Armstrong concedes he can't win the 2009 Tour

Lance Armstrong, Tour de France 2009, stage 15

published 19 July 2009

Lance Armstrong virtually accepted defeat in the Tour de France after losing 1-35 to team mate Alberto Contador on the climb to Verbier and struggling to stay with the other overall contenders.

The 37-year-old Texan had hoped to at least hang on to Contador's wheel but did not have the speed on the climb when it really mattered.

“It's clear we have the strongest rider in the race and this is team sport. None of us, Andreas [Kloden] or myself, can think about ourselves, we have to think about the team. If we play it really, really smart, we can have three guys in the top five and the guy who wins. That's a special opportunity but I think now it's time for me to put my chances aside. I'm now going to do my best and be a solid team mate.”

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Armstrong concedes he can't win the 2009 Tour

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