MACON, France - The remarkable Floyd Landis can virtually settle an unpredictable Tour de France with victory in Saturday's time trial.
The identity of record seven-times winner Lance Armstrong's heir should at last be revealed in the penultimate stage, the 57-km time trial from Le Creusot to Monceau-les-Mines.
Landis, who made up eight minutes when he won Thursday's 17th stage in the Alps in one of the greatest rides in Tour history, is third in the overall standings 30 seconds behind Spaniard Oscar Pereiro.
Another Spaniard, Carlos Sastre, is second 12 seconds adrift of the Caisse d'Epargne rider.
American Landis has the edge over his rivals after beating them in the seventh-stage time trial in Rennes. Armstrong's former team mate was second to Ukraine's Serhiy Honchar but led Sastre by one minute 10 seconds and Pereiro by 1:40.
"Tomorrow will be the most important time trial in my life," Pereiro said after Friday's 18th stage.
Sastre, who looks set to lose his 18-second lead over Landis, said on Thursday: "Maybe it will be difficult for the time trial, but we'll see what happens. I'll do my best in the time trial, but that's all.
"You need strength, motivation and technical ability for the time trial. It's a combination of factors."
After his impressive victory on Thursday, Landis said he was confident he could win the Tour for the first time.
"I'm confident in my time trialing. If you watched today, then you probably agree with me," said Landis, who rode like a time-trialist on his way to redemption.
The American had lost everything on the ascent to La Toussuire on Wednesday but dug deep to close the gap on Pereiro in a solo effort reminiscent of 1971 when Spaniard Luis Ocana beat Belgian great Eddy Merckx by some nine minutes in the Pyrenees.
Landis's achievement has probably given him a psychological advantage over Pereiro and Sastre, while German Andreas Kloeden, who is fourth overall 2:29 off the pace, looks too far back to bother the American.
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