Velochimp: Astrochimp on Cycling

Lance Armstrong plans on announcing his plans for 2009 over the next two days. First at the Clinton Global Initiative and next at Interbike.

Lance Armstrong will hold a pair of press conferences in the next two days — the first on Wednesday in New York and the second on Thursday at the Interbike trade show in las Vegas, Nevada.

In New York, Armstrong will discuss his Global Cancer Initiative. At Interbike, he will detail plans for his 2009 return to professional cycling, including his team, a partial schedule and development program.

If his plans do include riding for the ASTANA team then recent Vuelta winner Alberto Contador will be looking for a new team. Contador’s stock is high now that he acheived the rare feat of winning all three Grand Tours and has various offers from teams to jump ship. Contador may be feeling the frustration from missing out on the Tour de France and then having to play second fiddle to Armstrong in 2009 as he attempts his comeback. Add to this the non-help from Levi Leipheimer who almost upended his Vuelta win and you have a hot commodity looking for a new ride.

But Contador said he may quit the Kazakh-backed, Luxembourg-based team if it hires the American, who is to give a press conference on Wednesday at which he is to announce his plans.

“I will base my decision on what he says,” the Spaniard said. “I intend to stay because I am under contract until 2010, but I have received a good many offers from other teams.

“Bruyneel believes I can deliver results, but it can’t be denied that he made his name because of his ties to Armstrong.”

So this leaves Bruyneel in quite a pickle as he has to choose between the new young star that will most likely keep winning Grand Tours for a while (Contador is only 25). Or does Bruyneel let Contador go and latch back on to the glory days of Armstrong. Armstrong’s comeback would be a headline topper far above anything Contador does. Can Bruyneel sweet talk Contador into staying and working with Lance. They could form a two headed front somewhat like Team CSC used to perfection this year. Trouble is that Lance might not share well with Contador. Lance seems to both demand and inspire everyone to a singular goal which is a win for Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. But this is not the glory days of the run to seven wins. Most of the teammates are close to retirement or have moved on to find their own post-Lance identities like George Hincapie at Columbia.

My guess is that Armstrong will not go to the Astana team, but may form a new team to help spread the message. It does not make as much sense joining back with Astana other than the good relationship Armstrong and Bruyneel have had in the past. This is a new venture and the goal is not necessarily to win the Tour, but to put Lance Armstrong back in the spotlight again.

Velonews: Contador | Velonews: Armstrong press conferences | Velonews: Armstrong taking on Cyclocross