With Lance Armstrong’s comeback complete, the star cyclist’s coach, Chris Carmichael, finally was able to get back on his own bike.

Carmichael competed Saturday morning in the State Games of America mountain bike race at the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Trail. The event doubled as the finale of the Sand Creek Series, which is sponsored by Carmichael Training Systems.

Carmichael said he enjoyed his first trip on Falcon Trail and the 25.2 miles he covered in two laps while racing in the Category 2 40-49 division. But after the race, his thoughts turned to Armstrong.

“Lance’s comeback has had me on the bike a lot less,” he said. “So I haven’t been riding as much as I rode last year.”

Things are just the opposite for Armstrong, 37, who finished third in last month’s Tour de France.

“I thought it was a great performance,” Carmichael said. “In 12 months, to go from kind of zero to third in the Tour was really awesome. I think next year, he’ll be starting even at a higher level so I think he’ll be even stronger.”

Carmichael said he thinks Tour winner Alberto Contador, Armstrong’s teammate on Astana, and runner-up Andy Schleck will be Armstrong’s top competitors. Although next year, Armstrong plans to form his own team, which could shake things up.

“Alberto is clearly the strongest, but it’ll be good to race against him,” Carmichael said.

In the meantime, Carmichael said Armstrong, a seven-time Tour winner, has his sights set on a different title: The Leadville 100 mountain bike race on Aug. 15.

“You know, last year he got second,” Carmichael said, “and he doesn’t like to lose.”

Twelve-year-old Tiani Reeves of Gothenburg, Neb., long jumped 15 feet, 9 inches during the State Games of America at Lewis-Palmer High School Aug. 1. Photo by Kirk Speer