Britain's Chris Boardman, one of Armstrong's good friends and favorite to claim the men's time-trial title at the world road race championships here Thursday, described it as ``pretty devastating.''
``I was just riding with him a few weeks ago and he looked fit and healthy,'' Boardman said Wednesday.
``There were no signs. I mean toward the end of the year he had lost some of his fitness but so had everyone.
``It's scary, his cancer has progressed to the point that he had obviously rode through a lot.
``Hopefully, being fit and an athlete it will leave him in good stead for the fight. All we can do is wish him well,'' Boardman said.
Armstrong took the 1993 world road race title when he was 21 and this year won his second Tour Dupont in May and the Fleche Wallone one-day classic in Belgium in April.
The American cycling star now faces 12 weeks of chemotherapy for cancer in his abdomen, discovered five days ago during an operation in Austin to remove a malignant tumor from his testicles.
Hardest-hit by the news were Armstrong's American teammates who were told Tuesday at a meeting called by coach Chris Carmichael.
``It was overwhelming, a shock for everyone,'' said Carmichael. ``Lance called me. I was in shock, I couldn't sleep that night. You get numb from it, it happened so fast...
``It's hard to believe that just a few weeks ago he was one of the strongest men in the world,'' Carmichael continued.
``He's special, there's not many people in this world who have a rainbow jersey in their closet as world champion.''
Carmichael believes Armstrong, who has been given a 65-85 percent chance of a complete recovery by doctors, will be able to use the abilities that made him a world champion to win his battle with cancer.
``He's being very positive,'' said Carmichael.
``We're sending him flowers and the team is signing a big card,'' he added. ``The team was shocked by the news but Lance's courage is inspirational for them.''
After the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced that they were introducing a rule limiting handlebar extensions to 15 centimetres, Obree, who uses 'bars twice that length, lashed out, saying they had left it late to make the decision.
``Why don't they consult riders instead of just deciding among themselves. It is a personal vendetta because it is me.''
Two years ago Obree's ``downhill skier'' position was banned for safety reasons, so he devised the style he calls Superman by building extended handlebars.
It gave him a low profile on the bike with his arms outstretched (''like Superman in flight''), and with it he won the world 4,000 metres pursuit title last year.
The style was adopted by Italians Andrea Collinelli and Antonella Bellutti to win Olympic titles in Atlanta, and six weeks ago Britain's Chris Boardman captured the world pursuit title and took the world hour record with a similar position
Verbruggen said: ``There is no vendetta against Obree. We were being outsmarted by all these developments now we intend to catch up.
``We want to return to the standard bike and have riders winning because they are the best and not because they can afford special equipment.''
Obree, who is marketing his 'bars, said the new rule did not threaten his business because the 'bars would be adjustable.
``I am angry because the UCI are not putting riders' interests first. If I am going to get hassled what is the point in racing?''
It has not been a good year for Obree. A viral infection sunk his Olympic hopes, causing him also to withdraw from the defence of his world track title and from Thursday's world time trial championship here in Lugano.
The Scot has indicated that he might retire to concentrate on his new business. ``That will be decided in the next few weeks,'' he said.