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Lance Armstrong is one of the most confident cyclists ever, so it’s pretty surprising to hear Armstrong say, after a disappointing Stage 15, that he will now focus on helping his teammate and current leader Alberto Contador instead of trying himself to win the race.

Contador won Sunday’s 15th stage and broke Armstrong’s spirit doing so. The Spaniard, who won the Tour de France two years ago, came home 43 seconds clear of Andy Schleck to hold a 97-second lead over Armstrong in the general classification- and he feels the American seven-time winner will do all he can to help him in his bid for victory.

“After yesterday’s result, everything is much clearer within the team now,” said Contador, who leads Armstrong by 1 minute, 37 seconds as the peloton enjoys a rest day in Switzerland on Monday. “[Lance] said yesterday he would back me. I believe him.”

Last week, Armstrong acknowledged there were tensions within Astana because of his rivalry with Contador. But the seven-time Tour champion indeed said Sunday he would now be happy to step back his own efforts to help Contador.

“I’m really happy, perfectly happy, to be a domestique. If someone like Contador shows, ‘Hey, I’m the best,’ you have to accept it,” he said. “If we ride into Paris with the yellow jersey as a team, I’m cool with that.”

“We are ready to sacrifice everything to have Alberto in the yellow jersey in Paris: the team’s standings and Lance’s second place,” Astana sports director Alain Gallopin said.

Britain’s Bradley Wiggins is now in third place in the overall classification, 1:46 behind Contador, who actually feels Luxembourg’s Schleck poses the greater threat.

“The strongest is Andy Schleck but I don’t fear someone in particular. The dangerous situation is if they all attack together. I must make sure I do everything correctly so that my rivals cannot have a chance,” he said.

There are two more grueling Alpine stages upcoming, and Schleck is one of the best climbers in the Tour, so it’s probably now or never to make his move.

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