Lance Armstrong Finishes Third in Tour de France

Strategic Insights -

Lance Armstrong's familiar place at the top of the Champs-Elysees podium was occupied by someone else on Sunday, but he still earned a third-place finish in the Tour de France. Armstrong, 37, completed the grueling 2,141-mile race after a three-year retirement, impressive given his age and recent racing. Despite finishing third, Armstrong was beaming with pride, surrounded by friends, family, and girlfriend, who all watched from the VIP section just steps away from the Arc de Triomphe.

Key Takeaways:

  • Armstrong finished third in the Tour de France, his best result since his return to cycling after a three-year retirement.
  • He completed the grueling 2,141-mile race without major issues, impressive given his age and recent racing.
  • Armstrong will lead the newly created Team RadioShack in 2010, a top-tier team with a budget of $15 to $20 million.
  • Speculation is that Armstrong will sign top riders from his current Astana team, including Andreas Kloden and Levi Leipheimer.
  • French cycling fans, who never warmed up to Armstrong during his dominant years, cheered him on over the past month.
  • Armstrong's performance put him among the company of French cycling greats, including Raymond Poulidor, who is considered the country's favorite all-time rider.
  • Poulidor earned a podium spot at 38 and finished second on two occasions.

Statistics:

  • Armstrong finished 4 minutes, 11 seconds behind Alberto Contador, the winner of the Tour de France.
  • He finished 5:24 behind Andy Schleck, the 24-year-old rider from Luxembourg.
  • Armstrong averaged a speed of 22.5 miles per hour over the 21 stages of the Tour de France.
  • Contador's yellow jersey-clinching climb to Verbier registered him at 1,850, surpassing Armstrong's highest acceleration measurement, 1,790.
  • Armstrong's comeback from retirement and subsequent surgery was a remarkable feat, especially considering his age and recent racing.

Sources:

  • Associated Press (Patrick Herzog photo of Lance Armstrong holding a glass of champagne)
  • Suzanne Halliburton (shalliburton@statesman.com)
  • Lance Armstrong's interview and quotes
  • Johan Bruyneel's quotes and Team Astana's press releases
  • Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's agent and Team RadioShack general manager
  • French President Nicolas Sarkozy's statement through interpreters
  • Tour de France official website and statistics.