Sources: Lance Armstrong coming back
By Neal Rogers
Posted Sep. 8, 2008
Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement next year to compete in five road races with the Astana team, according to sources familiar with the developing situation.
Armstrong, who turns 37 this month, will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France — and will race for no salary or bonuses, the sources, who asked to remain anonymous, told VeloNews.
Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, did not respond to questions.
However sources close to the story have told VeloNews that an exclusive article on the matter will be published in an upcoming issue of Vanity Fair, expected later this month.
Rumors of Armstrong's return swirled at last week’s Eurobike trade show in Germany and this week’s Tour of Missouri.
The rumor speculates that Armstrong will reunite with former team manager Johan Bruyneel at Team Astana — a viable option given Armstrong’s long-lasting relationships not only with the Belgian director but also Trek, Astana’s bike sponsor.
According to sources, the Texan will post all of his internally tested blood work online, in an attempt to establish complete transparency and prove that he is a clean athlete.
The rumor, which has been rampant for nearly a month, gained legs when former Discovery Channel team director Dirk Demol signed with Astana for 2009.
“I am excited to be reunited with Johan Bruyneel. What Johan has been able to do this year with Team Astana is quite special and admirable and I look forward to being a part of his program once again. It will be a new team with some familiar faces, but I know the winning philosophy and structure have remained the same.”
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Other rumors are that Armstrong will continue to pursue mountain bike racing, and may try his hand at cyclocross as well.
Should Armstrong return with Astana, it would bolster a squad that arguably boasts the sport’s best stage-racing team.
In Missouri, Columbia rider George Hincapie, a close friend of Armstrong’s and the only man to ride on all seven of the Texan’s Tour winning teams, simply smiled when asked what he’d knew about the rumor, saying, “I don’t know anything.”
Armstrong re-enrolled himself into the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s out-of-competition testing pool prior to August’s Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race, where he finished second to Dave Wiens, said USA Cycling chief operating officer Sean Petty.
USADA rules state that any athlete who wishes to come out of retirement must enroll in the USADA out-of-competition testing program for at least six months in advance of regaining eligible status.
A return to racing would no doubt bring large crowds to American races, and could perhaps save the Tour de Georgia, which is struggling to land a title sponsor.
Petty said that should Armstrong wish to return to racing, “it would be one of most exciting things to happen to American racing since he won his seventh Tour. Depending on his plan, if that is what he wanted to do, it would be tremendously exciting and would generate a tremendous amount of attention on the sport, and on what he’s doing. People would be very interested to see how he would do in a comeback.”
The last big-name rider to return from retirement was Italian Mario Cipollini, who signed with Rock Racing and competed at this year’s Amgen Tour of California after three years away from the sport. Cipollini failed to win a stage, but took third in a field sprint and said, “This finish means as much to me as any victory.” Following the race Cipollini had a contractual dispute with Rock team owner Michael Ball, and left the team.
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Today's mighty oak was once just some nut who held his ground!
I'm sure the ASO people are excited to hear that too.
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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin, 1759
Astana is denying it. I wouldn't be surprised to see Johan jump ship to one of the American teams....maybe....Slipstream? Jonathan Vaughters is an ex-Postie...Maybe Lance will ride w/o Johan. This'll be interesting...
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"It's what you've got inside that matters. The details and technological things will take you only so far. You still have to pedal the bike. Some people are always looking for the magic secret. There's no secret. Just bust your ass." -Dave Zabriskie
Now Johan is getting all excited, so my money would be on Astana again. Jeez, hard to keep track of these guys!
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"It's what you've got inside that matters. The details and technological things will take you only so far. You still have to pedal the bike. Some people are always looking for the magic secret. There's no secret. Just bust your ass." -Dave Zabriskie
Floyd Landis is preparing his own comeback. The American who won the 2006 Tour de France but then had his title stripped for a positive doping test is looking to return to a team run by Momentum Sports Group.
"We are in negotiations with Floyd Landis to ride for the team in 2009, but we do not as of yet have a signed contract," said team director Mike Tamayo at the Tour of Missouri.
Landis did not return messages left by the Associated Press on his phone and via e-mail.
The comeback first was reported by Cyclingnews.com.
Landis' suspension ends Jan. 30, 2009, and it's no surprise that the 32-year-old cyclist intends to come back. Since his positive test rocked the cycling world in 2006, he has been on the sideline, fighting and losing the case at every level, trying to make ends meet and seeking a return.
Landis served as an adviser for Rock Racing, but rumors that he might race for the team never panned out.
The news of Landis' intent to return comes on the heels of Lance Armstrong's announcement that he plans to race in the 2009 Tour de France.
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Today's mighty oak was once just some nut who held his ground!
I would be pissed if I were Contador as he has earned the team leader spot and will have to play second fiddle for the TdF. It wouldn't surprise me to see Contador switch teams now.
He's Baaaaaack!
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