CAP'DECOUVERTE, France -- German diesel proved faster than American high-octane as Lance Armstrong was dealt a shocking defeat in Friday's 47km individual time trial across the vineyards of southern France.

	The fans were out for Lance on what he called "the most important stage of his career."

Jan Ullrich purged ghosts from his cycling past to win his first Tour de France stage since 1998, while Armstrong looked like a mere mortal as he suffered in heat that spiked into the high 90s.

"It was harder than I anticipated and the heat certainly played a factor," said Armstrong, who finished second, but retained the overall leader's yellow jersey. "It was hard to stay cool and stay hydrated. Immediately my mouth was dry as a desert and I was trying to pace myself."

Armstrong entered Friday's rolling course with pressure to deliver the knockout blow that's proved elusive so far as he chases a record-tying fifth Tour.

How Armstrong's rivals fared

Lance Armstrong finished second but retained the overall leader's jersey. Here's a quick look at how his rivals fared in Friday's 12 stage: Jan Ullrich (Bianchi): The only other Tour winner in this year's race, Ullrich started the day sixth at 2:10 back. Ullrich won in 58 minutes, 32 seconds -- the only rider to finish in less than an hour -- and moved into second at 34 seconds back. Alexandre Vinokourov (Telekom): A strong rider coming off victories this year at Paris-Nice, Amstel Gold and the Tour de Suisse, Vinokourov started day in second place at 21 seconds back. He's now third overall at 51 seconds behind after finishing third at 2:06 back. Iban Mayo (Euskaltel): The exciting Spanish rider flew up Alpe d'Huez to win the Tour's most famous stage and started the day third at 1:02 back. Not a strong time trialist, Mayo lost more than he hoped. Finishing 12th at 5:03 back, he's now sixth at 4:29 back. Francisco Mancebo (iBanesto.com): A hunch-backed Spanish climber, Mancebo started the day fourth at 1:37 back. Finishing 11th at 5:00 back, he's now seventh at 5:01 back. Tyler Hamilton (CSC): The gritty American is riding the Tour with a fractured right collarbone he suffered in a crash in the Tour's opening stage. A former Armstrong teammate, Hamilton started the day fifth at 1:52 back. Finishing fifth at 2:43 back, he's now fourth at 2:59 back. Haimar Zubeldia (Euskaltel): An all-round Spanish rider who can climb as well as time trial, Zubeldia started the day in ninth at 3:25 back. Finishing fourth at 2:40, he's now fifth at 4:29. Christophe Moreau (Credit Agricole): France's only hope for the podium, Moreau started the day 12th at 4:04 back. Finishing 16th at 5:27 back, he's now 10th at 7:55 back.

Armstrong struggled to match Ullrich's grinding power and suffered a "crisis" when he ran out of water about two-thirds over the course. Usually calm and collected, Armstrong looked dazed as he crossed the line 1 minute, 36 seconds slower than his German rival.

"I'm not overly satisfied with my performance, but it could have been worse," said Armstrong, now 34 seconds ahead of Ullrich in the overall standings. "I was at my maximum. When I saw that I was losing time, I tried to stay consistent and not lose too much time."

Ullrich back on top
The victory was sweet for Ullrich, a former cycling wonder-child who's fought through disappointment, injuries and a doping suspension to win his first Tour stage since 1998.

Ullrich, 29, roared over the course like the rider he used to be, when he won the Tour in just his second try in 1997. After that victory, he struggled to control his weight and suffered through two surgeries and an embarrassing a racing suspension after he tested positive for the party drug ecstasy last summer.

"This is beyond words," said Ullrich, who left his longtime Telekom squad last fall for a new start at Team Bianchi. "After what's happened to me the past few years, what I wanted to do in this Tour is to prove I could come back."

After his big win in 1997 when he was just 23, many expected Ullrich to become the first rider to win an elusive six Tours. Instead, Ullrich enjoyed the good life, drinking too much beer and eating too much German chocolate cake. He would enter each season overweight and out of shape.

After finishing second to Armstrong in 2000 and 2001, Ullrich vowed to change his ways. But he over-trained in 2002 and underwent surgery causing him to miss last year's Tour.

Depressed, Ullrich went out on a wild night on the town to forget his troubles last June. In a case of bad timing, cycling's anti-doping police came knocking the very next morning and he tested positive for amphetamines, which were part of the ecstasy he admitted taking.

After serving a six-month racing ban, Ullrich returned to the Tour this year with dreams of winning a stage, not derailing Armstrong. Now that he's won a stage and sits tantalizingly close to Armstrong, Ullrich says he doesn't know what to expect.

"I don't know what will happen now in the Tour. My goal was to win a goal at this Tour, not to worry about the general classification," Ullrich said. "I came back this year thinking that I could be truly ready to fight for the Tour next year."

Ullrich has never finished worse than second in a Tour. Many now wonder if the German might be able to topple the seemingly unbeatable Armstrong.

On the run
How can Armstrong be leading the race but be considered vulnerable?

But that's just where the four-time Tour champion stands despite holding the race lead.

In the sometimes confusing standings of the three-week, 20-stage Tour, Armstrong retained the overall leader's yellow jersey. While he lost time to Ullrich, he actually gained time on the rest of his rivals, but not as much as he would have liked.

	“	This confirms that Lance isn't as strong as the other years. Now this Tour is converted into a real battle. We have to respect Lance because he is a champion, but perhaps someone else can win. ”
		— Spanish rider Haimar Zubeldia

Ullrich sits just 34 seconds behind Armstrong, with Kazakh rider Alexandre Vinokourov in third at just 51 seconds back. The quiet Vinokourov is riding with inspiration in the name of fallen comrade Andrei Kivilev, who died in a racing accident in March.

American Tyler Hamilton rode well Friday despite a double fracture in his right clavicle and sits poised to move upward at fourth overall at 2:59 back. Spanish teammates Haimar Zubeldia and Iban Mayo, both excellent climbers on the Euskaltel team, are tied at 4:29 back.

Armstrong's performance Friday raised more doubts about the Texan's form. While his U.S. Postal Service team roared to victory in the team time trial in the Tour's fourth stage, Armstrong faltered in the Alps.

In Friday's time trial, many expected Armstrong to come out of his cocoon and do what he's been able to do en route to four Tour victories -- dominate the time trials.

Armstrong's the unchallenged king of the discipline. Since his dramatic cancer comeback in 1999, Armstrong has won every long Tour time trial except one, when he lost to reigning world time trial champion Santiago Botero by 11 seconds last year.

For Armstrong to give up so much time to Ullrich is a sign of weakness for many.

"This confirms that Lance isn't as strong as the other years," said Spanish rider Haimar Zubeldia, now fifth overall at 4:29 back. "Now this Tour is converted into a real battle. We have to respect Lance because he is a champion, but perhaps someone else can win."

Armstrong was quick to point out that Ullrich, a former world time trial champion, is a specialist and that he took out time on the other rivals.

"Jan is a specialist and it shouldn't surprise anyone that he won. Maybe the time difference is a bit of a surprise, but he had a great race. It was a super performance," Armstrong said. "As I said before the Tour, I've always consider him the biggest rival. He had a great day and now we have to see how the mountains go."

Pyrénées on the horizon
The Tour enters the final battleground Saturday with the first of four brutal mountain stages stretched over five days.

Saturday's mountaintop finish to Ax-3 Domaines will be a test for all riders. Sunday's up and down rollercoaster over six rated climbs will further weed out the pretenders and Monday's summit finish on the punishing climb to Luz Ardiden high in the French Pyrénées will be even harder.

If that's not enough, following Tuesday's final rest day, the riders will have to tackle two more difficult climbs before beginning the long journey back to Paris for the grand finale July 27 on the Champs Elysees.

Armstrong was left licking his wounds, wondering exactly what will happen in the Pyrénées.

Or is he? That's the beauty of the Tour de France. No one really knows the truth until the racers hit the road.

"Let's wait and see about Lance," said Bjarne Riis, winner of the 1996 Tour and manager of Hamilton's Team CSC. "Maybe he has a plan, maybe he didn't go to his limit today to save something for the mountains."

Andrew Hood is an American freelance journalist based in Spain and has covered every Tour since 1996.