Lance Armstrong Falls Short in the Tour of the Gila

Philip Zajicek, a 30-year-old journeyman, made his break with 200 yards to go and Armstrong, 37, did not have enough to answer, pulling up with Leipheimer, the overall winner. They crossed the finish line 12 seconds later, Armstrong sitting up in his saddle. He was second over all.

“This was my Tour de France,” said an ecstatic Zajicek, who called the race the ride of his life. “I hope Lance isn’t too” upset.

If Armstrong was cross with anyone, it was himself. As Armstrong, Leipheimer, Zajicek and Chad Beyer hit the final 500 yards bunched for the lead, Armstrong dropped to the rear, just behind Beyer, hoping to slingshot past the others when they began their final sprint.

The only problem was Armstrong apparently never read the race bible, which describes the course’s finishing sprint as being on a gradually rising grade.

So when Beyer backed off, a gap opened between Leipheimer and Zajicek, which Armstrong charged to close.

“When I finally got to the wheel, going uphill, I was cooked,” Armstrong said. “I didn’t know it was so much uphill. I thought maybe it would flatten out and it would be a high-speed sprint. We probably could have played the tactics a little differently.”