The Associated Press

PAU, France - There are rare, inspiring moments in sports when the magic all comes together. Cycling superstar Lance Armstrong conjured his up on a mountain in the Pyrenees.

In a feat to match Michael Jordan's championship-winning basket that sunk the Utah Jazz in 1998 or Pete Sampras' comeback win at the 2002 U.S. Open, Armstrong, 31, saved his chances of capturing a record-tying fifth Tour de France Monday on a mist-shrouded 8.3-mile stretch of road.

In that exhausting climb to Luz-Ardiden, Armstrong, the true champion, shined.

As the miles have rolled by during this year's race, Armstrong's challengers have closed in.

Closest is Jan Ullrich, a 29-year-old German who won the Tour in 1997 and twice finished runner-up to Armstrong in 2000 and 2001. Just 15 seconds behind the Texan entering Monday's stage, Ullrich was gaining momentum. Armstrong was talking about losing.

Sunday, the day before the 98.9-mile stage to Luz-Ardiden, Armstrong said he'd go home and have a cold beer if defeated.

"I'm not going to cry and whine," he said.

Monday morning, Armstrong awoke feeling better than he had for a while.

"He said: 'I think I'm back,' " said his sporting director, Johan Bruyneel.

But on the final ascent to Luz-Ardiden, as Armstrong was starting to pull away from Ullrich, his right handlebar caught a spectator's outstretched bag, toppling him. Ullrich swerved to avoid the crash and raced ahead. Armstrong's Tour, it seemed for an instant, was over. Ullrich would win.

But Ullrich, perhaps recalling that Armstrong had waited for him when he crashed in 2001, slowed while the Texan rejoined the race.

"Ullrich showed incredible fair play," said Stephen Roche, the 1987 Tour winner. "Both of them showed they are true champions."

Armstrong overtook Ullrich and raced to the summit, finishing first, turning a 15-second advantage he had over Ullrich into a 67-second cushion.

"He was very happy after. The atmosphere at the dinner table was excellent," Bruyneel said.

Each having won the race, neither Armstrong nor Ullrich should be disappointed in how it finishes.

The Tour, which ends Sunday in Paris, is still too close to call.

"The Tour de France is glamour, pain, deception, mountains, everything," said Roche. "Just winning it once is a big thing in itself."