Landis On Verge Of Victory

(CBS/AP)  American Floyd Landis regained the overall lead during the Tour de France's penultimate stage Saturday, likely assuring him the title Sunday in Paris.

The individual time trial, won by Ukraine's Serhiy Honchar, shaped up as the decisive stage in one of the most topsy-turvy Tours in years.

"I could not be happier," Landis said, adding he had been nervous before the stage. "It's one of the best days of my life."

The Phonak team leader reclaimed the yellow jersey from Spain's Oscar Pereiro, who started Saturday's race against the clock with a thin 30-second lead over Landis. The 30-year-old Landis, a native of Lancaster County, Pa., moved up from third to first, gaining 59 seconds on the now second-place Pereiro.

"I am very lucky," said Landis, who's riding with a damaged right hip, an injury from a 2003 crash that he hopes to correct with surgery this fall. "I'm a person who works hard and never gives up. Otherwise, I'm just a human being."

Landis is in constant pain from a bone disease called osteonecrosis in his right hip, reports CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston. The hip has been drilled with small holes to help renew the blood flow, and later this summer, Landis plans to get a hip replacement.

Bike racing expert J.D. Partland told Pinkston that he believes Landis delayed surgery for as long as possible. "I guess one could look at it as: This is the last hurrah before getting hip surgery and there's no telling what will happen after this," Partland said.

With such a lead, Landis is in prime position to take home the maillot jaune, barring disaster in Sunday's ride into Paris, in the first Tour since fellow American Lance Armstrong's record seven straight victories.

Honchar, like he did in the seventh stage time trial, dominated the 35.4-mile course from Le Creusot to Montceau-les-Mines, finishing in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 46 seconds. German rider Andreas Kloeden was second, 41 seconds back. Landis placed third, 1:11 off the Honchar's pace. Pereiro was fourth, 2:40 behind.

Kloeden's strong ride Saturday moved him from fourth overall to third at 1:29 back, dropping Spain's Carlos Sastre to fourth. Sastre entered the stage second overall, but he crossed the line 4:41 back of Honchar, falling to 3:13 behind Landis.

Landis and Pereiro have traded the yellow jersey four times since the American first claimed it in Stage 11.

"Hopefully I won't give it away again," he said with a smile. "But I do think it's over now."