AX-3 DOMAINES, France -- Georg Totschnig of Austria captured Saturday's 14th stage of the 2005 Tour de France, while American Lance Armstrong retained the yellow jersey and increased his overall lead on the first day of climbing in the Pyrenees.

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For Totschnig, it marked his his first Tour de France stage, and a first victory for an Austrian since before World War II.

Armstrong placed second, ahead of Italian Ivan Basso, with Jan Ullrich fourth.

Armstrong increased his overall lead over Denmark's Michael Rasmussen to 1 minute 41 seconds. Rasmussen, who entered Saturday's stage just 38 seconds behind Armstrong, finished eighth on the stage.

It was a gutsy display by the Texan. The six-time defending champion rode without the benefit of his Discovery Channel teammates for most of the day, after the T-Mobile team exploded early, then isolated and eventually dropped Discovery.

Even without his allies, who usualy ride at the front of the pack and dictate a brutal uphill climbing pace while pulling Armstrong along, Armstrong still retained control over the race leaders and pulled away from Ullrich and Basso in the final kilometers, proving that he is still the strongest rider in the race.

Armstrong is seeking his seventh straight Tour title.

Sunday's stage might prove to be the toughest for the riders, as they will pass the monument of Fabio Casartelli, who was killed on the Col du Portet d'Aspet in 1995.

Stage 14 Results:

1 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner 5.43.43
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel + 0.56
3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC + 0.58
4 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team + 1.16
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner + 1.31
6 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems
7 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne + 1.47
8 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank
9 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team + 2.06
10 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi + 2.20

General Classification:

1 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel 55.58.17
2 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank + 1.41
3 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC + 2.46
4 Jan Ullrich (Ger) T-Mobile Team + 4.34
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner + 4.45
6 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems + 5.03
7 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne + 4.00
8 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team + 5.38
9 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team + 7.09
10 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Credit Agricole + 8.37