Lance Armstrong worried about attacks by French fans

[wtmusic]

"Lance Armstrong has revealed that he fears being attacked by spectators when he makes his return to the Tour de France next year.

The American, a seven-times winner of the Tour, believes he could be targeted by French fans angry that doping allegations surrounding him have helped to destroy the credibility and the magic of cycling's most famous race.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Armstrong said: 'I don't want to enter an unsafe situation but you see this stuff coming out of France.

'There're some aggressive, angry emotions. If you believe what you read my personal safety could be in jeopardy. Cycling is a sport of the open road and spectators are lining that road. I try to believe that people, even if they don't like me, will let the race unfold.'"

http://www.velonews.com/article/85229/lance-armstrong-worried-about-attacks-by-french-fans

Maybe so, but the last thing I'd do is go public about it.

[Gregorian]

1. OMG, I forgot about this.

I was sort of following a bit of his mountain bike racing.

I've got to say it wasn't the same without him. That Belocchi off-road moment in 2005 was absolutely surreal. That's on a road bike of all things.

I'm looking foward to 2009 with great interest.

I love going on my mountain bike ride and then coming home to watch the Tour.

He'll be fine. Cycling fans are good, and no one is going to come out just to hassle him.

I wish I had his hematocrit.

[InternalDialogue]

2. Weren't the post-9/11 threats just as great?

I remember his 2002 and 2003 rides as similarly threatened by fans, but it amounted to no more than a bit of posturing by a few on the roadside. (At least what I saw during the daily OLN broadcasts, which I watched in their entirety.)

Having passed those obstacles, aren't any current threats less believable -- or at least less viable?

I understand anti-American cycling rhetoric, but in the eyes of Europeans hasn't he gained some bona fides? Hasn't the doping threat lost ground due to lack of honest results?

[wtmusic]

3. Lance refused to provide voluntary blood samples taken up to ten years ago

which were asked for by the Tour. Under Tour rules he has the right to refuse, but it made him appear guilty in many fans' eyes.

He is concerned they might be sabotaged, a concern which probably has some legitimacy.

And Floyd Landis is competing again...eesh. It's getting harder and harder to get excited about pro cycling.

[Fovea]

4. It's the musette thing, I think

snag the bag once shame on you...

I think he will be better when he gets a race or two in him.
He needs to follow George HIncapie through a spring classic or two.
After a few dozen Kilos of Belgian Pave' in the rain, he will successfully displace
that anxiety.