While Lance Armstrong wants to mount the challenge to win an 8th Tour de France, he told a press conference on Wednesday that he can't be sure he'll be invited.
The Amaury Sports Organization, owners of the Tour de France, chose not to invite Team Astana to compete in 2008 because of past doping transgressions. That's the team that Armstrong is joining.
“It's their event. They can invite who they want to. If I were to be not invited, there's not much I can do.”
Buy the Tour?
Asked to respond to rumours that he was in negotiations to buy the Tour de France from ASO, Armstrong said, “I don't have that kind of money.” He followed up that he didn't know anyone was in negotiations with ASO to buy the Tour.
Armstrong knows French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but doesn't know if he can intercede on his behalf.
In addition to trying for an unprecented eighth Tour de France victory (before Armstrong the record was five), Armstrong said he wants to draw attention to a global cancer summit meeting in Paris. He assumes he'd still attend the summit, even if he isn't invited to race.
See also “Lance Armstrong to join Astana; resumes career at Tour Down Under”
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