23 July,2009 08:06 AM IST | | AFP
Johan Bruyneel admitted sparks could fly between yellow jersey holder Alberto Contador and Astana teammate Lance Armstrong after the Spaniard defied team orders on Wednesday's 17th stage.
"The harmony is back in the team, at least it was, we will see how everyone feels about what happened on the Colombiere," admitted Astana team manager Bruyneel.
Spain's 2007 Tour de France champion Contador tightened his grip on the yellow jersey after racing to the finish from the final summit with Luxembourg brothers Frank and Andy Schleck.
Frank won the stage and both he and Andy moved up the race's general classification. Andy is now second overall at 2:26 with Frank third in 3:25, while Armstrong dropped back to fourth at 3:55.
Contador, along with Astana teammate Andreas Kloden, had counter-attacked the Schlecks on the Col de Romme, the penultimate climb, leaving Armstrong to monitor Garmin's time trial specialist Bradley Wiggins.
On the next climb to the summit of the Colombiere Contador then left Kloden in his wake to race alone with the Schleck brothers. Armstrong trailed in 2:18 behind while Kloden was at 2:27.
But after the race it emerged that had been against Astana team manager Bruyneel's orders.
The Belgian insists he told Contador to let the Schleck brothers go to allow Kloden and Armstrong a chance to finish in the general classifications' top three.
And Bruyneel says Contador's defiance could send sparks flying in the next team meeting. Seven-time Tour winner Armstrong admitted he had to "bite his tongue" on the issue.
"The attack from Contador three kilometres from the top was against my advice," added the Belgian.
