However, the "Cannibal" hit back the day after to make up two minutes and eventually win the Tour.

Lelangue said Merckx and his father called him after Landis cracked in the ascent to La Toussuire, finishing more than 10 minutes adrift of stage winner Michael Rasmussen of Denmark.

"During the Tour or other races, I always talk with my father. Only after the stages, not before," he said.

"After La Toussuire, he and Eddy Merckx were the first to call me to tell me we had lost a battle but not the war.

"Of course, it reminds me of 1971, it's a Tour like in the old days. That's a spirit my father taught me. What happened in the last Alps stage had never been seen in decades."

The Phonak team, who were riding conservatively until Landis's failure, were forced to change their tactics to have a chance of winning the Tour.

"We were ready to go for it. We believed in our chances of going all the way in that stage," said Lelangue.

"It was a big risk because in the first climb all the other riders were dropped and were facing elimination.

"If Floyd cracked in Joux-Plane, he was all by himself again."

Landis held his nerve and French great Bernard Hinault said: "It was a reaction of pride. I am sure he had a hunger the day before. He did something I had almost never seen".