Lance Armstrong makes a run at stage but falls short

Pau, France — Lance Armstrong stole the show during the picturesque 124-mile 16th stage of the Tour de France, won by France’s Pierrick Fedrigo in Pau on Tuesday.

The seven-time champion, whose hopes of an eighth Tour win were dashed after a crash in the Alps during Stage 8, proved he was still a force to be reckoned with when he attacked from the gun in Bagneres de Luchon and stayed at the front all day.

Armstrong, 38, sprinted in the final stretch but was forced to let Fedrigo, France’s Sandy Casar and Spain’s Ruben Plaza battle it out for the day’s laurels. Armstrong finished sixth.

Tour leader Alberto Contador of Spain retained his eight-second lead over Andy Schleck of Luxembourg as the two favorites preserved energy for a potentially decisive showdown at the top of the Tourmalet in Thursday’s 17th stage.

The long ride celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first stage in the Pyrenees and included the four climbs on the course that year, Peyresourde, Aspin, Tourmalet and Aubisque.

Fittingly Armstrong, the most celebrated rider on the Tour who came back after battling cancer to win a record seven titles from 1999 to 2005, took center stage while rivals Contador and Schleck played second fiddle at the back.

“It was hard from the start,” Contador said. “On the first climb there were only a handful of guys left in the peloton. Afterwards, we worked to maintain the overall positions and we were able to do that.”

Armstrong decided to leave his mark on his last Tour.

“I planned to attack. I knew straightaway on Peyresourde that it would be difficult and that a group was going to go away,” he said. “It was full gas all day.”

On the four climbs of the day, the Texan brought back memories of his glory days as he raced flat out with his black and red jersey wide open to his chest.

He was instrumental in the first break of the day, which involved Bradley Wiggins of Britain, Roman Kreuziger of the Czech Republic, Ryder Hesjedal of Canada and Carlos Sastre of Spain.

“It was more than a group because you had these guys — Kreuziger, Hesjedal — who were not GC [general classification] contenders but close enough. I knew that the peloton would not sit and let them go,” Armstrong said.

But while the main pack, led by Contador’s Astana teammates, worked to rein in so many great riders, they let Armstrong go when the decisive break took shape at the foot of the Tourmalet.

In the finale, only nine riders remained in the leading group, with a solid lead of nearly nine minutes over the peloton.

“Lance had worked hard all day and he told me it would be difficult for the stage win,” team manager Johan Bruyneel said.

Carlos Barredo of Spain tried to part with his breakaway companions in the last 15 miles, only to be caught under the red flame marking the last km.

Armstrong raised himself up on his pedals and tried to go for the sprint but was forced to bow to his younger rivals.

Fedrigo was fastest, earning the third Tour stage victory of his career.

“I thought I was about to miss my Tour as I was not feeling too well. Now this is a great moment, especially for the team,” said Fedrigo, whose Bbox teammate Thomas Voeckler won the 15th stage.