Lance Armstrong’s Return To Cycling May Exclude Tour de France

Lance Armstrong has publicly stated that his return to professional cycling may not include the 2009 Tour de France.  This comes as a big surprise to many of us who have thought that Lance was coming back to cycling for the Tour, alone.  After seven Tour de France victories, a troubling bout with cancer, the launching of an international non-profit organization, and a huge performance enhancing drug outburst in the world of cycling, Lance Armstrong’s return may be for more reasons than to clear his name from any previous allegations of blood doping.  That surprises some, but not all of us.

Lance Armstrong is a competitive machine.  He has been a winner at everything he has done.  7 Tour de France victories should testify to his abilities.  One thing that Lance Armstrong has the uncannny ability of doing, is generating publicity.  I know he says he ‘may’ not ride the Tour, but with all of the previous publicity of his return announcement, it would be awefully hard for him to not show up.

Much of the latest news is coming after Tour organizers have failed to acknowledge that they will allow Lance Armstrong to return to the 2009 Tour de France.  Their indecisiveness has resulted in Lance Armstrong now looking at other options.  This may be a ‘cat and mouse’ game.  We all know that the Tour needs Lance Armstrong WAY more than Lance needs the Tour.  Organizers will be very hard pressed to explain why Lance Armstrong is not riding in 2009  when publicity, revenue, and viewership are placed in question.  Lance Armstrong draws all three, and I am pretty sure he has the upper hand in what is going on here.  Let’s hope that they can all come to some agreement.  I would like to see how he fairs after a couple of years away from the sport.