Road Bike Racing - Armstrong Returns to Racing.....seriously

http://beta.velonews.com/article/82892/sources-lance-armstrong-coming-back

This should be interesting

Yeah, it's all over the place now. But, interesting is right.

This would be great for increasing cycling coverage in the US and interest in the Tour of CA and GA, even if only for another year or 2.

This will be great for Versus.

Armstrong wins Seven Tour de France's in a period where performance enhancing drugs are rampant in the Peleton.

Armstrong retires when more and more people are getting popped for PEDs. (perhaps getting out while the getting was good)

If Armstrong comes back now, perhaps it's in part due to a believe that things have cleaned up enough that it's possible to compete at the highest level without PEDs.

Either that or he's bored running around with skanks.

There's no way he runs as a domestique for Astana in the tour, is there? Even coming out of retirement he couldn't race the Giro or Vuelta?

Either that or he's bored running around with skanks.

We've got a winner.

What's wrong with running around with skanks?

Either that or he's bored running around with skanks.


God, I miss doing that. Grass is always greener I suppose.

Either that or he's bored running around with skanks.

He's bored. He's a type A personality. It's tough to walk away from the immediate gratification that a race win can give you.

Leadville was a powerful reminder to him of his popularity (well, the ensuing press was anyway).

God, I miss doing that. Grass is always greener I suppose.

I doubt his given it up entirely! ;)

Either that or he's bored running around with skanks.

change of venue. he needs to broaden his horizons to see if the european scene has changed at all.

Yeah, it's all over the place now. But, interesting is right.

Somewhere in Italy Ivan Basso is quitely saying "WTF"

Potential Astana Tour Squad:
Contador
Leipheimer
Armstrong
Horner
Rubiera
Kloden

Sweet jesus....

Potential Astana Tour Squad:
Contador
Leipheimer
Armstrong
Horner
Rubiera
Kloden

Sweet jesus....

Sweet Jesus is riding!!! Mother of God, this will be interesting. ;)

Somewhere in Italy Ivan Basso is quitely saying "WTF"

Or "Bring it, you old fart."

The union won't like (or approve) that he'd ride for no pay.

incorrect (http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=13325).

I think Horner would work.

incorrect (http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=13325).

Ah, I hadn't seen that. Thanks.

Sweet Jesus is riding!!! Mother of God, this will be interesting. ;)

Suddenly, everyone will want clipless sandals.

http://7.media.bustedtees.com/bustedtees/mf/d/4/bustedtees.b420191d045d56c8cf036944acf939b6.gif

The way some of these other teams are stacking up talent it doesn't seem like too much of reach fro Astana.

On the business side, doesn't he own a good part of the Astana team? You might wonder what kind of deals he might have with the promoters of the American events, and what part of the TV package is he getting, Discovery is back in "picture". Expect that announcement after this one is official.

He's getting paid. Somehow, someway. A lot.

Having said that, if he doesn't get in the money with this team the French press will have even more kittens. It's an enormous gamble. Perhaps all for more skanks?

The way some of these other teams are stacking up talent it doesn't seem like too much of reach fro Astana.

On the business side, doesn't he own a good part of the Astana team? You might wonder what kind of deals he might have with the promoters of the American events, and what part of the TV package is he getting, Discovery is back in "picture". Expect that announcement after this one is official.

I think the Astana team grew out of the old Liberty Seg./Once team -- his old team still exists separately, it's just de-funded (after Discovery quit sponsoring.)

BTW, I hope this saves the Tour de Georgia.

Never going to happen within Astana. Never. Contador is their future.
Lance will go with Columbia. He and Hincapie and Stapleton.

well, I know where I'll be when the ToC is going on next year. Too bad there will be no prologue

Never going to happen within Astana. Never. Contador is their future.
Lance will go with Columbia. He and Hincapie and Stapleton.

have you considered that perhaps ol' LA would target the classics, instead of a GT?

geez, what's the problem with skanks? you're bored, you have millions, why the hell wouldn't you go to europe and check out the new skanks? like the wise man once said, "i spend some of my money on women, and i spend some of my money on booze, and i waste the rest"

Never going to happen within Astana. Never. Contador is their future.
Lance will go with Columbia. He and Hincapie and Stapleton.

The press release didn't say that he's trying to win any of those races.

It says he's going to RACE those races. Maybe in support of one Alberto Contador.

there's no such thing as a future in pro cycling. every team is year to year hinging on the next big drug scandal. Lance will be on Astana because Johan is there and they have the riders to support
the kind of grand tour he likes to ride. Columbia is set up primarily around sprint stage wins.

yeah, I dont think you'll see contador riding for anyone in the mountains. Lance is old. I'd love to see him succeed, but I don't think it's going to happen in the tour with astana. He could get top 5, but Contador has to be the focus. It would be cool to see him riding for someone else just because he enjoys it and I'd love to see him go for some of the classics.

Well since the article mentioned 5 stage races, I assumed no classics.
It would be fantastic if he went out and fought out a spring classics program (including PR), but I just can't see him doing anything but his post cancer format.

Also, I predict this thread will have 150 posts before 24 hours is up. This is my 3rd.

Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France

I predict, Trek bike sales go up.


I predict people will now train harder too...


I wish I could hear what the French are saying now...

I predict, Trek bike sales go up.


I predict people will now train harder too...


I wish I could hear what the French are saying now...

"Shoot him if we have to."

Would be nice if he stuck to racing domestic to help bring publicity to the domestic race scene... just throwing it out there... :innocent:

yeah, I dont think you'll see contador riding for anyone in the mountains. Lance is old. I'd love to see him succeed, but I don't think it's going to happen in the tour with astana. He could get top 5, but Contador has to be the focus. It would be cool to see him riding for someone else just because he enjoys it and I'd love to see him go for some of the classics.

LA isn't coming out of retirement after bff-ing with McConaughey and shagging skanks for 3 years to ride for Contador. Whatever money someone in Kazak-land is paying him under the table, it's not to play George Hincapie.

he also isn't coming back to see if he can win. he's already done the tests and knows he can get there. everyone else is already riding for second.

Well since the article mentioned 5 stage races, I assumed no classics.
It would be fantastic if he went out and fought out a spring classics program (including PR), but I just can't see him doing anything but his post cancer format.

I'm not totally surprised by the comeback. However, I am surprised it appears that he'll be doing stage races and apparently still focused on the TDF.

It would be great to see him focus on the classics. It would broaden US interest in and coverage of cycling. And give Armstrong the possibility of expanding his legacy, without risking tarnishing his TDF palmares.

so i should stock up on all the closeout astana kits on pbk and get ready to flip them on the bay for the fred legions?

It's all about the skanks. That's why Lance is coming back.

He's just trying to find a way to get people to buy more of those Chinese rubber bracelets.

The press release didn't say that he's trying to win any of those races.

It says he's going to RACE those races. Maybe in support of one Alberto Contador.

Astana and Bruneeyl say it's not with them.

The plot thickens. Or gets more obfuscated. Either way Lance is registered with the doping agency so he's eligible to race in February 2009. You do have to admire the inscrutability.

Well since the article mentioned 5 stage races, I assumed no classics.
It would be fantastic if he went out and fought out a spring classics program (including PR), but I just can't see him doing anything but his post cancer format.

you actually read the article? ;)

I predict, Trek bike sales go up.


I predict people will now train harder too...


I wish I could hear what the French are saying now...

Most likely trying to figure a way to keep Astana out of the Tour in 09.

yeah, I dont think you'll see contador riding for anyone in the mountains. Lance is old. I'd love to see him succeed, but I don't think it's going to happen in the tour with astana. He could get top 5, but Contador has to be the focus. It would be cool to see him riding for someone else just because he enjoys it and I'd love to see him go for some of the classics.

"Lance is old."


It's all relative. (us old-er guys gotta stick together!)
Maybe to a 20 something he is old in terms of racing,
but how about Zabel. 38 years young, and his performances at this years
Tour were pretty damn good. Even though he did not win a stage,
he was in the hunt on many a flat stage, and a few others as well.
(two 3rds two 4ths a 5th two 6ths, and a 8th ain't bad)
(Three top 15's, Five top 5's, and Two top 3' finishes)

Zabel finished in the top 10 on 8 of 21 stages - how many other non-GC guys did that? I'm thinking not too many especially not over 35. Don't count out the old-er guys just yet!
The guy was smart, strong, and beat a lot of riders half his age during those 21 stages.
Sure he was not a o/a GC contender, but examine his performance against his age, and you will see that his experience along with his fitness, and desire netted him solid results in the TdF.

I think some people may be forgetting how much tactical knowledge and experience Lance has, which had served him well in the peloton. Even if his form is not as strong as the previous few years, I believe his advantage will lie within his strategies and wisdom. Like him or not, the guy was and probably still is one of the best tacticians (along with Johan) on a bicycle. I'm pulling for LA and hope he does well.

He's just trying to find a way to get people to buy more of those Chinese rubber bracelets.

Taiwanese Gary.

Accuracy in humor is no vice.

Potential Astana Tour Squad:
Contador
Leipheimer
Armstrong
Horner
Rubiera
Kloden

Sweet jesus....

Brajkovic
Colom
Paulinho

I may not be the handiest with a slide-ruler :crash:, but given that he was x% better than his doped-up rivals, and IF he raced all 7 TDF wins clean; then shouldn't he still be able pummell any of the current rivals!!??

oh no, I think my favorite reply was the one about Basso saying WTF.

Lance Armstrong dating Sarah Palin's pregnant teenage daughter:

LINK (http://www.theonion.com/content/magazine/something_important_are_we)