Armstrong nervous on comeback
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AFP
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 19, 2009 00:00
ADELAIDE - American Lance Armstrong admitted he had to overcome some pre-race nerves as he completed the first stage of his comeback from retirement yesterday.
Australian Robbie McEwen, of the Katusha team, claimed the victory honours in the 51km inner city criterium which traditionally precedes the Tour Down Under. But all eyes were on the 37-year-old Texan who famously battled cancer in 1998 before going on to win the Tour de France seven times.
Although Armstrong's official comeback will take place at the race's first stage proper tomorrow -- the criterium here is not an International Cycling Union (UCI) sanctioned race -- the American still courted plenty of attention. An estimated crowd of over 130,000 watched crowd favorite McEwen stun a strong Columbia team with a late surge at the finish line.
"I'm glad it's over," he said. "There was a lot of anxiety today but it was good for a first day."
Although Armstrong's official comeback will take place at the race's first stage proper tomorrow -- the criterium here is not an International Cycling Union (UCI) sanctioned race -- the American still courted plenty of attention. An estimated crowd of over 130,000 watched crowd favorite McEwen stun a strong Columbia team with a late surge at the finish line.
"I'm glad it's over," he said. "There was a lot of anxiety today but it was good for a first day."