Armstrong takes Tour de France lead

ARRAS, France (AP) — Lance Armstrong knows there's only one place where the leader's yellow jersey really counts in the Tour de France: at the finish on the Champs-Elysees on July 25.

”We're not going to sacrifice the team to defend the yellow jersey in the north of France. The time to work and defend begins in the Pyrenees,” Armstrong said Wednesday.

The five-time champion grabbed the yellow jersey Wednesday, leading his U.S. Postal Service squad to victory in a rain-soaked team time trial.

”It really was a special day,” Armstrong said. ”I was just smiling on the bike. It was like a dream.”

The 32-year-old Texan shouted instructions to his teammates during the 40-mile ride from Cambrai to Arras.

”He says, 'C'mon guys, you can do it!”' teammate George Hincapie said. ”He's just a ball of energy. It's almost like it's his first Tour de France.”

In blinding rain on water-logged roads that caused some rivals to crash, the Postal Service team averaged 33.3 mph — the third-fastest pace in a team event.

Team coach Johan Bruyneel said his nine-man squad executed its plan to perfection, cruising at the start of and accelerating midway through.

Teams set off one-by-one, wearing space-age helmets and equipped with super-light bikes featuring solid rear wheels designed to reduce wind drag.

As the first-place team coming into the fourth stage, the Postals benefited from the right to leave last — affording a chance to see how others fared on the slick course.

The team took the top five spots on the leaderboard in the fifth stage Thursday, a 124.59-mile ride from Amiens to Chartres.

American Tyler Hamilton's Phonak team, slowed by three flat tires, finished second Wednesday — 1 minute, 7 seconds behind.

”Nobody gave up. We fought till the bitter end,” Hamilton said. ”It was pretty rough.”

But new regulations limit the advantage gained by the winners, meaning that Hamilton lost just 20 seconds to Armstrong in the overall standings. Hamilton trails by 36 seconds.

Organizers introduced the rules to ensure that strong riders in weak squads didn't suffer too badly and sap the race of suspense.

”That's the rules and I can't change them,” Armstrong said. ”At least you have the consolation of knowing that your team was very strong.”

The T-Mobile team of 1997 Tour winner Jan Ullrich, Armstrong's most feared rival, was fourth. After just five days of racing, he trails Armstrong by 55 seconds overall.