NY Times: "And, he told reporters late Sunday night, he followed the Tour de France very closely despite his travel schedule and intense preparations for his speech Thursday when he accepts the Democratic presidential nomination.

"I watch it every night," Mr. Kerry said. "I get it on tape."

He is also a major Lance Armstrong fan, and wrapped a yellow plastic ring around his wrist Sunday to signify support for Mr. Armstrong's favorite cause, cancer research. At a neighborhood meeting Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Kerry made congratulations to Mr. Armstrong, for his sixth straight Tour victory Topic A, filling the space normally reserved for reactions to news from Iraq or Republican attacks.

"I don't know how many of you care," Mr. Kerry said as he announced Mr. Armstrong's triumph, calling it a moment of both "national pride" and "personal interest." He explained that he has been riding two wheels "since I was a kid," and said of Mr. Armstrong, "we're very proud of him."

"Three weeks on a bike riding those kinds of miles and that kind of speed," Mr. Kerry marveled. "The level of athleticism, the level of fine-tuning of the human body, the mental focus, courage," he added. "I tip my hat to Lance Armstrong and to the whole U.S. Postal team, the U.S. Postal team makes the United States proud."