CYCLING: The Pyrenees were such a disaster for Lance Armstrong's old team Discovery Channel that yesterday they started the day with their ambitions revised sharply downwards. Two of the team's complement then abandoned early on, but they rediscovered their winning touch at last when they took the stage through the Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych.
Popovych would not reveal what had been said to the team after Thursday's poor showing but, given the way Armstrong used to boss the squad on the road, no doubt minds were focused by the news the seven-times Tour winner, still the team's part-owner, will visit next week.
There was certainly promise in the incisive way Popovych attacked repeatedly to elude his three breakaway companions, including double stage winner Oscar Freire. The Ukraininan's presence in the day's escape and his rise up the standings to 10th overall hinted that it may not be straightforward for the yellow jersey Floyd Landis to control the race. Popovych flopped badly on Thursday like the rest of his team but Landis could not afford to allow him to pull back too much of his nine-minute deficit.
Knowing this, and being aware they may need their strength on today's and tomorrow's stages, the sprinters' teams refused to cooperate in the chase and forced Landis's Phonak squad to keep up the pursuit to the bitter end.
France's cyclists have upheld national pride on the fete nationale for the past two years but yesterday there was only one home rider in the four-man escape that fought out the stage, Christophe Le Mevel, and he was unable hold either Popovych, Italian Alessandro Ballan or Freire.
The south of France is on alerte canicule, the public warning issued to avoid a repetition of the high death rate in the hot summer of 2003. The advice includes staying indoors when temperatures are at their highest, but naturally that does not apply to the Tour cyclists, who yesterday sped through the shimmering heat haze at almost 29mph.
David Millar had promised he would "nuke it" up the last Pyrenean pass, the second-category Col des Ares, in an attempt to win the stage, and at the top he formed part of a strong 15-rider lead group which contained a smattering of Frenchmen out to do or die for the honour of their country. Unfortunately for Millar the group also included two contenders for the green points jersey of best sprinter, the prologue winner Thor Hushovd and the Italian Daniele Bennati, which meant the Davitamon team of the points leader Robbie McEwen were forced to chase them down.
Although Millar and his fellow Briton Bradley Wiggins survived the two Pyrenean stages with a little energy to spare, the Scot feels that many other riders in the field are currently struggling.
Yesterday five abandoned, including the Discovery men Paolo Savoldelli and Benjamin Noval.The hot weather is forecast to continue this weekend as the Tour heads towards the Ardeche and the Vaucluse, and the effect may be felt next week in the Alps.
Guardian Service
