Armstrong begins with a prologue win.(Chicago Tribune)

LUXEMBOURG_Defending Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong could have opted to start Saturday's Tour de France prologue in the leader's yellow jersey. Like many jocks, however, he prefers clothing that's a little broken in.

Unlike most jocks, Armstrong has enough talent to win even when he doesn't mean to.

Armstrong rose up in the saddle on the last gradual grade, pumping hard but smoothly, and captured the 4.3-mile time trial in 9 minutes 8 seconds, 2 seconds ahead of France's Laurent Jalabert, with an effort he said left him "cross-eyed."

"I don't know that it's right to start in the yellow jersey," Armstrong said. "That's last year. I prefer to …