Professional Cycling For the Fans - Armstrong to ride '09 TDF?

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/26609987/

This will bring out the drama queens, but very interesting.

So do you use him on your fantasy team or leave him off?

So do you use him on your fantasy team or leave him off?

:rolleyes:

no salary or bonuses. interesting.

The big question is, with as loaded a team as Astana has, will Lance have a shot at #8? Or will he be riding support for Contador, Levi, etc? I don't see how all those guys would ride backup for such an unknown.

This will bring out the drama queens, but very interesting.

OLN exec's are going to have to clean off their ceilings they are so excited.

It'll make the TdGeorgia an easy to attend spectacle next year. I can't wait. And I'll get to see them in the mountains! Regardless of if he's TL or not, it'll be interesting.

Michael

Interesting move. Perhaps the idea is to load the team in such a way that the TDF people can't leave them out again. Leave out Armstrong's team and they will be eaten alive by sponsors and the press. Either that or his 2nd place finish in the Leadville 100 got the juices flowing again.

I hope this saves the Tour de Georgia.

Did I miss something, why is it being assumed that Astana will be invited to the Tour? Have they been told that they are going to be invited to the 09 Tour? Just wondering.

Did I miss something, but it doesn't sound like a done deal to me. I'll believe it when it comes from LA.

Folks sure love to stir this pot, tho....:)

This will make for a very interesting 2009! 2008 was just a bore.

Ok, this would be fun. Everyone would be gunning for him. Would make for a great July that is for sure.

Armstrong to ride '09 TDF?

No.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=3576504&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

NO! Astana just denied the report.

will he ride with hincappi??????

Looks more and more real (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/09/08/lance.ap/index.html). Whenever there's this level of denial, it's almost always true.

All that EPO and testosterone worked its way out of his system finally, has it?

just kidding, of course.

good to see he plans to actually do a few other races in the season though. for once.

Looks more and more real (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/more/09/08/lance.ap/index.html). Whenever there's this level of denial, it's almost always true.

This was my thought exactly. Until we hear from Lance himself that he is not racing again, I'm willing to believe there is some truth to the "rumors".

al trautwig is warming up his mic with glee

This just off the AP. "I am happy to announce that after talking with my children, my family and my closest friends, I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden,” the 36-year-old Armstrong said in a statement released to The Associated Press.

Well, there you go...

Also meant to say that even though he has had three years off he has kept himself in relatively good shape. Getting in shape for these races has to be easier than what he did after the cancer battle.

If he can come in 2nd at Leadville, I've got to think he still in pretty good shape.

Well here it is from his own mouth. http://www.livestrong.com/lance2009/

Sad. Next Hank Aaron will announce he wants to return to break Bond's home run record. Ali will announce he plans to return to boxing...old athletes don't ever die...they just get goofy in the head.

But, regardless of any delusions Armstrong is currently suffering from, one thing is sure: he will NOT be standing on the podium in Paris next July. He is too old and the drug testing in France has gotten too tough.

Sad. Next Hank Aaron will announce he wants to return to break Bond's home run record. Ali will announce he plans to return to boxing...old athletes don't ever die...they just get goofy in the head.

But, regardless of any delusions Armstrong is currently suffering from, one thing is sure: he will NOT be standing on the podium in Paris next July. He is too old and the drug testing in France has gotten too tough.


It's not like he retired becasue he could no longer compete, for christ sakes he's only 37 yo.

Five bucks says he takes an eight victory next year.

Hey, maybe he'll be starting a new team. Rider/Owner of the Livestrong team, Lance Armstrong. Honestly I can't see him racing for anyone except Astana. I'm sure we will here more about that very soon. Of course Astana will have to buy out George's contract to get him back on the team as well.

It's not like he retired becasue he could no longer compete, for christ sakes he's only 37 yo.



Please tell us the last year that someone over the age of 36 won the Tour de France...

And, the last time someone over 36 DID win the Tour, THAT rider was not subjected to drug testing...37 old without drugs is a bit "older" than 37 years old WITH drugs....and if Armstrong shows up in France next July he will become the most rigorously tested cyclist in history.

Lance finished 2nd in the Leadville 100, so he isn't that out-of-shape. Endurance may a problem though and he's 2 years older.

Five bucks says he takes an eight victory next year.

Even if he does, alanhoustonbike will never admit that it is a legitimate victory. You can't win.

"USA Cycling's Johnson confirmed that before racing there [Leadville], Armstrong, who still has a U.S. professional cycling license, requested that he be reactivated on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's out-of-competition testing list."

I think Lance got board with giving speeches for his foundation. I think he wants to try to win the TDF for more recognition and it will bring more media attention to bear on his foundation and himself. He will probably make more money from product endorsement deals than from the salary he is claiming to not be collecting.

Perhaps he thinks the riders are clean enough now that he can compete completely clean on a level playing field. Either that or there is some gene doping going on which cannot be detected from blood tests. I also think that he is trying to clear his name and to prove that he did win most of his TDF victories clean.

This is really an interesting development.

according to vanity fair (http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/09/armstrong200809) he's in, and with a new team......

I have to admire him! He could easily sit on the couch watching base ball the rest of his life. Although, his portfolio has probably taken a huge plunge this year & he probably spends 10 times as much in a month than any of us make in a year..... On second thought the bum just needs some money.

Please tell us the last year that someone over the age of 36 won the Tour de France...

And, the last time someone over 36 DID win the Tour, THAT rider was not subjected to drug testing...37 old without drugs is a bit "older" than 37 years old WITH drugs....and if Armstrong shows up in France next July he will become the most rigorously tested cyclist in history.


That' a pretty admirable strawman argument. Because the tour hasn't had a winner over 36, Lance can't win. I suppose back in 2004 Lance shouldn't have attempted to win his 6th TdF becasue nobody had won more than 5.

What has drug testing got to do with it? Lance was clean back than, he's clean now. He's one of the most tested athlete in modern history, yet there is not a shred of physical evidence that he dopes.

People need to accept the fact that he's just an exemplary athlete, in the same category as someone like a Phelps.

That' a pretty admirable strawman argument. Because the tour hasn't had a winner over 36, Lance can't win. I suppose back in 2004 Lance shouldn't have attempted to win his 6th TdF becasue nobody had won more than 5.

What has drug testing got to do with it? Lance was clean back than, he's clean now. He's one of the most tested athlete in modern history, yet there is not a shred of physical evidence that he dopes.

You don't understand, do you? ABH is taking the Easy Road. Saying Lance can't win is a zero-risk gamble, because you can't lose. If he doesn't win, ABH can tell us all "I told you so". If Lance does win, ABH will claim it's because he's found a new way to avoid the doping tests.

It's easy to take a position when you can't be proven wrong.

Personally, I'm glad Lance is back, win, lose, or draw, because it'll bring more exposure to cycling in the US, and that's a good thing. Sure, I'd like him to win, but I'm still one of those old fashioned "innocent-until-proven-guilty" sort of people, so until the positive test shows up, I give him the benefit of the doubt. But that's just me.

Sounds like he misses the spotlight -- and the sport. I admire that he'll do it despite knowing he might come up short. Merckx, Hinault, Indurain all lost a last one before retiring, which is noble to not quit while you're ahead. Maybe his love of the sport has trumped his desire to play it safe.

I'm not surprised he's back - I was just thinking of this a few days ago, in fact ('why hasn't he yet?')

But I honestly figured he'd shoot for the hour record or maybe do a classics race or two. Winning the TdF is pretty ambitious for anybody.

Then again, the man doesn't like to lose....so he must be pretty confident he can do it. I think anyone would be impressed if he made the top 10, let a lone a podium finish.

Anyone except LA. If he's there, he's there to win, period. This should be interesting, especially if Tyler, Floyd, et al are back.

no salary or bonuses. interesting.

Like he'll need any salary anyway! He'll rake it in on endorsements from Nike, Trek and so on. Who needs a salary when you got millions coming in already?!?!

Plus it's good publicity for cycling around the world. He'll bring out the crowds, both those that love him and those that hate him. This translates to big $$$ for cycling.

Then there is the fact that those that tie his Tour wins to doping can finally get a front row seat with the current testing regimen [and can be critical of him when or if he falters].

But it also opens it up to those that might tamper with his samples. Although with the strict team testing regimen already in place on Astana (assuming he rides for them) he can dispute any "positive" findings since his own team will have a transparent record of his results throughout the season and the Tour.

Not sure how it'll effect Euro cycling scene but for the US it'll be great PR! He'll bring out droves of fans if he rides the ToC and Georgia (if the ToG is still around next year) and maybe it'll boost cycling around the country.

Side note: I wonder why they haven't gotten a sound bite from Anti-doping hero David Millar yet on Lance's return? I'm sure he'll have a lot to say about it. Or is everyone tired of hearing him talk? haha!

Another side: What if Michael Ball signed him to Rock Racing!?!?!?

Maybe the Tour de France isn't really as hard as they say it is.

OK...just kidding, just kidding! :lol:

Perhaps Jan Ullrich will come out of retirement, too, just to have one last shot at beating Armstrong.

Perhaps Jan Ullrich will come out of retirement, too, just to have one last shot at beating Armstrong.

Or one last opportunity to have his ass handed to him.

The reality is that he did a lot for cycling in this country and because of that there is an extreme downside to him coming back. What happens if he gets blown out which I think he will And what happens if he pops pistive for some kind of illegal drug that would be a real downer for cycling in this country and worldwide, it would call into question even more the 7 victories that he has, (personally I think he just never got caught). Lets bring back a real racing legend Bring back Eddy, Bernard or a lot of other REAL racing legends

Or one last opportunity to have his ass handed to him.

That never stopped him before.

CBS just reported that Landis is planning a 2009 comeback too.

Please tell us the last year that someone over the age of 36 won the Tour de France...

And, the last time someone over 36 DID win the Tour, THAT rider was not subjected to drug testing...37 old without drugs is a bit "older" than 37 years old WITH drugs....and if Armstrong shows up in France next July he will become the most rigorously tested cyclist in history.

It would be interesting to find out who was the last rider 36yrs or older to win. I'm not sure how muscles develop for cyclists but in other endurance sports (namely skate skiing or cross country skiing) it takes years to develop their muscles and an athlete wouldn't hit their peak until they are 29-30.

http://home.hia.no/~stephens/skiphysi.htm

Hey got this from Fat Cyclist site:

"Reaction from Greg Lemond
Former Tour de France champion Greg Lemond almost certainly has an opinion regarding this news, but nobody dared go near him to ask what it is."

Did I miss something, why is it being assumed that Astana will be invited to the Tour? Have they been told that they are going to be invited to the 09 Tour? Just wondering.

Good point

I'm sure they'd prefer Saunier Duval

It would be interesting to find out who was the last rider 36yrs or older to win. I'm not sure how muscles develop for cyclists but in other endurance sports (namely skate skiing or cross country skiing) it takes years to develop their muscles and an athlete wouldn't hit their peak until they are 29-30.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_de_france #statistics