Lance Armstrong couldn't hide his satisfaction from lying third overall two days into the Tour of Luxembourg yesterday.

What made Armstrong more happy was his form than his placing.

"I can't lie, there were some guys sitting up on the final little climb there, five kilometers from the finish and other guys riding off the front, attacking, and I made it across there relatively easily, which is a good sign," the 38-year-old Armstrong said. "It's been a very long time since I've been able to do that."

Armstrong's RadioShack team worked hard to catch three breakaway riders about 15 kilometres from the finish of the 180-kilometre ride from Luxembourg to Hesperange won by Giovanni Visconti of Italy. Armstrong was 50th, credited with the same time as Visconti.

After the first stage and Wednesday's prologue, Armstrong trails race leader Cyril Lemoine of France by one second. Armstrong's teammate Gregory Rast of Switzerland was second with the same time as Lemoine.

Today's second stage is a 203-kilometre hilly ride between Schifflange and Differdange.