BELGIUM: CYCLE RACING - REACTION FROM CYCLISTS PREPARING FOR THE LA FLECHE WALLONE RACE ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT LANCE ARMSTRONG IS TO RETIRE.

Record ID: 647842

  • Title: BELGIUM: CYCLE RACING - REACTION FROM CYCLISTS PREPARING FOR THE LA FLECHE WALLONE RACE ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT LANCE ARMSTRONG IS TO RETIRE.
  • Date: 19th April 2005
  • Summary: CHARLEROI, BELGIUM (APRIL 19, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. WIDE OF RAGT MAINTENANCE TRUCKS 2. PAN UP FROM FEET CYCLING TO SHIFT GEARS 3. WIDE SHOT OF ERIC BERTOU 4. BERTOU TRAINING ON BICYCLE 5. (Soundbite) (French) BERTOU REACTING TO NEWS OF THE ARMSTRONG RETIREMENT SAYING: "I think that's a good thing for him when you have had five Tour de France, six even, it's a record so it's better to leave by the big door than the small one. He leaves in good form, having beaten a record, that's the best he can do." 6. BERTHOU TRAINING 7. (Soundbite) (French) ERIC BERTHOU SAYING: "It's still a challenge, we can accept anything from him, he has a supreme time over the Tour de France but it's a last challenge only he knows he can win it or not." 8. CHRISTOPHE RINERO CHECKING HIS BIKE 9. CLOSE UP OF HAND CHECKING BRAKE AND ZOOM OUT 10. MORE BRAKE CHECKING 11. CLOSE UP ON HAND FIXING BRAKE 12. (SOUNDBITE) (FRENCH) RINERO SAYING: "On the Tour de France, he was the boss and he showed it. But I think it's good for him to end on a good note. After his illness he made a come back and even before he was already strong, he had been the youngest world champion. He is a great champion I admired." 13. RINERO WITH HIS BICYCLE AND TALKING WITH HIS MECHANIC 14. WIDE OF THE SCENE 15. MECHANICS TESTING WHEEL Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th May 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CHARLEROI, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVA62REODHK2C6BX9HKPLEZES6RI
  • Story Text: Cyclists preparing for La Fleche Wallone react to
    Lance Armstrong's announcement that he will retire after
    Tour de France.



    Cyclists preparing on Tuesday (April 19) for La
    Fleche Wallone race have been giving their reaction to the
    announcement that six-times Tour de France winner Lance
    Armstrong of the United States will retire from racing this
    season. Armstrong told a news conference on Monday (April
    18) that this year's Tour de France in July would be his last.

    The 33-year-old came back from being diagnosed with
    cancer in 1996 to win a record six consecutive Tour de
    France titles between 1999 and 2004. Four men, Jacques
    Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain and Bernard Hinault
    have won the event five times. Only Indurain won five in
    consecutive years.

    In Charleroi cyclists preparing for Wednesday's La
    Fleche Wallone race were full of praise for the American.

    The general feeling from his fellow-competitors was that
    Armstrong is a great champion and he has reason to end his
    career after the Tour de France 2005.

    "I think that's a good thing for him when you have had
    five Tour de France, six even, it's a record so it's
    better to leave by the big door than the small one," said
    Frenchman Eric Berthou of the RAGT Semence team. "He leaves
    in good form, having beaten a record, that's the best he
    can do."
    "On the Tour de France, he was the boss and he showed
    it," said Christophe Rinero, another Frenchman and
    Berthou's team mate. "But I think it's good for him to end
    on a good note. After his illness he made a come back and
    even before he was already strong, he had been the youngest
    world champion. He is a great champion I admired."


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