Armstrong's advance retirement notice: why?

rejobako

Yesterday, I think it was WBT who suggested that the reason this year's tour appeared to be so competitive is that everyone was motivated to try to knock off Armstrong on their last attempt, and they had no reason to "play nice" while doing so because he was retiring anyway.

I thought that sounded like a plausible theory, but there is another way to look at it. One wonders why Armstrong, who has always been cagey and shrewd with his words, would announce retirement ahead of time and let his rivals amass one last surge to try to match him. After today's stage, I'm guessing that maybe at least one of his pursuers might have allowed a fleeting thought to get from his brain to his legs: "Go easy -- you can't catch him, and next year you won't have to try."

Ah, well, tomorrow is another tough stage, and there's always a possible bonk to make things interesting.

But I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

gntlmn

There's no doubt that as Armstrong is riding this year, in pursuit of number 7, he is going to be viewed by cycling historians as one of the best of all time, mentioned in the same words as the incomparable Eddy Merckx. The guy is an unbelievable force in the Tour. Since 1999, a long 7 Tours, he has been the one to beat, the one the others long to best and cannot. The domination has been long and deep. It's quite a joy to see this Tour, his last. He's chosen to go out at the top of his game. I believe he will go out too. He knows it's going to be a glorious moment, to leave when everyone is still applauding, and he is still in his prime. Cycling fans will still be talking of Armstrong a century from now. He's one of the greats.

wolfix

Flyer, Please, please announce your retirement !!!!!

sopas

What I find estrange about Armstrong retiring is that he is retired in the middle of the season and not at the end of it. Usually riders have to finish their contracts.

JohnO

Omega 3 and 6? That's nothing compared to the Omega 13...

Marco Pantani, Miguel Indurain, Tony Rominger, Evgeni Berzin, Moreno Argentin, Gianni Bugno, Gianluca Bortolami, oh yeah---and that Armstrong guy.

One doping conviction out of the lot. The empirical evidence suggests that only one of them was doping.

Why did Armstrong announce his retirement early? Probably because he wanted to. When one occupies as dominant a position on a team as he does, you pretty much write your own contract.

limerickman

I am not sure that I entirely agree with gentlmn's view that LA will be viewed as
an all time great.
He certainly won't be viewed in the same way as Merckx, in a purely sporting context.
1993-1996, in palmares terms, blows any comparison with the likes of Merckx and Hinault, completely out of the water.

In a wider context, the ongoing drug allegations that have blighted Armstrong's reputation since 1999.
We await here his appearance in Europe in open court, in France, to test the veracity of his claims to be a clean rider.
I am told that his decision to retire from the sport may well have something to do with those ongoing legal proceedings as well as his decision not to ride at the Olympic Games in Athens last year.

Mark Willis

Just like most things, the answer is most likely the most obvious... he is at the top, it is tough to stay motivated, time to enjoy the spoils of his success. He wants to quit, and by announcing early if he loses, no one will claim he retired because he got beat... if he wins, he goes out on top and doesn't have any pressure to come back next year (of course the door is at least unlocked if not wide open to do so)... the other more negative reasons listed here such as lawsuits etc. are certainly part of it, but I believe the real reason he is retireing is because he wants to.

homeycheese

in the face of evidence to the contrary, you only have what has been publicly stated as Mark Willis says, "he wants to.."

he has family he wants to spend time with and a future after the bike to pursue, all else is conjecture, opinion, rumor, inuendo and supposition...just like the anti-LA crowd and their doping allegations, where 1+1 = 3, speculation as to why he is retiring, beyond the public comments is subject to the whims and bias of the speculator...

gntlmn

Where have you been? Palmares were phasing out in the 1980's with Lemond.

As for the allegations, there will always be bitter fans, from the one who stabbed Monica Seles in the back to the one who punched Merckx in the Tour to the ones who keep slinging libel and slander at Armstrong. Merckx kept riding on; so did Armstrong. All your trash talk will fade into oblivion, but Armstrong's record in the Tour will reign supreme for many, many years.

alibat

But this is the end of Armstrongs season. He always has a much shorter season than everyone else.