LANCE retires again

[fiamme red]

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/16/133801223/lance-armstrong-says-hes-retiring-for-good

I think it really is for good this time. He knows that he can never win the Tour again.

[Fixed]

good there are a lot of other things he can do with the rest of his life
cheers

[fiddlels]

It is certainly hard at 39 to keep up with the young legs. He has plenty of other interests to foster.

[fiamme red]

He has plenty of other interests to foster.Politics, maybe?

[texbike]

If he's smart, he'll STAY retired this time. :)

If he had stayed retired the first time around, he probably wouldn't be facing the issues that he is today, AND this MXL might be going for more money...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lance-Armstrong-own1994-Eddy-Merckx-MX-Leader-TDF-bike-/200575429551?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2eb33a2baf#ht_500wt_1156

Texbike

[johnnymossville]

Last year's tour was to see how he could do racing clean. Well now we know.

I think he'll find some other way to compete. probably politics or possibly in some new business ventures. I expect he'll go about it the same way he did his racing.

[Scott Shire]

THE LOOK (http://youtu.be/7THIhZEP4QM)

I loved LeMond, but I was too young to understand the real glory of cycling when he was in his prime. I have never rooted for a rider like I did Lance, and I, like so many Americans, LOVE cycling because of LA.

I'm gonna miss him, though I expect him to make a return to competition shortly. He made a little try at The Hour in 2009 at ADT, but nothing seemed to come from that. My guess is a return to his first love, triathlon. He's a decent runner (marathon between 2:30-2:45) and a solid swim would probably give him an Ironman on a remotely hilly course.

[Scott Shire]

Last year's tour was to see how he could do racing clean. Well now we know.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Or how he raced ten years removed from his prime. He was under far more scrutiny in 2009 and finished on the podium.

[oldguy00]

THE LOOK (http://youtu.be/7THIhZEP4QM)

I loved LeMond, but I was too young to understand the real glory of cycling when he was in his prime. I have never rooted for a rider like I did Lance, and I, like so many Americans, LOVE cycling because of LA....

Same way I feel about LeMond, big fan of his in the late 80's early 90's, got into cycling after seeing him on TV winning the '89 TDF.
I'm sad to see Lance go.....he made the sport exciting IMHO. I could care less about the doping. It is the same in any sport, except cycling does more testing than any other sport. I've been entertained, regardless of doping.
Wish him only the best.

[fiamme red]

If he had stayed retired the first time around, he probably wouldn't be facing the issues that he is today, AND this MXL might be going for more money...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lance-Armstrong-own1994-Eddy-Merckx-MX-Leader-TDF-bike-/200575429551?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2eb33a2baf#ht_500wt_1156Only $5,700? Maybe bidders were skeptical of the bike's authenticity. :confused:

[biker72]

Lance is a little too quick tempered to be in politics. I'm sure he knows that.
He can do a lot more good for cancer research.

[BumbleBeeDave]

He will stay "retired" only in the sense that he's not racing bikes professionally any more.

He still has exactly the same problem with his foundation and fundraising that he did the first time he retired. If the LAF gets no publicity then donations will decline. The foundation's only source of publicity is whatever Lance does.

So you will see him taking on new "challenges" that are really only challenges in the sense of it's challenging to keep finding new things for him to do to garner poublicity that don't look more and more ridiculous. He and his PR gurus will have to keep upping the ante in order to get noticed by the mainstream press. The NYC marathon, Leadville MTB race, and some triathalons were good enough thefirst time around. But now those won't cut it. Swim the Channel. Climb Everest--walking backwards. I predict you will see new dog an pony shows on a fairly regular schedule to continue to keep him--and his foundation--in the public eye.

As for politics, he doesn't stand a chance. If he thinks WADA and Novitzky are dogging him now, they are minor league compared to the legions of sleazy--but very competent--flatfoots that either political party would send diving into his past for mud to dredge up if he ran for office.

You will continue to see him do whatever it takes to stay in the public eye--all while complaining that he can't get any privacy. Count on it . . .

BBD

[firerescuefin]

Enjoyed the show....Used to be a fan....It's overdue....Hope you and your foundation kick Cancer's Ass.

[Charles M]

Great line on Politics...

"Why would I eliminate half of the following of the foundation along party lines".

Makes sense for now.

[Fixed]

saw him as a kid and he was great then
he was super human at 16
he did the same thing everyone else did he just had more talent
cheers

[tuscanyswe]

Last year's tour was to see how he could do racing clean. Well now we know.

You think he was capable of last years performance clean but no way in hell he could have been performing better and won when he have had alot more consistent training without retirement inbetween? Also beeing a few years younger.

I would have thought everyone who thought he cheated before also thought he must have cheated last season. If not there really is no logic in it imo.

I personally dont have an opinon if he cheated or not i dont know enough or perhaps care enough to perform an opinion. Just think your reasoning is abit weird perhaps.

[rugbysecondrow]

Congrats on a great and impressive career.

[1happygirl]

BBD hit it. He will now race triathlons to garner publicity and keep his name before the public. The twitter account only works so long with "I'm running today, I'm flying to Philadelphia today, Listening to (insert weird new band I've never heard of here)--and they rock, check 'em out etc."

[Elefantino]

Enjoyed the show....Used to be a fan....It's overdue....Hope you and your foundation kick Cancer's Ass.
+1

[witcombusa]

Politics, maybe?



Prision, maybe?

[dd74]

Will the Radio Shack team stay in tact with him gone? Maybe he'll have some off-bike leadership role there.

I agree, he'll need to continue his own exposure so he can continue his foundation.

He's too intelligent for politics.

I'll miss him. Hopefully he'll do some commentary work for Vs. network. It's hard to imagine the sport without him. As to his doping? C'est la vie.

[JMerring]

Hopefully he'll do some commentary work for Vs. network

please god no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! phil and paul had a hard enough time not deifying him when he was racing. i can't imagine - and don't want to - what they'd do if he was there in the studio right next to them.

otoh, gogolski and schlanger [sp?] could use some livening up of their broadcast for universal, so maybe dopestrong could take some of his juice over to them.