As if there was ever a question, Trek will supply Lance Armstrong with the bicycles he'll race in his return to pro cycling in 2009.
But his components will be SRAM, instead of long-time sponsor Shimano.
Trek
The popularlity of the Madone line of road bikes that Armstrong rode to many of the Tour de France victories ebbed when Armstrong retired in 2005. So Wisconsin-based Trek gussied up the Madone lineup last year, most notably with a sloping top tube and other changes that were less apparent.
Although Trek says Armstrong has been riding the new Madone's just for the heck of it, 2009 will be the first time he's raced on the bike.
Armstrong will use the Equinox TTX in time trials. Trek says that bike has evolved considerably since Armstrong last raced on the prototype TTX back in 2005.
Armstrong rode another Trek bicycle — the Trek Top Fuel 9.8 — when his team won the 12 Hours of Snowmass mountain bike race two weeks ago.
SRAM
A couple of weeks before his announced return to pro cycling, Armstrong agreed to invest millions into Chicago-based component-maker SRAM. That gives him the three-headed title of technical adviser, investor and now sponsored rider.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Armstrong got involved with SRAM as Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking considered making an offer to buy an equity stake. An Lehman official had met Armstrong, contacted him about advising Lehman on the possibility of buying a stake in SRAM, and later offered him the opportunity to co-invest.
All this before Armstrong decided to return to cycling and join Team Astana, which uses the SRAM components.
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