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Article: Armstrong to third after Tour time trial
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- July 23, 2009
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Lance Armstrong finds himself in unfamiliar territory at this Tour de France _ fighting just to remain among the top three riders.
Accustomed to dominating his way to victory, the seven-time winner had to settle for a 16th-place finish in Thursday's time trial and a tenuous grip on third place.
The 37-year-old American battled fatigue in the 18th stage, a 40.5-kilometer (25-mile) race against the clock around bucolic Lake Annecy that Alberto Contador won in 48 minutes, 31 seconds to close in on the overall victory.
Armstrong was 1:30 behind, but he entered the day in fourth and easily overcame a 30-second deficit to Frank Schleck. The Saxo Bank rider finished 2:34 behind Contador to slip from ...