PLATEAU-DE-BEILLE (France), July 19: Lance Armstrong stunned his rivals again on Friday when he won the second mountain stage of the cycling Tour de France in the same commanding manner as he had won the first.

The American’s move, seven kilometres from the finish of the 199.5 kms 12th stage to the Plateau-de-Beille in the Pyrenees, was almost a repeat of his impressive victory in the ski resort of La Mongie the previous day.

The three times Tour champion, also winner of this year’s prologue in Luxembourg, again skimmed the bunch in the last climb with the help of his U.S. Postal team mates before surging ahead.

Again, Spaniards Jose-Luis Rubiera and Roberto Heras were his most precious aides, dropping Armstrong’s rivals one by one.

Again, Joseba Beloki was the last one to resist. But the ONCE team leader could not keep pace when the Texan stepped up on his pedals and went away.

The only difference to the script of this six-hour ride was that Armstrong attacked earlier and, as a result, had a bigger lead on the rest of the bunch.—Reuters