Lance Armstrong may look fitter than he did this time last year when he started his comeback at the Tour Down Under, but this year's race is no easy ride.
The seven time Tour de France winner suffered in the heat today, like everybody else, but said that what has made the racing really hard is the riders. "Unless you told everyone not to start training until January first it's going to be hard," he said at the end of stage three to Stirling.
"You have this mix of the fact it's now ProTour and you have new teams with new sponsors, worldwide exposure, young guys that want to show early on... So all that stuff comes together and makes for a hard race. There's an intersection of a bunch of different priorities that makes it really hard, for I think everybody"
"In the sprint there were top guys - you saw it was spread out across the road - all the guys looked around and said, 'I can't go'."
Today's parcours was tough, and there was little respite in the bunch with no break away groups allowed to escape and take the pressure off. The final finishing circuit was especially hard, with the pace rarely letting up and the bunch splitting under the pressure.
"I guess I felt better this year and sat in a better position," Armstrong said.
"If you're 30 or 40 back and some one opens the position, it's hard to come around them. You can only do that one or two times. And then you get that roundabout with two kilometres to go and if you're not in a good spot there it's your day over."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Tour Down Under 2010: Race reports
Tour Down Under, stage three: Cardoso takes win ahead of Valverde
Tour Down Under, stage two: Greipel takes win number two
Tour Down Under, stage one: Greipel takes back sprint crown Cancer Council Helpline Classic: Team Sky off to perfect start as Henderson wins
Tour Down Under 2010: Related links
Downing adapts to embrace new challenge
Hayman admits to nerves before Sky's debut
Tour Down Under news round-up (Jan 16)
Armstrong leads thousands on Twitter ride in Adelaide
Team Sky ready for first race
Armstrong warms up Down Under
Armstrong in Australia: "I'm in better shape than last year"
Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.
Mark Cavendish to Cat Ferguson: British Cycling Academy celebrates 20th anniversary
Castelli Squall Shell review: no excuses for not carrying a waterproof jacket
