Armstrong to return, ride in '09 Tour

kmart6 · 08-09-2008 7:36pm #1

Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement and race in the Tour de France next year, sources close to the situation have told Velo News.

Armstrong, who will turn 37 years old this month, would race with Astana, the sources said.

The seven-time Tour de France winner will race in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France — for no salary or bonuses.

Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, did not answer questions.

An article about Armstrong's comeback will be published in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, Velo News said.

Armstrong reportedly will reunite with his former team manager Johan Bruyneel, who guided Armstrong and his teams Motorola and U.S. Postal Service to seven straight Tour de France titles.

Sources also told Velo News that Armstrong will post all of his internally tested blood work online to prove that he's clean.

Link

Raam · 08-09-2008 7:40pm

I saw that on some random forum a while back. I wonder how true it is, and if if he did, would he be a contender?

Chips Lovell · 08-09-2008 7:52pm

I find this very strange, if it is true. He's 37, will have been out of competition for four years by next years Tour. I can't see him winning much. Maybe he just misses racing. Would be very odd seeing him working as a domestique for Contador.

smithslist · 08-09-2008 8:37pm

is it April the 1st?

Morgan · 08-09-2008 8:40pm

Maybe Bruyneel is blackmailing him.

smithslist · 08-09-2008 8:42pm

is it April the 1st?

kmart6 · 08-09-2008 8:51pm

smithslist wrote: »

is it April the 1st?

No it's double posting!

smithslist · 08-09-2008 8:54pm

kmart6 wrote: »

No it's double posting!

i had to ask twice.....to be sure

heres the link:
http://www.velonews.com/article/82892/sources-lance-armstrong-coming-back

E@gle. · 08-09-2008 10:11pm

Thesee rumours always come out from time to time, I would like to see him come back but i just dont think they are true

Funkyzeit · 08-09-2008 10:22pm

I think the chances of him coming back are pretty slim - In fact I'm so confident he won't come back if he does I'll do the Wicklow 200 in this outfit....shoes and all...

Raam · 08-09-2008 10:23pm

Funkyzeit wrote: »

I think the chances of him coming back are pretty slim - In fact I'm so confident he won't come back if he does I'll do the Wicklow 200 in this outfit....shoes and all...

Jeebus, if he does, I'll pay you not to.

Orizio · 08-09-2008 10:45pm

I'm sure Levi and Berto will be delighted to be Lance's new super domestiques...;)

Chips Lovell · 09-09-2008 12:33am

Apparently he's meant to reveal all in an interview in Vanity Fair later on this month. By then we'll know whether Funkyzeit will be investing in a mankini.

crashoveroid · 09-09-2008 9:14am

this would be interesting

Morgan · 09-09-2008 9:55am

Won't be riding for Astana it seems:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6A-Qsbau4RcCI-YEdg49dlhCUEgD932QKN00

Malari · 09-09-2008 10:00am

Morgan wrote: »

Won't be riding for Astana it seems:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6A-Qsbau4RcCI-YEdg49dlhCUEgD932QKN00

Oh, bang goes my theory that he was riding to force Prudhomme's hand and let Astana into the Tour!

Signal_ rabbit · 09-09-2008 10:30am

I reckon if he does he'll make a tit of himself. He was the ultimate super sportsman, that's undisputed (?), but not being 'ageist' i think he is too old now and been out of the game too long.

Malari · 09-09-2008 10:35am

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

I reckon if he does he'll make a tit of himself. He was the ultimate super sportsman, that's undisputed (?), but not being 'ageist' i think he is too old now and been out of the game too long.

Yep, which made me think he had an ulterior motive.

crashoveroid · 09-09-2008 10:39am

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

I reckon if he does he'll make a tit of himself. He was the ultimate super sportsman, that's undisputed (?), but not being 'ageist' i think he is too old now and been out of the game too long.

It was the same about 10 years ago when he made his comeback intresting how people were saying the same thing

TinyExplosions · 09-09-2008 10:44am

Maybe he's found some new, undetectable wonder drug that'll guarantee him the win, and he just wants to get even more smug

Caroline_ie · 09-09-2008 10:45am

Malcolm Eliott is 47 and he still rides for team Pinarello... and he never came close what Armstrong achieved in his career.

Let him come back if he wants to.

Chips Lovell · 09-09-2008 10:48am

The stuff on cyclingnews.com today makes me a little sceptical. Astana are denying it. If it were true they'd probably be saying 'no comment'. If he were doing it, you'd have to wonder what other team he'd go to. Can't see him jumping on board at Garmin-Chipotle.

dub_skav · 09-09-2008 10:48am

There have been so many rumours about him doping maybe he just wants to come back and prove that he's clean and still be competitive, though not win.

Kind of like saying, well if I'm still up there at 37 and definitely clean then why couldn't I have been as good as I was and clean when I was younger.

Chips Lovell · 09-09-2008 10:49am

By the way, Rebellin is 37 and is no slouch.

ROK ON · 09-09-2008 10:51am

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Maybe he's found some new, undetectable wonder drug that'll guarantee him the win, and he just wants to get even more smug

You mean even newer than the wonder drugs that he was taking.:)

Signal_ rabbit · 09-09-2008 10:54am

ROK ON wrote: »

You mean even newer than the wonder drugs that he was taking.:)

Ooooooooooooooo controversial!

TinyExplosions · 09-09-2008 11:07am

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Ooooooooooooooo controversial!

Any thread mentioning the man must descend into drug rumors... it's the law!

Quigs Snr · 09-09-2008 12:03pm

Won't happen. This all stems from him re-registering for out of competition testing which he had to do to take part in the recent leadville 100 Mountain Bike race. From there a few people added 2 + 2 and got 5. No way he would come back and taint his legacy. He wouldn't ride for anyone other than Astana and I cannot see him riding support for Contador anymore than I could see Contador riding support for him.

If anything its just a media stunt to promote something or other. Expect to see some new fundraising initiative, book, clothing line, etc... announced in the vanity fair magazine. He's just getting his name out there and reminding people he still exists, the guy knows his name is a brand and brands need to be publicised if you want them to sell, its just simple economics. He has proven very adept at this in the past.

Junior · 09-09-2008 1:41pm

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Won't happen. This all stems from him re-registering for out of competition testing which he had to do to take part in the recent leadville 100 Mountain Bike race. From there a few people added 2 + 2 and got 5. No way he would come back and taint his legacy. He wouldn't ride for anyone other than Astana and I cannot see him riding support for Contador anymore than I could see Contador riding support for him.

If anything its just a media stunt to promote something or other. Expect to see some new fundraising initiative, book, clothing line, etc... announced in the vanity fair magazine. He's just getting his name out there and reminding people he still exists, the guy knows his name is a brand and brands need to be publicised if you want them to sell, its just simple economics. He has proven very adept at this in the past.

So what your saying is there could be a possibilty of him lining out in Comeragh Colors next year for the league races as a lead out man for Robin ?

Quigs Snr · 09-09-2008 1:46pm

I wouldn't say no, I suppose Junior ! We will probably put a team in the RAS and can always use a handy rider or two, speaking of which are you still retiring from the sport or are you going to bite the bullet and come join us ?

sy · 09-09-2008 2:03pm

Its the oligarchs money that may be tempting him. New team, high profile rider ??? slight possibility but don't think it will happen

Armstrong to return, ride in '09 Tour

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