indystar.com
Friends teased he might announce his marriage to Sheryl Crow. Rivals fretted instead that Lance Armstrong had set his sights on cycling’s Triple Crown, or some other crowning achievement. A highly placed source inside the Texan’s camp wouldn’t rule out a run for governor.
The only thing spinning faster than the pedals on his bike these days is the rumor mill cranking stories about what Armstrong will do next, after defending his Tour of Georgia title later this week.
He could confirm any one of those at a scheduled news conference Monday — or all of them, for that matter — and still not buy himself a moment’s peace. Which leads us to the most intriguing rumor of all: that Armstrong is so fed up with the scrutiny, the maniacal training and the time apart from his kids, that he’s decided to call it a competitive career after — and perhaps even before — the Tour de France this summer.
Don’t dismiss that last one as out of hand. Intense as the spotlight shines on Armstrong over here, it pales in comparison to what he faces on the other side of the Atlantic. Over there, Armstrong is Barry Bonds on wheels.
Sooner or later, every appearance resembles an interrogation, and every one of his statements is parsed and then plumbed for hidden meanings. Mischievously, Armstrong often replies in fractured French, leaving wiggle room on both sides. Even so, it’s not all fun and games.
According to the Scotsman newspaper, Armstrong is facing at least eight legal battles at the moment, several stemming from allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs. As a result, when Armstrong isn’t competing, he’s often jetting from country to country to testify in trials or the occasional inquiry. Hardly ideal preparations for someone pursuing a seventh straight Tour de France title at an age — Armstrong turns 34 in September — when all the other giants of cycling were effectively done.
His mixed results in a handful of prep races and the equally mixed reviews from his handlers have only stoked speculation. Armstrong entered the Paris Nice race to help launch the International Cycling Union’s ProTour inaugural event, then promptly dropped out after the third stage — in 62nd place overall — with a sore throat. Afterward, Johan Bruyneel, manager of Armstrong’s Discovery team, warned people to not make too much of that showing.
“Of all the so called rivals for a Tour victory, most have not even started competing,” Bruyneel said. “There’s no cause to doubt.”
Yet two weeks later, Armstrong finished well back at the Brabent Arrow in Belgium, then 24th at the Paris Camembert, and then struggled home 28th at the Ronde of Flanders in early April. That performance changed Bruyneel’s tune. “He suffered a lot in the final stages,” the manager said.
So naturally, Armstrong popped up in California barely a week later, rolling to the starting line just minutes before the decidedly low key Lemire Memorial Grand Prix began in rural Ventura County. And instead of sounding fatigued, he told race announcer Dave Towle, “I’ve been lining up at races since I was a kid, and I still get that nervous feeling in my stomach. I just love it. It’s great to be here.” Then he placed 15th in the 90 minute criterium.
Laying low during the run up to the Tour has been a trademark Armstrong move just about every year that he’s won it. It’s also why his competition is constantly on edge.
Some rivals feared Armstrong, in a nod to his mentor, Belgian racing great Eddy Merckx, might announce plans to race in the Giro d’Italia, or the Spanish Vuelta, or both, even though those races bookend the Tour de France, and competing in any one could compromise his shot at the other two. Still other rivals contended that Armstrong would tackle the hour record or the world time trial championships, trying to prove his dominance extended beyond one race.
Either way, his next move has whipped up so much speculation that few European reporters dared ignore the hint Armstrong dropped at Paris-Camembert.
“If I were you,” he said, “I would be there at the Tour of Georgia. I’ll have something important to announce there.”
Race promoters on both sides of the pond have been holding their collective breath since. The only people enjoying the suspense, in fact, are friends laying odds Armstrong and his longtime girlfriend held back at least one secret during their recent appearance on “Oprah,” and teammate George Hincapie, who told The New York Times there might even be races in Armstrong’s future that didn’t require climbing on a bike.
“If I were to guess,” Hincapie said, “he’ll say he’s running for governor of Texas.”
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Friends teased he might announce his marriage to Sheryl Crow. Rivals fretted instead that Lance Armstrong had set his sights on cycling’s Triple Crown, or some other crowning achievement. A highly placed source inside the Texan’s camp wouldn’t rule out a run for governor.
The only thing spinning faster than the pedals on his bike these days is the rumor mill cranking stories about what Armstrong will do next, after defending his Tour of Georgia title later this week.
He could confirm any one of those at a scheduled news conference Monday — or all of them, for that matter — and still not buy himself a moment’s peace. Which leads us to the most intriguing rumor of all: that Armstrong is so fed up with the scrutiny, the maniacal training and the time apart from his kids, that he’s decided to call it a competitive career after — and perhaps even before — the Tour de France this summer.
Don’t dismiss that last one as out of hand. Intense as the spotlight shines on Armstrong over here, it pales in comparison to what he faces on the other side of the Atlantic. Over there, Armstrong is Barry Bonds on wheels.
Sooner or later, every appearance resembles an interrogation, and every one of his statements is parsed and then plumbed for hidden meanings. Mischievously, Armstrong often replies in fractured French, leaving wiggle room on both sides. Even so, it’s not all fun and games.
According to the Scotsman newspaper, Armstrong is facing at least eight legal battles at the moment, several stemming from allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs. As a result, when Armstrong isn’t competing, he’s often jetting from country to country to testify in trials or the occasional inquiry. Hardly ideal preparations for someone pursuing a seventh straight Tour de France title at an age — Armstrong turns 34 in September — when all the other giants of cycling were effectively done.
His mixed results in a handful of prep races and the equally mixed reviews from his handlers have only stoked speculation. Armstrong entered the Paris Nice race to help launch the International Cycling Union’s ProTour inaugural event, then promptly dropped out after the third stage — in 62nd place overall — with a sore throat. Afterward, Johan Bruyneel, manager of Armstrong’s Discovery team, warned people to not make too much of that showing.
“Of all the so called rivals for a Tour victory, most have not even started competing,” Bruyneel said. “There’s no cause to doubt.”
Yet two weeks later, Armstrong finished well back at the Brabent Arrow in Belgium, then 24th at the Paris Camembert, and then struggled home 28th at the Ronde of Flanders in early April. That performance changed Bruyneel’s tune. “He suffered a lot in the final stages,” the manager said.
So naturally, Armstrong popped up in California barely a week later, rolling to the starting line just minutes before the decidedly low key Lemire Memorial Grand Prix began in rural Ventura County. And instead of sounding fatigued, he told race announcer Dave Towle, “I’ve been lining up at races since I was a kid, and I still get that nervous feeling in my stomach. I just love it. It’s great to be here.” Then he placed 15th in the 90 minute criterium.
Laying low during the run up to the Tour has been a trademark Armstrong move just about every year that he’s won it. It’s also why his competition is constantly on edge.
Some rivals feared Armstrong, in a nod to his mentor, Belgian racing great Eddy Merckx, might announce plans to race in the Giro d’Italia, or the Spanish Vuelta, or both, even though those races bookend the Tour de France, and competing in any one could compromise his shot at the other two. Still other rivals contended that Armstrong would tackle the hour record or the world time trial championships, trying to prove his dominance extended beyond one race.
Either way, his next move has whipped up so much speculation that few European reporters dared ignore the hint Armstrong dropped at Paris-Camembert.
“If I were you,” he said, “I would be there at the Tour of Georgia. I’ll have something important to announce there.”
Race promoters on both sides of the pond have been holding their collective breath since. The only people enjoying the suspense, in fact, are friends laying odds Armstrong and his longtime girlfriend held back at least one secret during their recent appearance on “Oprah,” and teammate George Hincapie, who told The New York Times there might even be races in Armstrong’s future that didn’t require climbing on a bike.
“If I were to guess,” Hincapie said, “he’ll say he’s running for governor of Texas.”
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