Surferbruce

totally respect his 7 wins, totally respect his cancer work, but where is the guy during the tour? could spare a little time to share his unique perspective on the race that gave him so much? I know he hates the french, but even just on the u.s. broadcast- do a couple appearances, elighten us about the race, share some stories. heck he could probably boost trek sales quite a bit by just doing a piece on the new madone. just SOMETHING...
i know it takes a lot of energy to juggle blondes the way he does, but the dudes retirement has been a big sigh. sure you can say he doesn't owe anybody anything and we should just appreciate him for what he did, but he could do som much for u.s. cycling with just a little input.

C_Heath

well put but he did do the trek commercial

"we like bikes"

patentcad

After the way the Tour organization pissed on Lance, if I were him, you'd never see me there again until they kissed my friggin Austin ass.

Never forget, Texas is bigger'n France.

grahny

FWIW on Versus during yesterday's stage they commented on a talk they had just had with LA about Hautacam and his take on the stage and what he'd expect to see.

Anyway, he was involved with Discovery and at the tour last year and he got more press than the team it seemed, so maybe he's keeping quiet to give the riders the chance to get in the spotlight - ya know, 'cause they're racing and all.

If Americans can't get excited about cycling for the sport it is, then screw 'em. No need to push LA to the point that the whole world is sick of him.

RoboCheme

He did a cancer charity ride this past weekend in San Jose. Doesn't that count for anything?

Hot Potato

He was a commentator on the final stage of the tour last year or the year before? He basically stunk. He is not a writer, an author, an actor, or a newscaster. He is a professional road bike racer, and arguably the worlds best ever.

The professional commentators were trying to fill in the endless laps of the last stage in Paris when the GC was already decided, and the final sprint wasn't yet on. They kept trying to get Lance to talk about what it was like to ride on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and all he could come up with was that he thought this stage sucked, he didn't want to crash on the cobblestone, and he was glad that the race was soon to be over. They must have asked him six different ways, trying to coax out some interesting chat, and he kept repeating how he hated the stage.

Sensing that asking a seventh time would not work, one announcer began to prod him for opinions on some of the riders leading the GC and the current stage. His answer was that he was out of racing now, and didn't know squat about the peleton these days.

Not trying to bash Lance, his resume speaks for itself, and he does not need to add sports announcer to it. Maybe his heart just wasn't in it, maybe his appearance was part of some other deal and he was just going to satisfy the contract by showing up. Who knows. But if he ever wants to get into broadcasting, he needs to do better than what I saw. None the less, I hung on his every word!

Nachoman

I'd like to hear some Lance perspective too.

alxra

Best TDF rider, sure. Arguably the world's best road bike racer ever - Do a search here or in the TDF forum and you will see why you are sadly mistaken.

roccobike

+1, INHO the TDF has worked hard and earned every bit of disrespect they receive.

Dubbayoo

Lance is arguably the world's best road bike racer ever. People argue about it all the time, therefore he is correct and you are sadly mistaken. Matter of fact PCad will gladly argue that PCad is the world's best road bike racer ever too.

Pugsly

+2

timmyquest

How dare the guy retire how he wants to.

colourmeawesome

Very well put.

The man certainly overcame a very difficult and life-threatening situation to come back and accomplish a very incredible feat. Huge, massive, ridiculous ups for that (like the OP said). He's definitely got international appeal, and I think that's where the issue is. All of these other teams are comprised of riders from all over the world, so the attention is split among the members of the TEAM. When you involve someone who is as high profile as Lance Armstrong (because let's face it, non-cycling-enthusiasts don't sit through Le Tour on Versus, or know who Stephen Roche is, or know what a derailleur is) is a focal point, and it's very possible that he's had enough brutalizing attention over the last 9 years. Having everyone always looking at you, at an event that showcases some of the greatest athletes in the world and you're not even participating, I'm sure that must be a heavy burden to bear...

Slackerprince

What about the guys in the old days (early 20th. century) grunting up the mountains without any conception of carbon fiber. Those were the real studs.


S.

Geoff326

I think it's more like, he's sick of the world.

shabbasuraj

uh no,,,

Merckx.


arguably.

Mike V

I think with all the time he put in to win those 7 TDF's he can tack as much time off as he wants.

prendrefeu

Nah, I'm sick of him.

scottmorrison99

Yes, actually, it does. Quite a lot in fact.

schnee

... and has more stupid than the entire rest of the world put together.

ericcox

He's been incredibly active since retirement, spending a great deal of time on his work in support of cancer research and survivorship. He helped lobby for a massive public investment in cancer research here in TX that required legislative action and voter approval. If you know much about TX, you know that there is a strong belief in limited government here. Lance was instrumental in getting the cancer fund approved (3 billion for research). As a result TX Monthly, which is actually a pretty influential magazine here, named him one of 35 Texans instrumental to the future of Texas (actually, he led the list). Linky to a quick blurb. He also helped push the effort to have a "cancer forum" of presidential candidates.

He may be a dick, he may not be the "best ever," (though he is in the debate), hell he may have doped, but I do admire the work he is doing in support of cancer research and on behalf of survivors.

roadwarrior

Pretty funny coming from Socal.

Paradise, lost and found. Paradise, take a look around.
I was out in California, where I hear they have it all.
They got riots, fires, and mud slides.
They got sushi in the mall.
Water bars, brontosaurs, Chinese modern lust.
Shake and bake life with the quake
The secret's in the crust.

Jimmy Buffett
Fruitcakes
His greatest song.

roadwarrior

Maybe nobody asked.

If you are involved in the cancer community, as I am, his retirement has not been "a big sigh". Not even close.

He did a "piece on the new Madone" last year when it was new. You must have missed that.

531phile 

I think Lance is shying away from the limelight of cycling b/c he wants to avoid all this talk about doping. I still feel that he doped even though I have no direct evidence. His connection to that Italian doctor is too damming in my eyes as well as those superhuman stage wins

531phile 

Take the money and run lance.