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Riders face key test as Tour de France scales Alps
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-12 09:17
GRENOBLE, France (AP) - For Lance Armstrong and his Tour de France
challengers, the iron test begins now - in the thin air of the Alps, on snaking
climbs lined by screaming fans.
Discovery Channel team rider Lance Armstrong
of the U.S. inspects his bicycle as he trains near Grenoble before
tomorrow's 10th stage between Grenoble and Courchevel in the 92nd Tour de
France cycling race, July 11, 2005.
[Reuters] | "The mountains put everyone back in
their place," Armstrong's team manager, Johan Bruyneel, said Monday as the 175
riders left after week 1 of the three-week race enjoyed their first rest day.
"I can't wait to see what will happen."
Only by keeping rivals at bay on the relentlessly long and steep ascents can
Armstrong retire at the finish in Paris on July 24 with a seventh consecutive
victory. And only by taking the fight to the six-time champion can his
challengers hope to break his record streak.
Armstrong heads into Tuesday's first Alpine stage from Grenoble to the ski
station of Courchevel with a sizable but not invincible lead over his main
rivals - Jan Ullrich, Alexandre Vinokourov and Andreas Kloeden of the T-Mobile
squad, and Italian Ivan Basso of Team CSC.
"Lance is sitting pretty and licking his lips," said Basso's American
teammate, Bobby Julich.
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