Bourg-Saint-Maurice: Lance Armstrong mustered one of his strongest showings yet at this Tour de France, a dazzling burst of acceleration from yesteryear that allowed him to keep second place yesterday.
The seven-time champion was so buoyed by the performance that he suggested he could still contend for the yellow jersey if team-mate and race leader Alberto Contador has a "bad day."
Armstrong, speaking after the 16th stage in the Alps, stressed he does not expect that to happen and only a "big shake-up" would allow for such a scenario.
Contador, the 2007 Tour winner, had to fight to retain the overall lead in the 159km stage from the Swiss town of Martigny to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, France, which was won by Mikel Astarloza, of Spain.
As Contador tried to keep pace with two attackers on the final climb, the 37-year-old Armstrong lagged.
But after dropping back at least 35 seconds, he popped out of his saddle and recovered lost ground.
Contador leads his Astana team-mate by 1min 37sec.
Contador and Armstrong finished in a small group of race leaders behind Astarloza.
The route featured the highest peak this year, the snowcapped Grand-Saint-Bernard pass on the Swiss-Italian border, at 2473m, and its sister the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass, on the Italian-French border.
Armstrong says he is feeling better on his bike than he did during Monday's entree into the Alps, when Contador dusted him and the entire pack on the ride up to the Swiss ski station of Verbier.
Armstrong, back at the Tour after more than three years of retirement, committed himself to help Contador win the three-week race after the Spaniard took the yellow jersey that day.
Armstrong appeared to shut down his own ambitions then.
But at cycling's main event - which ends on Monday in Paris - anything can happen.
"If there was a massive shake-up and something happened, then I'd have to be strong - to represent the interests of the team," Armstrong said.
"But I don't think that's going to happen.''
In the interview, Armstrong was coy about competing next year, saying only: "There's a pretty good chance I'll be there."
But in an email to the AP later in the day, Armstrong's manager Mark Higgins said Armstrong will "for sure" be part of the race next year.
Asked whether he plans to announce a new team, as has been widely speculated, Armstrong said: "Come on, man, you're killing me . . . let's talk about music, or something."
Astarloza, who rides for the Euskadi Euskaltel team, crossed the line in 4hr 14min 20sec yesterday.
He was six seconds ahead of French riders Sandy Casar and Pierrick Fedrigo.
