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- rickheel - 06-15-2003 06:39 PM
Sunday, June 15
Armstrong wins in France as tuneup for July Tour
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Reuters
GRENOBLE, France -- Lance Armstrong sent a strong warning before next month's Tour de France, winning the Dauphine Libere cycle race for the second successive year after Sunday's seventh and final stage.
The American, who will be bidding for a fifth consecutive victory in the Tour when it starts on July 5, outclassed his rivals over the eight-day race beating Spain's Iban Mayo by one minute and 12 seconds and Briton David Millar by 2:47.
He seized the yellow jersey on Wednesday after winning the 33.4-km time trial, survived a fall and a slight elbow-injury on Friday, and mastered the mountain-specialists on the Galibier on Saturday to seal the title.
"It was the hardest Dauphine Libere I ever entered because of the scorching heat and because of the very difficult course," Armstrong told journalists.
"There were good days and bad days. My best moment came when I won the time trial, the worst when I crashed."
The American said the effects of his fall were worrying him.
"For the last two days, I have not been feeling very well. My body is aching all over (and) I'm taking antibiotics."
"It could change a lot of things in the last weeks of training before the Tour but I think that I'm already in good shape and that I can afford to spend some time with my family and relax."
Despite three major climbs, col du Lautaret, col du Coq and col de Porte, Sunday's 174-km final stage won by France's Cedric Vasseur, did not affect the outcome of the race after Armstrong finished sixth.
Armstrong was on the shoulders of Spain's Mayo, and Francisco Mancebo, as Frenchman Christophe Moreau reached the top of the Lautaret at an altitude of 2,058 metres.
The American then led the chase on the descent as seven riders broke away, before his U.S. Postal team caught the breakaway riders on the first category col du Coq.
Mayo, who pipped Armstrong in the prologue and in Thursday's fourth stage, tried to take advantage of the 8.7 percent gradient slopes but the American countered the attacks to ensure his nearest challenger never got away.
Vasseur crossed the line two minutes ahead of compatriot Christophe Edaleine.
- NavyDoc69 - 06-16-2003 08:35 AM
This man does not get the credit he deserves.
He had cancer in one of his Testicles and it had spread to his lungs. He actually lost one of his testicles.
He fought back and is dominating a sport where you need your lungs and he is dominating in the HARDEST portions of the race during the climbs....
No doubt he is truely amazing....
If he was French or of some other nationally other than American he would be revered around the world for his accomplishments....
It is just a shame most people hate us Americans..