Lance Armstrong has returned to the fringes of the Tour de France

[Leongsam]

PLATEAU DE BEILLE, FRANCE —

Like an unwanted ghost, Lance Armstrong has returned to the fringes of the Tour de France on a money-raising ride ahead of the showcase race he once ruled.

The Texan, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping, set off early Thursday morning with former footballer Geoff Thomas to help raise funds to fight blood cancer. Armstrong is riding the Tour route one day ahead of the race in two stages, starting with Thursday's trek from Venerque to Rodez in southern France.

Riding with amateurs and without hordes of fans cheering him on is a major comedown from Armstrong's heydays from 1999-2005, when winning the Tour turned the cancer survivor into a superstar.

Lance Armstrong says he understands there are "hard feelings" toward him in the cycling world that will go on for a long while, but appreciated the "warm" French welcome nonetheless:

Incredible first day w/ the @TdF1DayAhead crew. Hot & hilly but gr8 time. And a big thanks/merci to the French people for the warm welcome
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) July 16, 2015​

Some competitors in the race this year have reacted to Armstrong's presence — and the media circus surrounding his return to French roads — with indifference. Race leader Chris Froome called it "a non-event for us."

In a crush of dozens of reporters, Armstrong was asked whether he believed the race was now clean. "How can I answer that question?" he replied. "I am not a specialist."

Earlier in the week, Armstrong tweeted this out about the Tour leader:

1. Clearly Froome/Porte/Sky are very strong. Too strong to be clean? Don't ask me, I have no clue.
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) July 14, 2015​

 

[enterprise2]

Clearly his skin thicker than a elephant hide!

 

[Leongsam]

Clearly his skin thicker than a elephant hide!

I beg to disagree.

The thick skinned ones are the dopers that are still involved in the tour.

And the french are the biggest hypocrites of all!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Virenque

 

[escher]

In comparison to Stinkapore PAPs, Lance is a paradigm of honesty and decency and fair play.

Should PAP take part in the race, they dose themselves to the eyeballs with all kind of drugs, appoint their own panel of doctors to give them tests , engage FTs to do the race in the same way Indians engaged cheats to help them to pass exams.
On top of that, they take knuckle dusters and hatchets to meet other competitors in cul de sac to knee cap them and break their heads and kneecaps before they do the race.

I HAIL LANCE FOR BEING A BEACON OF HONESTY AND FAIRPLAY IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THE FUCKING PAPs HAD AND HAVE BEEN DOING AND WILL STILL BE DOING UNLESS THEY ARE SEND TO DANCE UNDER THE LAMP POSTS

 

[Narong Wongwan]

In comparison to Stinkapore PAPs, Lance is a paradigm of honesty and decency and fair play.

Should PAP take part in the race, they dose themselves to the eyeballs with all kind of drugs, appoint their own panel of doctors to give them tests , engage FTs to do the race in the same way Indians engaged cheats to help them to pass exams.
On top of that, they take knuckle dusters and hatchets to meet other competitors in cul de sac to knee cap them and break their heads and kneecaps before they do the race.

I HAIL LANCE FOR BEING A BEACON OF HONESTY AND FAIRPLAY IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THE FUCKING PAPs HAD AND HAVE BEEN DOING AND WILL STILL BE DOING UNLESS THEY ARE SEND TO DANCE UNDER THE LAMP POSTS

Well Said!
Compared to vile pappies he is a choirboy....
At least he din harm anyone and actually did a lot of charity.....

 

[Microsoft]

Moots? not Trek or Parlee?