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CNN Live Sunday
Armstrong Takes Lead in Tour de France
Aired July 13, 2003 - 18:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Once again, the French are eating their hearts out, at least in the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong is in the lead spot of this year's race. He is going for his fifth straight yellow winner's jersey and CNN's Sports Anchor Kara Henderson is here now with more -- hi, Kara.
KARA HENDERSON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very much a day of spinning for Lance Armstrong, a very big win for him today. He didn't win the (unintelligible) but the tour is now a week old but Armstrong said his tour began yesterday when the race entered the mountains.
It's no surprise that Armstrong took control of the race today because he's known for his climbing and this stage included two ascents that are literally off the charts, so difficult that they are beyond classification. The final of these two climbs L'Alpe d'Huez is considered one of the most legendary in all of cycling, eight and a half miles, 21 hairpin turns, and an eight percent grade. It's here that Armstrong took control of the Tour two years ago with a dramatic stage win.
Not today, Armstrong did not win the stage. That honor belongs to Iban Mayo who broke away from the pack. But, Armstrong did hold off a number of attacks from his rivals and his closest competitors to take that yellow jersey and a 42nd overall lead.
One of the main thorns in Armstrong's side throughout the day, fellow American and former teammate Tyler Hamilton, you may remember that Hamilton broke his collarbone in a crash in the second stage of this year's Tour but remarkably he remains in the hunt. He is in sixth place.
Now, Armstrong admitted he wasn't at his best today saying that he didn't have the greatest legs or the greatest sensations in the six-hour ride but he is wearing that familiar yellow jersey so he'll take it especially since, Sophia, there are still two weeks to go in the Tour de France. So, he hasn't won it yet but this was a big win for him today at least to get the overall lead even if you didn't win the stage.
CHOI: Well, we are keeping our fingers crossed and I think yellow looks pretty good on him, what do you think?
HENDERSON: I think he likes wearing that yellow and I think it's going to be very difficult for someone to take that yellow jersey off of his back. CHOI: That's good to hear. Thank you, Kara.
HENDERSON: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 13, 2003 - 18:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOPHIA CHOI, CNN ANCHOR: Once again, the French are eating their hearts out, at least in the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong is in the lead spot of this year's race. He is going for his fifth straight yellow winner's jersey and CNN's Sports Anchor Kara Henderson is here now with more -- hi, Kara.
KARA HENDERSON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very much a day of spinning for Lance Armstrong, a very big win for him today. He didn't win the (unintelligible) but the tour is now a week old but Armstrong said his tour began yesterday when the race entered the mountains.
It's no surprise that Armstrong took control of the race today because he's known for his climbing and this stage included two ascents that are literally off the charts, so difficult that they are beyond classification. The final of these two climbs L'Alpe d'Huez is considered one of the most legendary in all of cycling, eight and a half miles, 21 hairpin turns, and an eight percent grade. It's here that Armstrong took control of the Tour two years ago with a dramatic stage win.
Not today, Armstrong did not win the stage. That honor belongs to Iban Mayo who broke away from the pack. But, Armstrong did hold off a number of attacks from his rivals and his closest competitors to take that yellow jersey and a 42nd overall lead.
One of the main thorns in Armstrong's side throughout the day, fellow American and former teammate Tyler Hamilton, you may remember that Hamilton broke his collarbone in a crash in the second stage of this year's Tour but remarkably he remains in the hunt. He is in sixth place.
Now, Armstrong admitted he wasn't at his best today saying that he didn't have the greatest legs or the greatest sensations in the six-hour ride but he is wearing that familiar yellow jersey so he'll take it especially since, Sophia, there are still two weeks to go in the Tour de France. So, he hasn't won it yet but this was a big win for him today at least to get the overall lead even if you didn't win the stage.
CHOI: Well, we are keeping our fingers crossed and I think yellow looks pretty good on him, what do you think?
HENDERSON: I think he likes wearing that yellow and I think it's going to be very difficult for someone to take that yellow jersey off of his back. CHOI: That's good to hear. Thank you, Kara.
HENDERSON: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
