Paris, Oct 25: Lance Armstrong accepts he's made one huge mistake in his illustrious career - taking this year's Tour de France for granted. Although he won the 2003 tour to become only the second rider to win the gruelling event five times straight, the Texan was pushed to near breaking-point.

As Armstrong prepares his bid to stand alone as the only rider to win six tours, he says he'll never underestimate the punishing 100-year-old race again.
"I was angry with my performance," Armstrong told reporters Thursday. "I had never been on the limit like that and quite frankly it was an experience I would not like to repeat. I took the race for granted."
Armstrong's problems started before the tour, with stomach flu that nearly stopped him making the flight to France.



He crashed twice in the race, struggled in the Alps, lost 5 kilograms through dehydration, swerved across a bumpy field to avoid a fallen rider, suffered foot cramps, technical difficulties and dark moments of self-doubt.



But he hung on, recovering to withstand and beat muscular German Jan Ullrich by just 61 seconds - by far the shortest margin of Armstrong's five wins.



"It was too close, too difficult, too stressful, too emotional," Armstrong said. "We were all worried every night that the tour would be lost," he added, leaning back into the seat of a taxi after attending the presentation Thursday of the 2004 tour route.


Bureau Report