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Sports
The Battalion
Page 5 • Tuesday, July 20, 2004
By Jerome Pugmire
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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I Roih'BNIMES, France — Lance Armstrong has touched thousands of
after f 1 pie, and just as many have touched him.
irbiijThe Tour de France is a unique event that allows fans to get up
expecfclse and personal with cycling’s biggest stars. As riders climb
mountains, gasping for breath and legs weary, spectators often run
taleti alongside, patting them on their backs with encouragement,
dele J But the passion can get out of hand, and occasional accidents are
m, as vltually impossible to prevent, despite police who help keep back the
ickei| millions °f fans who attend the race for free along more than 1,800
Mem m i |es °f roa d-
i s e m | Suddenly, someone jumps out waving a giant flag in front of the
deles; bike, t* 1611 moves it away in a split second, like a matador with a
ickei] Bll. Others throw water, some shout praise or insults,
matjlf mountain climbs, rain, crashes with other riders, and road
Jeter beards like cobblestones weren’t hard enough, cyclists also have to
ngp worry about fans knocking them over. Armstrong knows the feeling
all too well.
lines ■“You can’t ride next to the crowd, I personally learned that,”
sfiuid Ai nstrong said. “There’s so many people, the speeds are higher, the
t theiB°pl e aren’t all educated about bike racing. Riders hit spectators all
nontli.» time. It’s dangerous.”
hornetB I n l ast year’s Tour, the Texan’s handlebars got snagged on a fan’s
x-rryjpl; itic bag on an ascent to Luz Ardiden. He tumbled to the ground
S.MavBtgging Spaniard Iban Mayo with him but he got back on his bike
Bm and won the stage.
sted. lit’ 8 s tiH a bad memory. He worries when he sees any bags being
of dijmed along the race routes, although he concedes he was to blame
kediuMthe accident because he was too close to the fans,
s wraEvery time I see one. I’m just like: ‘Oh, no, stay away from
:rs U p ”’ the five-time champion said.
Ohio-Bfltis y ear ' i' 1 Saturday’s 13th stage. Armstrong came perilously
delej eh e to another fall. Riding ahead of the pack, he and the talented
j n c Italian Ivan Basso were sucked into a vortex of near-hysterical fans
jlem o an uphill climb.
, reM i,I One fan waved a giant American flag close to Armstrong’s face.
Another slapped him on the back, and his bike wobbled. Then came a
Fan frenzy
Riders face daily risks from masses on roadside
US Postal Service leader Lance Armstrong, of Austin looks at a map of France as he sits by a fountain
near his hotel in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, south of Montelimar, southern France, during the second
home stretch packed with screaming Basque fans pumping their fists
and surging forward. The gap to pass was frighteningly narrow.
“I looked at him and he looked at me,” Armstrong recalled, refer
ring to Basso. They thought, “’Man it’s unbelievable that we made it
LAURENT REBOURS • THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
rest day of the Tour de France cycling race, Monday. Armstrong is in second-place in the race's
overall standings, 22 seconds behind Thomas Voeckler of France.
through there without getting killed.’
“I tried to stay as much in the middle as 1 can,” Armstrong added.
“But when they’re waving flags it’s sometimes tough because it can
catch the handlebar. When that happens you go down.”
lickey activated
tract of outfielder
Triple-A Oklahoma.
To make room on the roster, Texas
designated infielder Manny Alexander and
outfielder Jason Conti for assignment.
Dickey was 5-6 with a 5.90 ERA in 15
games 13 starts.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
George rejects Titans' offer
NASHVILLE - Eddie George, Tennessee’s
all-time leading rusher, rejected the Titans’
latest offer Monday and asked the team to
release him quickly so he can seek a job
with a new team.
George and his agent, Lament Smith,
considered the Titans’ offer over the week
end, but the proposal had not changed
significantly from what the team initially
offered in March.
‘Tm not accepting it," George told The
Associated Press on Monday night. "My
expectation when making the decision is
to be released. At that point, I’m looking
at other options.”
Smith said he told the Titans earlier
Monday that George had rejected the offer
and wanted to be released. He was told that
team officials wanted to “kick it around.”
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THE FULL MONTY
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