Fire up the flux capacitor, Doc. It's going to feel like we're traveling through time for the 2009 pro cycling season.
Here's a rundown of some flashes from the past — Lance Armstrong, Ivan Basso, Alexandre Vinokourov, and Floyd Landis — who say they'll be racing next year.
First we learned that Lance Armstrong, 37, was coming out of retirement to seek another victory at the Tour de France. Now he says the Giro d'Italia will be his main target, perhaps to give ease to Astana teammate Alberto Contador who would like to win another Tour of his own.
[Contador announced over the weekend that he would indeed ride with Astana in 2009; which is good since he has a contract to do so.]
The latest old name to reappear is Ivan Basso, 30, above, who sat out the past two years for doping violations. The Italian announced this week he'll return to racing on the Liquigas team, and that the Giro, which he won in 2006, will be his major target in 2009. (Basso starts racing next week at the Japan Cup.)
Also announcing his comeback for 2009 is Alexandre Vinokourov, 35, the disgraced cyclist from Kazakhstan who sat out this past season after being accused of doping in the 2008 Tour de France. It's uncertain if Vino will be able to return, as the Kazakh cycling league only levied a one-year ban for his transgressions, when those violations normally carry two years. He wants to return to Astana, where Contador says he feels better about riding with Vino than he does Armstrong.
Last but not least is Floyd Landis, 33, who is reported to be returning to cycling after a two-year suspension for doping at the 2006 Tour de France. Although he was originally linked to Rock Racing, the home of previously suspended Tyler Hamilton, Cyclingnews has reported that Landis will ride on the team previously sponsored by Health Net-Maxxis.
The only character missing is Jan Ullrich, 34. Germany's 1997 winner of the Tour and countless podium finisher to Armstrong said through his manager this week that he will not return to cycling in 2009.
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