It's no secret: Cyclists who win the Tour de France need superior climbing skills and at least very good time trial skills. Add a strong team and good luck and it's a difficult equation to beat.
Lance Armstrong has raced once in 2010 at the Tour Down Under. He looked fitter than he did one year ago when he made his comeback debut at the same Australian stage race. And based in part on his week of racing, Armstrong declared:
“I think I can win the Tour again. I might be a fool to think that but I’m going to go down my foolish way and find out. It’s going to be the hardest one to win. The competition is better than it ever has been before.'
Armstrong finished third last year to winner and former teammate Alberto Contador and runner-up Andy Schleck.
Armstrong rode well as a team rider, but he was never dominating in the mountains as he was during his seven Tour de France titles. And certainly, Armstrong wasn't near the top of the sport's best in time trials.
And thus the question, can he win cycling's biggest event?
The new Radio Shack Team "on paper" is stronger than Contador's supporting cast on Astana. And Armstrong will approach the Tour de France this year with a "tweaked" itinerary from previous seasons. It appears he'll race more traditional one-day events and few longer stage races in preparation of July's attempt at becoming the oldest Tour de France titlist.
So, Cycling Examiner readers: What do you think? Can Lance Armstrong win his eighth Tour de France title?
Comments
of course he can! your only as strong as your weakest link. Astana has pleanty of those along with Contador. The Shack has a strong team and an even stronger leader.
Armstrong will win the Tour only if all his opponents stumble (look up Steven Bradbury on wikipedia). Unfortunately for Lance, he and the riders who make up the backbone of Radioshack are now past their prime and unlike his 7-time streak, it's not just Jan Ullrich he is facing. Just look at the list of viable contenders opposite of Lance in 2010: The Schleck brothers, Contador, Wiggins, Valverde, Cadel and Menchov & Gesink.
Everyone of those riders either out-climbed or out-time trialed Armstrong in 2009. 2010 will be even worse since there's no TTT to limit the damage. Couple that with a course ill-suited for Lance and what we'll end up with is probably the best contested TdF of all time but a winner other than Armstrong.
Yea, Armstrong has a shot, but I think others may have to falter for Armstrong to win. It will be fun to watch things unfold, just like last year.
Would love to see it happen, but it probably won't. While Armstrong is a fantastic athlete, he is past his prime and the field has many great riders.
sorry people, but i'm afraid that's not going to happen. contador and schleck, among others, are much stronger than lance. still is great to have the opportunity of seeing armstrong riding again. good luck, champion!
i'm sure lance is gonna do great. for those who say he had a bad year last year is pathetic. for one, after not racing for many years he comes back and gets third is amazing. contador is a self-centered curr who tried to prove he was stronger. i laugh at that. he proved he was a one man team. he might as well start one. armstrong is testing out new gear and new stuff. that's his edge. all the other riders get their stuff and get on and ride, not wanting to improve any of it (they don't think of that probably). armstrong figures out what works and what doesn't. and then all that prime stuff. man, just because you (all you scrornful bags of trash) are out of your prime and the results arent pretty doesnt mean anything. armstrong trains harder, longer, and in every condition. he's been racing for many years. he knows what to do. he knows what works and what doesn't. now that they are no longer on the same team, armstrong will have no mercy on that spanish coyote.
I think he is "capable" of it. I was a competitive basketball player into my mid-30's after playing in College. I also played Lacrosse on the "Club" level into my 30's after College. At some point in both of those sports one truly does start to "break down", the quickness, the "burst", the elevation, the ability to "take the pounding", the ability to "RECOVER", becomes more and more of an issue. 38 is OLD in those sports. I think with cycling though that a man or woman could still compete at a very high level at age 38. It might not be the optimal age but I think it is still conceivable someone could win the Tour at this age. I'm a bit skeptical as to how Lance did as well as he did last year though. It was pretty obvious he wasn't close to his best. I'm not sure he was the 3rd best cycler in the race. I'm not saying there were any shenanigans {I don't think there were} but I lose a little respect for the "sport" when it becomes obvious teams can camouflage deficiencies.
will be difficult. but they still have to race in july. given that armstrong is now the commander of his team, I think he will do just as good if not better then his podium finish a year ago. there will be less internal distractions. When armstrong races with a purpose, he is always a dangerous rider for the field. he has a reason to do well this year. you know that reason. also, I wouldn't put to much stock into his performances leading up to july so no need to panic if his finishes are undesirable.
I would say it is a big possibility. But like all those back to back years I said LA was sure to win, I don't think I can say that this time. I DO NOT believe he is "past his prime" as much as I don't think that is an issue. The problem is there is much more competition this time. I would honestly say that Jan Ulrich was the most "serious" competition LA has seen in one race and now there are several contenders.
Still, I think LA has a much better chance this year, than last and that should serve him well providing his team and himself stay healthy.
As much as I would love to see it.... :-(
Lance will win
I'm a big LA fan. But as things are playing out so far, I don't think he will.
Too many other strong riders. AC is dominate at this point. Fabian as well.
Fab's team is priming him for multi-stage racing. Unless LA is holding back,
why I don't know. But it will be a tall order, and would be epic if he did pull it off.
yes yes yes
I am a huge fan of Mr. Armstrong. His is an inpirational story of the highest order. However, whena great athelete has proven himself again and again, it starts to get harder, Add his age to that and he's gonna realize about half way through, that the war is over. He no longer needs to prove anything. Hunger is hard to maintain at these levels. He proved his greatnessat #7. Bow and say goodnight, you hero of heroes.
YES HE CAN!
Good article and comments!, what people don't seem to still get about Lance is he is alone in the animal kingdom. No athlete in the world has his accomplishments and never will. He is a PELE, a Gretzy, a Jordon, a Montana. I believe his desire to win this Tour is unmatched by any other cyclists. Of course he is 39, of course the competition is major, of course the odds are against him; well Lance wouldn't have any other way. Plus, don't forget Johann Brunell his coach, is the greatest cycling coach in history. I believe he will conduct his symphony with perfection & grace and I believe the band is ready. Not to mention most of Anastasa has joined him including Levi. It will be close the course is set up this way this year and in the end; after near fatal calls, aching muscles, freak occurences, rain, wind, de-hydration, the wall, time trials, insane mountain climbs, fatigue, cobblestones, tears, flats, and trauma our knight in shining armor, Sir Lance will be in yellow again! Cheers!
If Lance can avoid crashes and keep in step with the peloton in the flats, if Lance can consistently muster up competitive times in the time trials, and then if Team Radioshack can wear down competing teams in the mountains, and leave Lance in the front, with fresh legs, near the top of the toughest climbs- then Lance could win! It would very much take a team effort this year, with the team protecting Lance in the Peloton, and collectively setting a pace to wear out his rivals in the mountains. I can hope for the best! Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador are very talented and at the peak of their careers. Also, there are a number of very talented young riders ready to ascend to greatness. If Lance were to win the TDF this year he would succeed under greater adversity(including his age), than in any of his seven previous wins.
LA is an excellent rider! He can win, but one understand that - when he wins - it is because the tour is not as strong as it was during 99-05. Basso and Contador are no Jan and Marco.
I wish he could but i fear not. I'll be cheering him all the way but I feel AC, AS, IB & maybe a few others may have more than he can handle at his age & with the imperfect prep that he's had. Saying that, if anyone can it's Lance...
Anyone who comes in second in the Tour of Switzerland can win the Tour de France.
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