Landis wins Tour de France

American Floyd Landis was crowned Tour de France champion after yesterday's parade on the Champs-Elysees ended in a sprint won by Norway's Thor Hushovd.

Landis sealed his victory having finished third in Saturday's time trial, beating his closest rivals to succeed compatriot Lance Armstrong in the race's roll of honour.

Spain's Oscar Pereiro was second overall and Andreas Kloeden of Germany finished third.

Landis, who will undergo hip surgery within the next two months, said: "My next goal is to come back here.

"Yes, that's the plan."

Phonak rider Landis, a former team-mate of Armstrong who retired last year following his record seventh consecutive Tour win, made up eight minutes when he won Thursday's 17th stage in the Alps in one of the greatest rides in Tour history.

The American had lost ground on the ascent to La Toussuire on Wednesday but dug deep to close the gap on Pereiro in a solo effort reminiscent of the 1971 showing by Spaniard Luis Ocana, who beat Belgian great Eddy Merckx by 8:42 in the Pyrenees.

The white jersey for the best young rider went to Italy's Damiano Cunego two years after the "Little Prince" won the Giro d'Italia.

Australian Robbie McEwen, who won three stages in this year's Tour, claimed the green jersey for the best sprinter for the third time after taking it in 2002 and 2004.

Dane Michael Rasmussen retained the polka-dot jersey for the best climber.

Many riders pulled funny faces before an emotional Jean-Marie Leblanc, directing his last Tour, signalled the real start of the last stage.

Russian Viatceslav Ekimov, taking part in his 15th and final Tour, entered the Champs-Elysees in first place after being freed by the peloton.

During the third of the eight laps on the famous avenue, 14 riders went ahead to open up a 30-second gap. A small bunch of riders, including the top sprinters, broke clear in the last kilometre.

McEwen launched his sprint too early and was denied an unprecedented third victory on the Champs-Elysees by Hushovd, who had already won the prologue. Australian Stuart O'Grady took third place.

"To win on the first and on the last day is just too good and to win on the Champs-Elysees is quite extraordinary for a sprinter, " Hushovd said.

"I had been dreaming of winning this stage for a long time.

"I'm even more happy because I had some moments of bad luck early in the race and I suffered in the Alps and the Pyrenees but I gave everything I had to keep a chance of contesting this last stage."

Hushovd lost the yellow jersey in the sprint for the finish at the end of the first road stage.

He caught his arm on an advertising board in the form of a big green hand embossed with the name of PMU (the French national office of betting) held over the barriers by a spectator.

Top 10 In 2006 Tour De France

1. Floyd Landis (Phonak) 89:39:30

2. Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) +57

3. Andreas Kloeden (T-Mobile) +1:29

4. Carlos Sastre (Team CSC) +3:13

5. Cadel Evans (Davitamon-Lotto ) +5:08

6. Denis Menchov (Russia/Rabobank) +7:06

7. Cyril Dessel (AG2R) +8:41

8. Christophe Moreau (AG2R) +9:37

9. Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel) +12:05

10. Michael Rogers (T-Mobile) +15:07

Winners last 32 years

1975 Thevenet (France)
1976 Van Impe (Belgium)
1977 Thevenet
1978 Hinault (France)
1979 Hinault
1980 Zoetemelk (Holland)
1981 Hinault
1982 Hinault
1983 Fignon (France)
1984 Fignon
1985 Hinault
1986 LeMond (US)
1987 Roche (Ireland)
1988 Delgado (Spain)
1989 LeMond
1990 LeMond

1991 Indurain (Spain)
1992 Indurain
1993 Indurain
1994 Indurain
1995 Indurain
1996 Riis (Denmark)
1997 Ullrich (Germany)
1998 Pantani (Italy)
1999 Armstrong (US)
2000 Armstrong
2001 Armstrong
2002 Armstrong
2003 Armstrong
2004 Armstrong
2005 Armstrong
2006 Landis (US)