Lance commits to TWO more tours per ESPN...

[bulliedawg]

http://espn.go.com/oly/news/2003/1218/1689462.html

I'm a bit surprised that he'd commit to the 2005 tour as well. But the quote indicates that he feels blessed to have his health and intends to make the most of that blessing. And I guess we should consider ourselves blessed to get to watch him.
sic'em

[thepaperescape]

sweet. i hope this time around everyone feels well, is recuperated, and doesn't fall. i want to see a good ass clean (close, but not too close) fight!

can i say ass on the new board? (i guess we'll see)

[David Berry]

I saw this too.

This is interesting, becuase as I understood it, the USPS contract to support the team ends after 2004. Of course, they could renew it, or the team could be picked up by another sponser (Berry Floor has been mentioned). Or could we see Armstrong ride for a different team in 2005?

It seems like we won't know until late 2004 the way things go.

David

[sellsworth]

So if he doesn't win in 2004 would he really come back in 2005? I suspect not.

[David Berry]

I seem to remember seeing Armstrong say that had he not won this year (2003), he might try something else, like the Giro. So if he doesn't win this year, could we see him at the Giro or Vuelta in 2005?

Of course that is complicated by the fact that he rides for an American team. And in the US, with cycling being a marginal sport at best (in terms or viewership, media coverage), the Tour is the only race anyone has heard of. I doubt riding the Giro, winning the Giro would mean anything to an American sponser.

Don't get me wrong, te Giro and Vuelta are great races. But what pays Armstrongs salary is the advertising dollar. And any US sponser is going to demand he focus on the Tour.

[Johny]

I seem to recall that Lance said he has changed his mind from time to time. I personally would not take this new comment too seriously... :bike:

[Kevin]

I agree with Johnny. Older athletes tend to make long term commitments that go beyond their abilities and often change their mind as that becomes clear. I think that Lance should just take it one year at a time. Just my thoughts.

Kevin

[Too Tall]

He can't win. Jan has dibs on the next two tours. As much as I love the guy he is not focused and needs a fairly selfish...no VERY selfish personal life to accomplish a repeat.

[bulliedawg]

concerns me. She's pretty saucy and we all know what happened to Tiger when he fell in love with a hotty. He hasn't won a major since.

I predicted as much, I might add, in a nationally synidicated sports radio show I write.

sic'e,m

[BigDaddySmooth]

Lance's ego is really starting to show here. He'll be 32 and change in the '04 Tour. Indurain didn't win when he hit 32. Neither did Anquetil, EM or Hinault. Lemond was also done at 32. Only 2 TDF winners since WWII were 32. But, competition is better now and his time has come. He'll be lucky to finish on the podium in '04.

As for '05. Again, age. He'll have little chance in either the Giro or the Vuelta. At this point, riding either of those tours should not hurt his financial position. Unless he pulls a Mike Tyson, his kids will never have to work.

[bags27]

Word has it that he's pretty focused right now and training hard. I agree that time and Jan (who looks super buff and has a stronger team than last year) are against him, but the guy has superb coaches and amazing instincts: who will ever forget him carrying his bike over that trench without missing a beat? Last year revealed a new strategy: every strong rider, regardless of team, is to attack Lance on the mountains, so that he has constantly to decide when and how to defend. That will be the strategy again, and Postal has a year to figure out how to respond.

[JohnS]

T-Mobile is going to be a big question mark. They definitely have the strong riders to attack LA. The question is if they will work for Jan, or just for themselves. Vini can't be happy. I'm sure he thought that he'd be team leader after the way he rode last year.

[Johny]

Poor Vini maybe. However, I think this is probably better for him. Riding in the Tour as a team leader is too much pressure for him anyway... To put the T-Mobile together (do not forget other strong riders, such as Botero...; are they ready to work for Jan?) requires a very strong and determined Ullrich, which may or may not be the case next July. I would love to go watching the Tour in France... Any sponsors?:D

[BigDaddySmooth]

It'll either be JU or LA. Ullrich is tired of finishing second. LA has peaked and is on the downhill slide. In 2005, JU will either be defending his title or LA may be going for #7. I don't see the 2 going at it again. My take--JU wins, LA retires.

LA believes the ADH is the critical stage. In the past, he put a hurt on JU. In the ADH TT, I see a different outcome. JU can not respond to LA attacks but once that big diesel starts churning, look out. I can't recall the 2003 stage (the one where LA hit the spectator) but LA put huge time into JU. As the climb went on, however, JU closed on him and took about 30 seconds back after the initial LA attack. Neither will win the stage and the difference will be a few seconds in either direction, not enough to decide the Tour's podium. LA will not have the TTT to save him this year.

[gt6267a]

while some might say it is a rallying cry and enable him to be more focused, i wonder about the family situation. changing the european racing pre-tour season makes me wonder if focus is there. i also read a quote something like "if i had to choose between winning again, or taking 6 months away from my kids, i would choose to spend the time with my kids" not a direct quote, but you get the jist.

these do not make me think, dedicated, focused racer that will beat jan.

[sfscott]

I think the biggest question mark will be no Roberto to pull LA up the hills. RH is as key to USPS as was anyone else.

And oh yeah, there's that Hamilton guy.

[Scott]

I think Jan wins and LA is a DNF. Too much other stuff going on in his life for him to be focused. He'll get fall, get sick or have a bad day and fall far behind. His ego/pride will get to him and he won't be able to stomach finishing off the podium so he'll hang it up.
Tyler will come in 2nd just a few seconds behind.