An older, less brash and more self-effacing Lance Armstrong announced Wednesday that he'll embark on his pro cycling comeback at the week-long Tour Down Under in Australia in January.
That's one of three cycling events that he confirmed he'll race in 2009. The others are the Tour de France and the Leadville 100, although he wouldn't rule out any others.
Armstrong said that he'll race with Team Astana, led by his longtime friend Johan Bruyneel, who engineered Armstrong's previous 7 Tour de France championships.
Earlier this month, Armstrong confirmed rumors that he'd launch a comeback in 2009 and use it as a platform to call attention to a global cancer initiative. He explained that he'll choose countries where his presence would draw attention to certain nations' cancer initiatives. Italy is one of the possibilities.
“By racing the bicycle over the world, beginning in Australia, it's the best way to promote this initiative. This is a campaign to spread the word, raise awareness and eventually save lives. …
“I cannot guarantee a Tour (of France) victory, but the Livestrong message will touch all aspects of our society.”
Armstrong talked about the cancer initiative in an address at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. He addressed the conference as founder and chairman of the board of the Lance Armstrong Foundation and announced the foundation's intention to expand to a global scale.
Second chance
Armstrong, 37, said on Wednesday that it's not very often that someone gets to spend some time away from what they like to do and have the opportunity to return.
Actually this is the second interruption of Armstrong's cycling career.
The first occurred when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which spread to his lungs and brain, in 1996. The second occurred in 2005 after a string of seven straight Tour de France victories from 1999 to 2005.
Since then, Armstrong has worked across the US to promote funding to fight cancer. He's also made several highly publicized visits to ride at RAGBRAI and competed in two New York City marathons and the Boston Marathon.
Compete
In a recent Vanity Fair article, Armstrong said it was his training for the Leadville 100 in August that convinced him he still had the legs to compete. Although Armstrong finished second to Dave Wiens — a 7-time winner of the event — he still broke all previous course records.
On Wednesday (see video-stream of the Armstrong press conference), Armstrong admitted that he didn't know at his age if he could return to his prior fitness.
“I will try to be as prepared as possible. I don't know if that means victory…. I have a fair bit of confidence, but I don't know if I have that much confidence.”
Anti-doping
Armstrong also announced his decision to launch an anti-doping program to quiet skeptics about performance-enhancing drugs that have dogged his entire career.
Leading antidoping scientist Don Catlin will test and monitor Armstrong to create an online biological profile of the cyclist for public scrutiny. Catlin is the former head of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory and is the chief science officer of Anti-Doping Sciences Institute.
Armstrong said Catlin will create the program. Armstrong says it will be the first time an athlete is “totally validated.”
You might remember Catlin as one of the witnesses for the USADA against cyclist Floyd Landis.
Astana
Armstrong's decision to join Team Astana raised the hackles of that team's star, Alberto Contador. See “Armstrong offers olive branch to Contador”.
Tour de France
The Tour organizers didn't allow Astana to race in 2008. See “Will Tour de France bike race let Armstrong go for No. 8?”
Recent Comments