Here's Lance Armstrong riding with Levi Leipheimer on an Astana team training ride on Tenerife in Canary Islands earlier Tuesday.
Those wheels on Leipheimer's bicycle drew a lot of attention when Armstrong posted this to TwitPic. Leipheimer later responded that they were prototypes that he was testing.
Another interesting incident occurred on this ride when …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/12/03/astana-training-ride-on-tenerife/
The 2009 Tour de France is a sure thing for Lance Armstrong.
The 37-year-old returning professional cyclist confirmed his plans to the Associated Press from the Canary Islands where he's training with the Astana pro cycling team.
That's Armstrong, right, and teammate Levi Leipheimer taking a break from surfing during the team training. (More pictures at Twitpic.)
Armstrong initially announced in September that he'd come out of retirement to race at the Tour de France and other races in 2009. Lately, however, he said that didn't feel welcomed by the Tour organizers and was a little fearful of fan reaction on the road. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/12/02/lance-armstrong-confirms-hell-race-2009-tour-de-france/
Two months before Lance Armstrong launches his comeback to pro cycling, media outlets are already vying for the rights to carry the drama on TV and online.
The Versus cable network already has contracts to carry the Tour of California (Armstrong's first North American appearance) and the Tour de France (still a question mark for Armstrong). It signed to carry these races before learning of Armstrong's return.
Now it's making a bid to carry Australia's Tour Down Under, which officially marks Armstrong's return to pro cycling in January. It's also considering a bid to televise May's Giro d'Italia, the three-week race around Italy that Armstrong says he'll race to win …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/22/networks-compete-to-broadcast-armstrongs-pro-cycling-return/
What is the root cause of Lance Armstrong's indecision about riding his bicycle in the 2009 Tour de France?
Until I read recently filed stories about his training for next season, I thought he was concerned about the attitude of Tour de France officials and perhaps some members of his own team.
Now I see that the threat of personal violence is also part of it. Many French cycling fans despise him and there's no way to control spectators alongside the roadside; that close relationship makes cycling unique ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/05/lance-armstrong-getting-cold-feet-about-2009-tour-de-france/
Surprising no one except a few naysayers, Lance Armstrong launched his comeback career by winning the Tour de Gruene individual time trial on Saturday and a 2-man team time trial on Sunday.
Many were in awe of riding against Armstrong. Here's what 2nd-place finisher, Eric Benz, said about starting right ahead of Armstrong on Saturday:
“There's plenty of times you're out training that you imagine things, like making a shot like Michael Jordan or if you're a cyclist, staying ahead of Lance Armstrong. There were three or four times when I was riding here that I kind of had to pinch myself. Not only was I thinking I had to stay in front of Lance Armstrong, but he truly was behind me chasing me. ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/11/02/hes-still-got-it-lance-armstrong-wins-both-tour-de-gruene-time-trials/
“When Lance Armstrong comes, it gets amazingly busy. It's kind of like running a golf tournament, and Tiger Woods shows up.”
— Will Rotzler, co-organizer of the Tour de Gruene in New Braunfels, Texas, population 51,000, interviewed by Herald-Zeitung newspaper.
Armstrong is racing this weekend at 25th Tour de Gruene, which also features 15, 30, and 40-mile recreational rides on Saturday morning …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/10/30/quote-lance-armstrong-at-tour-de-gruene-exclusives/
Reading through Lance Armstrong's quotes from a press release regarding the upcoming Tour de France route, I'd have to say he's looking forward to the upcoming bike race.
Armstrong was busy preparing for the Lance Armstrong Foundation's Ride for the Roses bicycling event in Austin this weekend, so he couldn't appear at the route unveiling in Paris. Who knows. He might not have shown up anyway.
The 7-time Tour winner has had a turbulent relationship with organizers in France and might have cold feet about racing the Tour again if he doesn't feel welcome …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/10/23/lance-armstrong-likes-tour-de-france-route-wants-to-meet-organizers/
Lance Armstrong's pro cycling comeback year in 2009 will include the Giro d'Italia for the first time in his career.
Just days after he received an official invitation from the Giro d'Italia organizers to compete in the 100th anniversary of the 3-week stage race, Armstrong accepted.
“I raced a long time professionally and I never did the Giro, it’s one of the biggest regrets that I ever had. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/10/13/add-giro-ditalia-to-lance-armstrongs-bicycling-calendar/
Well, that bit of drama is over. The UCI has agreed to let Lance Armstrong make his official return to professional cycling at Australia's Tour Down Under, beginning Jan. 20.
The next question is: Will the Tour de France organizers allow Team Astana and Armstrong to participate in the Tour in July?
Professional cycling's governing body shortened the customary 6-month notification period that returning cyclists need to file in order to let Armstrong ride. Due to his Aug. 1 notification, he wouldn't have been eligible to race until Feb. 1 …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/10/08/armstrong-cleared-for-australias-tour-down-under/
The news around Lance Armstrong's return to pro cycling keeps getting weirder.
I stumbled across a couple of doozies Saturday night.
You'll remember that cycling star Alberto Contador said that he'd want off Team Astana if Armstrong joined. Now disgraced cyclist Alexander Vinokourov, 35, says he wants back on Team Astana to race in 2009.
Businessmen in Khazakhstan built the Astana team around home country hero Vinokourov in 2006. In return he was caught for doping in the 2007 Tour de France ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/10/05/another-pro-cyclist-wants-to-come-out-of-retirement/
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