[Baynative]

Wasn't he already riding in Europe with Motorola and (then) under contract with Cofidis when he was diagnosed? I remember a dust up when they either cut him or offered him a no salary performance based contract and he quit which (I think) led to the Postal Service team.

My memory is shaky, but I think he had been moving up in status for a couple of years and aready won the Worlds and a few one day classics.

[Vision]

I believe you're correct.

I'll try to go back and read Hamilton's book. When the initial team was being put together for the TdF the group started racing in Europe, and they were getting killed. It took the group, collectively, a while to figure out why they rocked the US but were finishing last over there (they weren't doping). Since Armstrong was the star then maybe he wasn't involved with that.

Just curious, what race or TdF stage was it when that iconic rider blew past Armtsrong like he was standing still?