OK, Is Mr. Armstrong BS'ing US or What?

MaxPrime

He is contractually required to race one of the next two years - unless he wants to go for the Spring Classics this year and concentrate on the tour next year, he'll be riding in the TDF.

__________________
Click Here to Help Sponsor Me in the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Ride for the Roses! Every Dollar helps!

mareblu

Lance said he wants to try some of the Spring Classics races this year. That sounds terrific, but to wait one more year to ride his last TDF, I am not so sure he would be that succesful. Wouldn't you think that at one point his age may catch up to his performance? just a thought.......

micron

But Discovery must surely be grooming a successor, so maybe the plan is:

Armstrong tries to fill some of the (glaring) gaps in his Palmares (though he desperately needs a Tour double IMVHO) and someone else wins the Tour (their win 'devalued' by the fact that Armstrong wasn't there) Disco's 'new kid' (Popovych? Danielson?) does very well but misses the big prize being groomed for the future. 2006, Armstrong comes back, rides the Tour with a young pretender (Popovych? Danielson?) ready to snaffle the Jersey should a) Armstrong falter or b) should Armstrong never be in a position to win (in which case Armstrong rides in support).

Well, it's a theory...

ilpirata

Actually the reference to pantani was made by Museeuw, and most certainly it is in reference to the assault on his reputation by giornalistic bodies in cooperation with the national cycling federation, which is in fact what drove Pantani into depression and cocaine addiction. The analogy was used because the pirate was always very popular in Belgium, in fact last month his mother was received at a book dedication by a Belgian author (if I am not mistaken, I am not remembering all the details) in Belgium. The use of epo and other oxygen enhancing techniques I believe has been widespread for some time, and not just in cycling of course. But the pirate never had need or use for it, he scaled the mountains because he was light and cardiovascularly efficient. In fact i believe he won in 98 because with the drug raids, everbody left in the competition, was on their best behavior for fear that they would be tossed out of the tour. Thus, if everyone is riding on bread and water, Pantani could not be beaten. I believe Armstrong will run the tour this year, notwithsanding all this stuff said and blah blah blah. He has the chance to win his 7th tour. He has still got the ability and support he needs to be successful. But would he even have a single tour de france win if the Italians did destroy Pantani in 1999?

mareblu

nice! why not?

hombredesubaru

I agree with Micron.

I think Lance will ride the clasics and see how he does.
Note that in training camp in Solvang, CA this week there are two groups.
The Clasics group with George, Max, Hammond and there is the GT gruppetto with Chechu, Azevedo and LANCE.
If Lance were targetting the Classics exclusively he would be with the hard men doing more intensity.

No, I think he will ride the classics for all they are worth, then go back, train and see where the power to weight ratio is. They know his watts to weight ratio to perfection and his power output in ITT. If they see a decline, guessing Basso is improving and comparing against what is known with Ullrich, they will have Lance ride a "Hinault" to Popovych's or Danielson's "Lemond" in 2007.

Opinions?

mareblu

Yes, L.A. will find out how he'll do in the Spring and then he'll make a decision....it's all a matter of timing, performance and results.

I'll be missing Tyler H. though