Armstrong Tests Form in Portuguese Race
Tue Feb 17, 3:29 PM ET Add Sports - AP to My Yahoo!
By BARRY HATTON, Associated Press Writer
ALBUFEIRA, Portugal - Lance Armstrong is thinking big this season, but he's starting small. The Texan's preparation in his bid for a sixth straight victory at the Tour de France begins Wednesday at the five-day Volta ao Algarve — Tour of the Algarve — a minor professional cycling event.
Armstrong's debut in the race in southern Portugal is also his first competitive outing of 2004. The Tour of the Algarve comes a couple of weeks before his usual season opener, the better-known Tour of Murcia in Spain.
As usual, Armstrong's schedule with his U.S. Postal Service team is built around the Tour de France, which opens July 3.
Johan Bruyneel, the team's director and tactical mastermind, said Armstrong plans to spend all of April in the United States, taking part in the Tour of Georgia.
"The main attraction is the date, because we're starting racing earlier this year," Bruyneel told The Associated Press. "The Algarve weather's also good, and the roads are, too."
He said the race would provide a gentle start to the season, easing Armstrong into competition.
"It's good to start in a relaxed way, without too much pressure. It's not a very hard race," Bruyneel said.
The U.S. Postal Service team spent 10 days training last month in Solvanga, Calif. It is sending eight riders to Portugal, where Armstrong will be joined by the team's new signings — Jose Azevedo, Patrick McCarty, Daniel Rincon, and Benjamin Noval.
"The team is in pretty decent shape," Bruyneel said.
Armstrong, though, is the star of the show.
The Volta ao Algarve, in its 30th edition, hasn't attracted riders of Armstrong's caliber since five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain participated eight years ago.
Portugal's Algarve province is about 120 miles south of Lisbon, the capital. The Algarve is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations thanks to its long beaches, calm sea and mild climate.
The coast is flat, but a few miles inland, the Algarve's foothills gradually rise to altitudes around 3,000 feet.
The course is flat during the first two days of racing. The riders cover 93 miles on the opening day and 113 miles on Day 2.
Day 3 includes a climb up to the Algarve's highest peak, while the next stage is a 15-mile individual time trial.
The last stage is 111 miles, including three climbs.
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