Armstrong disappointed after time trial, but still favorite to tame mountains

AP Photos By MICHAEL McDONOUGH

Associated Press Writer

BORDEAUX, France (AP) Is Lance Armstrong losing speed, or is he preparing another spectacular assault on the Tour de France?

The three-time champion used Tuesday's rest day to recover from his first loss in a major individual time trial on the Tour since 1999, the year he first won the event.

But if his form in this week's mountain stages compares to that of recent years, Armstrong should cruise to a fourth straight title.

"I have mixed feelings heading to the mountains," Armstrong said. "The time trial was a disappointment, even though I'm satisfied to have gained time on the real climbers."

The opening mountain stage is a trek from Pau to La Mongie, high in the Pyrenees, on Thursday.

The Texan placed second in Monday's 32.24-mile race in Brittany, 11 seconds behind winner Santiago Botero of Colombia.

Although he jumped to the No. 2 spot overall standings, Armstrong was 26 seconds behind overall leader Igor Gonzalez Galdeano of Spain after the stage.

French rider Christophe Moreau said the loss to Botero showed Armstrong was weaker than before.

"I found Armstrong less imperial, less incisive and perhaps less crushing," Moreau said. "He is strong, but he doesn't crush."

Armstrong played down the importance of Gonzalez Galdeano's advantage, which grew out of a crash by Armstrong last Saturday.

"Last year we had 20 minutes to make up" heading into the mountains, Armstrong said. "It's very different."

However, Armstrong was careful in 2001 not to fall behind his big rival, Germany's Jan Ullrich, before the mountains. Ullrich is missing from this edition because of injury, leaving Gonzalez Galdeano one of the few riders able to challenge Armstrong.

"The first part of the Tour was very difficult," Armstrong said. "There were lots of crashes, it went very fast, and there was lots of tension."

Whether Monday's time-trial defeat was a minor setback or a sign that, at age 30, Armstrong is losing his grip on the Tour should become clear Thursday.

Riders have another flat stage on Wednesday, a 91.1-mile stretch from Bazas to Pau at the foot of the Pyrenees. The next day, they face an exceptionally difficult climb up the Col d'Aubisque mountain pass, followed by another tough climb to La Mongie ski station.

Armstrong traditionally soars in the first mountain stage. Last year, he opened a 2½-minute lead over Ullrich by almost sprinting up L'Alpe d'Huez.

Thanks largely to his domination at altitude, Armstrong finished the race 6:44 ahead of Ullrich and 13:28 ahead of Gonzalez Galdeano.

Botero's time-trial victory was his second over Armstrong in two months. He beat the Texan by 42 seconds at the Dauphine Libere in June, which Armstrong went on to win.

The Colombian was named king of the mountains at the end of the 2000 Tour, but his uneven form means he is unlikely to seriously threaten Armstrong for the race title. He was 1:55 behind Gonzalez Galdeano after Monday's ninth stage.

The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.