ARMSTRONG ARRIVES AT THE TOUR

Lance Armstrong visits the 2006 Tour de France

Lance Armstrong has arrived at the Tour de France to give his former Discovery Channel team-mates a much-needed boost.

The seven-time winner flew in by helicopter to Gap this morning and sat in on the morning meeting on the team bus, then he emerged to talk to reporters.

"I just tried to reiterate that I believe in them, and while I know that it's obviously been a difficult year relative to what we were used to, it's still the same group of guys, still great riders. But that I understand that this is a transition time so, you know now is not the time to be critical or say what's the problem? Now is the time to say that I believe in them, especially relative to the field. I still think that we have some of the best riders in the race."

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