Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour titles after admitting to doping following years of denial and bullying of those who confronted him, is taking part in Geoff Thomas” “One Day Ahead’ operation.
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The charity, organised by former England football global Geoff Thomas, aims to raise money for leukaemia research.
Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha has won Stage 12 of the Tour de France at the Plateau de Beille, the Spanish rider attacking from the break on the final Pyrenean climb of this year’s race to win the 195km stage from Lannemezan. “I understand there is sensitivity around that, but I’m here helping a group of people in a great cause, I’m going to do that forever”, insisted the creator of the Livestrong cancer foundation.
“Obviously my focus is on the race, but I’m certainly open-minded to potentially doing some physiological testing at some point after the Tour”, he said.
“It is undesirable, I think it is disrespectful”.
However, Armstrong declined to be drawn on Froome and the numerous questions about doping issues that were levelled at him.
Majka, who past year took home the polka dot jersey awarded to the races best climber, burst out of a breakaway bunch on the way up the Tourmalet pass the highest and most frequently visited Tour peak in the Pyrenees and was the first over it. For that achievement, he won a 5,000 euro ($5,500) prize awarded in honor of a former Tour race director.
“It’s been an interesting first week”.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Armstrong said his tweets were “totally transparent and honest” but added: “I know what that is like for a guy like Chris to be in the middle of the Tour, to deal with the constant questions, and to be fair and to be honest, a lot of that is my fault. He’s avoided all the problems”.
They allow only those riders with no hope of victory in Paris – like Rodriguez – to escape up the road, because they’re chasing stage victories and other rewards, while Sky fixates on the big prize: Keeping Froome in the yellow jersey to the July 26 finish on the Champs-Elysees.
“I feel good, we’ll keep going just like the previous days”.
Cracks in the Sky armor started to show as he was subsequently blocked from Froome’s page, with Vannieuwkerke replying that Armstrong had done likewise.
A six-man breakaway built a four-minute gap in searing heat as temperatures reached 40 Celsius in southwest France but they were reined in near the end, with the leading three being caught inside the final kilometre. “I said my maximum heart-rate is only 170”, said the Kenyan-born rider.
Porte crossed the finish line 59 seconds behind Froome with Quintana a further five in arrears and Dutchman Robert Gesink, who had fired the first salvo in the Pyrenees, a courageous fourth at 1min 33sec.
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“There’s a long way to go, it’s true we’ve lost quite a bit of time but the physical condition is there and as long as that’s the case, we’ll keep fighting”.
