Lance Armstrong’s comments after the latest stage of the Tour de France sent shockwaves throughout the race.
They also likely caused executives at Versus to choke on their French wine and cheese.
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Moments after finishing the race from Pontarlier up to Swiss ski resort Verbier, Armstrong was asked by a Versus reporter if Alberto Contador’s stage victory effectively ended his chance to win the tour, and he had a one-word answer: “Yes.”
“This day really showed who is the best,” said Armstrong, falling back on the adage that he already has seven yellow jerseys. “I wasn’t on par with what’s required to win the Tour.”
It’s not what the up-and-coming sports cable TV network wanted to hear with a week of the race still remaining, especially in light of reports last week that viewer numbers were up a staggering 83 percent from 2008 through the first nine days of the Tour.
Armstrong’s mere participation might have been responsible for the initial spike. But having him in contention — and on one side of a soap opera-style duel with Contador, his Astana teammate — is what has kept fans glued to the network for two weeks.
Instead of watching that drama unfold over the final six hugely promising stages, including grueling legs through the Alps, an individual time trial and the final sprint through Paris, Armstrong just gave his yellow wristband-wearing legions permission to return to their normal lives.
At least they’ll stop showing up to work at noon.
