Lance Armstrong-Individual Time Trial Stage 12

CBS News and the BBC /OLN Live ^ | July 18, 2003 | Phil Liggett

[ewing]

I think this course may be hillier than other previous time trials, which may explain the new riding style.

[ewing]

Big days tomorrow and Sunday in the Pyrenees..come back then

[amexmike]

I think you are right. It was reported early on in the Tour the Miguel Indurain told Armstrong that the 5th victory was the hardest of them all. Also I believe that the second mountain stages are harder this year than previous Pyranees ventures. With all of this said, I believe that Armstrong is conserving his energy for this weekend. I think he is fooling his competition and giving them a false sense of security and will dominate them this weekend. He has done just enough to keep himself in yellow while plotting his victory march in the pyranees. Even Liggett and Sherwin seen to be pronouncing him as vulerable. I still like his chances and he WILL attack this weekend.

[Prodigal Son]

This is turning out to be a really good Tour. I wish Beloki hadn't gone down like that- man it would be really tight. You can't ever count Ullrich out. Armstrong himself regards him as his biggest worry and I reckon that's for good reason. Jan's a strong man, still relatively young. He's had some self induced problems in his past but if he really puts all that behind him and bears down and trains hard, he is a force to be reckoned with.

I'm really looking forward to the next days.

[dfwgator]

Looks like Lance has a real fight on his hands this year. I hope Lance wins, but it is definately more interesting this year as he has Ullrich and the guy from Kazakhstan on his tail. I usually lost interest by this time because it has been a foregone conclusion that Lance would win, not so this year. This could be fun.

[dd5339]

Looks like we have a race on our hands!

What a great run by Ulrich!

Semper Fi and GO LANCE GO!

[ewing]

Beloki sure would have been interesting to see in the Pyrenees..

[TomB]

Well, I'm still here, so the threat seems to have passed.

Some people around here are nuts.

But tomorrow should be a very interesting day.

[ewing]

We should get a good indication by Sunday what kind of a race this will be to the finish.

[Akira]

Here's the proof for the idiot doubters (not you, of course).

[Akira]

I don't think Jan can take time away from Lance in the mountains. He's beat Lance in TTs before, but not in Tour mountain stages. But despite what Lance said after today's stage, I would not be comfortable if Lance went into the 2nd TT only 34 seconds ahead of Jan. He was a beast today. I also fear that Tyler lost any chance of a podium spot today.

But here's what Lance said...

On how he felt during the time trial:

"I felt strong this morning when I went out on a little ride, but I didn't feel super during the effort. Maybe it was too hot for me. I suffered. There was a moment when I did have a problem. At times I felt like I was going backward."

On the heat (temperatures reached 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit):
"I ran out of water. That is the thirstiest I have ever been in a time trial. Perhaps I didn't drink enough in the morning, or before the start. It's common knowledge that heat slows you down. I grew up in temperatures hotter than this so you'd think I could handle it."

On Ullrich's performance:

"I have always said Jan was my biggest rival and I have a lot of respect for him. He always gets better in the final week. I was surprised at how much time I lost. I didn't expect that gap. He had a super day today, but besides today, he has very rarely beaten me in time trials. If I start the final time trial in Nantes still 34 seconds head, I'd be confident. I wouldn't lose any sleep over that prospect."

On the next three days in the mountains:

"It was a tough day, but the Tour de France is far from finished. Tomorrow we hit the mountains, and I'll be looking to attack. But it's not my responsibility to attack. I'm still ahead. If the others attack me, my job is to chase them down. Hopefully I'll be able to catch them. We have three very tough days coming up. I saw the forecast for Sunday says storms in the Pyrenees. Now that is good news."

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks for posting that.

[cherry]

Lance left his wife?

[ArrogantBustard]

Ugh... Definitely a break there. Not fun at all. Bad memory time ... At least the break isn't displaced. It could be worse. Is there a pic of him hitting the ground?

[Akira]

Is there a pic of him hitting the ground?

I haven't found one, the only camera that seemed to catch the crash was the one OLN was using for their live coverage, and the view was obstructed by the guys who were in front of the crash. I watched it too many times to count and never saw Lance, Tyler or Levi hit the deck. But you could see the guy in the orange jersey ride over one guy (Casper?) and still stay upright!

Yes it was bad memory lane for me, too. I was lucky never to break my c-bone, but just the sound of all the metal and tires blowing and guys wearing their bikes always reminds me why I'm content not racing anymore.

[Akira]

They were briefly separated but are back together. She and the kids are over there now.

I love how the un-informed are quick to accuse Lance of "leaving his wife" (I'm not talking about you, that was directed at an earlier judgemental post) when all they've heard is that they have agreed to a separation. Maybe she left him? Maybe it was mutual? Maybe he left her because she wanted to work on Howard Dean's campaign? We don't know and we shouldn't care.

[Plutarch]

The pain must be incredible riding a mountain bike with a broken collarbone...

Um, I think Tyler rides a road bike in the Tour de France.

[ironman]

Actually I think he said something along the lines of "if they can't see the break [he'd] refer them to an eye doctor."