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ON THE ROAD WITH GREGOR: ARMSTRONG REACHES LAST PEAK IN TOUR
Gregor Brown in Pau
July 22, 2010
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Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) arrives on the Col du Tourmalet in the 2010 Tour de France.
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Lance Armstrong reached the last of the of his Tour de France peaks
today on the Col du Tourmalet. The occasion coincided with the 100th
anniversary of the inclusion of mountain pass and French President
Nicolas Sarkozy was there to honor him.
Armstrong shook his hand and said, "We are just two old guys that enjoy riding bikes together."
Sarkozy
followed the 174-kilometer stage in the car of Tour de France boss,
Christian Prudhomme. He saw Armstrong enjoy his last mountain day at the
Tour de France, leaving only three races until the race ends in
France's capital, Paris.
The day was cold and misty, but enjoyable compared to Armstrong's
hard effort two days ago when the race covered the very same Tourmalet
on its way to the finish in Pau. He attempted to ride clear of his
rivals on the Col du Tourmalet, leaving 140 kilometers to race.
Cycling legend Eddy Merckx did the same thing in 1969 on an
identical stage. He stayed clear, though, for the remainder of the stage
and doubled his lead in the overall classification. He went on to win
his first of five Tours that year.
"I am alive, I tried hard," explained Armstrong afterwards. "I am
not the best guy on the race but I still have the spirit of a fighter."
The
old boss of the peloton just did not have it Tuesday. His time at the
Tour de France came between 1999 and 2005, when he won seven consecutive
editions.
From the top of the Col du Tourmalet Armstrong looked out over
France, towards retirement and returning to the USA with his family.
"Lance Armstrong," he said, "is over with in about four or five days."
 Lance Armstrong (RadioShack) on his way to the top of the Col du Tourmalet, his final mountain in the 2010 Tour de France, his final Tour. (Photo: Roberto Bettini) |
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