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Thursday, 4 July, 2002, 10:06 GMT 11:06 UK
Hamilton plans Armstrong payback
Hamilton is gearing up to upset his former team-mate
Tyler Hamilton has warned countryman Lance Armstrong he will use all his past experience as the Texan's number two in his bid for Tour de France glory. Hamilton was one of Armstrong's most trusted lieutenants at US Postal before making the switch to CSC-Tiscali, the team headed by former Tour winner Bjarne Riis, at the start of the year. And, in his first season as a team leader, the 31-year-old has already been in impressive form. His last race - the Giro d'Italia - was a resounding success. He finished second overall. Since then a broken shoulder has kept Hamilton out of action, but the lay-off, and the confidence that being a team leader has brought, should set him up for a strong challenge at Le Tour.
Hamilton told BBC Sport Online: "The Giro was my first race as a team leader and I think I surprised a lot of people. "The Giro was my main aim for the season and anything at all in the Tour would be a bonus. But I believe I have the right backing to make it work. "Riding with a champion as incredible as Lance is always going to rub off on you. I saw how he worked as a leader and his decision-making. "I've picked up a lot of things from him and hopefully they'll come back to haunt him one day." Hamilton has already been singled out by Riis, the 1996 winner, as a future Tour winner. But the American is refusing to get carried away with such speculation. He added: "It would be nice to do it one day but saying 'yeah, I'll win the Tour de France' is not the right thing to do.
"But I believe with my experience anything is possible and I'm growing as a rider and a leader all the time." Some cycling experts would argue Hamilton has left it too late to make a major impression on the Tour. Needless to say, Hamilton disagrees. "I wouldn't have changed my career progression for the world," he added. "Things are only just beginning for me." Like many, Hamilton thinks Armstrong is favourite for the yellow jersey. But he also views Joseba Beloki, Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, Santiago Botero and Levi Leipheimer as contenders. Another rider Hamilton is tipping to cause a surprise is team-mate Carlos Sastre. "Carlos is riding really well and could be our major threat," he added. "And we've got Laurent Jalabert to win some sprints for us. "The message is to watch out for the CSC boys."
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