Lance Armstrong’s Curious Team

By Virginia Prescott on Monday, July 20, 2009.

Riders in the Tour de France are resting today after an energetic stage fifteen in the Swiss Alps yesterday.

Spaniard Alberto Contador made a last-gasp surge that left Lance Armstrong and the rest of the pack behind. The Spanish press all but declared Contador the victor, Armstrong - seven-time Tour winner - the vanquished.

The weekend intrigues are made even more interesting because Contador and Armstrong aren’t riding for Spanish or American teams this year. The two most favored cyclists are both riding for a team based in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan - a team with a somewhat shady past involving, let’s say, "colorful" characters.

Sports writer David Roth wrote about Lance's unusual partnership in The New Republic, and is on the line with more.

The New Republic: LiveStrong, RideWeird

(Photo by Joe McGowan via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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Idea Smackdown: Round III

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.