Welcome to post-modern athletics [krakatoa]

Rumors are flying that Lance Armstrong may race in the Tour de France again.

If nobody has been paying attention, Armstrong recently competed for the first time in the Leadville 100, finishing a close second. It's a 100 mile mountain bike race in Colorado whose course starts @ 10,000 feet, and climbs up over 14,000 feet. Obviously he is still in tremendous shape.

Now there are rumors that Lance may be interested in a ride for next year's Tour de France, and the effete competition takes a collective shit.

Despite being the most thoroughly tested athlete in the Tour's history until his retirement, there are legions of "fans" and officials of the sport who either hint or outright proclaim that Lance was doping. They use these allegations to claim his return would negatively affect the sport.

Reaction in the cycling world was cautious. The sport has been engaged in a concerted and desperate effort to rehabilitate its troubled image by ratcheting up testing.

Others take a more metrosexual view of the prospect.

"It really just depends on what this is about," said Team Columbia owner Bob Stapleton, whose riders have won 74 races this year. "He's a potentially divisive force for sure -- a hero to millions, and others question him. I'd like to hear more about his goals and mission. If it's more about Lance winning the Tour, personally that doesn't excite me. He has the power to make a positive impact, but I don't know if any of this is anything other than fodder for another book."

So basically, if it is about Lance actually entering a competition to win it, they just aren't on board.

Marcel Marceau, when reached for comment, had this to say.

(PITD is worth browsing... some excellent DPs in there.)

posted by xgenghisx at 03:37 AM

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