Armstrong fades late in Belgium's 159-miler
Armstrong fades late in Belgium's 159-miler
Armstrong fades late in Belgium's 159-miler
Lance Armstrong finished 28th Sunday in the Ronde of Flanders, which was won by Belgium's Tom Boonen for the biggest victory of his career.
Armstrong was among the leaders most of the way but dropped back with 15 miles left in one of the five biggest one-day races. The Texan is tuning up for the Tour de France in July, when he will attempt to win the title for the seventh straight year.
Boonen split from a breakaway group in the final stages and won the 159-mile race in Meerbeke, Belgium, in 6 hours, 22 minutes, 49 seconds. He was 33 seconds ahead of Germany's Andreas Klier.
The Ronde of Flanders is one of cycling's toughest challenges -- with 17 hills and stretches of cobblestones in the second part of the race. It is rare for multistage racers like Armstrong to figure prominently in such conditions, yet he led the chasing pack up hills, as intent as during climbs in the Alps and Pyrenees.
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