by Anton Johan
If there was ever a poster boy for cycling, it is American
Lance Armstrong who, despite surviving testicular cancer, a turbulent love life and doping accusations, is still head over heels in love with the Tour de France.
Because sure enough there he was, lined up alongside everyone else at the start of the 2010 Tour de France on Saturday in Rotterdam, Holland, eager to win at least one more Tour before his 38-year-old body gives out.
But this year's Tour de France has not been kind to many of the world's greatest cyclists, Lance Armstrong included. Monday's rainy and slippery Stage 2 saw spills and crashes galore, and even Armstrong picked up a road rash.
The horror of Tuesday aside, Armstrong has struggled to keep up with this year's crop of pacesetters, and a flat tyre in yesterday's Stage 3 did not help his cause any. As a result, he slipped from 5th to 18th place in the standings.
That said, Armstrong is infamous for not giving up, which is no doubt why
Tour de France betting fans will continue to back the 7-time Tour de France champion. A humble Armstrong spoke freely to reporters following Stage 3.
'Sometimes you're the hammer and sometimes you're the nail,' said Armstrong. 'Today I was the nail. But I have 20 days now to be the hammer. Our chances took a knock today, but I'm not going home ... we'll keep trying.'
Ahead of today's Stage 4, a 95 mile route between Cambrai and Reims in France, Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara leads the Tour, followed by Wales' Geraint Thomas and Australia's Cadel Evans, a two-time Tour runner-up.
As of today (Wednesday, July 7) leading online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com has released the following Lance Armstrong odds:
To win the Tour de France: 10/1
To win King of the Mountains: 50/1
To wear the Green Jersey (not the same as Yellow Jersey): 200/1
