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Armstrong suffers setback with loss of teammate in a crash
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-15 08:49
"We could see that he really didn't know where he was. There was no power at
all and after a while he didn't even realize that he had crashed," Bruyneel
said. "So we forced him to stop."
Beltran, 34, was taken to a hospital where a brain scan found no initial sign
of serious injury, although he was being kept overnight for observation.
Not since 2001 has Armstrong finished in Paris without all of his teammates.
Beltran's role has been to lead the American on mountain ascents, using his
uphill speed to shake off rivals.
His loss "could be very critical with the days that we have coming up,"
Armstrong said. "Three tough days in the Pyrenees. We don't want to lose any
climbers and Triki is one of our pure climbers."
The mountains that separate France and Spain come Saturday after a mostly
flat stage Friday from Miramas to Montpellier in southern France.
Armstrong still has several strong climbers among his remaining seven support
riders. They include Yaroslav Popovych, who helped Armstrong leave rivals behind
with brutal acceleration on the first Alpine stage, and Jose Luis Rubiera, known
as "Chechu."
"I feel very confident that with those seven guys we can manage," Armstrong
said.
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