Lance Armstrong acknowledged that there are some tensions in the Astana team, after hinting that it may be the strongest competitor in this year's Tour de France, which took off on Monday.
As the race enters its most demanding tests, the U.S. 37 years decided to put pressure on the shoulders of his partner and rival Alberto Contador and demonstrate that it has control but is surpassed by the Spanish in fractions of a second in the classification general.
After the ninth stage in the Pyrenees on Sunday, the U.S. is the third site, which is a very good position for a cyclist who returns to the powers of a withdrawal of nearly four years. But the seven-time Tour champion wants more and has prepared an appointment with the second counter in the Alps.
There will be many changes to Verbier, Armstrong said in reference to step 15, a grueling journey of 207 kilometers (128.9 miles) between Pontarlier and Verbier, Switzerland. There will have more time to see who is truly the strongest.
Despite losing 21 seconds to Contador in the first goal on Friday in the mountain ski resort of Arcalis in Andorra, Armstrong seems convinced that he can beat his Astana team for his eighth victory in the Tour de France . The American, who has carefully reviewed the Alpine stages, even said that he decided to allow progress to Counter the interests of the team when the Spanish launched a fund in Arcalis.
I would not say I could have easily followed because it was an impressive attack, said Armstrong.
According to Armstrong and Astana manager Johan Bruyneel, a close friend of the United States, Counter contravened the strategy of the team when attacked.
The honest truth is that there is some tension, Armstrong said Sunday at the France-2 television station in the most explicit statement so far that the team might be losing to the ambitions of individuals. Contador is strong and is very ambitious.
Contador, 26, has won cycling's three major powers-France, Italy and Spain-a feat achieved by only five cyclists. Until now, Spanish is careful not to talk about their ambitions.
We knew that the Pyrenees mountains are more gentle in this Tour, he said. Now I want to rest ... and be quiet during the first five days of competition before thinking about the next target mountain in Verbier.
