Little time left for challengers to derail Armstrong
AP Photos
VALREAS, France (AP) — The few remaining riders with an outside chance of derailing Lance Armstrong's bid for a record sixth straight Tour de France crown have just five days left to make their move, starting Tuesday with the first foray into the Alps.
Armstrong's team was hoping he would have the yellow jersey by the end of the 112-mile stage from Valreas to Villard-de-Lans.
Being in the overall lead would give Armstrong the right to set out last on Wednesday in a time trial to a Mecca of cycling, the L'Alpe d'Huez ski station. That would be the equivalent of pole position, allowing Armstrong to see how his rivals who go before him fare on the brutal climb with 21 hairpin bends.
Tuesday's stage should suit the five-time champion, who has been dominant in earlier mountain stages in the Pyrenees and is just 22 seconds behind overall leader Thomas Voeckler of France. The stage includes seven climbs, finishing with an ascent to Villard-de-Lans.
Voeckler, a resilient rider, saw his overall lead sliced from more than nine minutes by Armstrong in the two Pyrenean stages. He should be easy prey for the Texan in the Alps.
Thursday again features a punishing Alpine stage before a time trial Saturday. That will be the final opportunity to settle the overall standings before the Tour embarks on its victory ride to Paris on Sunday. By then, the winner will be known.
At this stage, Armstrong's biggest threat is Italian Ivan Basso, the only rider who was able to stay with him on the climbs in the Pyrenees. He is just 1:17 behind Armstrong and will be ready to pounce on any uncharacteristic and precipitous drop in form by the champion in these next crucial days.
Spain's Iban Mayo of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team abandoned the race Tuesday, eliminating a favorite for Wednesday's time trial. Although Mayo was so far behind in the overall standings he no longer represented a threat for the title, Armstrong had said before the Tour began that he expected the Spaniard to win at L'Alpe d'Huez — as he did last year.
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