Armstrong tied French great Bernard Hinault. Only Eddy Merckx, with 111, has won more yellow jerseys. Merckx, Hinault, Miguel Indurain and Jacques Anquetil all won five Tours - a record Armstrong surpassed last year.

Savoldelli's victory on stage 17, the longest this year, was the third for Armstrong's Discovery Channel team at this Tour. George Hincapie won a stage in the Pyrenees and the squad won the team time trial. Armstrong has not won an individual stage.

Savoldelli was part of a breakaway group that built up a lead of more than 24 minutes over Armstrong's following pack. Because the riders ahead were no threat to his overall lead, Armstrong did not give chase.

Only toward the end did Armstrong and other top riders up the pace. The six-time champion finished in a group 22 minutes and 28 seconds behind Savoldelli.

His overall lead over Ivan Basso of Italy, who also finished in his group, remained unchanged at 2:46. Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark is 3:09 back.

Instead, Armstrong and the others in his pack, which included all of his closest rivals, soaked up the scenery of rolling hills, picturesque villages and freshly harvested fields, chatting among themselves and occasionally joking with the television crews on motorcycles covering the race.

Armstrong, the pressure eased since he emerged from this Tour's last day in the high mountains on Tuesday with his comfortable lead intact, hammed it up Wednesday for TV viewers.

``George, George,'' he shouted to his teammate Hincapie, urging him to speak to the cameras.

``I'm working, I can't speak,'' Hincapie said as he pedaled.