Cycling News: The Lovers and Haters of Lance Armstrong’s Comeback

Text by Ian Dille

The word was spreading on group rides and over post-race beers in Austin long before VeloNews leaked that Lance Armstrong was contemplating a comeback. Then Vanity Fair confirmed it.

Friends of mine who’d ridden with him were telling me his skin was paper-thin and that something big was in the works. Then Lance showed up at our weekly training throwdown, the Tuesday Nighter, and went toe to toe with the state’s best amateurs—a far cry from what he’ll face in the peaks of France, but a test, nonetheless.

The following day my Austin-based racing team’s blog was abuzz with the news and the local media awash with commentary. Now it’s our turn. Below, the top three lovers and haters, in this journalist’s biased opinion, of Lance’s comeback.

The Lovers

1. Trek: The Wisconsin-based bike company that’s nearly synonymous with the Armstrong name needs to double its production of carbon fiber frames–now. Lance rode Trek’s OCLV machines during all seven of his consecutive Tour victories, making it the stead of choice for all who aspired to be like him. With a completely revamped $8,800 Madone Pro making all those old tour bikes obsolete, I’m sure Trek can’t wait ’till Lance wins an eighth.

2. The Clean Crusaders: In an effort to silence the murmurs that his victories were the result of some pharmacological conspiracy, Lance claims he will voluntarily enroll himself in one of the most intense testing programs known to modern sports. For pro cycling, which continues to doggedly pursue a completely clean peloton despite a litany of scandals, there’s no better champion for the cause.

3. American Cycling Media: Not that we needed Lance to matter in the overrun U.S. sports media marketplace, but we did. God did we. Lance’s comeback means American cycling journalists can stop shamelessly dropping Lance’s name in the past tense, and switch to the present, even the future tense. Oh, glorious days!

The Haters

1. France: Lance vows to play nice this time around, saying that the formally rocky relationship with French media and select cycling fans was in part due to his own combativeness. In an act of solidarity, I’ll refrain from making a dig about body odor or an air of snobbishness here. Vive la France!

2. Cancer: Every time Lance rides the Tour, the publicity he garners turns it into the world’s most watched charity ride (See: LiveStrong bands, 2004). He’s committed his life—and now his comeback—to eradicating the disease. Cancer better watch its back.

3. American Tour Contenders: Not that they’ve come out against Lance’s impending return, nor will they, but for those of us who watched Christian Vande Velde claw his way to a fifth place finish at this year’s tour (then give choir boy honest interviews afterward), or saw Danny Pate and Will Frishkorn nab podium spots during individual stages, it was clear a new generation of American stars was emerging. One can’t wonder if the return of the world’s most recognized cyclist will overshadow, or elevate them to new heights.