FXjohn

How sweet would that be?

Gustaf

not very sweet

hmai18

I agree. He's had his time at the top, has brought all sorts of publicity and new fans to cycling and should retire at the top of his game and let somebody else have their time to shine.

DogBoy

I think it is possible he could win an 8th if he dedicated himself to doing it, but he would lose some fan support. He said this was it. If he changes his mind and says "I'll give it one more go." I think a lot of people would be disappointed. Plus, if he then failed to win, there would be a legacy of he should have stopped at 7, not He won 7 in a row! I don't think he'll take that chance.

cjbruin

He could but he won't.

SunSwingsLow

I think he will come back. Name one Superstar who has retired "on top." These men are driven by the competitve fire that burns within them and until they are beaten the fire does not go out.

Its not about money, or victories or anything other than competition.

MJ didnt lose any of his luster playing on the Wizards. He is still considered the greatest basketball player ever. Wayne Gretzky is still considered the greatest hockey player ever even though he played well beyond his prime with the Kings. Mohammed Ali is still considered the greatest Heavy Weight of all time even though he fought well beyond his prime. Lance risks no legacy by coming back. He has cemented his TdF legacy and if loses one then all you Lance haters can finally have your day in the sun.

The only way he doesnt come back to the TdF is if he finds someway to channel his competitive spirit. Perhaps he will look to win some less grueling bike events. Perhaps he will go after the 1 hour record. But if he just retires from cyclying then expect to see him back for #8.

timmhaan

let's look this thread up in a year. wanna put money on it? you may be right that he'll do some other things, but no way will there be another tour attempt. i'd bet my 401(k) on it.

jbonus

Last night Chris Carmichael, Lance's personal coach, was talking about Lance's odds of going for an 8th Tour win. Carmichael said that Lance could do it, but that Armstrong does not want to go through the rigors of training and time away from his family in preparation for the Tour. However, Carmichael did go on to say that Lance going for the hour record would be the only thing that would temporarily unretire Lance. It's only a very small possibility.

Laggard

He has in no uncertain terms said that he is done. It's all about the kids now. I don't know how anyone could have listened to the press conference and read the interviews and honestly think he will come back.

Ant

All the man ever seems to say is that he is getting old. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to keep going.

Devil

Lennox Lewis and Rocky Marciano.

Anyways, I don't think he could do it. Maybe he could, but it would be REAL close. Closer than 2003. Like I've been saying, Lance's domination has been less and less these past years. He's aging, and you can tell. He had a great Tour last year, but he was never alone in the mountains. People were able to stay with him. Same case this year. I suspect that had Basso not tried to win the Giro, he and Lance would be much closer than they are now.

KingTermite 

He would lose a lot of fans....it's like the Rolling Stones or one of many old rock bands (The Who, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, The Doors, Yes, Van Halen, etc...) who "retire" then keep coming back now and then when they need some money. It would take a LOT out of his credibility.

I sincerely hope he stays retired....besides, he's had his day in the sun...time to pass the torch.

skinnyone

Nooooooooo....

^*^BATMAN^*^

Like was said, for him to train, means almost never seeing his family. Competitive nothing, family trumps that reason for coming back. I dought we will see him competing in another tour.

serotta

There are two scenarios where Lance may come back to the tour.

1. Discovery wants him to do the tour again bad enough to allow him to train in the Austin area, not race a single race the rest of the year, then do the Tour.

2. He waits till his kids are grown and out of the house and makes a comeback at 50 in the Seniors Tour that will develop out of all the old retired bike riders that are still popular. You see, all this drug testing has lengthened their lives, so there are enough of them still in good enough shape to begin a seniors tour.

oboeguy

Don't forget Jim Brown and Barry Sanders.

SunSwingsLow

ok, Rocky Marciano, but he was an entirely different era. But Lennox Lewis is not the Huge superstar that I was refering too. I was more reffering to the elite of the elite, all time. Lennox was a great Champ but he is not the greatest heavy weight champ of all time. Hes probably top 10. Id put Ali, Liston, Tyson, Rocky and Joe Lewis all ahead of him just to start.

To those that think Lances reputation or credibility would be hurt. How? The recent greats have proven that thier legacy is not tarnished in the slightest working beyond thier prime. Again Gretsky, Jordan, Ali all are still considered the greatest. Why would Lance be any different?

If Lance 'retires' from all competive cycling he will be back for an 8th. It may not even be next year. But he will be back. He will need something to stoke his competitve fire. He'll be 34 this September. With todays technology, his body could still be in contention for the TdF.

DieselDan

To quote Def Leppard, it's better to burn out then fade away............

pseudobrit

Wayne didn't go past his sell by date until he hit NYR. He started to go south around his year with the Blues. Mario's about the only guy that I can think of that came back and performed just as well as before his retirement (when he wasn't on injured reserve for months at a time, of course).

Lance is taking at least a year off. At his age, it's doubtful he could get back to his current condition and assemble a world-class team in time to win again after that kind of layoff.

That said, he did say he wouldn't race professionally, leaving the door open for other competitive pursuits.

Devil

Not to divert to boxing, but as far as heavyweights go...
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Joe Lewis
3. Larry Holmes
4. Jack Johnson
5. Rocky Marciano
6. Jack Dempsey
7. George Foreman
8. Joe Frazier
9. Lennox Lewis
10. Gene Tunney

You could argue Lewis for #1 and Ali for #2, but I digress. No way Tyson is ahead of Lewis.

pseudobrit

Il Pirata burned out.

timmhaan

do you read anything in the press releases and interviews? it seems not, which makes me wonder how you can consider yourself informed on what he plans to do? all of us are removed somewhat and have to read\watch what we see from the media - and every single indication shows him not racing another tour. you're just making stuff up at this point.

SunSwingsLow

Yes I have heard him speak. Yes I have read ALL the press releases. The same press releases that earlier this year said he may not even race the 2005 tour. I have read the same press releases with countless other athletes who are tired and hurting when they say it. Then they take 4 months off and realize that they still have something to offer and decide to come back. Roger Clemens comes to mind most recently, arguably the best pitcher of the modern era, well him and Maddux. Hes retired twice now. Most recently last year. Yet he comes back each time more dominant than the first.

Now if you want to be spoon fed your information by the media and swallow it whole, fine by me, however, everyone should be able to apply a little more thought than just what is handed them from the media and press releases. Im not saying its definite that hes coming back. But I am certainley saying that it is not definite that he wont, regardless of what the press and Lance have to say. I have a great deal of precedent on the side of my reasoning regarding athletes of this magnitude and retirement. Lance may be different but the law of averages says hes coming back if he completely retires. Now as I said before, if he can find something to fulfill his competitive fire, like the 1 hour record then he may be done. But if just stops riding all together he will be back.

timmhaan

that makes NO SENSE!!!!!!!

Dolomiti

Pro cycling isn't baseball. Especially not for a grand tour rider.

He's not coming back. It's not like the guy is going to get bored. He has repeatedly explained that he has many other things to spend his time on.