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Boonen blazes victory trial

Boonen blazes victory trial

"BEIJING, Mar. 8 -- Belgium's Tom Boonen confirmed he is the rider to watch when he snatched the first stage of the Paris-Nice cycle race over 186.5 kilometres on Monday.

In-form Boonen, winner of two Tour de France stages last year, out-sprinted Brazil's Luciano Pagliarini and Estonian Jan Kirsipuu who came in second and third in the Etampes to Chabris stage.

The win was Boonen's third success since the start of the season after he snatched two consecutive stages in the Tour of Qatar in February.

Boonen did receive some luck when several riders collided on a narrow road eight kilometres from the end.

The race still has six days to go but some riders like double winner Alexander Vinokourov and Liberty Seguros team leader Jorg Jaschke, victor in Nice last year, may have already lost out in the crash.

T-Mobile team leader Vinokourov and Discovery Channel's Lance Armstrong finished 41 seconds behind but the American had always made it clear he was not chasing a win.

Armstrong admitted that he was having difficulty getting fired up in his first race of the season.

He insisted that he will be as fired up as ever when he bids for a seventh Tour de France title this summer.

On Tuesday the second stage will lead the riders from La Chatre to Thiers over 191 kilometres of hilly roads but organisers said they are considering shortening the ride because of snow."

Armstrong will answer drugs probe

Lance Armstrong is the most drug-tested cyclist *ever* and has never failed even a single one ... when will they give up - and consider the option that he works hardwer than anyone else.

Guardian Unlimited Sport | Cycling | Armstrong will answer drugs probe

"Armstrong will answer drugs probe

William Fotheringham
Tuesday March 8, 2005

The six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has said he is willing to meet French investigators looking into drug allegations involving people linked to his team.

Speaking at the start of the eight-day Paris-Nice 'race to the sun', Armstrong said: 'My lawyers have sent a letter to the authorities to tell them that we are available anywhere, anytime to answer their questions.'

A preliminary inquiry was opened late last year by the prosecutor's office in Annecy after allegations made in the book LA Confidentiel, an unauthorised biography of Armstrong published in France. Armstrong has always denied drug use, and is suing the book's authors for defamation.

Armstrong added: 'I have nothing to hide and I am available. If they [the police investigators] want to come to the race, there is no problem.'

Yesterday, after the first road race stage of Paris-Nice, he finished 44th as the lead passed to the Dutchman Erik Dekker.

Britain's Olympic pursuit champion Bradley Wiggins yesterday withdrew, returning home to be with his wife Catherine who is expecting their first child. "

Armstrong to pass up Paris-Roubaix race, sporting director says

Lance has his eyes on the Tour de France for the Sevent and he is going to focus on that one ...

SLAM! Sports - Cycling - Armstrong to pass up Paris-Roubaix race, sporting director says:

"Armstrong to pass up Paris-Roubaix race, sporting director says

CHABRIS, France (AP) - Lance Armstrong will not take part in this year's Paris-Roubaix cycling race.

The six-time Tour de France winner is not accustomed to the one-day race, and 'at 33 years old, I don't think it's time for him to learn Paris-Roubaix,' Discovery Channel sporting director Johan Bruyneel said Monday.

'Lance doesn't have any place in this race,' Bruyneel added during the first stage of the Paris-Nice race, which ends Sunday. Armstrong finished 44th in that race Monday.

Armstrong had left open the possibility of participating in Paris-Roubaix, saying Sunday it was 'up to Johan' to decide whether he would ride in the treacherous course on April 10.

The Paris-Roubaix race takes riders on nearly 55 kilometres of cobblestone roads, which make for a bumpy course and tend to increase the chance of crashes and spills.

Armstrong, who already has won the Tour de France more times than any other rider, has said he plans to try for a seventh straight title in the July 2-24 event.

'His big goal is the Tour de France, and I think it would not be very intelligent to ride in a race like Paris-Roubaix and take useless risks,' Bruyneel said."