The 2010 Tour de France marks the last time Lance Armstrong competes in
the famed cycling competition and Versus is offering plenty of ways for
fans to go along for his final ride.
Presenting the race for a 10th
year, Comcast's national sports service is providing 14 hours of linear
TV coverage daily in full high-definition over the course of 23 days.
The 97th edition of the race began with the prologue on July 3 at 11:30
a.m., live from Rotterdam, Netherlands. After being invovled in a crash
that bloodied his thigh, Armstrong was fifth overall, 3:19 minutes
behind the leader, France's Sylvain Chavanel, after the Tour's second
stage on July 5.
Buoyed by Armstrong's return, Versus saw its average
viewership grow 98% to 529,926 in 2009 from 267,722 in 2008,
according to Nielsen Media Research data. Armstrong retired in 2005
after winning seven straight Tours before making his comeback in 2009,
when he finished third. Now, he's looking to add a record eighth title,
which would give him three more than France's Jacques Anquetil and
Bernard Hinault, Belgium's Eddie Merckx and Spain's Miguel Indurain, who
won five consecutive races from 1991-95.
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