Armstrong feud eclipses Mercado win

SPAIN'S Juan Miguel Mercado may have claimed his maiden stage victory in the Tour de France on Friday, but once again it was overall race leader Lance Armstrong who held the limelight.

The Texan, set to win a record sixth overall title on Sunday, re-ignited his personal feud with Filippo Simeoni in an incident which sparked a furious reaction from the Italian and his team boss.

Simeoni is currently suing Armstrong who called him "a liar" after the Italian testified in a court case against Dr Michele Ferrari, an adviser of Armstrong who is facing doping-related charges.

The incident occurred when Simeoni attempted to join six other riders - including Mercado - on a breakaway which posed no threat to the overall race lead of Armstrong.

Armstrong shadowed Simeoni and told him and the other six escapees that he and the rest of the peloton would not permit the breakaway unless Simeoni agreed to rejoin the main pack and abandon his hopes of a stage win.

Simeoni, who served a three-month ban for doping offences but has been ostracised by many in the peloton since turning whistle-blower, was forced to relent and Armstrong then allowed the six other riders to get away.

Simeoni later said: "Armstrong showed everyone what sort of a person he is.

"I have suffered a grave injustice at the hands of Armstrong.

"It's not normal for a great champion to deny space to a little rider like me in a race as important as the Tour de France."

It certainly looked as if the only aim of Armstrong's action was to prevent Simeoni winning the stage but the American would later only say: "I was defending the interests of the peloton."

Simeoni said: "I made a great effort to join the breakaway. When I caught them the others were surprised by the presence of Armstrong.

"I respect my rivals and I preferred to ease off. It's better for the race but it's a pity."

Vincenzo Santoni, team manager of Simeoni's Domina Vacanze team, was furious at the way his rider has been treated not only by Armstrong but other prominent members of the peloton.

Santoni said: "The American (Armstrong) went to catch him and told him and the six leaders that if he (Simeoni) did not stop he would not let the breakaway continue.

"What is even worse was the insults that Simeoni had to take when he was rejoined by the peloton."

Santoni alleged that Italian rider Daniele Nardello was one rider to aim verbal abuse at Simeoni.

He also revealed that Mario Cipollini, team leader of Domina Vacanze who pulled out of the Tour early in the race, did not want Simeoni on the squad.

"Simeoni wanted to quit," said Santoni. "We had to plead with him to stay in the race: he is someone who makes sacrifices for the team and that Cipollini, who joined the Tour run down and not bothered about the team, did not want on the team."

"My wish for Cipollini is that he stops riding - he has taken the team and the sponsors for a ride."

Eventually, Mercado, of the Quickstep-Davitamon team, claimed his maiden stage victory after the 166km run from Annemasse, outsprinting compatriot Vicente Garcia Acosta in the closing straight.

With just over 12 kilometres remaining, the two Spaniards went for broke to leave their fellow escapees in their wake. And it was Mercado who edged Garcia Acosta on the line.

Now only a crash or an unexpected health scare can deny Armstrong what would be a record sixth title, eclipsing five-times winners Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and the late Jacques Anquetil.