Armstrong eyes title as Pereiro takes stage
(Shenzhen Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-21 16:27

Lance Armstrong simplified his game plan after scaling the last tough mountain of his Tour de France career.

"The big, big days and the big difficulties are done," Armstrong said after Tuesday's 16th stage. "Now we have to stay safe, stay conservative and look to the final time trial and try and close it out."

Completing the last of three days in the Pyrenees left just a mostly flat stage, two medium mountain stages and the time trial for Armstrong to negotiate before what he hopes is a final victorious pedal up Paris' Champs-Elysees.

Spaniard Oscar Pereiro won the stage, with Armstrong finishing in a group that included Ivan Basso, T-Mobile leader Jan Ullrich and other top riders — all 3 minutes, 24 seconds behind Pereiro.

Armstrong's lead over Basso, looking to improve on his third-place finish last year, remains at 2:46. Mickael Rasmussen of Denmark is third, 3:09 behind the six-time champion. Ullrich is fourth overall and trails Armstrong by 5:58.

Armstrong was so untroubled during Tuesday's stage, he felt as if he was freewheeling.

"It was an amazing day. Today there was no chain on the bike," he said. "Maybe today was one of my best days. I don't know why, I don't have a real explanation, but I felt totally confident. I felt the team was very strong. It was a great day for us."

Armstrong brushed off challenges from his main rivalrs, easily matching their uphill accelerations to defend his comfortable lead. So, the challengers concentrated on Rasmussen — who has a nearly three-minute lead over Ullrich and could prevent the German from finishing on the podium for only the second time in his career.

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