PARIS -- Sheryl Crow shed a tear. Cancer survivors praised his inspirational tale. Rivals and fans fondly bade farewell to a cycling great.

On the day of his last ride in the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong absorbed all of the accolades with a calm smile.

The seven-time champion began the final stage in humble fashion, posing for photographs in front of a chalkboard scribbled with "merci et au revoir" -- thanks and goodbye.

Then, he was off. The Discovery Channel team embarked on one last leg with their leader, honoring Armstrong's string of titles with seven yellow stars on their uniforms.

Fellow riders signed a Tour roadbook for him, and assistants stuffed coolers full of champagne into the team car.

When Armstrong climbed the podium he knows so well with his three children by his side, rock star girlfriend Crow and even some Tour hostesses became a bit misty eyed.

"To see it coming to a close for me -- and I'm sure for a lot of other people -- it's a very emotional experience," Crow said from the VIP stands after Armstrong's son, Luke, stuffed a potato chip into her mouth.

After the podium ceremony, a fidgety Luke said: "Daddy, can we go home and play?"

Loudspeakers blared some of Crow's hits as Armstrong rode his last victory lap along the Champs-Elysees, waving to her and thousands of spectators. Americans flooded the famed Paris avenue for the last stage -- some camping out overnight -- sensing that Armstrong's last ride was an event not to be missed.

"Congratulations Lance, We'll miss you!" read one banner.

"Usually, Americans don't pay attention to anything that doesn't happen on our soil," said University of Michigan student Kyle Jewett on the Champs-Elysees. "But because of Lance we're really interested in this bike race that happens in France -- of all places."

Jane Wazney, a 28-year-old housewife from Phoenix, said she hoped a European -- even a Frenchman -- would win the Tour next year in Armstrong's absence, and expects U.S. interest to fade.

"Realistically, I think that interest in America would definitely wane, if an American doesn't pick up after Lance. Cycling is not football," she said.

Cancer survivors drew on Armstrong's inspiration, after he returned from a near-death bout of testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain in 1996.

"Lance Armstrong has been an inspiration to me," said Nigel Clifton, 53, who also survived testicular cancer. "I came especially from Britain to support him. I wanted to see him on his bike."

Bob Villinger, a program director at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, said Armstrong raised awareness about both cancer and the sport back home.

"We've been saving to come see the Tour for about four years, and when Lance announced his retirement, we knew it was now or never," said Villinger, wearing a Stars & Stripes jersey.

Before the last stage in Corbeil-Essonnes, cancer survivor Patricia Verlhac-Vignard, 34, stood near the team bus holding a giant pastel painting she drew for Armstrong. The artwork depicts him clenching a fist after winning a time-trial in 2003.

"I wanted to thank him for helping me survive," said the breast cancer survivor. "I was born the same year as he was and my daughter has the same birthday as he does. ... It was a sign."

by Jamey Keaton // Associated Press
reprinted from the US Olympic Committee

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