THE RE-EMERGENCE OF LANCE ARMSTRONG

Bicycles and cycling have never been associated with a greater and more spectacular rider than Lance Armstrong, the winner of multiple cycling races including the Tour de' France.

A couple of weeks ago Lance announced his return to the cycling world and professional competition by confirming the rumors that he would be returning to take a shot at the 2009 Tour de France.This decision seems to have caught a lot of people by surprise and cause wonderment as to what does Lance seek to accomplish by attempting to win another title in the world's most coveted cycling race.You have to wonder, is this the act of an aging, worn out, has been cyclist that is looking for one last hoorah or is it a legitimate effort of someone who actually left the game before his time and is looking to reclaim his dominance in a sport that has basically been dead without him? Let's face it, what have we heard about the Tour de France after Lance left the game, other than scandals concerning doping and the use of unauthorized supplements? Is it because of the fact that it is based in France (a country that Americans have developed rile against for some unknown reason) and unless an American is competing in it , it is not worth keeping up with? Or, is it really reserved for the true cycling, health , or fitness enthusiast that really focuses upon cycling as a practical means of transportation and exercise? Whatever the reason, I believe that the cycling competition world is very exciting as well as intriguing and is as worth watching as is any major sporting event.

Not to be excluded, could it be that Lance has allowed a "cooling off" period to take place after allegations were made that he himself was indulging in enhancing drugs? Is Lance actually above reproach? Think about it, we would have never imagined Marion Jones , Mark McGuire, or Roger Clemens partaking of these types of substances but one of the three has already been tried and convicted of doing such, the other has been conveniently swept under the rug and for the last, it is not looking good for him (but you get the strange feeling that he will come out of this without a scratch). I mean, is Lance bigger than The Rocket? If you do not ride a bicycle or do not live in Austin you probably never heard of Lance Armstrong but The Rocket is a household name known across many generations and will always be iconic and considered by some, bigger than the game. The drive to win and be the best has been known to make normally scrupulous people to push the envelope, especially when competition is stiff.

Not to be excluded, could it be that Lance has allowed a "cooling off" period to take place after allegations were made that he himself was indulging in enhancing drugs? Is Lance actually above reproach? Think about it, we would have never imagined Marion Jones , Mark McGuire, or Roger Clemens partaking of these types of substances but one of the three has already been tried and convicted of doing such, the other has been conveniently swept under the rug and for the last, it is not looking good for him (but you get the strange feeling that he will come out of this without a scratch). I mean, is Lance bigger than The Rocket? If you do not ride a bicycle or do not live in Austin you probably never heard of Lance Armstrong but The Rocket is a household name known across many generations and will always be iconic and considered by some, bigger than the game. The drive to win and be the best has been known to make normally scrupulous people to push the envelope, especially when competition is stiff.

Maybe it is all about the money. It has been reported that Lance will be mounting a bicyle manufactured by Trek to race on, but then again , that may be pure speculation and rumor. There has also been allegations that BMX, Mongoose, and Schwinn, will play a role in the Tour de France in an effort to seek additional exposure to their brands. BMX and Mongoose already receive a lot of attention by way of the X Games, and Schwinn is a stalwart to the casual recreational cyclist.

Hell, considering the type of money that Lance makes riding a bicycle if he were eighty and could get up on a bicycle I believe that whatever the case it would be worth it.