Lance Armstrong Returns!

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Is that just too old to have any realistic chance of a challenge for the GC though, even for Lance ?

Bernard Henault was quite old though when he finally packed in, wasn't he ? I'm guessing a bit, but I do seem to remember the badger going on & on. Any ideas what age he was when he retired ?

Early 30's I would have thought, Lance embraces technology and still has a great frame for climbing, he has also been amazingly lucky avoiding crashes and injurys. I am sure he will have a master plan especally if he rides for Astana and has Contador on his team. He will need something to stop CSC and the Scleck brothers making him suffer in the mountains.

 

[1066familyman]

Eric Zabel (sp) now immediately springs to mind as being a competing old timer. Of course, it's a bit different competing for the green jersey than yellow, but in some ways for a sprinter to haul himself over the mountains year after year, that's pretty good going.

 

[1066familyman]

After a quick spot of googling.

Erik Zabel, born July 7th 1970. 3rd in green jersey race this year. 43rd in GC.

Erik Zabel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Stat Brother]

From cyclingnews.com who are pretty reliable

Going by the whispers, Armstrong's return would see him ride just five events: the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, Tour de Georgia, Dauphiné Libéré and Tour de France. Two of these are based in the USA and would embrace the news.

Blimey he's coming back with a longer season, than the one he left the sport with!.

 

[Stat Brother]

This will be a non-story, if Lancey-poos happens to be climbing Bury Hill in a couple of hours. Cos the sight of my lycra clad arse, passing him, will put him off cycling forever.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

This will be a non-story, if Lancey-poos happens to be climbing Bury Hill in a couple of hours. Cos the sight of my lycra clad arse, passing him, will put him off cycling forever.

If he is feeling good he may give you one of those Jan Ullrich stares

Just heard his press conference and it appears to be motivated by the launch of a new cancer charity. Like Zarbel I do not think he will embaress himself and may even work for someone else, as a time trailist alone he could do pretty well.

It has always been muted a film would be made of his life, we meet Chris Columbus in his entourage the other year and it was said that Matt Dillion may play Lance. This could be the extra 20 minutes the film needs.

 

[Stat Brother]

If he is feeling good he may give you one of those Jan Ullrich stares

The old man (he's a year younger than me) has to get in front of me first.
Anyway luckily for him he wasn't out, but I'd have taken him, I tells yer, I'd have taken him.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Armstrong will announce details of his team and pre-Tour racing schedule on 24 September.

 

[Tyrone Biggums]

I'm not so sure he'd go to Astana, they already have three leading candidates for the tour so would he want to go to a team and play second fiddle?

CSC is probably out as a destination.

Lotto can't afford him.

Team Columbia might have been a good fit seeing as it's now an American team and George Hincapie is on it but with Cavendish emergence it will be interesting to see if they focus less on the yellow jersey and become a green jersey team like a Quick Step/Boonen set up.

I wouldn't mind him ending up on what was team Gerolsteiner and seeing how he'd go with them, they have a few handy riders who could play good support roles for him.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I'm not so sure he'd go to Astana, they already have three leading candidates for the tour so would he want to go to a team and play second fiddle?

CSC is probably out as a destination.

Lotto can't afford him.

Team Columbia might have been a good fit seeing as it's now an American team and George Hincapie is on it but with Cavendish emergence it will be interesting to see if they focus less on the yellow jersey and become a green jersey team like a Quick Step/Boonen set up.

I wouldn't mind him ending up on what was team Gerolsteiner and seeing how he'd go with them, they have a few handy riders who could play good support roles for him.

Gerolsteiner have no sponsor for 2009 so he may need to get them one first.

Bruyneel looks keen to renew the wining partnership.

"I spoke to Lance yesterday evening, and he confirmed that he wanted to make a comeback into professional cycling. I said to him, 'there are a lot of things we have to talk about. If you are a professional cyclist I can't imagine you would make a comeback with any other team.' ... I don't know if Lance can come back at the highest level. He has been training and keeping in shape, it is different than riding at the highest professional level,"

He noted yesterday that he believed Armstrong would race with his team. He added today, "I will talk to the sponsor today or tomorrow."

 

[Stoichkov]

I can't see how Armstrong would get a ride in the Tour De France. Its organisers, ASO, broke away from the sports governing body, the UCI, so it could pick & choose exactly who rode it. So suspicious are they of anything to do with Johan Bruneeyl that they banned Astana from attending this year.

I can't see Armstrong riding in anything other than a Johan Bruneeyl set-up but I think in order to get a ride in the Tour he'll need to to. Of course, such is the beef with ASO & Armstrong is that they might just choose to ban any team for which he rides.

The interetsing thing will be can the media entourage that Armstrong attracts overpower ASO that currently holds all the cards in world cycling?

 

[Stat Brother]

There is no way Prudhomme could turn Lance away.
He wouldn't even take that fight on.

I would have expected to see Astana in Monte Carlo next year, anyway, esp if Contador wins in Spain. Assuming they are good boys.

 

[Stoichkov]

There is no way Prudhomme could turn Lance away.
He wouldn't even take that fight on.

I would have expected to see Astana in Monte Carlo next year, anyway, esp if Contador wins in Spain. Assuming they are good boys.

ah, an answer already and it looks like ASO is going to do the right thing!

Tour Organizers Open To Armstrong's Return - BikeRadar