Armstrong career may have taken its course

Cycling 2005 Tour de France routeThe organisers of the Tour de France have done little to entice Lance Armstrong to go for a seventh straight win next year, judging by the 2005 route which was unveiled in Paris yesterday.

Armstrong has been undecided about his future participation since he took a record sixth victory this year, and yesterday his team manager Johan Bruyneel said there was just a 50-50 chance the Texan would attempt to extend his winning sequence.

"He may do it when he can motivate himself. But there's also a real chance he doesn't ride. Lance has gone through six years of a lot of stress and a lot of dedication to the race and to do that another year is difficult. So we're going to let the season start and see how he feels," Bruyneel said.

Armstrong may also be further discouraged by yesterday's announcement that Italian police investigating allegations that he intimidated a key witness in the recent trial of his trainer on drugs charges have passed a dossier of rider interviews to a prosecutor in Lucca who will decide whether to proceed with the case.

A source close to the investigation said he felt there was sufficient evidence to merit further inquiry.

The investigation was sparked by an incident in this year's race between Armstrong and Filippo Simeoni. The Italian was a prosecution witness against Armstrong's trainer Michele Ferrari, who was given a one-year suspended sentence on October 1st for sporting fraud, including helping riders take drugs. None of the charges against Ferrari related to Armstrong.

Two days before this year's Tour finish Armstrong rode across to an escape including Simeoni and, according to the Italian, made it clear the group would not be allowed stay in front unless Simeoni dropped back.

A source close to the investigation said yesterday: "We have heard from Simeoni and the other riders involved and are waiting for the prosecutor's decision before proceeding. It's too soon to talk of a trial."

Whether or not Armstrong is present, next year's Tour seems likely to be without Mario Cipollini, who is expected to announce his retirement today. The Italian holds the record for stage wins in the Giro d'Italia, took four stages in a row in the 1999 Tour de France, and won a total of 186 races in a 16-year career.

Next year's Tour will begin with a long prologue time trial on the island of Noirmoutier, south of Brittany, winding east through the Vendee region before two stages in Germany.

Two days in the Alps follow, including a summit finish at Courchevel, with the race then continuing clockwise towards the Pyrenees and two more mountain-top finishes at Plateau de Bonascre and Saint Lary Soulan. After one last Pyrenean stage the riders will hook around and race through the Massif Central, take in a 55 km time trial and then finish, as per usual, on the cobbled streets of Paris.

For the past six years Armstrong has dominated both time trials and summit finishes. The decision to cut down on both indicates perhaps their desire for a new winner; in the past, three time trials and four or five mountain-top finishes have featured, enabling Armstrong to open up large leads on his rivals.

The exclusion of Mont Ventoux is also a pointer towards their wish for change. Armstrong has often stated he would love to win a stage atop the feared mountain, which claimed the life of Tommy Simpson in 1967.

2005 TOUR ROUTE: Saturday, July 2nd: First stage, individual time trial Fromentine-Noirmoutier (19 km); July 3rd: Second stage, Challans-Les Essarts (182 km); July 4th: Third stage, La Chataigneraie-Tours (208 km); July 5th: Fourth stage, Team time trial Tours-Blois (66 km); July 6th: Fifth stage, Chambord-Montargis (179 km); July 7th: Sixth stage, Troyes-Nancy (187 km); July 8th: Seventh stage, Etape Luneville-Karlsruhe (Germany) (225 km); July 9th: Eighth stage, Pforzheim-Gerardmer (235 km); July 10th: Ninth stage, Gerardmer-Mulhouse (170 km); July 11th: Rest day Grenoble; July 12th: 10th stage, Grenoble-Courchevel (192 km); July 13th: 11th stage, Courchevel-Briancon (173 km); July 14th: 12th stage, Briancon-Digne les Bains (187 km); July 15th: 13th stage, Miramas-Montpellier (162 km); July 16th: 14th stage, Agde-Ax Trois Domaines (220 km); July 17th: 15th stage, Lezat/Leze-Saint Lary Soulan (205 km); July 18th: Rest day Pau; July 19th: 16th stage, Mourenx-Pau (177 km); July 20th: 17th stage, Pau-Revel (239 km); July 21st: 18th stage, Albi-Mende (189 km); July 22nd: 19th stage, Issoire-Le Puy en Velay (154 km); July 23rd: 20th stage, individual time trial in Saint-Etienne (55 km); July 24th: 21st stage, Corbeil-Paris (160 km).

FIXTURES: Saturday - Round one NI Cyclo-cross League, Banbridge. For more details call 048 40623822. Sunday - Round one Connacht Cyclo Cross/MTB league, Ballinrobe. 1.0; Cycling Ireland MTB Commission AGM, Spawell Leisure Centre, Templeogue; Starts 2.0. Monday - Cycling Leinster AGM, West County Hotel, 8.0.