In this final update before we all stop caring about cycling for another year, the sport may have finally found the key to its future success—a hero and a villain. But which one is which? I can probably guess how most of the readers of this site feel, but the truth is that most Americans still love Lance Armstrong. A lot. And most of the world hates America and its champion. A lot. If that's not a recipe for smash mouth, cutthroat, in-you-face bike riding I don't know what is.

Contador arrived back in his homeland to the strains of his national anthem—which Tour officials forgot to play when he accepted his trophy—and then quickly mouthed off about his non-friend Lance, who was obviously not that helpful.

He is a great rider and has completed a great race, but it is another thing on a personal level, where I have never had great admiration for him and I never will."

Lance fired back via his only form of communication, Twitter:

Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I'd drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn't win.

hey pistolero, there is no "i" in "team". what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.

Burn? I guess. Anyway, in just 11 short months both men will be back in France with new teams and then the cycling smackdown is on. If only they would give the riders wifflebats to smack each other with as they dodge spectators on 45-degree inclines, then we'd have a real sport.

With Tour Over, Contador Reveals Dislike for Armstrong [NY Times]
AFP: Armstrong hits back at Contador criticism [AFP]
Armstrong sets the stage to be a Tour de France force in 2010 [USA Today]

Or maybe he's just fine with standing on the podium. Right now he's third, about five minutes and change behind Contador, who kept the lead after the last competitive leg of the race. Usually on the final stage to Paris, cyclists clink champagne classes and play Axis & Allies amongst one another as they pedal to the finish.

The pride Armstrong carries is by no means a secret, but he seems to be content, this year, to be part of a team that includes a champion. At least until next year, when Armstrong slips some extra testosterone into his teammate's bottle of Evian. That'll teach him who beat cancer!

Garate Takes Tour Stage; Contador Virtually Seals Win [Bloomberg]
Chugging Along, His Ego in Tow [New York Times]

* * * * *

Boy, these days sure are dull when athletes stay alive and privacy isn't invaded. There's nothing left to do but buy a foam Wii baseball bat and try to re-live lost childhood moments. Enjoy the textual orgasm of Cohen, Daulerio, And Associates tomorrow. Rinse.

Barring an unforeseen "accident," Contador is in the driver's seat and in great shape to win the Tour next week. Meanwhile, Lance Armstrong has been laid low with painful reminders of his own mortality. After two weeks of posturing and feints and impassioned Tweets, Sunday's Stage 16 sealed the deal. Late in a day of tough mountain climbing, Contador made a break for the finish line and Armstrong could not follow.

I suppose I should lay off a bit and give the man credit for admitting what few other elite athletes are able to—he is not the best anymore. He was beaten soundly on Sunday and because of the odd team/individual nature of the sport, Lance was forced to confess in front of God and Jeremy Schaap that Contador was the man now, and he was merely his supporting cast. Lance will swallow his pride and do his best to help Alberto get his second tour victory. Then he will finish second—okay, after three years off, that's pretty good—and ride off into a sunset of nubile movie stars and rock star orgies. I mean ... being a family man and growing old with Robin Williams. Not a bad deal.

The real winner in all this? Kazakhstan, the Stone Age autocratic backwater that sponsors Contador and Armstrong's Team Astana. Doesn't this inspiring story make you want to move Kazakhstan now?

Alberto Contador says he believes Lance Armstrong's assertion of full support [ESPN]
Cadel Evans tips Bradley Wiggins to win yellow jersey [Telegraph]
LiveStrong, RideWeird [TNR]

Armstrong's Astana team tore up a time trial today leaving him in a virtual tie with Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland for leadership of the Tour. (Cancellara will wear the yellow jersey based on fractions of a second.) But when Armstrong joined Astana it already had a leader, Alberto Contador, who won the race in 2007. Surely, he would be the one that the team would back as its premier rider?

But then in Stage Three, Lance saw his moment and burst off with the lead pack to gain 40 seconds on Contador. And Armstrong was clearly doing most of the pushing in the team trial. Now four stages in, Lance is tied for first, Contador is in third, and his team is going to have to make a decision about which horse to back.

That's if Lance doesn't decide to chuck it all and head back to Hollywood. He was fined by race officials yesterday for showing up late to a pre-stage registration. Where was he? Talking Dodgeball sequels with Ben Stiller. (Seriously. Stiller was there to award the yellow jersey to Cancellara today for some reason.) I don't understand why the French are so down on this guy!

This all could all mean nothing, of course, because the riders haven't even reached the mountains where ... say it with me ... "the race really begins." There's also the possibility that I have no idea what I'm talking about. Cycling on TV is surprisingly difficult to follow. What's the deal with all those European accents, Versus?

Stage 4 Astana Wins TTT, Armstrong Misses Yellow [Bicycling]
Lance rewrites the script [Yahoo]