The headline says it all: Armstrong heads to Paris in yellow.

Victory for Lance Armstrong in Saturday’s stage 19 time trial at Besancon was a fait accompli. So much so, that at his press conference afterward, the man behind what has been dubbed by at least one media outlet as the “Texas Chainring Massacre” was not asked one question about his terrific ride in the 55km time trial.

There was really no explanation needed about Armstrong’s winning ride over the T-Mobile pairing of Germans Jan Ullrich and Andreas Kloden, who placed second and third on the stage at 1:01 and 1:27 respectively.

It was expected. It was provided. And it was so very conclusive. And it extended Armstrong’s total of wins in the final time trial of a Tour he has won from four to five.

It most probably would be six of six had the heavens not opened over Nantes last year when Armstrong - again in yellow and assured of victory - eased up the pace after hearing that his nearest challenger, Ullrich, had crashed on a slippery traffic circle.

Arguably the most interesting bit of trivia to take away from Saturday’s time trial also involved Armstrong and Ullrich - the 1:01 margin Armstrong had over Ullrich in the time trial at Besancon was exactly the same gap he had on the German in the stage 16 time trial to L’Alpe d’Huez and in last year’s general classification!