Lance Armstrong Injured In Cycling Crash

7-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong has been hospitalized following a cycling accident in Spain.  Armstrong was taking part in the Castillo and Leon cycling event as a warm-up to the Giro d’Italia and a return attempt at the Tour de France.  Lance Armstrong’s crash came about 20 kilometers from the finish of the first stage and involved close to 20 cyclists.  Unconfirmed reports are suggesting that Lance Armstrong may have suffered a broken collarbone in the accident.  If that unfortunate news is true, this incident could hamper Lance’s bid for the 2009 Tour de France.  Team Astana, whom Lance is riding for this year, has not publicly stated what Lance’s injuries are.

Lance Armstrong was forced to retire from cycling in 1998 following a bout with testicular cancer that had spread to his brain and lungs.  Two years later, Lance would come out of retirement and go on an unprecented winning streak at the Tour de France, cycling’s most prestigious event.  He would win seven Tour de France’s before abruptly retiring for a second time in 2007.

In 2009, after spending the past two years spreading the word about his Livestrong Foundation, Lance would find himself coming out of retirement once more to join the ranks of where he originally found his greatness.  Lance has been riding some ‘warm-up’ races–including the Tour Down Under, but what people are truly waiting for is his return to the Tour de France.  People want to know if a 37 year-old Lance Armstrong can still ride with the younger generation of cycling athletes.  Let’s hope that this injury doesn’t hamper Lance’s comeback and eventual return to the Tour.

Lance Armstrong Arrives In Australia For Tour Down Under

Lance Armstrong arrived in Australia on Sunday in preparation for the start of next week’s Australian ‘Tour Down Under’.  The ‘Tour Down Under’ will represent Armstrong’s official return to professional cycling.  The six-stage event will kick off next Sunday.  Lance’s arrival in Australia came as a small surprise to many that were not expecting him till later in the week.  He arrived by himself, with his fellow Team Astana teammates scheduled to arrive in the next couple of days.  Lance wanted to get in early and make sure he is fully prepared for this new chapter in his illustrious career.

Lance Armstrong, while speaking to the Associated Press, had this to say upon his arrival:

I believe my form is as good as it ever was for this early in January,” Armstrong said. “My fitness is probably ahead of where it would have been other years, but I’ve been training a lot earlier than the previous years as well.”I just don’t want to get clobbered too bad. That’s my main motivation for training hard. I don’t have delusions of grandeur. I hope I get in the race and get reacclimatized to the tempo and the speed and what it’s like to be around 200 guys and a fast-moving group.”

If his recent entry and second place finish in the 2008 Leadville 100 was any indication, Lance should do fine.  At least this isn’t a whole new disipline and we all know that he hs been training heavy for his big comeback.  Don’t be surprised to see him near the frontrunners.  I am sure many people will be watching their first cycling event in a few years come Sunday.  Let’s hope for the best and wish him some luck!

Lance, Lance, Lance: More Lance Armstrong News From Around The World

Alluding to the fact that Lance Armstrong is everything to the world of cycling, Australia’s Tour Down Under will be nationally televised.  The AP is saying that VERSUS, the company that airs the Tour de France, has struck a deal to air Lance Armstrong’s big return to cycling spectacular.  The Australian Tour Down Under should be an interesting event.  Lance Armstrong will share the honors of becoming the second Tour de France champion in this year’s Tour Down Under.  Organizing authorities say that this is the first time that two former Tour de France champions have competed in the Australian race.  By the way, the second Tour de France winner to take part will be Oscar Pereiro, winner of the 2006 Tour de France.

By the way…You guys dig the two columns? ?  That’s a new trick I just learned.  haha.

Lance Armstrong: Cyclist, Philanthropist, and Texas Governor??

Where has this story been hiding??

Lance Armstrong recently held a press conference anouncing that he was coming out of retirement to ride in the 2009 Tour de France.  This isn’t that big of a surprise, and I have already covered this issue-but now it seems that 7-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong may be eyeing a bid for Governor of the state of Texas in 2010.

A new article in Men’s Journal talks to Lance Armstrong about his political goals.  He says he is eyeing either the position of state Governor or a seat in the Texas senate.

From the article Citizen Lance in Men’s Journal:

Armstrong’s high-profile cancer-research advocacy is completely genuine, but he hasn’t lost his competitive drive or desire to push things to the next level. Our money is on a bid for the Texas governor’s mansion in 2010, which will be empty that year, though he’s also considering a Senate seat. “You could argue that you’re far more effective as a Texas governor than a senator,” he muses. “Plus I don’t want to be in DC half the year because of my kids.” Then his eyes twinkle. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with all this, I reckon I really don’t,” he says, all humble charm and down-home candor. He leans in a bit. “I do have a hunch.”

Lance Armstrong has not formally announced a bid for political office, but, this seems to be a pretty serious consideration.  Men’s Journal even goes on record to talk about what kind of politician Lance would make.

To my knowledge I have not ran across a similar article discussing the political ambitions of Lance Armstrong.  This could tie in with why he has suddenly taken a bigger interest in getting back on the cycling circuit and returning to his prime-time ways.  Don’t be surprised to see Lance Armstrong make a political bid in the very near future.

Check out the rest of the Citizen Lance article.  It is a pretty good read about another side of lance Armstrong that many of us probably didn’t know.

Breaking: Lance Armstrong’s Comeback Now Official, Lance Returns For 2009 Tour de France

Team Astana released a statement lastnight suggesting that the cycling team was not pursuing Lance Armstrong for a 2009 Tour de France return.  I mentioned in an earlier post that there was to much information floating around for the ‘rumors’ to not have some merit.  Luckily, Lance thought that he should get right to the point.  Lance Armstrong officially announced his return to the Tour de France and the world of professional cycling.

Once again, we can now pay attention to the world of professional cycling…

So what was it that changed Lance’s mind about making a return to the sport that he made famous?

I outlined a few of the points that I thought he would do this for in my article yesterday.  I wasn’t to far off base.  Lance claims that his recent near-victory in the famed Leadville 100 played a big role in sparking his competitive nature.  He also thinks that he has something to prove in a sport where many have questioned his integrity with performance enhancing drugs.  Lance has never tested positive and continues to deny any involvement vehemently.

We’re not going to try to win second place,” Bill Stapleton, Armstrong’s lawyer and longtime confidant, told The Associated Press.

Read more

Lance Armstrong Loses Tough Battle To Six-Time Champ Wiens In Leadville 100

Falling a bit behind my own expectations, Lance Armstrong took 2nd place in Saturday’s Leadville 100.  While not wining his first professional bike race since retiring from competitive cycling, Lance still beat his own expectations (where he said 5th or better would be a good finish) and helped drive a record pace for one of the toughest mountain biking races in the world.

Dave Wiens would end up taking the victory almost 15 minutes faster than his previous best in the 2007 Leadville 100.  Dave would cross the finish line hobbling on a flat rear tire only 1 minute and 56 seconds ahead of Lance Armstrong.

Throughout the race the two battled it out, challenging each other to push themselves further than what has previously been done.  They battled each other for the first 90 miles of the race before Lance Armstrong decided that the race was Dave’s to win.  He motioned Wiens around then laid his bike down in to a tricky turn.  Lance jumped back up and continued till the finish, but in the end, Dave Wiens would win his sixth Leadville 100 and prove that he is still the man to beat in this legendary mountain biking event.

Lance Armstrong is already planing on riding in the Leadville 100 next season, as long as he feels like he is still in shape.  I am pretty sure that that won’t be a problem.  Lance’s next event happens to be runing the Chicago Marathon in October.

Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong Challenge: Sunday’s Event Drew 3,000 Winners

Most of the cycling world’s focus is on the Tour de France this week as it begins to wind down to the final stages.  Lance Armstrong, whose name has become synonymous with both the Tour de France and winning, was busy doing something else: The LiveStrong Challenge.

The LiveStrong Challenge is a 100 mile event that let’s participants bike, run, or walk courses of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty in an effort to raise money for Lance Armstrong’s anti-cancer foundation, LiveStrong.

Lance, after battling a tough fight with testicular cancer, came back to win numerous Tour de France titles, then promptly retired from competitive cycling to devote his time and efforts to helping to find a cure for cancer and inspiring those who have battled this disease to live a full, rich life.

The LiveStrong Challenge started back in 1996 and has spread out to other cities.  75% of all proceeds, from entrance fees to individual sponsorship programs, is given back to cancer research and to help those who have battled this disease.  Sunday’s event drew in 3,000 participants and raised nearly $1.5 million dollars to help in this cause.

The Tour de France is exciting, yet, what Lance Armstrong continues to do in the name of Cancer and Cancer Research could have far reaching effects in the future.  Already, the LiveStrong Challenge has spread to annual events in Portland, Austin, and Philadelphia, with others on the horizon.  Lance Armstrong has been the poster boy for cycling’s elite for years, but Lance assures us that this isn’t about him or cycling, but rather about those who need help and support while they take on the biggest challenge of their lives: cancer.  I don’t think anyone can complain or argue about that.

To read more about Sunday’s event, click over to the Mercury News, who offered up some pre and post-event coverage of Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong Challenge.  To check up on the latest Tour de France news, be sure to check out The Adventure Blog, or the Tour de France blog who have both been doing some excellent coverage.

Sources:  Mercury News, Livestrong,  Photo by  Gary Reyes, Mercury News

Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France Era is Over

The 2007 Tour de France was anything but an easy ride.  Continued allegations of doping surrounding many of the top competitors only brought on more frustration.

Lance Armstrong has thrown in the towel.

Lance, siting the loss of the Discovery Channel team sponsorship at the end of this years Tour de France, as well as the continued controversy surrounding the doping scandals that have rocked the world of cycling, and a victory in this years tour, has disbanded his team.

After a record run of eight victories in nine years, including Armstrong’s own seven before he retired in 2005, the 2007 Tour de France will mark the definate end to the legend surrounding Lance Armstrong.

Lance Armstrong’s decision pretty much leaves the United States without a team in 2008.

As the doping scandals persist to follow around the top competitors in cycling, funding for elite teams is just not coming in.  Nobody wants to be tied to a sport with so much controversy that has plagued it since 2005–Lance Armstrong’s last year.

With a win this year with Discovery Channel Team member Alberto Cantador, Lance has decided that he wants to go out on top rather than take on the hassle of garnering a new sponsor that just might not be the caliber that he is use to.

Armstrong has decided that his efforts will now better serve his cancer foundation and allow him to do a bit more without having to worry about the day to day activities of his team.

As for the members of the Discovery Channel Team, which number roughly 25 of the sports best riders and includes Alberto Cantador and Levi Leipheimer–well, they will now be looking for work and hopefully have a chance to still make the 2008 Tour de France, but with another team.