The chasm has been gradually widened -- as each great champion since Jacque Anquetil won his fifth and failed trying to win six Tours -- between what is humanly possible and anybody winning six Tours de France.

With each successful failure on the part of Merckx, Hinault, Indurain, and even Jacque Anquetil himself, winning six Tours had become something that is thought to be humanly impossible to do. As we look at Lance’s continuing progress toward that goal, he has not only pulled the canyon closer to him, he’s at the point now where all he as to do is step across. He is tantalizing close to a sixth Tour de France victory.

He is the man, more than anybody else, who has concentrated on winning this event. For better or worse, since the times of Merckx and Anquetil the Tour has become the biggest bicycle race in the world, the most desirable, and the race that has the most significance to the careers of the great champions of the sport.

Recently, we have seen the utter, complete and thorough domination of Lance Armstrong. Before him, it was Marco Pantani. Jan Ullrich looked set to win six himself, after winning the Tour as a very young man, way back in 1997. That seems like a goal that will never happen.

Just before Ullrich, is was Bjarne Riis who prevented Miguel Indurain from winning six Tours .

Lance Armstrong is on the cusp now of doing something absolutely monumental. He is not taking anything for granted along the way – starting with the Prologue, continuing through the team time trial, the Pyrenees and now the Alps .

Lance Armstrong never looks too far forward. He gets done with on set of business, and moves on to the next. He seems so very close now to winning the Tour for the sixth time. In a couple of days, we will know. Barring a cataclysmic injury because of a crash, Lance Armstrong will win the Tour de France for a record sixth time.