Its Astana!

LangerDan

On Wednesday morning Lance has the privilege to announce his comeback at the Clinton Global Initiative. Lance will be joined on stage by President Clinton and Mayor Bloomberg to make the announcement. Lance will rollout the LAF's global cancer platform and their commitment to combat the disease that will claim 8 million lives this year.

Lance will also announce that he will be reunited with Johan Bruyneel and join the Astana Cycling team. His first race in the comeback will be the Tour of Australia with the season ending goal of the Tour de France. More races will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition Lance will be announcing the creation of an under 23 team sponsored by Trek that will include young cycling star Taylor Phinney.

Lance has also brought in global anti-doping expert Don Catlin to oversee his testing program.

dulldave

Is this just your opinion or is there a source?

deal

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/ ... ment_N.htm

LAS VEGAS — Lance Armstrong will announce today that his professional cycling comeback will be as a member of the Astana team headed by former U.S. Postal/Discovery team director Johan Bruyneel.

The team's first race will be the Tour Down Under in Australia January 20-25, according to email messages sent by Armstrong to several supporters Tuesday night that were shown to USA TODAY.

His season-ending goal will be to compete in the Tour de France beginning in Monaco on July 4. Additional races will be announced soon, the email message said.

To promote his worldwide cancer crusade, Armstrong will also create a new team for young riders (23 and under) sponsored by Trek Bicycles and led by 18-year-old Taylor Phinney, a 2008 Olympian and son of 1984 Olympic medalists Davis Phinney and Connie Carpenter-Phinney.

He also will announce that renowned sports doping expert Don Catlin will head his testing program.

Here is part of the email, sent on behalf of Armstrong by spokesman Mark Higgins:

Good evening

As valued friends and partners of Lance, the LAF and CSE I wanted to share a few announcements that we will make public tomorrow morning.

On Wednesday morning Lance has the privilege to announce his comeback at the Clinton Global Initiative. Lance will be joined on stage by President Clinton and Mayor Bloomberg to make the announcement. Lance will rollout the LAF's global cancer platform and their commitment to combat the disease that will claim 8 million lives this year.

Lance will also announce that he will be reunited with Johan Bruyneel and join the Astana Cycling team. His first race in the comeback will be the Tour of Australia with the season ending goal of the Tour de France. More races will be announced in the coming weeks. In addition Lance will be announcing the creation of an under 23 team sponsored by Trek that will include young cycling star Taylor Phinney.

Lance has also brought in global anti-doping expert Don Catlin to oversee his testing program.

Catlin and Phinney will be on hand at the CGI press conference. The group will travel to Las Vegas to do a press conference on Thursday morning from Interbike.

erm led by 18-year-old Taylor Phinney i wonder what Vaughters thinks about this? isnt Phinney a rider for slipstreams U23 team ?

dulldave

It'll be a great shame if Contador stays with Astana. I'm not really a fan of his but I was looking forward to him being in the TDF.

micron

Maybe Vaughters will finally tell all he knows - and then all the fan boys can shout 'sour grapes' again :roll:

pat1cp

"On Wednesday Armstrong will announce his decision to join our team," said Kazakhstan's cycling federation deputy president Nikolai Proskurin.

Proskurin also said that Armstrong would share the leadership in the team with the current leader, Spaniard Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France winner who has won the Tour of Spain and Giro d'Italia this season.

"Currently there's certain tension in the team but I hope we are capable of keeping the situation under control," Proskurin said.

"Armstrong will not be the only star, he will be one of the team's leaders."

NervexProf

Seems official here:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/24092008/ ... stana.html

Tom Butcher

Hmmm, if Armstrong can win the TdF but without beating Contador that's going to be a slightly hollow victory - fantastic achievement but not quite as fantastic as winning it and beating the man most of us have down as the favourite. I'd rather have seen him come back and do it for a less powerful team - and personally I think a narrow failure fighting against the odds would have added more to his reputation as a rider than a victory where he's got every possible advantage on his side. Just my take on it.

Monty Dog

Leipheimer must be positively ecstatic - he signs for Astana as team leader to be usurped by Bertie and then find himself in third fiddle now that his old mucker turns up. Given that he left Postal for greater ambitions, there's probably a story to tell somewhere.

Meds1962

Seems short sighted of Astana to jeopardise their contract with best current stage race rider to allow LA into the fold for what could be just a single season. Contador has intimated he won't play second fiddle. Either way it will be a better Tour if they ride for different teams otherwise it could become just a predicable procession.

micron

He's a caution isn't he, that Lance Armstrong? Says he wants to restore his reputation so signs for a team that got excluded from the Tour for dirty doings and goes back to working with the DS and medical team with whom he achieved his tainted victories. And that's not even mentioning the extremely poor global profile that the Kazakh Government enjoys. For a rider who always was 'clean' and is back to prove it - with a slice of 'raising cancer awareness' (whatever that means) on the side - these seem like strange decisions. Surely a clean sheet would have been best?

But then the offers hardly came rolling in, did they? Even when he announced he'd ride for free. Yet Contador, for whom some lucky team is likely to have to pay millions, has offers rolling in - funny how that happens...

Personally, I hope the latter does leave and provides ample competition for the Texan thus making it all about the bike and letting the racing - which is surely the most important thing, not Lance Armstrong and his monstrous ego - do the talking.

cougie

Seems a bizarre situation. I'd never have thought he would go to Astana.

Kléber

By contrast, I always thought he would go to Astana.

alanmcn1

I couldnt give a flying F***

Mans an arsehole

cougie

So why bother posting on a thread ? How odd :?:

Cant see how signing for Astana goes with his avowed intention to raise the profile of his Livestrong organisation.

I'm sure it will raise Astanas profile ten-fold though. I bet most Americans thought Kazakhstan was a made up country.

dennisn

micron wrote:

..... and letting the racing - which is surely the most important thing, not Lance Armstrong and his monstrous ego - do the talking.

.....and you know all about this "monstrous ego" because you're a close friend or have ridden on the same team with him or because you read it somewhere or because you
"just know". Imagine that, Lance might have a few human faults. Unlike yourself, who
has a halo over his head. Maybe that's a bit much. How about, "what does it matter to you
personally if he does have a big ego"? Come on now, what does it matter? What effect does his big ego(if he has one) have on your life and why? Bet you can't or won't answer that one.

Dennis Noward

alanmcn1

To make my feelings clear on the arsehole, I think more people should

Why don't we talk about Andy schleck, Gesink, Kreuziger Nibali, Cavendish, instead of some washed up old yank who belongs in the past

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh

LangerDan

If you feel so inclined, you can watch the press conference live on t'interweb @ 12 noon (Eastern)

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cas ... il&hc=3003

(I hope young Phinney isn't going to be paraded around like a hostage. I wonder if Dave Millar warned him about the dangers of "older riders")

cougie

Cos there isnt any breaking news about those guys Alan ??

I'm not his biggest fan by any means and he doesnt come across well if you read his own books - but its amazing the venom and bile directed at him. Its almost like cycling fans are turning into footy fans. What next - supporting just one team and booing the rest ?

dennisn

alanmcn1 wrote:

To make my feelings clear on the arsehole, I think more people should

Why don't we talk about Andy schleck, Gesink, Kreuziger Nibali, Cavendish, instead of some washed up old yank who belongs in the past

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh

Just answer me this one question please.
Why do you let things like this seemingly eat at you?
And I'm not trying to be a smart *ss. I'd really like to know why all this bothers you so much. :? :?

Dennis Noward

idaviesmoore

pat1cp wrote:

"Armstrong will not be the only star, he will be one of the team's leaders."

Oh, how I laughed :shock:

Does anyone really believe that Mr Armstrong's shy, retiring and self depricating personality won't come to the surface?

flattythehurdler

dennisn wrote:

alanmcn1 wrote:

To make my feelings clear on the arsehole, I think more people should

Why don't we talk about Andy schleck, Gesink, Kreuziger Nibali, Cavendish, instead of some washed up old yank who belongs in the past

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh

Just answer me this one question please.
Why do you let things like this seemingly eat at you?
And I'm not trying to be a smart *ss. I'd really like to know why all this bothers you so much. :? :?

Dennis Noward

Why did it bother you so much when I suggested that Ricco was doped up during the Giro? I 'm still waiting for an apology for your irate and somewhat abusive post.

jimmythecuckoo

This is great. I hope the TdF with Lance and Contador is as entertaining as this thread. If so we are on for a cracker.

blazing_saddles

Oooooohhh! Eeeeerrrr! What a suprise! :roll:
So, it's all about LAF and cancer awareness, huh? :oops:
You were all told he was coming back and that he'd be joining
"Team America".
Notice he got his medical programme sorted, before he got his contract sorted.
No. Its really is all about the ego and an extra-special, undetectable, anti-aging cream.

jimmythecuckoo

Key question then, do we think he will win Le Tour?

secretsqirrel

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Oooooohhh! Eeeeerrrr! What a suprise! :roll:
So, it's all about LAF and cancer awareness, huh? :oops:
You were all told he was coming back and that he'd be joining
"Team America".
Notice he got his medical programme sorted, before he got his contract sorted.
No. Its really is all about the ego and an extra-special, undetectable, anti-aging cream.

I wondered about that, is he not going to be under Damsgaard's monitoring like everyone else in the team?
There is mention of "global anti-doping expert Don Catlin to oversee his testing program". Who ever he might be :?

idaviesmoore

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Key question then, do we think he will win Le Tour?

I wouldn't put it past the jammy fat Texan fuc8er!!

dennisn

flattythehurdler wrote:

dennisn wrote:

alanmcn1 wrote:

To make my feelings clear on the arsehole, I think more people should

Why don't we talk about Andy schleck, Gesink, Kreuziger Nibali, Cavendish, instead of some washed up old yank who belongs in the past

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh

Just answer me this one question please.
Why do you let things like this seemingly eat at you?
And I'm not trying to be a smart *ss. I'd really like to know why all this bothers you so much. :? :?

Dennis Noward

Why did it bother you so much when I suggested that Ricco was doped up during the Giro? I 'm still waiting for an apology for your irate and somewhat abusive post.

Still haven't answered my question. As for your "why did it bother me so much....?". For the simple reason that you seem to think you can say whatever you want about any
rider(call them a doper) and yet the moment someone suggests that you might be an idiot
(so tot speak) you don't understand how someone could say that and feel you have to go on the defensive. You can't possibly know anywhere near what you think you know.
How about you apologizing to Ricco for saying he was doped up(as if you knew). No,
no sorry from me. If you can write in and "slander" people, so can I. Childish, yes, for
both of us.

Dennis Noward

nielsamd

Armstrong-Contador on the same team.
Ha.
Reminds me of Hinault-Lemond 1986.
Fireworks show waiting to happen.

Hope Contador doesn't go on any hunting trips this winter.

flattythehurdler

dennisn wrote:

flattythehurdler wrote:

dennisn wrote:

alanmcn1 wrote:

To make my feelings clear on the arsehole, I think more people should

Why don't we talk about Andy schleck, Gesink, Kreuziger Nibali, Cavendish, instead of some washed up old yank who belongs in the past

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhh

Just answer me this one question please.
Why do you let things like this seemingly eat at you?
And I'm not trying to be a smart *ss. I'd really like to know why all this bothers you so much. :? :?

Dennis Noward

Why did it bother you so much when I suggested that Ricco was doped up during the Giro? I 'm still waiting for an apology for your irate and somewhat abusive post.

Still haven't answered my question. As for your "why did it bother me so much....?". For the simple reason that you seem to think you can say whatever you want about any
rider(call them a doper) and yet the moment someone suggests that you might be an idiot
(so tot speak) you don't understand how someone could say that and feel you have to go on the defensive. You can't possibly know anywhere near what you think you know.
How about you apologizing to Ricco for saying he was doped up(as if you knew). No,
no sorry from me. If you can write in and "slander" people, so can I. Childish, yes, for
both of us.

Dennis Noward

Dennis, I really think you ought to read things properly before mouthing off. You seem to be mixing people up. Is the froth from your mouth blurring the screen?
Ricco is a doper btw. I said that I suspected him of doping in the Giro, and you were somewhat abusive. As it turns out, I was correct, and the fact that he managed to sprint uphill for 9k and not be breathing heavily crossing the line was indeed indicative of cheating, just as I suggested. I have never been personally abusive to anyone on here. You seem to sully the forum with personal abuse every other post. Cyclists have put themselves in the firing line, and can't blame people for taking potshots (I am sure the republican in you will appreciate the metaphor)

donrhummy

pat1cp wrote:

"On Wednesday Armstrong will announce his decision to join our team," said Kazakhstan's cycling federation deputy president Nikolai Proskurin.

Proskurin also said that Armstrong would share the leadership in the team with the current leader, Spaniard Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France winner who has won the Tour of Spain and Giro d'Italia this season.

"Currently there's certain tension in the team but I hope we are capable of keeping the situation under control," Proskurin said.

"Armstrong will not be the only star, he will be one of the team's leaders."

LOL, yeah good luck with that Astana. :roll: