German Jan Ullrich finished fourth during the decisive time trial stretch following a crash

The rain didn't help - German Jan Ullrich finished fourth during the decisive time trial stretch following a crash. Jan Ullrich’s hopes of winning the 100th Tour de France were dashed after a crash during the decisive individual time trial stretch on Saturday. Arch rival Lance Armstrong now seems on the way to his fifth Tour title. The race against the clock played out on the 49 kilometer flat stretch between Pornic and Nantes on Saturday ended in bitter disappointment for German Jan Ullrich. The 1997 Tour winner slid and crashed on slippery roads some 15 kilometers from the finish line of the crucial penultimate stage of the Tour de France. Though Ullrich climbed back on to his bike, he looked shaken, while American rival Lance Armstrong, who started three minutes behind him, now seems likely to lift his record-equaling fifth Tour title. Armstrong, who did not win the last time trial of the Tour for the first time since his maiden Tour victory in 1999, beat Ullrich by 11 seconds this time and held on to his yellow jersey. Armstrong, now leads his German competitor by one minute, 16 seconds on the eve of Sunday’s final 152 kilometer stage from Ville´d Avray to Paris, which is considered to be a relatively easy stretch.