Seems pretty crazy, but that is the rumors:

http://www.velonews.com/article/8289...ng-coming-back

No salary and no bonus, seems like a great deal for Astana if true.

He's such a sicko egomaniac. I love it.

He must have found some new roid that the TDF can't catch him with. He retired obv bc his previous roid was detectable by the TDF, and it took him 2.5 years to find a new one.

You are brilliant...

Overall should be good for cycling regardless of how well he does. Also this pretty much guarantees Astana wont get snubbed from major races this year

I love it, if for the only reason that it pisses the French (many of them) off!

I always rooted against him and probably will again but it would be an amazing story and spark great interest.

If winning the tour is what he is going for, which I don't think is given, I wouldn't bet against him either.
Contador is the only one with potential to truly dominate who has emerged in the meantime and he will be Armstrong's teammate.

The riders we saw at this tour Armstrong would all have beaten easily, but at least some of those have great upsides. Like the Schlecks.
Especially Andy. With Sastre gone those are who CSC will be supporting 100 percent anyway and a battle between them and Armstrong/Contador would be awesome.

What would be even better was if Basso who will also be coming back next season will be allowed to ride. That would just be epic and x1000 more interesting race than this year would be a guarantee.

armstrong couldnt even beat a 44 yr old amateur.

http://www.velonews.com/article/81522

Really the last sport dominator that I wanted to make a comeback...

I guess he'll be riding for Contador.

he fits perfectly into this team of juicers...

hmmm,

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...hCUEgD932QKN00

Yeah, a six-time champion and two-time mountain world champ I believe. I think he did ok finishing second.

no way this is happening. astana and more specifically brunyeel claim to have no clue. the report i read said he was only riding a limited schedule and the tour. doubt he has a chance at racing for the win and cant see him coming back to ride a support role.

And it's been confirmed!!! : http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cyclin...ory?id=3578350

The exlusive: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/fe...rmstrong200809

I have always wondered...Why didn't Lance Armstrong ever compete in the cycling events in the Olympics?

He did.

To expand on Bjorn's point, the road race doesn't favor him at all and a sprinter wins every time. He had a great shot in the time trial but couldn't put it together getting only one bronze medal.

the olympics being about a month after the tour makes it pretty hard to recover and return to form after the massive effort.

I used to watch the TDF every single morning, but basically stopped caring about the sport due to all the doping and Lance leaving. This will bring be back, if only for one year.

Ugh, as my cycling obsessed Lance-hating friend just pointed out, it's gonna be another Michael Jordan comeback. Some will say it won't tarnish their legacies but come on, MJ leaving for good in 1998 and Lance after winning in 2005 and NEVER coming back is >>>>>>> MJ toiling in obscurity for a non-playoff team and Lance getting busted or losing the TDF because his best days (or roids) were behind him.

he could definately win the tour again. BIG BIG part of it depends how how good of a team he is on..

i think he will win. would be willing to bet.

There may be a long way to go with this before he lines up in July. It is not at all clear that the tour is going to want him, especially if he rides for Astana, and there may be serious controversy about whether he is going to be allowed in.

Who's willing to bet that he gets caught using steroids next summer?

He won't.

If he feared that, then he wouldn't return.