This is the third Tour for the 23-year-old American leader of the Motorola team and the first he expects to finish.
With the Motorola team, he participated in the 1994 and 1995 Tour de France.
In 1992, Armstrong began his career as a professional cyclist with the Motorola team.
Lance Armstrong, 23, the American leader of the Motorola team, was fourth.
Tomac spent much of 1990 competing in European events with the Motorola team.
The suffering is only a little different for an accomplished climber, said Hampsten of the Motorola team.
The American rider for the Motorola team finished today's stage in 20th place among the 180 riders and was not close to hyperventilating.
With a week left in the Tour, the American rider for the Motorola team said this morning that his new policy was an immense success.
After a few years the Motorola team had improved them, so that the army could use them.
Lance Armstrong, the American leader of the Motorola team, lost 5:09.