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Bets are Off For Lance Armstrong – Bicyclist Crashes Out of Last Race

The August 07, 2023, By Bernard Lamothe

Lance Armstrong was no longer among the contenders for the Tour de France. His three crashes in the eighth stage on Sunday, perhaps the worst day of his Tour de France career, dropped him 13 minutes, 26 seconds behind leader Cadel Evans. That's the equivalent of a 25-run lead in baseball.

"My tour is finished," Mr. Armstrong said Sunday.

The seven-time winner, now 38, has been dogged this year by allegations of doping by former teammate Floyd Landis which he has categorically denied. But even though placing first in what he's said will be his last Tour is basically impossible, he said he will ride to the finish in Paris July 25. He will go for some stage wins but his highest priority will be supporting teammate Levi Leipheimer, a 36-year-old American in eighth place.

From the prologue in Rotterdam to the final ride into Paris, track every stage of the Tour de France.

With Mr. Armstrong out of the picture Monday, this Tour's first day of rest, the buzz, and the job of laying down the gauntlet to one's opponents, suddenly shifted to Alberto Contador of Spain and Andy Schleck of Luxembourg. The two are now the clear favorites for this year's title. Mr. Contador won the Tour in 2009, with Mr. Schleck finishing second.

After getting in their off-day 30-mile training rides, they held consecutive press conferences in this Alpine ski town of 3,000 where the ninth stage will start Tuesday morning. Mr. Evans currently leads Mr. Schleck by 20 seconds and Mr. Contador by 1:01, but the Australian is expected to fall behind as the Tour continues uphill into the Alps and Pyrénées.

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