A few hours later, even the fellow with the notebook and press badge learned who Armstrong was.
Life goes on.
Yes, better - far better. In his four previous Tours de France, he finished only once, struggled in the mountains and concentrated on victories in daily stages, scoring twice. This time he crushed the field by winning not only the prologue and the two long individual time trials but also the first stage into the mountains. The victory in the Alps told his rivals that they were facing a different, dominating Armstrong. The miracle began three weeks earlier when, in his real return from near-death, Armstrong stood triumphant in that first yellow jersey.