Friday’s EuroFile: Garrido at Algarve; Leblanc looks ahead
- By VeloNews.com
- Published Feb. 20, 2004
Lance Armstrong’s season debut turned a little soggy Friday as Portugal’s sunny Algarve coast got drenched with afternoon showers late in the 180km third stage of the Volta ao Algarve.
Armstrong rode at the front of the main bunch of the day’s major obstacle at the Category 2 Fóia climb at 57km and was content to let the sprinters take over coming into Lagos, where Martin Garrido (Barbot-Gaia) pipped Stuart O’Grady (Cofidis) to take the flowers.
Candido Barboso (LA Pecol) took third and retained the overall lead after sprints have finished the action in the opening three days. Going into Saturday’s much-anticipated 24km individual time trial, Armstrong finished safely tucked in the main bunch at 55th and sits 25 seconds back.
The five-time Tour de France champion is using the five-day Algarve tour to kick-start his 2004 season and, although he said he’s suffering in his first race of the season, his U.S. Postal Service team set a brisk pace over the Fóia climb.
Armstrong, of course, has bigger fish to fry later in the season as all eyes are on the Texan’s efforts to win a record sixth Tour. There are surprisingly few journalists here for Armstrong’s season debut but good crowds have turned up each afternoon to catch a glimpse of the American.
After Algarve concludes Sunday, Armstrong will return to his European home base in Girona, Spain, and then race in the Tour of Murcia early next month.
Early in Friday’s stage, two riders held a five-minute margin over the Fóia climb, but lost their way when they took a costly wrong turn with 75km to go when their margin stood at more than seven minutes. The bunch checked some late moves to set up the sprint. U.S. Postal’s Michael Barry coming through fifth while Floyd Landis crashed after slipping on wet pavement coming in for the sprint.
Armstrong will test a new bike in Saturday’s time trial as well as a slightly modified riding position. Showers continued well into Friday evening and forecasters are calling for equally gloomy weather for Saturday’s time trial.
U.S. Postal’s sport director Johan Bruyneel said Armstrong is not gunning for the win, but rather to test the new equipment. Barry and Victor Hugo Peña could do well for the Posties.
- Andrew Hood
Tour of the Algarve (UCI 2.3)
Stage 3, Lagao to Lagos
1. Martin Garrido (Arg), Barbot-Gaia 180km in 4:36:59
2. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), Cofidis
3. Candido Barbosa (Por), LA Pecol
4. Marc De Maar (Ned), Rabobank
5. Michael Barry (Can), USPS all same timeOverall after three stages
1. Candido Barbosa (Por), LA Pecol 12:50:37
2. Alberto Benito (Sp), Antarte +0:09
3. Stuart O’Grady (Aus), Cofidis +0:13
4. Martin Garrido (Arg), Barbot-Gaia +0:15
5. Jordi Berenguer (Sp), Beppi-Ovarense +0:18
Leblanc scopes out 2008 options
Tour de France director Jean-Marie Leblanc on a visit to Copenhagen Friday told Danish television network TV2 that the race may start in Denmark in 2008, possibly in Herning, the home town of 1996 Tour winner, Bjarne Riis.
“Denmark has given a great deal to the success of the Tour de France,” said Leblanc. “There is, of course, Bjarne Riis, but also an array of other strong riders, a great team in CSC, a core of faithful television viewers and the great number of Danish fans who come to see the Tour in person each year. It is time that the Tour de France gives something in return.”
Leblanc he favors a start in or near Riis’s hometown of Herning, on the western portion of Denmark on the peninsula known as Jutland.
Leblanc said he intends to inspect roads and lodging facilities in and around Herning before making a final decision, adding that he is “very impressed” by what he’d seen thus far.
Nonetheless, Leblanc declined to make a final commitment, saying that Denmark is one of several “strong candidates” to host the start of the 2008 Tour, noting that locations in Canada (Quebec), Germany, the Netherlands, England, Switzerland and France are still under consideration.
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