Landis all but assured of first crown

He holds a 59-second lead over Spain's Oscar Pereiro with one stage remaining.
MONTCEAU-LES-MINES, France (AP) -- American Floyd Landis is all but assured of winning the Tour de France after regaining the overall lead Saturday.
The individual time trial, won by Ukraine's Serhiy Honchar, shaped up as the decisive stage in one of the most topsy-turvy Tours in years.
"I could not be happier," Landis said, adding he had been nervous before the stage. "It's one of the best days of my life."
The Phonak team leader reclaimed the yellow jersey from Spain's Oscar Pereiro, who started Saturday's race against the clock with a thin 30-second lead over Landis. The 30-year-old Landis, a native of Lancaster County, Pa., moved up from third to first, gaining 59 seconds on the now second-place Pereiro.
Arthritic right hip
"I am very lucky," said Landis, who's riding with an arthritic right hip, an injury from a 2003 crash that he hopes to correct with surgery this fall. "I'm a person who works hard and never gives up. Otherwise, I'm just a human being."
With such a lead, Landis is in prime position to take home the maillot jaune -- barring disaster in today's ride into Paris -- in the first Tour since Lance Armstrong's record seven straight victories.
Honchar, like he did in the seventh stage time trial, dominated the 35.4-mile course from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines, finishing in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 46 seconds. German rider Andreas Kloeden was second, 41 seconds back. Landis placed third, 1:11 off the Honchar's pace. Pereiro was fourth, 2:40 behind.
Kloeden moves into third
Kloeden's strong ride Saturday moved him from fourth overall to third at 1:29 back, dropping Spain's Carlos Sastre to fourth. Sastre entered the stage second overall, but he crossed the line 4:41 back of Honchar, falling to 3:13 behind Landis.
Landis and Pereiro have traded the yellow jersey four times since the American first claimed it in Stage 11.
"Hopefully I won't give it away again," he said with a smile. "But I do think it's over now."
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