In France, Tour Takes a Detour
Bad Blood Between Armstrong, Simeoni Boils Over; Mercado Wins Stage 18
By John Leicester
Associated Press
Saturday, July 24, 2004; Page D01
LONS-LE-SAUNIER, France, July 23 -- When Lance Armstrong lays down the law in the Tour de France, other riders sometimes have no choice but to obey. Just ask Filippo Simeoni.
The Italian, who is involved in a legal battle with the five-time champion, tried to speed ahead of the pack Friday on the Tour's 18th stage. Armstrong's reaction was unequivocal: No way.
Even though Simeoni is way down in the overall standings and cannot threaten Armstrong's march to a record sixth Tour victory, the Texan chased after him.
Their animosity stems from Simeoni's testimony against sports doctor Michele Ferrari, with whom Armstrong has ties. Ferrari faces allegations of providing performance enhancers to riders and in 2002, Simeoni told an Italian court that Ferrari advised him to take drugs.
Ferrari has testified that he never prescribed or administered banned substances.
The result at this Tour is bad blood between Armstrong and Simeoni.
"All he wants to do is destroy cycling and destroy the sport that pays him, and that's wrong," the Texan said after his extraordinary move to rein in Simeoni.
The Italian was trying to catch a group of six riders who, in an effort to win, pulled away from the main pack early in the stage through eastern France.
Armstrong went tearing after him. When he and Simeoni caught the escape group, the riders there told Simeoni he was not welcome. They knew that their chances of winning the stage were nil if Armstrong stayed with them. Simeoni eventually demurred, breaking off his attack and returning to the main pack -- with Armstrong.
"Armstrong demonstrated to the entire world what type of person he is," Simeoni said. "It is not reasonable that a great champion doesn't give a chance to a small rider like me and the others. ... I suffered an injustice from him while everyone was watching."
Spain's Juan Miguel Mercado, who was part of the escape group Simeoni wanted to join, went on to win, beating fellow Spaniard Vicente Garcia Acosta in a sprint at the finish at Lons-Le-Saunier.
The stage win was 26-year-old Mercado's first in two Tours. He finished 36th last year.
He completed the 103.2 miles in 4 hours 4 minutes 3 seconds.
"It's a fantastic day," he said. "I had the good fortune of being in the right escape."
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
|
|
 
"All he wants to do is destroy cycling and destroy the sport that pays him, and that's wrong," Tour leader Lance Armstrong said of Filippo Simeoni, with whom he has been feuding.
(Christophe Ena -- AP)
|
|
| _____ Tour de France _____
A brief look at Sunday's 20th stage of the Tour de France:
• Stage: 101.29 miles from Montereau to the Champs-Elysees.
• Winner: Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step-Davitamon, 4 hours, 8 minutes, 26 seconds.
• How Others Fared: Lance Armstrong, United States, US Postal-Berry Floor, 114th, same time. Jan Ullrich, Germany, T-Mobile Team, 32nd, same time.
• Yellow Jersey: Armstrong.
• Quote of the Day: "I love the Tour de France. It's my buddy." -- Armstrong, who became the first rider to ever win the Tour six times.
• Results, overall standings
_____ Live Online _____
• The Post's Sally Jenkins took questions July 26.
_____ A Race Against Time _____
• Armstrong attempts what no man has yet accomplished -- a sixth consecutive Tour de France win.
• The heroes ride cycles instead of steeds, but the Tour de France is an epic saga.
• News Graphic: The members of Armstrong's team and their roles.
• Organizers have backloaded this year's 2,106-mile course so that Armstrong can't build an early lead and coast to his sixth win in a row.
• Stages of this year's Tour _____ Multimedia _____
• Video: The Post's Sally Jenkins on Lance Armstrong.
• Photos from the final stage of Armstrong's victory.
• Photos from this year's race.
• Photos from Armstrong's '03 win.
| | |
|
