The reason for the title is this: "'St 17 (Stage 17) done. Tough day!' Armstrong tweeted on Twitter. 'Got caught out on some attacks on the Col de Romme but managed ok from behind. Had some cramps @ the end. No fun!!'"
But Bondy has much more on his mind.
"This has been a single-minded crusade for Armstrong, even as he has waged two battles at once. He has his race, Le Tour, the one he's owned for nearly a decade. And he has his ongoing public-relations crusade, trying to convince the world he has competed clean his entire career.
"In this second venture, he will forever find two very different audiences. There are the casual cycling fans in America who see only the hero, the cancer fighter and the impossibly vigorous athlete. This group probably doesn't know or care much about the past charges against Armstrong.
"Then there are the more cynical insiders, who have seen more than enough smoke to be certain there is a raging fire. They firmly believe Armstrong was a cheat, and may still be one in this race."
I'm sure there are plenty of fence sitters. Those who have been around long enough to be cynical, but are waiting for the smoking gun. These people don't make for good headlines, but there seem to be plenty.
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