Tour de France - Armstrong relishing Alps

Eurosport - Mon, 13 Jul 13:39:00 2009

Seven-times champion Lance Armstrong is looking forward to the Alpine stages after losing 21 seconds to Astana team mate Alberto Contador in the first mountain finish of the Tour de France.

CYCLING 2009 Tour de France 9e étape Lance Armstrong SLIDE - 0

"We'll have more moments there when we'll see who's truly the strongest," Armstrong said.

The 37-year-old was surprised by Contador's brutal attack in the ascent to Arcalis on Friday which put the Spaniard two seconds ahead of him in the overall standing as the race leaves the Pyrenees.

"I wouldn't say that I could have easily followed because it was an impressive attack," said the American, on his comeback Tour after almost four years in retirement.

"I probably could have gone, but I didn't see it coming, and it wouldn't be correct for me to go across.

"So I waited for the other guys - I expected them to be able to pull it back, and they didn't, but that's life, that's cycling, and I had to do the right thing.

Italian Rinaldo Nocentini wears the yellow jersey after nine stages of the three-week race. Contador is six seconds behind him with Armstrong third.

The rivalry between Armstrong and 2007 Tour winner Contador is likely to culminate next Sunday with a summit finish in Verbier, Switzerland.

Contador, a natural climber, has shown with victories in the Giro, Tour and Vuelta, that he has almost no rivals in the mountains.

But Armstrong, Tour champion from 1999 to 2005, has a plan.

"I think that's where the race is going to be decided. The combination of those days from Colmar all the way to the top of Ventoux is a very difficult six days," the Texan said.

Armstrong, who has never won at the top of the Mont Ventoux, will have the perfect opportunity to sign off his comeback Tour in style as the finish at the moonscape mountain is scheduled for the day before the peloton reaches the Champs-Elysees.

"We will wait. The hardest mountain in France is on the last day basically. You can't forget that," he said.

With most of the difficulties grouped in the final week - Verbier, Ventoux, an individual time trial and a tough Alpine stage to Le Grand Bornand - Armstrong hopes his preparation will pay off.

"That's my plan (to raise his level in week three). I hope so. We'll see. There's no guarantees - I hope so," he said.

Stage 10 LIVE at 12.30am on Tuesday 14th July on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe

Reuters

Comment 90 - 109 of 109

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  1. God you lot are so easy to wind up

    You're all­ gonna look like idiots when the Pharmaceutical King­ gets found out

    From H C, on Tue 14 Jul 9:43AM
  2. God you lot are so easy to wind up

    You're all­ gonna look like idiots when the Pharmaceutical King­ gets found out

    From H C, on Tue 14 Jul 9:43AM
  3. God you lot are so easy to wind up

    You're all­ gonna look like idiots when the Pharmaceutical King­ gets found out

    From H C, on Tue 14 Jul 9:43AM
  4. God you lot are so easy to wind up

    You're all­ gonna look like idiots when the Pharmaceutical King­ gets found out

    From H C, on Tue 14 Jul 9:43AM
  5. God you lot are so easy to wind up

    You're all­ gonna look like idiots when the Pharmaceutical King­ gets found out

    From H C, on Tue 14 Jul 9:43AM
  6. Rather than taking one side, I would appreciate the­ fact that this setup is something really unusual and­ exciting. By Contador's reaction to all the doubts­ over his captaincy, and by Armstrong's reactions­ after, upon the question, whether it was 'according­ to plan or not', when he was visibly fuming, we can­ assume that this year's competition will be the­ first for a long time to be decided between individuals­ and not teams. After all, one can not expect the most­ successful rider in this particular competition coming­ out of retirement, only to carry the water for some­ captain. And one can not expect this truly gifted young­ rider to sacrificing his career for polishing up the­ biography of someone else. The team can't do­ anything wrong, since in the alps they will get to a­ point where they can't lead anymore - no disrespect­ for Leipheimer and Kloeden. I guess we can expect a­ true combat then between two riders - for the sake of­ evolution I hope that Contador gets the edge, but who­ am I? And for the usual one-sided comments I would just­ suggest not to take yourself and your preferences too­ serious all the time. It's really a boring­ lecture...

    From STEF, on Tue 14 Jul 12:20AM
  7. i wonder what Lance will do this year without the­ support of one FULL team of robots like in the previous­ years....
    i know he s 37-8 and Contador 27.....but the­ latter has no support from the team as Lance did.
    Its­ not abt this year is abt the wins of Lance the previous­ years.....
    Marco was the best RIP.
    he was doin all by­ himself.
    Btw Lance is a legend....i dont deny­ that.....but seeing his wins hmmmmm.....much teamwork­ whn needed...
    its a team sport anyway
    May the best win.

    From Stelios S, on Mon 13 Jul 9:45PM
  8. I just got back from the TdF after following it from­ stage 1 to 6. Lance reception was that of cheers. I­ believe Lance will be motivated more than ever to win,­ and as a 7 time champion he will find ways to win. It­ may not be of physical power like before, but more of­ race tactics and mind games. Young AC is still wet­ behind the ears as we saw the race into Grand Motte. ­ LA will find his spots in the Alps to gain his seconds,­ if not minutes on his rivals.

    Be sure that LA is here­ to win. I think his Livestrong is secondary and I do­ fault him for entering this year's race on that­ presumption.

    From JJ, on Mon 13 Jul 9:36PM
  9. My God, why do we have to read this illiterate bs from­ HC and his ilk. He is probably sitting in his stained­ shorts in a basement apartment eating day-old Chinese­ takeout. I, on the other hand, am sipping Cognac on­ the balcony of my hotel room in Grenoble, having done­ 150 km in the Alps today. Tomorrow, I will do the time­ trial in Annecy. For HC, who is probably­ geographically challenged (among other challenges),­ that is a short drive. We are in the Savoie. Please,­ you idiots, get off this post!

    From Budabill, on Mon 13 Jul 9:17PM
  10. Get a life HC talking through you a-se

    From TERRY, on Mon 13 Jul 8:54PM
  11. damnation zach u express yourself well, get into­ writing mate if u havent already.

    From ralph, on Mon 13 Jul 8:46PM
  12. HC ,Kissy Kiss xxx toodle off for ya tea theres a good­ girl =]

    From Patrick, on Mon 13 Jul 8:26PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Mr Lance pretend to give a monkeys Pharmacy is a DRUG­ CHEATING SCUMM BAG

    FACE THE TRUTH

    Or maybe

    YOU­ CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH????

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:16PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Mr Lance pretend to give a monkeys Pharmacy is a DRUG­ CHEATING SCUMM BAG

    FACE THE TRUTH

    Or maybe

    YOU­ CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH????

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:16PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Mr Lance pretend to give a monkeys Pharmacy is a DRUG­ CHEATING SCUMM BAG

    FACE THE TRUTH

    Or maybe

    YOU­ CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH????

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:16PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Mr Lance pretend to give a monkeys Pharmacy is a DRUG­ CHEATING SCUMM BAG

    FACE THE TRUTH

    Or maybe

    YOU­ CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH????

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:16PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Lance is a drug cheating waynker who doesn't care­­­ who he hurts - He is an idiot!!!

    Go CONTADOR!!! Wipe­­­ the floor with the SCUM Bag

    Doesn't the TRUTH HURT­ :))

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:14PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show
    Lance is a­ drug cheating waynker who doesn't care­­ who he­ hurts - He is an idiot!!!

    Go CONTADOR!!! Wipe­­ the­ floor with the SCUM Bag

    Doesn't the TRUTH HURT :))

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:14PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show
    Lance is a­ drug cheating waynker who doesn't care­­ who he­ hurts - He is an idiot!!!

    Go CONTADOR!!! Wipe­­ the­ floor with the SCUM Bag

    Doesn't the TRUTH HURT :))

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:13PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show
    Lance is a­ drug cheating waynker who doesn't care­­ who he­ hurts - He is an idiot!!!

    Go CONTADOR!!! Wipe­­ the­ floor with the SCUM Bag

    Doesn't the TRUTH HURT :))

    From H C, on Mon 13 Jul 8:13PM
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