After three years of retirement and a somewhat pensive start at the Tour Down Under, some might have questioned whether The Patron has mellowed or grown soft in old age.
No longer with a steely-eyed focus solely on the race, Lance has made it very clear from the beginning that there are two main reasons for his comeback, the race and progression of his cancer initiative, LIVESTRONG, around the world.
But any question of whether Armstrong could still command the world of cycling was partially laid to rest during the 2009 Amgen Tour of California Kick-Off Press Conference as he thwarted any attempt by long time journalistic adversary, Paul Kimmage, a writer for the Sunday Times of London, to devalue his reasons for his comeback.
When Kimmage asked Armstrong why he "admired dopers" like David Millar, Floyd Landis and Ivan Basso, Lance one again pulled out his iron fist and slammed it on the proverbial table.
Bob Cullian and CycleTo were there to cover it. Click on the image to be taken to the CycleTo site.
Although it remains to be seen if he will exert the same commanding presence on his fellow riders that he showed to the press core, one thing is certain, it'll be an interesting summer.
Below are more quotes from Armstrong during the 2009 Amgen Tour of California Kick-Off Press Conference.
On the start of the 2009 season:
“We were blessed to have amazing launch in Australia, and I don’t just mean the team, but the foundation as well, and I hope we can carry that momentum through California and Europe for the rest of the year.”
On his return from retirement:
“I’ve been trying to stay reasonably fit; it’s comforting to know that I’m not the oldest guy in the race. I’ve been at this a long time and it has been an interesting 17 years. I think as far as the science of older athletes goes, performance doesn’t drop off, the mind drops off. I’ve had a couple of breaks and my mind is fresh. Let’s do it one more time. I feel strong. At 37, I feel just as strong as I did at 27.”
On drug testing:
“I think that we, in cycling, can sleep well knowing we’ve been more vigilant than anyone else with our testing. Our testing is unannounced and unexpected. It would be great to push for a global standard where everyone plays by the same rules. There has been dark spot on cycling, but I think cycling is on its way out of that dark spot.”
On racing in California:
“California is prime cycling territory, and back in the 80s and 90s, I raced all over. It also is a mythical place for a lot of people; everyone knows about California – people sing about California, there are movies about California, they dream about Highway 1. California holds a lot of mystique, so for AEG to put together an event that starts in Northern California and ends in Southern California is great and provides a good prep for the season. I’m looking forward to being on a bike for these nine days. In just a few short years, the Amgen Tour of California has become a marquee event.”
On the team’s strategy:
“Our biggest concern this year is to try and avoid the cold, wet days that these guys had to race in last year. Bad weather makes it harder and a bit more dangerous, but we’re still excited.”
“I’m looking forward to the Amgen Tour of California. I’m confident in my talent and my ability.”
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