Armstrong is the right man in the right place

By Julien Pretot

LA GRANDE MOTTE, France (Reuters) - Lance Armstrong was the right man in the right place in the third stage of the Tour de France, moving up to third overall at the expense of his Astana team leader Alberto Contador.

The seven-times Tour champion, back in the saddle after 3-1/2 years in retirement, moved up the front of the pack by the end of the stage and he was not surprised when Team Columbia suddenly accelerated to split the peloton in two.

All other favourites, including Spain's Contador, were trapped at the back of the peloton and eventually lost 41 seconds on the finish line.

Contador, fourth overall, now trails Armstrong by 19 seconds.

"Whenever you see a team lined up at the front like that, you have to pay attention," the 37-year-old Armstrong explained.

"You know what the wind is doing, and you see that a turn is coming up, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that you have to go to the front."

"I was just trying to stay up front and stay out of trouble, and then it happened," added Armstrong.

Contador was the last man to be dropped, unable to follow the pace.