Armstrong: Tour will be decided in the Alps
By SAMUEL PETREQUIN, AP Sports Writer
The American was third before Sunday’s stage, eight seconds behind leader Rinaldo Nocentini, who is not seen as an overall threat. Alberto Contador, the 2007 champion and Armstrong’s Astana teammate, was six seconds back.
“There’s not going to be a lot of change until Verbier,” Armstrong said, referring to the 15th stage, a grueling 128.94-mile trek between Pontarlier and Verbier, Switzerland. “We’ll have more moments there when we’ll see who’s truly the strongest.
“I think that’s where the race is going to be decided,” he added of the Alps. “The combination of those days from Colmar all the way to the top of Ventoux (on the penultimate stage) is a very difficult six days. We’ll wait. The hardest mountain in France is on the last day, basically. You can’t forget that.”
The race is shaping up as a two-man battle between the two Astana stars, primarily because the other pre-race favorites struggled in the time trials and are trailing badly.
The 37-year-old Armstrong was surprised when Contador attacked in the Pyrenees on Friday, making his move in the Andorran ski resort of Arcalis. Asked if he could have easily followed the Spaniard, Armstrong said he preferred to be a team player.
“I wouldn’t say that I could have easily followed, because it was an impressive attack,” Armstrong said. “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.”
The 26-year-old Contador has won all three Grand Tours of France, Italy and Spain—a feat accomplished by only five riders. Armstrong isn’t one of them.
Armstrong attacked early during Sunday’s stage, a 99.7-mile trek from Saint-Gaudens to Tarbes taking riders up two climbs, including the Tourmalet pass—one of the toughest ascents in professional cycling.
The American, a seven-time Tour champion, was soon joined by Nocentini and eased the pace to get back into the main peloton.
Riders will get their first rest day Monday after three punishing days in the Pyrenees.
The race ends July 26 in Paris.