During Saturday's Tour of Gila, in New Mexico, Lance Armstrong cruised alongside Boulder's 18-year-old Taylor Phinney--but not to challenge him. Instead, Armstrong, the founder and owner of Phinney's new Under-23 cycling team, asked, "Dude, what do you need?" Later in the race, Phinney, a senior world track champion, crashed, but smiled as he recounted the story to The Denver Post from his Boulder home, also discussing his feelings about finishing seventh in the Olympics' 4,000-meter cycling race. After he broke up with his girlfriend last year, Phinney wanted to take a road trip--go to California. Instead, he stuck around--a good thing, because Armstrong called to invite him to join the Trek Livestrong Development Team, named for Armstrong's cancer foundation. For a closer look at Phinney, his family life, and his Olympic potential, read "Project Taylor" from the July edition of 5280.