Lance conquering Le Tour de France for the 8th time

[kiepie]

The seven-time winner of cycling's most prestigious race will join Tour favourite Alberto Contador, Andreas Kloden, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia on the start line in Monaco on July 4 with seven more riders vying for the final three spots.

"The complete 2009 Tour roster will be chosen based on the strongest team from both a sportive and team-spirit criteria," Astana general manager Johan Bruyneel told the team's website.

Armstrong finished 12th in May's Giro d'Italia as the 37-year-old continued his comeback from a broken collarbone suffered in a crash at the Vuelta Castilla y Leon in Spain in March.

Astana have been beset by financial problems of late and missed a payment to the International Cycling Union, reported to be for £5 million, for their racing licence.

However, following talks between Bruyneel, the Kazakh Cycling Federation (KCF), Government and managing company Olympus SARL, a mutual agreement was reached which allayed fears the team could go out of existence and will compete in this year's Tour.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...firmed-as-Astana-rider-at-Tour-de-France.html

Do you guys think Lance can do it for a 8th time this year?

 

[Lazy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ot...firmed-as-Astana-rider-at-Tour-de-France.html

Do you guys think Lance can do it for a 8th time this year?

Would be interesting if he does...

 

[LancelotSA]

Do you guys think Lance can do it for a 8th time this year?

Thanks guys, I appreciate the sentiment but I really think a poll is a little unnecessary. Yes, I have been doing some cycling recently but I really do not think I am up for winning the Tour De France just yet.

 

[OzzieCapie]

Cadel Evans

 

[chiskop]

Contador.

 

[Freshy-ZN]

Lance can win it. But to do that he has to have an excellent team behind him. Le Tour is not an individual race at all. If the team is functioning and their tactics are effective they can bring him to the finish line in Paris.

 

[BLIXEMPIE]

Afaik Lance will only play a supporting role in his team this year. But it would be legendary if he won again.

 

[Bizkit87]

the words "quit while you're ahead" springs to mind... he had his time....

don't like TDF too much, love it when they fall though (i blame cyclist on public roads for disfunctional view)

 

[Sting]

Leave Lance alone; he's having a ball !

 

[robass]

Yeah , the only "one" he has left .

 

[chiskop]

Yeah , the only "one" he has left .

Okay. I've always wondered about this, but how does he balance on his saddle. Traditionally, pro cycles sit in the bilateral, or "saddlebags" position. Does Lance use the controversial "sidesaddle" position?

 

[Bizkit87]

Okay. I've always wondered about this, but how does he balance on his saddle. Traditionally, pro cycles sit in the bilateral, or "saddlebags" position. Does Lance use the controversial "sidesaddle" position?

thats a VERY weird thing to keep your mind occupied with.... time for a man check?

 

[Sting]

Okay. I've always wondered about this, but how does he balance on his saddle. Traditionally, pro cycles sit in the bilateral, or "saddlebags" position. Does Lance use the controversial "sidesaddle" position?

Larger saddle with an off-centre hole?

 

[kiepie]

Can we get back to cycling?

 

[chiskop]

Can we get back to cycling?

That's what Lance said.

 

[Sting]

Yes we can.

No he won't.

Money, money, money.

 

[rbarryza]

Don't think he'll be able to do it.

 

[Pieter2008]

A couple of scientists argue that Lance Armstrong did indeed employ certain exotic performance-enhancing procedures before his run of seven consecutive Tour De France victories: namely, getting his diseased testicle lopped off.

http://deadspin.com/5306498/a-nutty-theory-about-lance-armstrong

 

[chau]

Guys and gals, whats happened to Team Barloworld? I thought they would be racing this year seeing they won a stage or two last year?

 

[OzzieCapie]

Guys and gals, whats happened to Team Barloworld? I thought they would be racing this year seeing they won a stage or two last year?

At the height of the drug busts during the tour last year, they already pulled the plug, not wanting to be associated anymore...their riders (what were left of them) basically rode on without support.

Shame really...John-Lee Augustyn has got loads of potential and didn't get a ride this year.