As Lance Armstrong prepared for what may be hardest stage of the Tour de France, the widow of a friend and teammate killed in a crash a decade ago told him to go for the win. That was the only thing that didn’t work out for Armstrong on Sunday, which he called ”a perfect day”.
Two faces. One was Lance Armstrong’s, steely but almost serene as he pedalled furiously in the thin mountain air. The other was a mask of pain worn by Jan Ullrich, his German rival trailing farther and farther behind. Armstrong took a giant step toward a seventh Tour de France victory with a dominant ride on Tuesday.
Tributes flooded in from around Europe for Monaco’s Prince Rainier III, who died on Wednesday. French President Jacques Chirac hailed the prince’s ”courage and tenacity” in the face of his failing health. In a message of condolence to Rainier’s successor, Prince Albert, Chirac praised Rainier for helping to modernise once-sleepy Monaco.
World leaders, looking for quicker, more effective responses to wars in Africa and other crises, are expected to offer training and equipment for more than 50 000 peacekeepers over the next five years, United States officials said. They said President George Bush’s administration is negotiating with congress for -million in funding over the next five years for the plan.