Lance Armstrong said last night that he feels "an obligation to tell a good story at the Tour", and he has certainly fulfilled that obligation so far.
His comments on Alberto Contador were a good example. "I told Alberto that today was gonna be complicated," the Texan claimed after Stage 5. But I suspect that was a conversation Armstrong had only in his mind.
Contador's tactic of marking Armstrong was perfectly sensible, it was a safe place to be and there's nothing demeaning about shadowing a seven-time Tour winner.
But Contador has won grand tours too. He can mix it with the big boys in the peloton, and for Armstrong to suggest he had taken Contador under his wing was both mischevious and somewhat patronising. But it made for a great story.
Armstrong's willingness and patience with the media on this Tour have been remarkable. Maybe that will change but at the moment he's in total control of his image.
Let's not forget in his three years out of professional cycling Armstrong has been mixing at a very high level of politics and business in the United States.
He clearly harbours ambitions beyond cycling - whether they are political or solely raising the profile of his Livestrong foundation.
So stepping back into the media circus that's the Tour is a walk in the park for him and he's enjoying it, when a younger, less experienced rider would shy away.
He's keeping the limelight, keeping himself and his foundation on the back pages of the papers. All this attention suits him. He's seizing the moment and it's great to watch.
"I won't be drawn on the team leadership issue," he insisted on Sunday. Before slipping something in about Astana having two team leaders. Clever.
Today's stage between Girona and Barcelona is a tricky one to call. The sharp climb at the end should rule out the sprinters.
It could suit Fabian Cancellara, given his improved climbing ability, and Saxo-Bank have defended that yellow jersey fiercely. And dare I say it, this could even be a stage for Armstrong to grab yellow.
Maybe we could even see riders like Bradley Wiggins or David Millar of Garmin-Slipstream decide to have a go, now that both are more comfortable climbing.
A quick word for Thomas Voeckler here. He was already a national hero in France but yesterday's superb stage win assured his status. He's always been flawlessly cheerful and polite, but he's a very clever rider too and exploits his talent to the full.
It was a brave solo attack, perfectly timed, and he deserved to enjoy his moment as he crossed the line in Perpignan.
I wonder if Armstrong will be the story again tonight? Don't bet against it.
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