From: Bruce Hildenbrand ([email hidden])
Subject: Comments on Lance Armstrong's Stage 8 Tour de France Victory
This is the only article in this thread
View: Original Format
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.racing
Date: 1993-07-21 14:06:27 PST
I just thought I would pass on some thoughts and observations surrounding
Lance Armstrong's stage win at the Tour(TIOOYK).
First off, watching it live was chilling! Who knows what was going to happen?
In the final 30km, Lance was super, super dialed into the events at the
front. He was covering the dangerous moves, bridging to things that looked
promising, in short, he was doing what you have to do to win a stage.
With about 25km to go the race climbed a small hill to the huge memorial
to the brutal fighting that took place in Verdun in WWI. On that climb
a number of riders tried to have a go, includuing Chiapucci who looked
to have the best chance till Lance shut it down. With 20km to go there
was a descent and more small attacks. Lance was again at the front either
bridging or chasing. Nothing looked serious and then with about 17km to go,
it happened. Roche was near the front and a small group got a gap and
they all looked like they wanted to work and the lead grew. In the group
were Roche, Alcala, Pensec, Armstong and a few others and they looked to be
working well togehter.
I don't think the lead ever got to be much more than 20-25 seconds, a few
times they looked back, but it was more business at hand. In the final
kilometer, a few had a go at long solos, most notably Roche, but it was
really coming together for the sprint.
Pensec lead out the sprint, he appeared to be heading right, closing the
door on the right and forcing people to go left. Alcala came on the
left, but at the last minute, Pensec moved a bit left opening a door on
the right and Lance shot through it to take the win.
Lance got very lucky that Pensec opend the door on the right, otherwise
Alcala would have won. But, Lance had done so much right to be in the
position to win the race that maybe the Gods were sympathetic. He really
deserved the victory. No wheel sucker here, a great job of being in the
right place at the right time and making things happen.
What a great win for Lance and Team Motorola!
Bruce
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------