Armstrong is the WINNER !!!

[Velcro]

looks like all the leaders finished in the Pelotin again.  Same differentials.

That is pretty strange, if the pelotin is large enough, you could finish 20 seconds behind the first person in the group and score the same time.  

[E.T.]

David Moncoutie won the 11th stage.

The following are the top 10 cyclists:

1. Thomas Voeckler (France), 42 hours, 42 minutes, 14 seconds

2. Stuart O'Grady (Austrailia)           3 minutes behind

3. Sandy Casar (France)                  4:13

4. Richard Virenque (France)             6:52

5. Jakob Piil (Denmark)                  7:43

6. Lance Armstrong (United States)       9:35

7. Eric Zabel (Germany)                  9:58

8. Jose Azevedo (Portugal)              10:04

9. Jose Enrique Gutierrez (Switzerland) 10:09

10. Francisco Mancebo (Spain)            10:18

[Markeymark]

MM ... how do you know so much? Do you follow the sport or just this race?

I don't really understand the whole thing, I just gleaned that much from watching the Tour de France a few times.

Velcro - it's not likely that the first and last riders in the peloton are 20 sec apart since they are usually trucking along at 40+ mph.

[Velcro]

Lance missed winning todays stage by a nose.... 0 seconds back, moved into 2nd overall, 5 and change behind Voekler.

Looks like L.A. is making his charge.

[E.T.]

Armstrong throws down the gauntlet

LA MONGIE, France, July 16 (Reuters) - Lance Armstrong dealt a severe blow to his rivals on the first big mountain stage of the Tour de France in the Pyrenees ski resort of La Mongie on Friday.

The stage was won by Italian Ivan Basso, the only rider able to keep up with the American in the last gruelling climb, while Armstrong finished a close up second.

The five-times Tour champion, bidding for a record sixth victory, dropped his most dangerous opponents on paper, German Jan Ullrich, American Tyler Hamilton and Spaniard Iban Mayo.

France's Thomas Voeckler kept the overall lead after another brave ride but Armstrong moved from sixth into second overall, cutting the deficit to five minutes 24 seconds.

Saturday's 13th stage features another day of intense climbing on a 205.5-km ride from Lannemezan to Plateau de Beille,

[E.T.]

Armstrong second in Tour de France mountain stage

By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press Writer

July 16, 2004

LA MONGIE, France (AP) -- Lance Armstrong finished second Friday in the Tour de France's first stage in the Pyrenees mountains, leaving main rival Jan Ullrich struggling behind.

Armstrong, bidding for a record sixth straight Tour title, trailed only Italy's Ivan Basso, the winner of the 12th stage. The Texan advanced the from sixth to second in the overall standings.

He was just behind Basso on the ascent to the La Mongie ski station. Ullrich and another Armstrong rival, Tyler Hamilton, were left way back on the punishing climb.

Armstrong's merciless performance on the ascent showed he will be hard to beat.

Overall, Armstrong is 5 minutes, 24 seconds behind French champion Thomas Voeckler. Voeckler was among those who had trouble Friday but limited the damage and held the yellow jersey.

Voeckler had been leading Armstrong by more than nine minutes before the grueling stage. Basso and Armstrong finished in the same time.

[E.T.]

Armstrong 'dismayed' by LeMond accusations

July 16, 2004

FIGEAC, France (AFP) - Five-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has expressed his "dismay" at implicit accusations of drug abuse by triple winner Greg LeMond.

LeMond, the first American to win the Tour, told Le Monde daily on Thursday that just because compatriot Armstrong has never tested positive for banned substances does not necessarily prove he is not using drugs.

"Greg LeMond was my idol and I came to cycling because he was a great champion and did some incredible things on his bike," Armstrong said Friday.

"I am disappointed and dismayed that for four years Greg has questioned my performances and my character."

LeMond, who won in 1986, 1989 and 1990, said Thursday: "The problem with Lance is that you're either a liar or you're out to destroy cycling.

"Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret but I don't know how long he can convince everybody of his innocence."

Last week Armstrong lost an appeal against a ruling denying him the right to insert a denial against accusations of doping published in a book released last month.

The book "L.A. Confidential: The Secrets of Lance Armstrong" by award-winning Sunday Times journalist David Walsh and Pierre Ballester, a cycling specialist formerly with French sports daily L'Equipe, alleges he used banned drugs.

The book focuses on statements attributed to Emma O'Reilly, a physiotherapist who worked with Armstrong from 1998-2000. O'Reilly claims Armstrong used the banned blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).

Armstrong has never tested positive for banned substances and has always strenuously denied taking any such products.

[E.T.]

Ivan Basso won the 12th stage.

The following are the top 10 cyclists:

1. Thomas Voeckler (France), 51 hours, 51 minutes, 7 seconds

2. Lance Armstrong (USA)               5 minutes, 24 seconds behind

3. Sandy Casar (France)                5.50

4. Richard Virenque (France)           6.20

5. Andreas Klden (Germany)            6.33

6. Ivan Basso (Ita)                    6:33

7. Francisco Mancebo Prez (Spain)     6.43

8. Jakob Piil (Denmark)                6.53

9. Santos Gonzalez (Spain)             7.23

10. Carlos Sastre (Spain)               8.11

[E.T.]

[move]Go Lance Go !!![/move]

[move]Go Lance Go !!![/move]

[Velcro]

Armstrong wins stage 13, remains in 2nd overall.