Lance Armstrong survived his first big challenge on the Tour de France but admitted he suffered on the first climbing stage of the race after countering an attack from one of his main rivals, Alexandre Vinokourov.
Armstrong soaked up the first challenge to his yellow jersey on this year’s race, his final race before retiring, after an exciting eighth stage won by enterprising Dutchman Pieter Weening of the Rabobank team.
However, the 33-year-old American admitted — after having to launch a counter-attack without the help of any of his Discovery Channel teammates — he did not expect to suffer so much.
”It was a difficult day. It was a long stage with a lot of attacks,” said Armstrong, who lost no time to third-placed Vinokourov after they finished the 231,5km stage from Pforzheim to Gerardmer about 27 seconds after Weening and Andreas Kloden.
”I suffered. I have to be honest,” added Armstrong. ”I wasn’t cool on the last climb. I was trying to do my best and limit the damage.”
Weening, who has come close to claiming a first big win all season, held off Germany’s Andreas Kloden of T-Mobile in a two-man sprint that was decided by a photo finish.
However, before their exciting tussle, there was plenty of drama as Armstrong was forced to go it alone in the defence of the yellow jersey he is bidding to win for a seventh time.
None of his teammates — who are usually crucial on the climbs to counter any of his rivals who might decide to attack — was with him when Vinokourov attacked the American on the Col de la Schlucht, the first category-two climb of the race but really just an appetiser before Tuesday’s first days in the Alps.
The 31-year-old Kazakh, who placed third overall in 2003 but missed the race through injury last year, tried to drop Armstrong, or at least see how the American would react to an attack.
Armstrong responded immediately, and moments later Vinokourov was back among a group that contained most of the race contenders.
Germany’s Jan Ullrich — Vinokourov’s teammate at T-Mobile and a possible foil for the 1997 winner — Roberto Heras (Liberty), Alejandro Valverde (Baleares) and Brad McGee of the Francaise des Jeux team were all there, and shortly after Vinokourov had been brought back, his T-Mobile teammate Kloden decided to go in search of stage leader Weening.
Armstrong was left to fend off Vinokourov on his own — and later admitted he hadn’t been happy with his teammates afterwards.
”There was a crisis in our team in the last climb on the race — we might have to evaluate how we approach things,” said Armstrong. ”When I got back to the hotel I asked them what happened. I wasn’t angry, but I asked them where they were on the last climb.
”We have to analyse it — not just myself but [team manager] Johan [Bruyneel] and the other riders.
”The important thing is we do a quick evaluation and try to correct it.”
”If it’s two more weeks of days like today, we’re in trouble. I hesitate to say that because it was a peculiar climb. The speeds were fast and guys were going at 40kph.
”Maybe that climb didn’t suit us. Perhaps the boys were just a little too confident — but this is the Tour de France and anything can happen.
”It’s not because I’ve won six Tours that the seventh is going to be any easier.”
Sunday’s stage could be an even tougher test for Armstrong, whose teammates this time are likely not to miss the rendezvous.
However, it appears the race for the yellow jersey is now on, and it’s starting early according to two-time Tour winner Bernard Thevenet.
”It’s one of the first times we’ve seen Armstrong being attacked on the very first climb of the Tour de France,” said Thevenet, who won the Tour in 1975 and 1977. — Sapa-AFP