Armstrong comeback!



lucybears said:

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich says he is surprised cycling legend Lance Armstrong plans to come out of retirement to compete in next year's race, but admits he is not tempted to join him.

Armstrong, who will turn 37 on 18 September, said on Tuesday he will return to professional cycling in 2009 and try to win an eighth Tour de France crown.


But while Armstrong has insisted age is no boundary, Ullrich, 34, told German tabloid Bild his cycling days are over.


Allegations of doping have blighted both Armstrong and Ullrich in recent years and the German cycling ace has kept a very low profile since his retirement in February 2007.


"I am surprised at the news, but I think it is a good thing. If he starts the race, I think it will be exciting for the Tour," said Ullrich.


"When he attacks, the others will have to hold on. He will not be returning to win second place."


Having won the 1997 Tour de France, Ullrich finished second behind Armstrong three times and the pair built up a fierce rivalry with the American.


But Ullrich says he has no plans to follow Armstrong back to the Tour.


"At the moment, I am just enjoying time with my young son Max. In all honesty I have no urge to return," he said.


"I have other plans in life and I am not missing anything. I am happy with my life.


"You should never say never, but it is not something I have thought about.


"We have different stories, he retired after a victory, I retired after a disappointment.


"I wish him luck and I will call him over the next few days."
 
limerickman said:
I didn't suggest that YOU said that the 2008 TDF was slow.

I merely replied to the statement that you attributed to HIM where he claimed that the 2008 was slow.
It is factually incorrect for anyone to suggest that the 2008 TDF was slow.
The 2008 TDF was the fifth fastest TDF of all time.

For the record : the fastest TDF of all time was 2005 TDF which averaged 41.65kms.

No its not factually wrong at all, if Armstrong was involved in the 4 tours that were faster than 2008 and won them, he has every right to suggest the 2008 tour was slow by his own standards.
 
ad9898 said:
No its not factually wrong at all, if Armstrong was involved in the 4 tours that were faster than 2008 and won them, he has every right to suggest the 2008 tour was slow by his own standards.

It is factually incorrect in several instances.

The 2008 TDF was the fifth fastest TDF, out of the 93 T'sDF raced to date.
By TDF statistical standards the 2008 race was faster, than the other 94% of all other T'sDF ever to date.

Second, the statement that you posted attributed to him - did not refer to
the race being slow "by his standards".
The statement you posted merely said that 2008 TDF was slow.
It wasn't slow.
 
limerickman said:
It is factually incorrect in several instances.

The 2008 TDF was the fifth fastest TDF, out of the 93 T'sDF raced to date.
By TDF statistical standards the 2008 race was faster, than the other 94% of all other T'sDF ever to date.

Second, the statement that you posted attributed to him - did not refer to
the race being slow "by his standards".
The statement you posted merely said that 2008 TDF was slow.
It wasn't slow.
Lance said it was slow, so that makes it slow.

Seriously, Lance's tried and true formula was one great ITT, one big attack in the mountains. Other mountain days, conserve and stay even.

So, by HIS standards, which after all were calibrated on what it takes for HIM to win the race, not what the time or speed it takes for the other 180 riders who all come in behind him and did each time he saddled up 1999-2007 do, the speed was slow to him.

And it WAS slow. The VAMs were slower than ever. And the ITTs, he would have smoked. Forget doper Schumacher. Lance would smoke him.
Thats all that matters to him, not the bloody flat stages or peloton average speed. All completely irrelevant.

DO you actually watch cycling and follow the sport>?
 
bobke said:
Seriously, Lance's tried and true formula was one great ITT, one big attack in the mountains. Other mountain days, conserve and stay even.
Which is what made the Lance years excruciatingly, mind-numbingly boring.
 
Leafer said:
Which is what made the Lance years excruciatingly, mind-numbingly boring.
No one is making you watch.
Take your marbles and go home. Go watch cage fighting or wifeswap or whatever it is you find exciting.

LA is gonna win and win big.
Deal with it.
 
Hey all of you Lance fanboy's, where do you all go when Lance isn't around? Sounds like you don't follow the sport...only Lance.
 
limerickman said:
It is factually incorrect in several instances.

The 2008 TDF was the fifth fastest TDF, out of the 93 T'sDF raced to date.
By TDF statistical standards the 2008 race was faster, than the other 94% of all other T'sDF ever to date.

Second, the statement that you posted attributed to him - did not refer to
the race being slow "by his standards".
The statement you posted merely said that 2008 TDF was slow.
It wasn't slow.
Lim. I am with you. It was still fast this year. Not the same as the drug infused Armstrong era. But still very fast.
 
Here is my prediction:

If Lance is even invited to the Tour he won't even crack the top ten. Probably won't even finish.
 
I can't remember anyone having that length of time out of the sport and coming back to the same level, either through retirement then coming back or drug bans, Armstrongs return from cancer excluded.

A few I can remember were Roger de Vlaeminck, Gert Jan-Theunisse, Nikolas Axelsson, Roberto Heras, Tyler Hamilton, Botero. They were pretty much all rubbish when they came back. Didn't count Lemond or Pantani, they weren't out that long but still didn't reach their former levels.
 
Sadly I think Lance will crack the top 10 if not the top 5...

Of all the athletes I've watched Armstrong has always struck me as the Mr. Millimetre he claims to be. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would make a come back without spending vasts amounts of time in a lab measuring EVERYTHING to make sure he was succesful in his quest.

My only wish is that Ully would come back too and whip his ass - if that happened I would be ake the pilgrimage to France come July.
 
bobke said:
Lance said it was slow, so that makes it slow.

It wasn't.

And it doesn't.


bobke said:
So, by HIS standards, which after all were calibrated on what it takes for HIM to win the race, not what the time or speed it takes for the other 180 riders who all come in behind him and did each time he saddled up 1999-2007 do, the speed was slow to him.

The prime determinant for the average speed of any race - is the parcours of the race.
The profile and length/distance of GT's, ultimately determines the average winning speed of all GT's including all 95 Tours De France.

Incidentally, if you can tear yourself away from staring at his chamois for a second, you need to edit your dates in the above message.






bobke said:
And it WAS slow.

The 2008 TDF was the fifth fastest race, of the 95 Tour De Frances raced to date.





bobke said:
The VAMs were slower than ever. And the ITTs, he would have smoked. Forget doper Schumacher. Lance would smoke him.
Thats all that matters to him, not the bloody flat stages or peloton average speed. All completely irrelevant.

Keep dreaming.


bobke said:
DO you actually watch cycling and follow the sport>?

The fifth fastest TDF of all time was great viewing, in fact.


You should try watching the sport, instead of the chamois gazing.
 
classic1 said:
I can't remember anyone having that length of time out of the sport and coming back to the same level, either through retirement then coming back or drug bans, Armstrongs return from cancer excluded.

A few I can remember were Roger de Vlaeminck, Gert Jan-Theunisse, Nikolas Axelsson, Roberto Heras, Tyler Hamilton, Botero. They were pretty much all rubbish when they came back. Didn't count Lemond or Pantani, they weren't out that long but still didn't reach their former levels.


LeMond's was out from late 1986 to late 1988.
That's a two year break, albeit LeMond was comparively younger when he made his comeback.

It's a good question though.
 
Yes, Lemond was 29 when he won in 1989 after the two year break. Back then, it was an incredible feat.

Armstrong will be 37!!!!! :eek:
 
limerickman said:
LeMond's was out from late 1986 to late 1988.
That's a two year break, albeit LeMond was comparively younger when he made his comeback.

It's a good question though.
Early 1987 to late 1987. He broke his wrist in Tirreno-Adriatico, missed the classics, got shot in the late spring and raced the Nissan Classic late in the year. He raced a lot in 1988 (for PDM), essentially the whole year, without much success.
 
classic1 said:
Early 1987 to late 1987. He broke his wrist in Tirreno-Adriatico, missed the classics, got shot in the late spring and raced the Nissan Classic late in the year. He raced a lot in 1988 (for PDM), essentially the whole year, without much success.

Memory must be going - early 87 to late 87 was all that LeMond missed???

I can't recall LeMond cycling the Nissan - that doesn't mean that he didn't race it.
 
I believe that Armstrong will destroy the field after his come-back. He didn't really break, he was always riding blond *****es or McCocknez since 3 years. He already has a big advantage about his rivals, he is accustomed to the use of Viagra the new PED of athletes!
 

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