Lance Armstrong returns for 2009 Tour de France

[thesilverfox]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/7605378.stm
http://www.velonews.com/article/82965/lance-armstrong-returns-to-professional-racing

Felt this was too big to put in the middle of the Pro-Cycling thread. Heard some murmurs about this this morning but paid no attention. He has confirmed it himself now.

On September 24, he will anounce his schedule and team he will be with (personally I think it will be Astana. The Astana manager Johan Bruyneel was manager at US Postal/Discovery when Armstrong won his previous 7 Tours)

I think this is the shot in the arm professional cycling has needed after last years farce. would love to hear what others think.

Can Armstrong win an eigth title? I think he can definatley do it

[Dodge]

I think this is the shot in the arm professional cycling has needed after last years farce


Best unintentional pun ever? I think so

Anyway, I'd doubt he'd have the stamina to keep up with the likes of Contador in the mountains. Speaking of Contador, he's top man at Astana these days, would he accept less than team leader?

[Macy]

Best unintentional pun ever? I think so

Has my vote. Already talk about how long it takes chemicals to get fully out of the system.

This years tour was one of the best ever, with cheats getting found out for something they thought couldn't be tested.

Only to be welcomed if he joins one of the teams with independent testing imo. If he could win in that environment it would validate he's previous tours.

Just one thought - he was one of the owners of Discovery, has he cut all ties with Astana?

[Dodge]

He's announced on his website that he'll post all internal testing results on his website, and any other tests that he's allowed to. He placed himself on the UCI out of competition list 3 months ago.

Apparently he's going to ride without a salary to help promote his Cancer research foundation. Bruyneel has said they'd be interested to speak with him

Interesting times ahead

[Macy]

Thats why, the drugs have left his system after 3 years, on Paddy Power, Armstrong to test positive for drugs is 10/1, looks a good bet.
Terrible value. For all his faults, do you really think Armstrong thick enough to come back and risk tarnishing what reputation he has amongst most people by risking a positive?

[TheBoss]

Many do doubt him in the cycling community.

[deecay]

I strongly doubt him

[Macy]

Many do doubt him in the cycling community.
And you think the cycling community is most people? Most people just know him as guy who beat cancer and won 6 tours, and couldn't care less that it was in an epo era.

[Dodge]

Many do doubt him in the cycling community.

The majority don't. And the majority of those who do doubt him, doubt everybody

[paul_oshea]

Terrible value. For all his faults, do you really think Armstrong thick enough to come back and risk tarnishing what reputation he has amongst most people by risking a positive?

Most people do know the truth.

[Dodge]

Whats the truth then POS

[Seagull]

Heard Paul Kimmage on Newstalk today vilifying him, calling him a cancer in the sport and a whole lot of 'I was with...and they said...'- No facts, no quotes, just 'I heard'. Vile stuff really, I thought Kimmage sounded really pathetic. Calling Armstrong a 'cancer in the sport' is appalling imo. Paul Kimmage was a failure as a professional cyclist and from what I heard today, he's a failure as a human being.

[monutdfc]

Jonathan Vaughters, directeur sportif of Garmin-Chipotle, was a team-mate of Armstrong. He was asked straight-out on Newstalk, and whilst he was careful not to say yes he didn't say no and it seemed fairly clear what he thought.