http://www.velonews.com/article/82892/sources-lance-armstrong-coming-back
I just wonder why he would leave to come back.
I just wonder why he would leave to come back.
I'm sure if he trained himself back into form he could still compete. I mean c'mon... it's freaking Lance Armstrong. The question is this: does he feel motivated enough to push himself to that level after taking this much time off?Why?
He already has enough money, fame, and fortune to play around for the rest of his life. Is he returning because he feels as though he can still compete?
I can't help but think that he was on the verge of getting popped and stepped out. I have a hunch that there is some different plan that they will follow. I can't imagine why else he left. He seems arrogant enough that he wouldn't leave the spot light if he didn't have to. I have always thought that.
I suspect his training won't take much to be back on form. It sucks for Leipheimer and Contador though.
Imagine a showdown between Lance and Basso at the Giro? Oh man...I would rather he competed in the Tour of Italy, I was disappointed to see them list the Tour de France. When he was younger he swore that he would come back and win the Tour of Italy someday....what the hell happened to that promise????
He was being sued by someone for slander. If he stepped into Italy he would have been arrested.I would rather he competed in the Tour of Italy, I was disappointed to see them list the Tour de France. When he was younger he swore that he would come back and win the Tour of Italy someday....what the hell happened to that promise????
I would rather he competed in the Tour of Italy, I was disappointed to see them list the Tour de France. When he was younger he swore that he would come back and win the Tour of Italy someday....what the hell happened to that promise????
Bruyneel, who used to direct the Discovery Channel Racing Team captained by Armstrong, had heard the comeback rumours, but could not confirm them. "I don't know where the rumours come from. Maybe (they arise) because Lance recently finished second in a 160km mountain bike race? He has been training for it and he is in good shape."
Though this means pretty much nothing...Lance Armstrong's reported comeback won't take place with the Astana cycling team.
"He is no part of our team," Astana team press officer Philippe Maertens told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "Team Astana has no plans with him."
The cycling journal VeloNews, citing anonymous sources, reported on its Web site Monday that the 36-year-old seven-time Tour de France champion would compete in the Tour and four other road races with Astana in 2009.
Be like Barry. (Sanders)^^^ Fav-re is a poor example. I believe the main reason he originally retired was because he said his heart wasn't into it, the practices, the workouts, the film study, the sacrifices, etc. He loved the game, but not everything that came with it. Rumor has it he realized how much he still had for the game just a couple months after he announced his retirement. As for him coming back for the money, the Packers offered him millions to stay retired, more than he's currently making on the field.
It is highly unlikely that he is going to ride for anybody that doesn't ride Trek.Let's say he doesn't ride with Astana, as the Johan is being the clueless. Who picks him up?
Lance Armstrong is close to sealing his return to cycling with Johan Bruyneel's Team Astana. Bruyneel and Armstrong's relationship dates back to the 36 year-old's cancer comeback, before the two went on to win seven editions of the Tour de France.
"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 professional cyclist I can't imagine you would make a comeback with any other team.' ... I don't know 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," said Bruyneel Tuesday morning.
He noted yesterday he believe Armstrong would race with his team. He added today, "I will talk to the sponsor today or tomorrow." The Belgian took over management and reorganised the team after its doping-related problems in the 2007 Tour with Alexander Vinokourov.
Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), organisers of the Tour, stated it was this 2007 link that led to the 2008 non-invite. The Luxembourg-registered team instead dominated the Giro d'Italia in May with Contador and looks in good position to do the same in the Vuelta a España, which concludes on September 21.
With an already impressive line-up of Contador, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Klöden, could it be the case of too many cooks in the kitchen? Contador was quick to dispel any such idea. "I was surprised by the news. I don't know that Lance will be back at the highest level. ... Will I have problems being his team-mate? No, what problems... If he returns I will open the door," he said.
Unless there are 5 TT stages I think Al could take him.I'd be pissed if I was Contador.
Lance barely broke a sweat in some of his tour wins......Team is not always a big factor, depends how it plays out. If the race is super close then team is huge. But when LA is putting 3-4 minutes into most of GC in ITT's and HC's it really doesn;t matter that much.......smells like a PR scheme to me. he does all his testing and makes it all public to prove he's clean (and inbetween the lines, the sport is clean or can be) so he becomes the poster child for clean racers who can compete at the high level and win the big tours. only problem is.... what if he looses??? he's only going to be as good as his team is. if the team sucks so will he, as much as everyone thinks he's superman, he can't win a big tour on his own.
Some years he would only have to put the hammer down on one climb. The rest of the time he was cruising. He had alot more to give in the mountains but didn't have to give it.....TTT's just took away alot of the drama. TTT's were a good thing, it was a bit perplexing how little most teams seemed unprepared for them though.....Okay, so Astana.
How many Tours do you think Lance would have won if ASO had done away with the TTTs? I'd say the time gains from those stages were pivotal in his wins, and his results may have suffered had ASO done away with them during his stretch.
I had that thought myself when I saw all the doping controls and all the biggies getting busted the 2 years after he left. But you never know. He makes for exciting races though so I have to say that I'm glad he's back.I can't help but think that he was on the verge of getting popped and stepped out. I have a hunch that there is some different plan that they will follow. I can't imagine why else he left. He seems arrogant enough that he wouldn't leave the spot light if he didn't have to. I have always thought that.
I suspect his training won't take much to be back on form. It sucks for Leipheimer and Contador though.
The exact same number.Okay, so Astana.
How many Tours do you think Lance would have won if ASO had done away with the TTTs? I'd say the time gains from those stages were pivotal in his wins, and his results may have suffered had ASO done away with them during his stretch.
But lance is coming back with no team salary and no bonuses for winning. I think the dude just wants to race again. A lot of these guys come back because they miss the competition. It's really hard for athletes to leave doing what they love and then watch from the sidelined knowing full well that, if they wanted they could still be in it. I don't think you know what you're talking about, either that or your not thinking about it from the right perspective.i'm kinda getting tired of these guys who retire then come back to play. Favre is a good example, Jordan etc. it sounds rediculous when a guy says the body can't do it anymore blah, blah, blah then all of a sudden, they sign a new contract for a s**t load of cash!!! (insert Favre here) i just loose whatever little respect i have for them, go out with your head held high and be glad you were able to do what you did for as long as you did and make the amount of cash you did. stop being so full of yourself.
Best answer yet.he's taking that 2nd place in leadville pretty hard
so he's not getting paid, so what. i understand that these guys are competitive, and so am i. i'm starting to get arthritis in my right hip but that doesn't stop me from playing hockey and riding. pop a couple of advil and off i go. but i pay for it the next day. and the more i do it the worse it's gonna get so i know that in a couple of years i'll have to hang up the skates. and when i do, it's over. i can live with that, i've had fun over the years playing and yes i'll miss it, but i know that in the end it's better for me to stop. all i'm saying about these guys is that i really dont feel that they are doing any real thinking about their retirement, especially Favre. i just think that some of them like the idea of retirement but when it happens their bored out of their mind and/or their after sport job isn't what they expected it to be. the only perspective i need to think about it is from my own since i'm putting out my opinion. just like any arguement/conversation, there are 2 or more sides and not everyone will see the others. a guy like LA doesnt need to come back for any reason other than he wants to compete. adding the part that he wants to expand global knowledge on cancer is unneccessary. he's known for that already. i would like to see him race in other races either besides or in addition to the TdF. like the Giro, spring classics, the Vuelta. how bout going for the hour record.But lance is coming back with no team salary and no bonuses for winning. I think the dude just wants to race again. A lot of these guys come back because they miss the competition. It's really hard for athletes to leave doing what they love and then watch from the sidelined knowing full well that, if they wanted they could still be in it. I don't think you know what you're talking about, either that or your not thinking about it from the right perspective.
Don't think that his idea of using this to promote his cancer cause is BS.So what, arthritis hockey and riding, pop a couple in my right hip. Next... hang up the skates it's over the end. I really don't feel. my opinion... arguement. Everyone come back, cancer is unneccessary.
Just watch, it will be entertaining, win or lose.
Thats becuase no stage of the Tour is 12 hours, they are all around 4 :biggrin:http://www.velonews.com/article/83021/armstrong-to-race-12-hours-of-snowmass
Armstrong to ride 12 hour MTB race, on a 3 person team. What a pussy, go solo.