Lance to get back on his bike

2005-09-07 14:25

Paris - Lance Armstrong plans to attend the Discovery Channel team training camp this winter, increasing speculation he will end his retirement and attempt to win an eighth straight Tour de France.

Discovery Channel team director Johan Bruyneel said Armstrong's return was "definitely an open possibility, I know he is on the bike."

"He absolutely wants to be part of the training camp in December, and wants to get fit to compete with the guys there," Bruyneel said on Wednesday.

He said Armstrong could make his final decision whether to return as late as February.

When Armstrong retired in July after his seventh straight Tour victory, Bruyneel had to decide whether to recruit a new team leader. He didn't, suggesting the door might be kept open for the Texan.

"We didn't really look for somebody to replace him," Bruyneel said. "For one, there is nobody - not a strong leader like he was. Without him, we have a very good team ... but not the favourites."

Comfortable margin

Armstrong, who turns 34 later this month, won this year's Tour by a comfortable margin - 4 minutes, 40 seconds ahead of Italian Ivan Basso and 6:21 clear of Jan Ullrich of Germany.

"I'm sure he could win (another Tour)," Bruyneel said. "The way he won this year ... everything pretty much under control and he never showed any weakness. He has another Tour in his legs yet."

Armstrong, who announced his engagement on Monday to rock singer Sheryl Crow, issued a statement on Tuesday confirming that he's considering a comeback - in part to rankle the French media.

On August 23, sports daily L'Equipe reported it had evidence that six of Armstrong's urine samples from the '99 Tour tested positive last year for the blood booster EPO.

The substance was banned in 1999, but there was no reliable test at the time.

Angrily denied the charge

Armstrong has angrily denied the charge, saying he was a victim of a "setup."

"I think he's been very offended," Bruyneel said. "If you know him, he doesn't need a lot to find some motivation. I think it woke up the competitive side of him."

Should Armstrong return, the media scrutiny surrounding him would be intense and he might receive a hostile reception from the French public.

"He proved in the past that he can deal with that. He is at his maximum under pressure," Bruyneel said. "Physically and mentally he can deal with a lot."

- AP