Armstrong comeback!

[Ullefan]

Your philosophy about doping is very different from the one Jan or any other rider/sportsman has. In this system its just so natural for pro racers to take these things and while I dont like their habit I understand 100% why they will never get rid of doping.
Jan was himself a doper( although I dont really understand how can you dope yourself with your own blood) and what he sees in Armstrong is a man who finished 5 Tours at least 5minutes ahead of him.

It wouldn't be a good idea for him to start racing again and not only that, with the biggest ever doper in cycling, unless he was to somehow ride clean. Now I can't imagine the scenario of Lance riding clean, we all know if he's serious about winning, then he'll be on the best and most undetectable juice around. If Jan were to comeback and ride clean, what might a top ten tour finish prove, that we don't already know? That he was talented? That we already knew. He'll stay retired.

 

[grampi]

I dont think Jan would ride clean if he returns. Blood doping at least. The only chance to see him riding clean would be if Armstrong starts campaign against doping. Of course Armstrong is spoiled enough to continue to dope even if he urges other riders to not do it.

 

[C'dale Girl]

On a serious note though, I think it would be a mistake for the likes of Ullrich to come out of retirement.
These sort of comebacks don't add anything, I feel.

Yep, exactly . . .

 

[C'dale Girl]

Cycling is now on the same level as professional wrestling. Kudos!

It's just NOW on the same footing as "professional" "wrestling" in your book? Where you been jimmypop? It's been that way for at least two years now, probably longer.

 

[Ullefan]

I dont think Jan would ride clean if he returns. Blood doping at least. The only chance to see him riding clean would be if Armstrong starts campaign against doping. Of course Armstrong is spoiled enough to continue to dope even if he urges other riders to not do it.

That's my point exactly. There's no point in returning, only to dope, he's not stupid he recently escaped jail-time. Would he put his family at risk? He has everything to lose and more.

 

[C'dale Girl]

It wouldn't be a good idea for him to start racing again and not only that, with the biggest ever doper in cycling, unless he was to somehow ride clean. Now I can't imagine the scenario of Lance riding clean, we all know if he's serious about winning, then he'll be on the best and most undetectable juice around. If Jan were to comeback and ride clean, what might a top ten tour finish prove, that we don't already know? That he was talented? That we already knew. He'll stay retired.

Money and being accustomed to living in the limelight tend to make people do unusual things. Personal greed is funny that way, so nothing would surprise me.

Too often these retired athletes return for one last go. Imo their biggest drive is their inability to deal with being an ordinary person, not being able to deal with not having a carrot dangling in front of them, having too much time on their hands and feeling lost because they cannot find themselves and re-discover who they are post pro-sport.

You have to remember, these are people who have been doing nothing but their respective sport and it has CONSUMED them for almost their entire lives up to the point of retirement. It IS their identity and they don't know who they are or what to do without it. Without it, they are completely lost as it is their only definition of self.

Props to the pro athletes who are able to do it right . . . retire ONE time and go on with their lives, without living in their past.

 

[C'dale Girl]

That's my point exactly. There's no point in returning, only to dope, he's not stupid he recently escaped jail-time. Would he put his family at risk? He has everything to lose and more.

For the reasons I just stated above, I just don't think they think rationally.

 

[C'dale Girl]

LA put Don Catlin in charge of his personal anti-doping testing program, so surely he'll be riding clean:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/3075200/Lance-Armstrong-confirms-his-return-for-the-2009-Tour-de-France-with-Astana---Cycling.html

 

[Ullefan]

Money and being accustomed to living in the limelight tend to make people do unusual things. Personal greed is funny that way, so nothing would surprise me.

Too often these retired athletes return for one last go. Imo their biggest drive is their inability to deal with being an ordinary person, not being able to deal with not having a carrot dangling in front of them, having too much time on their hands and feeling lost because they cannot find themselves and re-discover who they are post pro-sport.

You have to remember, these are people who have been doing nothing but their respective sport and it has CONSUMED them for almost their entire lives up to the point of retirement. It IS their identity and they don't know who they are or what to do without it. Without it, they are completely lost as it is their only definition of self.

Props to the pro athletes who are able to do it right . . . retire ONE time and go on with their lives, without living in their past.

I would associate all the above things as to the reason why L.Armstrong wants to make a comeback, that and a huge ego.

But Ullrich was forced out of the sport, he didn't go out on his own terms, I would be more understanding of him given that, if he wanted to give it another go. But no, he's happy with his life now, he has a family.

Lance can't handle being a has-been.

 

[grampi]

That's my point exactly. There's no point in returning, only to dope, he's not stupid he recently escaped jail-time. Would he put his family at risk? He has everything to lose and more.

Thats true, but the way he had to quit, it still hurts him a lot and surely its not so easy to live with such pain, especially not for Jan as he is mentally not the strongest guy.

Maybe Armstrong revealed him what he wanted and, with his influence, connections with likes of Verbruggen, convinced him to give it another go.

If Armstrong made him sure about clean cycling then there is another reason for Ulle to come back. Everyone says Jan wins the Tour 10 min ahead of everyone when sport is clean.

 

[C'dale Girl]

I would associate all the above things as to the reason why L.Armstrong wants to make a comeback, that and a huge ego.

But Ullrich was forced out of the sport, he didn't go out on his own terms, I would be more understanding of him given that, if he wanted to give it another go. But no, he's happy with his life now, he has a family.

Lance can't handle being a has-been.

Good point on the dinstinguishing factor for Ullrich. Very true on the going out part. But as far as the coming back bit, why consider it if he's so happy with his current life and family?

 

[Ullefan]

Thats true, but the way he had to quit, it still hurts him a lot and surely its not so easy to live with such pain, especially not for Jan as he is mentally not the strongest guy.

Maybe Armstrong revealed him what he wanted and, with his influence, connections with likes of Verbruggen, convinced him to give it another go.

If Armstrong made him sure about clean cycling then there is another reason for Ulle to come back. Everyone says Jan wins the Tour 10 min ahead of everyone when sport is clean.

If Jan was to comeback he would be the laughing stock of German/Swiss media, can you imagine him and the headline on the front page of Bilde newspaper? Then the investigation would re-open, German police would raid his house once more. Again, the more I think about it, the more unlikely it seems.

 

[grampi]

If Jan was to comeback he would be the laughing stock of German/Swiss media, can you imagine him and the headline on the front page of Bilde newspaper? .

Haha, yes , that would be some event
I agree with most of your arguments, but when Armstrong himself gets involved in your return, it can quickly frezee your mind a bit...who knows...

 

[Ullefan]

Good point on the dinstinguishing factor for Ullrich. Very true on the going out part. But as far as the coming back bit, why consider it if he's so happy with his current life and family?

Well, is he considering it? We only have one inside source, who's seen him on a Trek.

 

[Ullefan]

Haha, yes , that would be some event
I agree with most of your arguments, but when Armstrong himself gets involved in your return, it can quickly frezee your mind a bit...who knows...

Do you know something we don't know?

 

[Flyer]

Lance and Jan are actors, shills for underwriters.

Posing for the corpoarte sponsors. If the global credit meltdown continues, the TDF will be cancelled.

TV sports are only about marketing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[grampi]

Do you know something we don't know?

Well, jhuskeys source has proven to be pretty reliable and if they had these deep discussions, then what else can it be? And I have heard from pro rider that Armstrong really wants to spread his influence( to have his word among TDF organizers).

 

[tmctguer]

Rewind to Bruyneel's poor strategic choice while at Discovery of hiring Ivan Basso to ride with the team. It is a mistake he finally owned up to about a year ago in an interview.

He is making a similar poor strategic choice by hiring Lance to ride for Astana.

it is a huge gamble -- if Lance wins again, it would be a fantasy come true on many levels. If Lance cannot come back to Tour racing form in the pre-season, or he fades during the Tour, it will be a disaster.

Complicating the gamble is the Contador & Leipheimer factor. Why should Contador play second fiddle to Lance? Contador arguably is the best rider in the peleton (Tour, Giro, Vuelta wins). Lance should have to work for him.

Leiphemer, on the other hand, is 34 years old and only has 1 or 2 Tours left in him. He can probably stomach supporting Contador, but why should he ride for both Contador AND Lance?

I am a Lance fan, so one one hand, i am excited for his comeback. on the other hand, I think he should have found a different team that truly needed a leader, or even a strong right hand man for the existing eam leader. Astana has both and Lance is the 3rd wheel and will demand star billing at teh expense of Contador or Leipheimer.

Lance & Bruyneel might loose Contador and/or Leipheimer in the process. If so, Astana might be left with a team that is 100% reliant on a 38 year old comeback kid. Again, a great return if the wager pays off -- a very stupid move if the bet falls through.

 

[whiteboytrash]

More to the point Astana had 10 years of winning power with Contador & with Armstrong they have 1 year at best..... stupid. When Armstrong is gone in 2010 what then for Astana, what then for cycling ?

Rewind to Bruyneel's poor strategic choice while at Discovery of hiring Ivan Basso to ride with the team. It is a mistake he finally owned up to about a year ago in an interview.

He is making a similar poor strategic choice by hiring Lance to ride for Astana.

it is a huge gamble -- if Lance wins again, it would be a fantasy come true on many levels. If Lance cannot come back to Tour racing form in the pre-season, or he fades during the Tour, it will be a disaster.

Complicating the gamble is the Contador & Leipheimer factor. Why should Contador play second fiddle to Lance? Contador arguably is the best rider in the peleton (Tour, Giro, Vuelta wins). Lance should have to work for him.

Leiphemer, on the other hand, is 34 years old and only has 1 or 2 Tours left in him. He can probably stomach supporting Contador, but why should he ride for both Contador AND Lance?

I am a Lance fan, so one one hand, i am excited for his comeback. on the other hand, I think he should have found a different team that truly needed a leader, or even a strong right hand man for the existing eam leader. Astana has both and Lance is the 3rd wheel and will demand star billing at teh expense of Contador or Leipheimer.

Lance & Bruyneel might loose Contador and/or Leipheimer in the process. If so, Astana might be left with a team that is 100% reliant on a 38 year old comeback kid. Again, a great return if the wager pays off -- a very stupid move if the bet falls through.

 

[Ullefan]

I can see Armstrong using bully tactics on Contador. If Contador leaves, they'll make sure he's caught, just like Floyd, Heras, Hamilton, etc.