Cycling: Armstrong shows some of former magic

Lance Armstrong almost stole the show during the picturesque 16th stage of the Tour de France this morning.

The veteran campaigner came close, but was denied his first stage win since 2005 by Frenchman Pierrick Fedrigo in a thrilling sprint finish to the 200km stage.

The seven-time champion, whose hopes of an eighth Tour victory were dashed after a crash in the Alps on the eighth stage, showed he is still a force to be reckoned with when he attacked from the gun and stayed in the front all day.

The American sprinted in the final stretch, but at nearly 39, was forced to let Fedrigo, compatriot Sandy Casar and Spain's Ruben Plaza battle it out for the day's laurels. Armstrong finished sixth, six minutes and 45 seconds ahead of the peloton.

Overall leader and defending champion Alberto Contador has held on to his eight second advantage over Luxembourg's Andy Schleck.

Fedrigo's victory is France's sixth stage win of the Tour.

In the meantime, Armstrong's attorney has written to the federal prosecutor investigating the seven-time Tour de France winner and his associates for possible fraud and doping violations, complaining about leaks to the media.

Yesterday's letter from Tim Herman to assistant United States attorney Douglas Miller in Los Angeles says it's "especially unfair to subject Mr Armstrong to this continuing media blitz when he is in the middle of his final Tour de France".

The letter, obtained by media, also said Armstrong's attorneys talked to Miller about the leaks less than two weeks ago and were "extremely frustrated that these leaks have intensified".

Armstrong has denied allegations of doping.

The investigation was spurred by accusations from Floyd Landis, one of Armstrong's former teammates on the US Postal team, in a series of emails sent to cycling and doping officials.

Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, said the use of banned substances was common on the team.

Armstrong has denied those allegations and has questioned Landis' credibility.

Authorities have reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas, one of which is going to American cyclist Greg LeMond, a three-time Tour winner who has feuded with Armstrong for several years.

"This appears to be a full-blown and largely unmonitored exploration of Floyd Landis' patently unreliable and routinely changing accusations of possible improper conduct in the professional cycling industry at large," Herman wrote.

"In fact, the 'investigation' has recently erupted into a forum for disgruntled Lance haters to bash Armstrong and try to settle old scores."

The letter notes that after seeing some of the leaks in the media, Herman requested a meeting with Miller but that the prosecutor refused to discuss investigation theories or general topics.

"It is egregiously unfair and frustrating for New York reporters to have far more knowledge about this matter than Mr Armstrong or his attorney," Herman wrote.

16th STAGE RESULT:

1. Pierrick Fedrigo (France)
2. Sandy Casar (France)
3. Ruben Plaza (Spain)
4. Damiano Cunego (Italy)
5. Chris Horner (US)
6. Lance Armstrong (US)

OVERALL STANDINGS:

1. Alberto Contador (Spain) 78 hrs 29 mins 10s
2. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg) +8s
3. Samuel Sanchez (Spain) +2min
4. Denis Menchov (Russia) +2min
5. Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium) +3min

ALSO: 158th. JULIAN DEAN (NZL) + 3hrs

- NEWSTALK ZB, additional reporting by AP