The Official LANCE ARMSTRONG Thread 2010-2011

[luckyboy]

Has Lance said that he will definitely stop [forever] after this Tour?

 

[El Oso]

Has Lance said that he will definitely stop [forever] after this Tour?

Would you believe him if he did?

He's tweeted that the return of the TTT in 2011 interests him and I thought he said during the formation of RS that he'd do two more years (10 and 11). But there are also rumours of Ironman Kona in 2011: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=5452&highlight=lance+kona
The debate of whether he could do both the Tour and Kona in 2011 are discussed there.

 

[luckyboy]

Ah I see, two more years eh? I really don't see what he's going to accomplish in professional cycling in 2011. Couldn't care less about the Iron Man tbh.

 

[El Oso]

Ah I see, two more years eh? I really don't see what he's going to accomplish in professional cycling in 2011. Couldn't care less about the Iron Man tbh.

Agreed. Hopefully, this year he gets humbled to the point of retirement or gets tired of it all. My gut feeling though is that he'll stay on in 2011 since he can call his shots and race whenever and whatever he wants to, not to mention the appearance fees

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Agreed. Hopefully, this year he gets humbled to the point of retirement or gets tired of it all. My gut feeling though is that he'll stay on in 2011 since he can call his shots and race whenever and whatever he wants to, not to mention the appearance fees

Methinks 2011.

"I've got another two years: in 2011 I'm going to retire because I'll be eligible for a pension" said Dr. Michele Ferrari.

 

[Bike Boy]

The team obviously isn't just about Lance. If that were the case, they would only work to support Lance's aspirations and nothing else. Why even show up to other races? They will support Levi in Cali, Nice, etc. Hell we even saw Lance leading out Steegmans Down Under, an ineffective lead-out, but he was still working for a teammate. Had he not been injured I suspect they would have worked for him in a few classics as well. However, come July, it will all be about Lance; they might as well change the name to Team Lance presented by Radio Shack.

It depends on your perspective. For those who only follow cycling for three weeks in july, the team is very much about Armstrong, but of course Radioshack has to be geared, for events through out the whole season and we all know, Armstrong is not the guy who delivers, throughout the whole racing season.

Armstrong building the strongest possible tour squad to support him, is not the same as saying the team is all about him.
Having said that I can't help get the impression, that JB and LA doesn't put much pleasure in those pre tour events.

 

[michaeld]

The CN story includes LA's statement about what a great "story" it will be. I think he'll set the stage for some drama, however contrived; to prolong the myth and legend. Next stop...the Hollywood biopic.
We can't discount that this is just more webspin from publicist's and paid personnel.

meg·a·lo·ma·ni·a (mg-l-mn-, -mny)
n.
1. A psychopathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
2. An obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions.

 

[thehog]

The fanboys are saying he's foxing! Mind games you see..... Meanwhile:

Lance Armstrong's first visit to Cape Town started off on a sour note because of bureaucratic red tape after he landed at the Cape Town International Airport he was refused entry to the country because his passport was full.

Armstrong said it was not the friendliest welcome he had received but that it wasn't the first time he had seen immigration officers like that.

It's Armstrong's first visit to the Mother City where he will take part in the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay cycle tour on Sunday.

Visitors travelling to South Africa need to have at least two blank pages in their passport in order to be allowed entry to the country and Airlines are supposed to check people's passports before they leave for another country.
And if that person didn't have the required blank pages in their passport that person would be refused entry to the country and would have to return to the country they came from.

 

[thehog]

http://www.news24.com/Content/Colum...9b0fa319bb88/09-03-2010-10-12/Rules_are_rules

- perhaps Lance has never entered the US on a foreign passport. That is hell. Methinks he was more worried about not being paid to race?

The fanboys are saying he's foxing! Mind games you see..... Meanwhile:

Lance Armstrong's first visit to Cape Town started off on a sour note because of bureaucratic red tape after he landed at the Cape Town International Airport he was refused entry to the country because his passport was full.

Armstrong said it was not the friendliest welcome he had received but that it wasn't the first time he had seen immigration officers like that.

It's Armstrong's first visit to the Mother City where he will take part in the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay cycle tour on Sunday.

Visitors travelling to South Africa need to have at least two blank pages in their passport in order to be allowed entry to the country and Airlines are supposed to check people's passports before they leave for another country.
And if that person didn't have the required blank pages in their passport that person would be refused entry to the country and would have to return to the country they came from.

 

[Ferminal]

http://www.news24.com/Content/Colum...9b0fa319bb88/09-03-2010-10-12/Rules_are_rules

- perhaps Lance has never entered the US on a foreign passport. That is hell. Methinks he was more worried about not being paid to race?

That's for sure.

I don't think Australia is much better though, I hate entering it on an Australian passport... Immigration/Customs officials anywhere are not fun.

 

[pmcg76]

That's for sure.

I don't think Australia is much better though, I hate entering it on an Australian passport... Immigration/Customs officials anywhere are not fun.

Having travlled to over 40+ countries, I can honestly say US officials are by far the worst, sometimes I think they are robots or at least cyborgs because it seems like they have had their humanity removed. Never ever try to be nice or friendly to a US offiicial.

I also think its pretty standard when travelling to most countries, that is necessary to have a few pages left open in your passport and to have it valid for at least 6 months or something.

 

[thehog]

Having travlled to over 40+ countries, I can honestly say US officials are by far the worst, sometimes I think they are robots or at least cyborgs because it seems like they have had their humanity removed. Never ever try to be nice or friendly to a US offiicial.

I also think its pretty standard when travelling to most countries, that is necessary to have a few pages left open in your passport and to have it valid for at least 6 months or something.

Even when you arrive on a private jet?

 

[Angliru]

It depends on your perspective. For those who only follow cycling for three weeks in july, the team is very much about Armstrong, but of course Radioshack has to be geared, for events through out the whole season and we all know, Armstrong is not the guy who delivers, throughout the whole racing season.

Armstrong building the strongest possible tour squad to support him, is not the same as saying the team is all about him.
Having said that I can't help get the impression, that JB and LA doesn't put much pleasure in those pre tour events.

Translated: Participation in the rest of the races is just a required preliminary to getting Armstrong his 8th Tour win.

 

[frenchfry]

Has Lance said that he will definitely stop [forever] after this Tour?

I think it all depends on the size of his bank account.

 

[Anonymous]

I think it all depends on the size of his bank account.

He'll probably go back to "raising awareness of cancer" and claim he is "giving back to cycling" by going on a season-long tour of races around the world, but not any GTs, so that he can milk every last penny he can before he has to retire for good.

Like a Status Quo farewell tour around the sports halls of Morecombe, Blackpool, Bridlington etc.

 

[Oldman]

He'll probably go back to "raising awareness of cancer" and claim he is "giving back to cycling" by going on a season-long tour of races around the world, but not any GTs, so that he can milk every last penny he can before he has to retire for good.

Like a Status Quo farewell tour around the sports halls of Morecombe, Blackpool, Bridlington etc.

+1. I still say he's working on some "dramatic" races, somewhat less in stature than the Tour. All part of the script that continues to pay.

 

[Bike Boy]

Translated: Participation in the rest of the races is just a required preliminary to getting Armstrong his 8th Tour win.

That's a little rough, but probably not that far from the truth.

 

[MacRoadie]

Bump

Can't believe I had to save the LA thread from slipping off the first page...

 

[Publicus]

Bump

Can't believe I had to save the LA thread from slipping off the first page...

You have to actually race to be relevant....

 

[theswordsman]

So what do people think about him taking the long flights and things to participate in this event? I read, I believe in Bicycling, the account of Matt Damon and his brother riding it on a tandem last year before Matt did Invictus. There were tons of DNF's, with massive winds - I think there was a mention of a Port A Potty flying across the road at one point. I though it was strange when I first heard he was going, but after the weather in the first European races, it's not so bad by comparison. Should he be be out of the public eye (just play along) and piling up day after day of quality training? Will anything he's doing help him in the Classics? Does it matter?

 

[thehog]

Last year it was for "them". This year it's about "prepartion"!!

Not sure what's he's doing but if he comes out July time and blows half the field away it would be very suspect.

After a very bad Mucia I'd want to put in a hard week of training not fly long haul to South Africa then fly back again. I mean what has he been doing since the TDU?

So what do people think about him taking the long flights and things to participate in this event? I read, I believe in Bicycling, the account of Matt Damon and his brother riding it on a tandem last year before Matt did Invictus. There were tons of DNF's, with massive winds - I think there was a mention of a Port A Potty flying across the road at one point. I though it was strange when I first heard he was going, but after the weather in the first European races, it's not so bad by comparison. Should he be be out of the public eye (just play along) and piling up day after day of quality training? Will anything he's doing help him in the Classics? Does it matter?

 

[thehog]

Cycling commentator Phil Liggett, who is part of the Discovery Lance for Life Tour, said Armstrong would take Sunday's race seriously but that it was "not the type of race he will win".

- Phil on the payroll?

 

[thehog]

Cycling commentator Phil Liggett, who is part of the Discovery Lance for Life Tour, said Armstrong would take Sunday's race seriously but that it was "not the type of race he will win".

- Phil on the payroll?

I smell pay cheque!

Premier financial services group, Discovery, has partnered with leading South African sports and education charity the JAG Foundation, to host seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong’s ‘Lance for Life Tour’ in March 2010.

The ‘Discovery Lance for Life Tour 2010’ sees Lance Armstrong along with local and international sporting celebrities embark on an initiative to raise awareness for the JAG Foundation as well as promote healthy living in South Africa. The itinerary includes a visit to a local school, cycling with SA’s top business personalities as well as an exclusive banquet dinner and breakfast.

 

[Publicus]

Last year it was for "them". This year it's about "prepartion"!!

Not sure what's he's doing but if he comes out July time and blows half the field away it would be very suspect.

After a very bad Mucia I'd want to put in a hard week of training not fly long haul to South Africa then fly back again. I mean what has he been doing since the TDU?

You would if you were trying to have a more traditional cycling calendar. I heard that all of the promotional activities last year really hampered his ability to train in advance of the TdF. This year he is going to concentrate on racing. Oh, and he's the lightest he's ever been, he has a year of racing in his legs and he will be stronger than he was last year.

I think I got them all....

 

[Anonymous]

You would if you were trying to have a more traditional cycling calendar. I heard that all of the promotional activities last year really hampered his ability to train in advance of the TdF. This year he is going to concentrate on racing. Oh, and he's the lightest he's ever been, he has a year of racing in his legs and he will be stronger than he was last year.

I think I got them all....

You missed that he's now more comfortable/less nervous riding in the peloton too, and so races will be slightly easier.