« Floyd Landis on Phonak '05 | Main | David Millar can return for 2006 Tour »
February 16, 2005
It's official: Armstrong to race Tour de France, Tour de Georgia
ThePaceline.com | Armstrong announces initial 2005 race calendar
Lance Armstrong announced today that he will ride the 2005 Tour de France, aiming for an unprecedented 7th consecutive Tour victory.
Armstrong had suggested he might skip this year's Tour to concentrate on the spring classics and perhaps the Giro d'Italia.
Another surprise was that Armstrong will defend his title at the Tour de Georgia, April 19th-25th, although the final stage of that race conflicts with Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
As announced Monday, Armstrong will kick off his season at Paris-Nice March 6th-13th. He'll also race the Tour of Flanders on April 3rd.
"Johan (Bruyneel, the team's sports manager) and I will evaluate my fitness later this spring and possibly add some races to the calendar," said Armstrong.
The release doesn't mention any plans for a run at the world hour record, which Armstrong's team is exploring. Many past champions have gone for the record in late summer or early fall.
Posted by Frank Steele on February 16, 2005 in Lance Armstrong, Top Stories, Tour news | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bf6df53ef00d834227c9553ef
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference It's official: Armstrong to race Tour de France, Tour de Georgia:
» Poignant side note to Lance's bid for 7 Tour wins from Bikin' Bis
One stage of this year's Tour de France bicycle race will surely bring back poignant memories for Lance Armstrong.
On ... [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 17, 2005 12:37:26 PM
Comments
I'm completely shocked. I thought for sure, he'd take the year off, do the hour record, and come back next year as his final bid at the TDF, in his last season racing. I thought he'd try for the three "grand" tours then, and a final Worlds. You know, he started his pro career with a worlds win, it's only fitting that he leave racing with the rainbow stripes too.
Posted by: gundog99 at Feb 16, 2005 3:11:47 PM
This is exactly how it should be. Lance is criticized for focusing 100% on the Tour de France while his closest rivals our out competing in other races. By joining his adversaries earlier in the season and then, going on to potentially win the Tour, he will, at long last, quiet his critics and prove that he is to be considered one of the all-round champions who's name can be mentioned in the same breath along with Anquetil, Hinault, Indurain and Merckx. Jim Stokes-Rees
Posted by: james stokes-rees at Feb 19, 2005 8:26:49 AM
I believe that that Lance should win this. I believe that they should just give it to him!
Its unbelievable just how much he has done for himself, his career and the cancer societies. He is truley somewhat of an inspiration to me. i wish him well for this tour.
Posted by: priscilla at Jun 27, 2005 10:36:00 PM
