SAINT-GIRONS, France – Lance Armstrong is trying not to let his rivalry with Alberto Contador distract him and the rest of the Astana team at the Tour de France.
On Saturday, the status quo between Contador and Armstrong prevailed as Luis Leon Sanchez of Spain won the eighth stage in the Pyrenees, while Italy’s Rinaldo Nocentini retained the yellow jersey.
Contador eclipsed the seven-time Tour champion Armstrong a day earlier in the first Pyrenean ride, and trails the Italian, who is not seen as an overall title threat, by six seconds. Armstrong is eight seconds back.
The Astana team, facing new questions about whether teamwork still trumps its brewing two-man rivalry, on Friday had talks on the team bus about the breakaway by Contador a day earlier.
“What’s said in the bus, stays in the bus,” said team sporting director Johan Bruyneel, confirming the breakaway was discussed but refusing to offer details to reporters.
Before the ride Saturday, when Versus’ Frankie Andreu asked whether Astana was more divided now, after Contador’s breakaway, Armstrong dodged the issue.
“I’m going to refuse to comment on that,” Armstrong said. “At the end of the day, we’re all professionals - and even if there were some hurt feelings, we’re going to do our job.”
Armstrong didn’t speak to reporters after Saturday’s stage, a 176.5-kilometer (110-mile) trek along three big climbs from the Pyrenean principality of Andorra to Saint-Girons, France.
Armstrong posted on Twitter: “St8 done. Tough but not 2 challenging. Had anti-doping control AGAIN.”
Cycling’s governing body UCI and France’s anti-doping agency have stepped up urine and blood tests this year in an effort to root out cheats who have marred cycling’s premiere race in recent years. That means top performers like Armstrong face more checks.
Contador, in a statement from his spokesman, didn’t make any mention of relations within the team, and simply credited a strong effort from Astana riders to beat back rivals’ attacks Saturday.
The 26-year-old Contador is already one of cycling’s top riders, having won all three Grand Tours of France, Italy and Spain – a feat accomplished only by five riders. Armstrong isn’t one of them.
The race has shaped up as a two-man battle between the two Astana stars so far primarily because the other pre-race favorites lost key time in time trials, and are trailing badly.
In order to get back into contention, the rivals tried to attack during the Pyrenees - the first big mountain challenges of the three-week race. So far, they’ve had no success against Astana.
The first salvo Saturday came from two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans, who burst out of the peloton on the first of the day’s three climbs – the Category 1 Envalira Pass - at the 23.5 kilometer (14.6 mile) mark. (AP)