Lance is back... no really... he is...

cornelyj · 09-09-2008, 07:38

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/a...ng-coming-back

Quote:

Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, according to sources familiar with the developing situation.

Armstrong, who turns 37 this month, will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphiné Libéré and the Tour de France — and will race for neither salary nor bonuses, the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told VeloNews.

Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, did not respond to questions. And an Astana spokesman denied the report to The Associated Press.

"He is no part of our team," Astana team press officer Philippe Maertens told the AP in an e-mail. "Team Astana has no plans with him."

However, sources close to the story have told VeloNews that an exclusive article on the matter will be published in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, expected later this month. Vanity Fair editors did not respond to requests for comment.

Rumors of Armstrong's return swirled at last week’s Eurobike trade show in Germany and this week’s Tour of Missouri.

The rumor speculates that Armstrong will reunite with former team manager Johan Bruyneel at Team Astana — a viable option given Armstrong’s long-lasting relationships not only with the Belgian director but also Trek, Astana’s bike sponsor.

According to sources, the Texan will post all of his internally tested blood work online, in an attempt to establish complete transparency and prove that he is a clean athlete.
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The rumor, which has been rampant for nearly a month, gained legs when former Discovery Channel team director Dirk Demol signed with Astana for 2009.

“I am excited to be reunited with Johan Bruyneel," Demol said. "What Johan has been able to do this year with Team Astana is quite special and admirable and I look forward to being a part of his program once again. It will be a new team with some familiar faces, but I know the winning philosophy and structure have remained the same.”

Other rumors are that Armstrong will continue to pursue mountain bike racing, and may try his hand at cyclocross as well.

Should Armstrong return with Astana, it would bolster a squad that arguably boasts the sport’s best stage-racing team.

In Missouri, Columbia rider George Hincapie, a close friend of Armstrong’s and the only man to ride on all seven of the Texan’s Tour winning teams, simply smiled when asked what he knew about the rumor, saying, “I don’t know anything.”

Armstrong re-enrolled himself into the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s out-of-competition testing pool prior to August’s Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race, where he finished second to Dave Wiens, said USA Cycling chief operating officer Sean Petty.

USADA rules state that any athlete who wishes to come out of retirement must enroll in the USADA out-of-competition testing program for at least six months in advance of regaining eligible status.

A return to racing would no doubt bring large crowds to American races, and could perhaps save the Tour de Georgia, which is struggling to land a title sponsor.

Petty said that should Armstrong wish to return to racing, “it would be one of the most exciting things to happen to American racing since he won his seventh Tour. Depending on his plan, if that is what he wanted to do, it would be tremendously exciting and would generate a tremendous amount of attention on the sport, and on what he’s doing. People would be very interested to see how he would do in a comeback.”

The last big-name rider to return from retirement was Italian Mario Cipollini, who signed with Rock Racing and competed at this year’s Amgen Tour of California after three years away from the sport. Cipollini failed to win a stage, but took third in a field sprint and said, “This finish means as much to me as any victory.”

Following the race Cipollini had a contractual dispute with Rock team owner Michael Ball and left the team.

Paslode · 09-09-2008, 10:27

It is difficult to get competition out of your blood. Best of luck to him.

C0B2A · 09-09-2008, 11:27

I had the privileged of running the Nike Human Race 10k Austin with him. I kept up with him for the first mile then he smoked me and pretty much everyone else. He came in 6th over all. Quite an impressive guy.

**Pete** · 09-09-2008, 11:38

But riding for Astana?

I know, I know Bruyneel.

But Astana cleaned house, hired Bruyneel and even with Contador didn't get invited to this year's TdF.

The TdF is an invitation race and get on the bad side of the Frenchies and it's "Sorry, no invitation this year."

By the way - a classic team attack was done in the 2007 Tdf where with a wind shift Astana tore the peliton apart.

NoRoadtrippin · 07-07-2009, 07:42

Anyone keeping up with the Tour this year? After yesterday's pull by Columbia, Lance is right in it. Today and Friday will be huge.

Any predictions?

Lance has obviously come very mentally prepared after picking up on the impending break away yesterday. Either that or Hincapie gave him the tip after visiting the team car. Pays to have friends.

SF0 · 07-07-2009, 09:08

Come out of retirement next year? What am I missing? He was at the Tour of the Gila this year, and ate some food at the local Sonic Drive In.

NoRoadtrippin · 07-07-2009, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by SF0

Come out of retirement next year? What am I missing? He was at the Tour of the Gila this year, and ate some food at the local Sonic Drive In.

The article and corresponding post was from fall of 2008. Only my post is recent. When originally posted, it was indeed dealing with "next" year.

Watching the team TT now. Hopefully it goes well. Lots of crashes for the early groups.

**Pete** · 07-07-2009, 11:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoRoadtrippin

...Lance has obviously come very mentally prepared after picking up on the impending break away yesterday. Either that or Hincapie gave him the tip after visiting the team car. Pays to have friends.

Hummer, Bob, Phil and Paul (annc for Vs) all were talking about how the winds in this part of France could split the peloton, talking about how the GC contenders needed to be alert and stay near the front.

The MJ and Lance with two other Astana riders were near the front when Columbia took off. Experience pays.

Stage 4 and Astana holds positions 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the GC. Lance is number Two at 00:00"

SF0 · 07-07-2009, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoRoadtrippin

The article and corresponding post was from fall of 2008. Only my post is recent. When originally posted, it was indeed dealing with "next" year.

Watching the team TT now. Hopefully it goes well. Lots of crashes for the early groups.

My attention to detail is suffering!

Matt B · 07-08-2009, 03:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoRoadtrippin

Anyone keeping up with the Tour this year? After yesterday's pull by Columbia, Lance is right in it. Today and Friday will be huge.

Any predictions?

Lance has obviously come very mentally prepared after picking up on the impending break away yesterday. Either that or Hincapie gave him the tip after visiting the team car. Pays to have friends.

Lance looked sharp yesterday. But really the whole Astana team was impressive. I'm looking forward to the Pyrenées in a few days.

NoRoadtrippin · 07-08-2009, 22:55

Yep. Friday will likely make or break Lance's chance for a win as well as decide who the true leader of Astana will be. I would like to think it will be Contador who can't hang with Armstrong, but with him being gone four years it will be interesting to see how he fares back in the hills.

Today was rather boring eh? The peloton definitely misread the break. I'm sure there were some unhappy teams when Thomas won the stage. Heck of an attack on his part though. Impressive pace for that last 5k.

LongWire · 07-11-2009, 15:15

Calm day after yesterdays (surprise) attack off the front by Contador. I'm thinking that things will get pretty tense over the Alps if they stay 2 seconds apart until then. Will be interesting to see. Kinda wish I was a fly on the wall in the team bus after yesterdays stage. Contador even pissed of guys from other teams!!!!......He wont be able to keep Yellow without his teams support. Good times to come!!!!!

NoRoadtrippin · 07-13-2009, 12:33

I didn't see much of the after race commentary from Contador's break. Are you saying it wasn't something the Director Sportif, etc. had signed off on?

Right before Contador broke, Armstrong can be seen conversing with one of their other teammates at the front of the pack. I'd be curious to know what the conversation was about. Maybe Lance had a plan of his own?

Then out of nowhere Contador is gone and Lance hung back. Maybe Contador saw the conversation and assumed Lance would be breaking off soon. I figured that for Lance not to have bitten, it must have been something planned. An unplanned attack would send Lance too strong a signal that Contador is not in this with intentions to play nicely. He would have to pursue him since he would not have any other way of knowing how much damage Cantador would do to the standings. If it was planned by management then Lance could be more content holding back.

**Pete** · 07-13-2009, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoRoadtrippin

I..... An unplanned attack would send Lance too strong a signal that Contador is not in this with intentions to play nicely. He would have to pursue him since he would not have any other way of knowing how much damage Cantador would do to the standings......

The TdF is an interesting race with intertwined traditions and team tactics.

Lance and Contador are on the same team. When Contador jumped as a team member Lance could not chase him down. If Lance started to chase then one of the other GC riders could suck his wheel and let Lance pull him up to Contador and then pass them both.

Lance's job was to get on the wheel of whoever tried to catch Contador and let them pull him up so if they caught Contador Lance would be fresh and jump forward. Another rider tried to jump, saw Lance jump on his wheel so he pulled back and Lance stayed on his wheel.

Ret10Echo · 07-13-2009, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

The TdF is an interesting race with intertwined traditions and team tactics.

...zactly....

From a June 30 interview:

The 37-year-old Armstrong won the last of his record seven straight Tours in 2005, and his startling comeback has fans worldwide eager to see if he can add to his cycling legend.

"Now it's 2009, not 2004, 2005 or 2001, that's different", Armstrong said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I would love to be eternally young, but I'm not. That's just the reality.

"It's not going to be easy to win," Armstrong added. "In December and January, I thought it would be easier. It ends up being more difficult than I thought. Perhaps because of the crash, of the complicated season or simply because I'm older now."

Armstrong said he would be willing to support Contador if it becomes clear the Spaniard is the likelier rider to win the grueling race.

"Out of respect for him, out of respect for the team and out of respect for the rules of cycling, I would do it with pleasure", Armstrong said by telephone