Armstrong loses key ally to an injury
COLMAR, France — Lance Armstrong lost a crucial ally for the rest of the Tour de France when teammate Levi Leipheimer withdrew because of a broken wrist. Julian Dean and Oscar Freire were lightly injured by shots from a suspected air rifle from the roadside.
For a day when nothing changed atop the standings, Friday sure was an eventful one.
Armstrong remained third after the 124-mile stage through the rolling hills of northeast France that featured three big climbs, including the demanding Col du Platzerwasel.
"It was really, really cold. To be honest I don't remember a day in the Tour that has been colder than that one," Armstrong told The Associated Press. "I guess that tactically it was pretty uneventful, none of the others favorites attacked. Perhaps the Platzerwasel wasn't as hard as we expected."
Freire and Dean, who were expected to start Saturday's stage, were hit during the descent, about 22 miles from the finish of the stage between Vittel and Colmar won by German rider Heinrich Haussler, who outclassed the pack with a solo breakaway.
Police were investigating the case.
A projectile embedded in Freire's thigh was removed by a Rabobank team doctor. Dean's right index finger was injured, said Marya Pongrace, a spokeswoman for his Garmin-Slipstream team.
Both cyclists were expected to start Saturday's mostly flat 14th stage, a 124-mile trek through plains from Colmar to Besancon, their teams said.
Armstrong, who raised concerns about his own security on the race after announcing his comeback last year, remained 8 seconds behind race leader Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy, who is not regarded as a potential Tour winner.
Armstrong's Astana teammate and main rival Alberto Contador, the Tour winner in 2007, is second, 2 seconds ahead of Armstrong.
Norway's Thor Hushovd retrieved the green jersey awarded to the Tour's best sprinter from Mark Cavendish of Britain, and Franco Pellizotti from Italy took the polka-dot jersey of the best climber off Spain's Egoi Martinez.
Even without Leipheimer, who was fourth overall before his withdrawal with a broken wrist following a crash on Thursday, the Astana team was able to control the stage.
It could be a far different story during Sunday's first Alpine stage, where the torpor among the favorites since the Pyrenees last week is likely to end.
"I mean, that one is almost a guarantee because it's uphill," Armstrong said by phone. "For sure it's a decisive stage and exciting for the fans. Very different than what we've seen since Andorra."
Contador said Sunday's ride isn't likely to separate the main title contenders, insisting the 5.47-mile uphill finish up to Verbier is too short to give contenders enough space to make large time gaps.
"This layout isn't favorable to attacks," Contador said. "There should have been more uphill finishes ... I would have liked a different type of course."
