"No idea" was Armstrong's lying-like-a-dog reply

[Guest Big H]

From RBR

 

"No idea" was Armstrong's lying-like-a-dog reply when asked which pro team he'll ride for in 2009. He certainly has an idea, and Astana remains the obvious one, where he'd be reunited with his former Postal/Discovery director, Johan Bruyneel, and riders who've proven to be the best at winning grand tours. The big hitch is that Astana is home to Lance's former teammate Alberto Contador, who is about to win his third consecutive 3-week race at the Vuelta a Espana. Not to mention the squad's 2 other stage racing strongmen, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden. Will these 3 guys fall in line behind Armstrong if he shows up in an Astana jersey? No idea.
 

Speaking of Lance (a lot once again), today is his 37th birthday.
 

This one gets complicated. Here's the overview: "As Lance Armstrong prepared to announce his return to professional cycling, a scientific debate about his past was also rekindled. In a letter to The Journal of Physiology posted online for subscribers, Ed Coyle, a human-performance expert with the <?: PREFIX = ST1 />University of Texas, acknowledged an error in his long-term study of Armstrong's muscle efficiency. The paper, which appeared in the same journal in 2005, has been used by Armstrong and his lawyers to fend off allegations that his cycling success came in part through doping. Three Australian scientists and one mathematician pointed out the error in a separate letter to the journal [and now] the somewhat arcane exchange has again raised questions about Armstrong and his record seven consecutive Tour de France victories."

At issue is how a bulky young one-day rider could emerge from cancer as an unbeatable Tour champion. Was it a long-term increase in Armstrong's muscle efficiency combined with weight loss from his bout with cancer, as Coyle contends, or was it doping? The Australians charge that "there exists no credible evidence to support Coyle's conclusion that Armstrong's muscle efficiency improved." Details at

http://tinyurl.com/5aym38

[E1A104]

He also said he would never ride competitively again . . .

[JasonW]

Some rumours doing the rounds that it will be Garmin-Chipotle...

 

Would be nice to see Armstrong ride against Contador rather than with him

[batgirl]

he said that it would take a miracle to get him back on the bike competitively again. makes one wonder...

[Reg Lizard]

If Lance was doping (as some may suggest), he sure did a good job in not being caught and that being over a 7 year period.

[scotty]

Dont think he's lying as such, rumour has it he wants to get into politics later so perhaps he's just practicing.

[Red Zone]

He is only 37 thats not so old. Ekimov was racing until he was about 94. he did 15 Tours de France.

[E1A104]

True and lance has a much better coach/doctor/pharmacist combo than even the old USSR could put together.

[pastapouch]

so, if I take the Lance 7 tour wins, doping doesn't work. Cause Flandis, Hamilton and Ulrich were caught for doping and more others for being involved, and do they dope just once to pull of a win. So, Lance rode away from a bunch of dopers. Ya right, he didn't dope.

[PPWTF]

 

 

If Lance was doping (as some may suggest)' date=' he sure did a good job in not being caught and that being over a 7 year period.[/quote']

 

That's the thing that gets me most about the Armstrong haters... this guy road to 7 TdF victories, whilst many of the leading competitors got bust. Clearly testing was working, even if it was, and still is, flawed. Now, that leaves you with the Marmite situation (love it or hate it - no middle ground)

 

• either the guy doped and was not only the best rider, but had the very best 'support'
• or, they guy is cleaner than most and more naturally talented than any of his contemporaries

What gets me about the 'he must have doped' argument is this

 

• If Steve Redgrave could win 5 consecutive Olympic golds, countless World championships and set multiple World records (in rowing - a ballsy endurance / power event of note) without a single suggestion of doping

• If Carolina Kluft could totally dominate the multi discipline Heptathlon for 8 years - in a sport, atheltics, with a major doping problem, without a single suggestion of doping

then why is it not possible for Lance, or any other successful tour rider, to win without sniggering and wispers..... to me the problem is that just like the McCarthy era's 'reds under the bed' communism witch hunts, we (cycling fans / media) have become brainwashed into only seeing the worst of the sport at elite levels.

 

I'm no idiot - doping is a real problem, across all professional sports; fact. However, when an athlete who has never tested positive constantly gets bashed with the, 'you must be doping' stick, you've gotta be able to think for yourself, evaluate for yourself, and not simply follow the hysterical masses.

 

Friday moring rant over.... I've said my piece

PPWTF2008-09-19 00:06:14

[DawieO]

[Kiwi]

I

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/news/03-14

 

Reckon he will ride an Armstrong by Trek (no Lemonds anymore so they could respray a few of those!) Nike, Oakley etc have been life long sponsors (they supported him when he was fighting cancer) so them too maybe...

Kiwi2008-09-19 00:19:38

[buckstopper]

In my book innocent until proven guilty. I'm with you ppwever

[Tumbleweed]

He is only 37 thats not so old. Ekimov was racing until he was about 94. he did 15 Tours de France.

 

where's he now? he worked for discovery at one stage, didn't he?

[Joe Low]

Silly headline - unless manners and tact is lying when asked a question you are not ready or willing to answer.

[Kiwi]

PPWFT has a very good point, imagine if Eddie Merckx was riding today? He would be under constant attack. In fact didn't Merckx he have something "strange" happen at the Giro one year...

 

"During the 1969 Giro d'Italia, he was found to have used drugs and was subsequently disqualified. He cried in front of the reporters, and to this day, protests his innocence. He argued that there were no counter-experts nor counter-analysis and that foreign supporters hated him. Further, he stated that the stage during which he was allegedly using drugs was an easy one, so there was no need to use drugs. The Belgian prince sent a plane to bring him to Belgium."

Kiwi2008-09-19 00:07:40