Teammate wins stage as Armstrong's lead grows

[gldstwmn]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?cnn=yes

SAINT-LARY-SOULAN, France (AP) -- As Lance Armstrong prepared for what may be hardest stage of the Tour de France, the widow of a friend and teammate killed in a crash a decade ago told him to go for the win.

That was the only thing that didn't work out for Armstrong Sunday, which he called "a perfect day."

Armstrong settled for watching his most loyal teammate, genial New Yorker George Hincapie, pedal to victory high in the Pyrenees -- his first-ever individual stage victory in the Tour and the first by one of Armstrong's support riders.

And, taking care of business, Armstrong solidified his overall race lead in the brutal 15th stage -- staying on track to retire with a seventh consecutive Tour victory next Sunday.

At the finish, the two riders -- friends since they were teenagers -- hugged and Armstrong gave a thumbs-up.


Full article available at the link.