Armstrong out to set record straight
Lance Armstrong is determined to set the record straight and wrap up his fourth successive Tour de France victory in the time trial in the Beaujolais vineyards on Saturday.
The American suffered his first defeat in a major time trial on the Tour between Lanester and Lorient 10 days ago and is out for revenge over Santiago Botero.
In Brittany the Colombian won over 52 kilometres, briefly raising question marks over Armstrong's strength, although he quickly answered them in the mountains.
But the U.S. Postal team leader has not won a big time trial this season, losing to Botero twice, in the Dauphine Libere and in the Tour, and to Spaniard Igor Gonzalez Galdeano in the Midi Libre race.
Armstrong sees former yellow jersey wearer Gonzalez Galdeano as his main threat, however.
"Gonzalez Galdeano has revenge to take and to me, he'll be the man to beat," said the American.
But Armstrong, who won the prologue in Luxembourg and two stages in the Pyrenees, would love a fourth stage victory, like he managed in 1999 and last year.
"It's important that the yellow jersey holder rides the best he can and I intend to honour the jersey I'm wearing," he said, making it clear he would not hold anything back.
PODIUM PLACES
With fight for overall Tour victory all but over, attention will turn to the podium places.
Third-placed Lithuanian Raimondas Rumsas is normally a much better time trial specialist than second-placed Joseba Beloki of Spain, but two minutes and 18 seconds could be too much of a gap for the Lampre-Daikin rider to make up.
Botero also looks a little bit too far from Rumsas -- he is 3:35 behind -- to claim a place on the podium.
But Gonzalez Galdeano looks certain to beat fifth-placed Portuguese Jose Azevedo and finish at least fifth, his position last year.
Briton David Millar, winner of a stage in Beziers, also intends to go for what would be one of the biggest wins of his career so far.
"He has not made any effort in the mountains to keep strength and give his all in the time trial," said his Cofidis team director Bernard Quilfen.
Saturday's 50km route through red wine country is bumpy and includes a tough third category climb early on.
