Lance the Francophile

[yello]

Interesting comment from the RoadBikerReview newsletter

Meanwhile, despite Prudhomme's comment to cyclingnews.com last Saturday -- "I imagine he will be at the Tour de France" -- Armstrong sounds resigned to being barred from racing in France and specifically in the Tour. And surprisingly he seems to be going down without a fight.

I didn't see the comment on cyclingnews.com but it's interesting to read Prudhomme's comment. Kind of re-enforces my belief that this really is just a procedural matter and not one anyone is going to be strung up for.

Found it: link to CyclingNews article

 

[yello]

Told yer... all clear & green light for the TdF

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8017571.stm

 

[mondobongo]

Not enough to have a go with me thinks.

 

[Noodley]

Latest news seem to be that Astana will be no more after the Giro with Armstrong making plans to be the owner/DS/star rider of his own team from July.

I always said pro cycling would be the only real winner from his return

 

[yello]

Latest news seem to be that Astana will be no more after the Giro with Armstrong making plans to be the owner/DS/star rider of his own team from July.

And if that's the case (and, just to be clear, I do not doubt for one moment the words of the honourable Noodley) then that surely must rule LA out of the TdF. No way will Team X get an invite before kick off.

Btw, why would Astana be no more? Is there something else we need to know?

 

[Skip Madness]

He will be riding the Tour with Astana. From here:

Lance Armstrong believes there is a "high" probability he will start a professional team of his own for the 2010 season. The American expects the announcement to come this July, after he races the Tour de France.

"I would like to have my own team: to be the owner, director and... cyclist. Because if I have a team I also want to race. It does not necessarily have to be the Giro and Tour, but only when I have the desire," he said in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport after the Tour of the Gila stage race in the USA.

...

"The name? That of the principal sponsor. Its probability? High. You will know it in July. Even if it is hard to convince sponsors to give money with the economic crisis and news of doping."

 

[yello]

That makes more sense SM. Following Noodley's post, I did some googling and found reference to the same thing you have posted, but it was much less precise and in Spanish. It read like a wish rather than a done deal and no dates where mentioned.