Armstrong wins record 6th Tour de France

American Lance Armstrong Sunday pulled off a record sixth Tour de France victory after three weeks and 3,500km of racing.

The U.S. Portal team leader crossed the line at the back of a split bunch of 147 riders left in the Tour at the end of the 163-km 20th and last stage from Montereau to Paris won by Belgian Tom Boonen.

Armstrong, winning five individual stages this year, won in a total time of 83 hours 36 minutes and two seconds. He eclipsed former five times winners Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain.

German Andreas Kloeden was second overall, six minutes and 19 seconds behind Armstrong and Italian Ivan Basso was third, 6:40 adrift.

The 2004 Tour was the second fastest in history after last year's at an average speed of 40.553 kph.

Quick Step rider Boonen outsprinted the main bunch to snatch his second stage victory this year, but it was not enough for the Belgian to prevent Australian Robbie McEwen from winning the points classification green jersey for the second time.

McEwen, who was fourth in the stage behind Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon and German Danilo Hondo, won the green jersey in 2002.

Tour de France final stage placings/standings

1. Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step-Davitamon, four hours 08 minutes 26 seconds

2. Jean-Patrick Nazon, France, AG2R

3. Danilo Hondo, Germany, Gerolsteiner

4. Robbie McEwen, Australia, Lotto-Domo

5. Erik Zabel, Germany, T-Mobile

6. Jimmy Casper, France, Cofidis

7. Stuart O'Grady, Australia, Cofidis

8. Baden Cooke, Australia, FDJeux.com

9. Massimiliano Mori, Italy, Domina Vacanze

10. Bram de Groot, Netherlands, Rabobank

11. Laurent Brochard, France, AG2R

12. Julian Dean, New Zealand, Credit Agricole

13. Fabio Baldato, Italy, Alessio-Bianchi

14. Jimmy Engoulvent, France, Cofidis

15. Franck Renier, France, Brioches La Boulangere

16. Thor Hushovd, Norway, Credit Agricole

17. Martin Elmiger, Switzerland, Phonak

18. Scott Sunderland, Australia, Alessio-Bianchi

19. Allan Davis, Australia, Liberty Seguros

20. Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Norway, Team CSC

21. Stefano Zanini, Italy, Quick Step-Davitamon

22. Marcus Ljungqvist, Sweden, Alessio-Bianchi

23. Frederic Finot, France, RAGT Semences-MG Rover

24. Filippo Pozzato, Italy, Fassa Bortolo

25. Viatceslav Ekimov, Russia, U.S. Postal

26. Kim Kirchen, Luxembourg, Fassa Bortolo

27. Marius Sabaliauskas, Lithuania, Saeco

28. Christian Vandevelde, United States, Liberty Seguros

29. David Loosli, Switzerland, Saeco

30. Yuriy Krivtsov, Ukraine, AG2R, all same time

Leading overall final standings:

1. Lance Armstrong, United States, US Postal, 83:36:02

2. Andreas Kloeden, Germany, T-Mobile, 6:19

3. Ivan Basso, Italy, Team CSC, 6:40

4. Jan Ullrich, Germany, T-Mobile, 8:50

5. Jose Azevedo, Portugal, US Postal, 14:30

6. Francisco Mancebo, Spain, Illes Balears Santander, 18:01

7. Georg Totschnig, Austria, Gerolsteiner, 18:27

8. Carlos Sastre, Spain, Team CSC, 19:51

9. Levi Leipheimer, United States, Rabobank, 20:12

10. Oscar Pereiro, Spain, Phonak, 22:54

11. Pietro Caucchioli, Italy, Alessio-Bianchi, 24:21

12. Christophe Moreau, France, Credit Agricole, 24:36

13. Vladimir Karpets, Russia, Illes Balears Santander, 25:11

14. Mickael Rasmussen, Denmark, Rabobank, 27:16

15. Richard Virenque, France, Quick Step-Davitamon, 28:11