eConsultant

Lance's rivals resigned to defeat
Posted: Tuesday July 19, 2005 10:21AM; Updated: Tuesday July 19, 2005 10:21AM

PAU, France (AP) -- Ivan Basso is just 2 minutes, 46 seconds behind Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France. As far as the Italian rider is concerned, the race is over.

'It's not possible to beat him,' the second-place Basso said Monday as riders rested in Pau. 'I have done all I can.'

Armstrong holds a significant advantage over his closest challengers, who are running out of time with the race ending Sunday.

With a time trial on the penultimate day -- Armstrong's specialty -- Basso needs to make huge time gains in the four stages before that for an improbable comeback. Basso's Team CSC director, Bjarne Riis, also seemed resigned to finishing no higher than second.

'He has class, strength and talent,' Riis said of Armstrong. 'It's not easy to beat someone like that.'

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