Lance Armstrong has finally admitted that tension exists in his Astana team as both he and Spanish teammate Alberto Contador bid to win the Tour de France.
Lance Armstrong has finally admitted that tension exists in his Astana team as both he and Spanish teammate Alberto Contador bid to win the Tour de France.
Armstrong finished the ninth stage yesterday eight seconds off the leading pace of Rinaldo Nocentini, riding for AG2R who is not considered a yellow jersey contender.
Contador, the 2007 champion who started as the yellow jersey favourite, is second overall only six seconds off the pace ahead of today's rest day and a crucial spell of racing towards the end of this week.
As their rivals look for ways to close deficits incurred in a thrilling first week, it seems the real battle for supremacy is taking place in one team. Speculation has been rife since Armstrong joined Astana last year that he and Contador would end up duelling each other, and not their rivals, for the yellow jersey. And although Astana have so far tried to play down talk of tension, Armstrong admitted on French television: "The honest truth is that there's a little tension. Alberto is strong, and he's very ambitious."
Cancer-survivor Armstrong, who won the race a record seven times (1999-2005) said if Contador, who last year won the Tour of Italy and the Tour of Spain, proved his worth he would accept having to play second fiddle in the team. "If he proves to be the strongest here there's nothing I can do," said Armstrong, adding that if Contador gave a repeat performance in the climbing stages of next week, he'd have to abide by team rules.
"If that happens on the way to Verbier (on stage 15), then I have to follow the (team) rules."
This would mean Armstrong sitting back and helping Contador by only attacking if their yellow jersey rivals made moves to counter the Spaniard.
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