The Lance Armstrong update

CEBU - What is the 7-time Tour de France champion doing these days?

Two weekends ago, he won the ITT in the Tour de Gruene and the following day won the 2-up TT with John “College” Korioth, a former riding buddy and first executive director of the Lance Armstrong Foundation in the same race. If you have read Lance Armstrong’s book called, “It’s not about the Bike”, Korioth figured prominently during Armstrong’s recovery from cancer. Of course, the duo were riding against US riders that had a better chance of getting a contract from a European developmental league than Pete Rose getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame. But at least, it was a good start in his preparation for the 2009 season. Remember that Armstrong will start his comeback 8 weeks from now in the Tour Down Under.

Last week, he revived his team Formula One, a team of researchers, industry specialist (TREK, HED, GIRO, NIKE) and scientists at the San Diego Air & Space Technology Center in the US to do wind tunnel tests regarding his bike position. You might think that after winning 7 TdF’s, he’d have his time trial position dialed up but Armstrong is not leaving any chance. This meticulousness (or maybe paranoia) reminds me of Greg Lemond and Eddy Merckx adjusting their bikes in the middle of the race. Maybe it’s these little things that if you add up, can win you 15 TdF’s, the total wins of this amazing threesome.

After confirming that he’ll be doing the Giro d’Italia this year, his status for the TdF is still on hold. He said, “I want to say I’m not trying to be coy; I’m not playing games with them (the Tour) or with fans or with media. I simply don’t know (if I ride)…” He will also be doing all the Spring Classics- Tour of Flanders, Leige-Bastogne-Liege, Fleche Wallone, etc., but won’t be doing the Paris-Roubaix. He has been avoiding this race for a long time now he knows that one crash in the slippery cobbles can mean no Giro nor TdF, that is if he rides the latter.

Dan Wistihuff III had a very interesting take on Armstrong comeback. He said that he would have endorsed the comeback if Armstrong had, as sponsors, the drug companies that developed and marketed anti-cancer drugs instead of ASTANA, a team that only two years ago, had a flurry of doping positives themselves.

However, I don’t think that these drug companies, even if Armstrong can get them all for his team, can put in the same money that ASTANA has put on the table. Remember that ASTANA is a team sponsored by the country of Kazakhstan, a very rich country because of the oil they produced. And the word “ASTANA” happens to be the name of the capital city of Kazakhstan. However, it would have been great if Armstrong tried.

Cebuano rides with Lance!

Dr. Rodrigo Rubi, a physician based in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, but formerly from Guadalupe, Cebu City, drove 12 hours with his wife and 3 kids to Austin, Texas, just to be able to join Lance Armstrong’s “Livestrong Challenge”, an annual ride to raise money and awareness in the fight against cancer. Dr. Rod dedicated his ride in memory of his Dad, who passed away a few years ago to cancer. - BANAT NEWS