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Sun 31 May, 7:34 pm UTC

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Armstrong feeling strong for Tour de France

By AFP

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said his 12th-placed finish in the Giro d'Italia, which ended on Sunday in Rome, was "promising" ahead of this year's French test.

The 37-year-old American, who broke a collarbone in a crash on the Tour of Castilla and Leon in March, and his Astana team had insisted that he had not come into his first ever Tour of Italy looking for victory.

"I came in open-minded. I did not know what to expect, obviously because of the crash in Castilla and Leon, the time off the bike and the trip over here," Armstrong said.

"In my view it has been a hard three weeks. In the second half of the race I showed that I was certainly getting better and I think we can take that away from here. It is promising for June and July."

Armstrong dismissed expectations that he would have returned to the cycling world with victories in the biggest events.

"I may have disappointed some fans and people in the press room expecting that I immediately should start winning big races," he said.  "That is crazy. I am almost 38 years old. Both of my feet are firmly on the ground. It's taken a lot of work up to this point but we might ride strong and be in the front in July."

Armstrong added: "The style of racing in Italy is different, but I liked it.

Armstrong rode the final time trial conservatively sunday in rome, not wanting to risk injury in the rain.: armstrong rode the final time trial conservatively sunday in rome, not wanting to risk injury in the rain.

"Despite some dangerous stages, it was a great race. The Giro del Centenario brought us to the most beautiful places of the country. The people here are enthusiastic."

Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel said he hoped the matter of some unpaid salaries would be resolved so the team could go on and compete in the Tour of Luxembourg, the Dauphine Libere, the Tour of Switzerland and the Tour de France.

"I am hopeful and confident that we can ride those races," said Bruyneel.

Armstrong's astana team raced hard, despite the loss of chris horner and levi leipheimer's inability to keep up with the favourites in the final week.: armstrong's astana team raced hard, despite the loss of chris horner and levi leipheimer's inability to keep up with the favourites in the final week.

The financial woes that left salaries unpaid are not completely resolved yet.

"I hope that the team sponsors will meet the deadline for the bank guarantee and the payments. Moreover the UCI (International Cycling Union) now wants more guarantees about the team for the rest of the year.

"The UCI will decide soon about the near future of the team. We hope to know more in the coming days. The best solution is that we can continue with our current structure. I expect that we will have a team at the start of the Tour de France," he added.

© 2009 AFP

User Comments

There are 11 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 11 of 11 comments

  • Have to admit, Lance (and the Astana team) is looking pretty good for the TDF. May not get an outright win but I think he'll be there or thereabouts for some podium finishes. Good luck to him, takes a lot of balls to re-enter after a lengthy lay-off. Good luck!

  • im no fan, but 38 with broken bones - finishing that giro is simply fantastic riding. wish he wasnt a megalimaniac of the bike

  • Armstrong, boring..

    Over the hill now at 37.

    Yawn.

  • So what does that say for the 160 riders he beat when he is over the hill, even after recovering from a broken collarbone?

  • An admirable performance, especially considering he was generally riding in support of Leipheimer. Hardly boring, and besides this season will be it.

    Megalomaniac? I'm not sure how that would manifest itself but confident, self assured,

    determined and in control certainly come to mind.

  • the team's money issues are more worrying than his collarbone ever was...

  • He'll be at The Tour - for what team, in what form, who can tell? But he will be there.

  • I was never a fan of Lance simply because sitting through 3 weeks of racing every july just to see who comes second was painful. BUT what with the collar bone and 3 year lay-off and 37 years old, 12th place is hugely impressive. It puts his class into perspective when you think of all them riders who finished behind him. It really won't be a surprise to me if he wins in July.

  • There's 100 riders in they to make up the numbers and help there no.1s.

    Lance cant let go of the bike and his ego.

  • Seems he has gotten to you Swagman, LA is a successful rider who has beat cancer, retired and made a comeback after a long layoff, had a major interruption to his GDT and TDF build up and still managed a 12th place in one of the hardest races on the planet. Not bad for someone who is over the hill eh?

  • Even people who don't like Armstrong must be secretly impressed with him.Can he win the big one maybe, maybe not but would you bet against him?

  • 1

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