Armstrong visits Paris-Roubaix

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Even though he was never a cobbles specialist during his time as a bike rider, Lance Armstrong visited Paris-Roubaix on Sunday with his former RadioShack-Nissan team. The seven-time Tour de France winner is in France at the moment and reconnoitered the course of the Ironman France in Nice prior to arriving in the team hotel in Northern France, on Saturday evening.

Armstrong remained within the team bus at the start in Compiègne, avoiding the media, and then traveled with team manager Johan Bruyneel throughout the race. The two stopped at strategic points in front of the peloton to help out with spare wheels in case of punctures. The American was thus on site when Tom Boonen took the victory after having raced the event in front for more than 55 kilometres.

"Congratulations to Tom Boonen on another amazing Paris Roubaix victory, his fourth of his career. Very impressive," Armstrong tweeted after the race.

At Paris-Roubaix, the American preferred to remain incognito but this will change if he chooses to race the Nice Ironman on June 24. Race organiser Yves Cordier showed Armstrong around the course on Saturday morning. "Damn sure ain't flat!" was Armstrong's reaction.

The legendary former cyclist has taken to triathlon since definitely stopping his active career in February 2011. A two-year investigation into his former team, US Postal, for fraud and doping allegations recently concluded without charges being filed.