled broadly and raised his arms as he accepted the yellow jersey that in the past five years he has come to call his own.

The Postal squad had the advantage of starting last of the 21 teams. They also benefited from a stop in the rain that had doused the course, turning the roads slick and causing several teams problems. There were several crashes.

That the Postals started last was no accident. They worked right from the start of the Tour, in a debut time trial last Saturday, to position themselves as the team to start last. That enabled them to see how other teams had fared on the route and judge how to pace their race.

"It's details that can win the Tour de France," said Dirk Demol, an assistant sports manager for the team.

Armstrong has said he was not aiming to keep the yellow jersey in the flat stages that come in the days following the time trial. Those stages favor strong sprinters.

His aim is to be wearing it on the day that counts — at the finish in Paris on July 25.

"I suspect we'll be willing to give the jersey to someone else," he said.