@Hamish A: No need to apologize. I like it when folks actually get into some good discussions in the comments. The compliment was well-deserved.

Big shock.

As for the insinuations about doping and Armstrongs links to people who've been responsible for it in the past – by such logic I'm also guilty of taking steroids (a number of people at my old Gym did) and have taken recreational drugs (no, never).

I'm the first to readily admit that professional road cycling has an incredibly bad reputation right now but bringing Lance (the most tested athlete in the World, EVER) back into the Sport with his new ultra-transparent testing regime can certainly do no harm.

Conversely, with LeMond standing on the sidelines heckling at every opportunity he gets about cover ups and conspiracies between Teams & Riders he's doing nothing but casting doubt over all the good work many, many people are trying to do for the sport.

The solution to cheating (doping or otherwise) in Cycling is simple: Make the consequences of getting caught so abhorrent that nobody will dare risk it. For example: 1 rider gets caught doping and the whole Team (including the Director & staff) are issued lifetime bans. That'd soon remove any temptation to bend the rules.

Whether or not Lance races the TDF in 2009 I'm looking forward to a fantastic (and hopefully) mostly clean race. Bring on Ventoux!!

@ Bryan – sorry for the comment section hijack and thanks for the compliment!

Many cyclists, among them Lance and most of his former teammates have been linked to e.g. Fuentes. The investigations in Spain stopped (look who won quite a bit of olympic gold…). The investigations against Lance were stopped once he announced to retire. Of course, you are innoncent until proved guilty, but I have to say that several things make me think:

- The Giro welcomes L.A., the same event that refuses testing for a recently found substance.

- He was in a team where doping was "normal"

- There was an investigation on its way, but when he announced his retirement, it was stopped.

I think a witchhunt is plain wrong, but in my opinion, the return of somebody, who has been linked to many doping affairs (there was no final proof that I know of), is not a good idea. It is, I don't know how to put it, "tasteless". I think that the reaction of the TdF organizers is correct.

The reaction of many Americans to the announcement, that he would not be welcome at the Tour sound like the reaction to the announcement that Pluto no longer is a planet. Stop taking all these things so personal. It is not an attack against the American People / Pride / whatever.

On another note, wow dude, your site rocks.

I met him at a Trade launch for his bikes a number of years ago and was amazed at just how insecure and approval seeking Lemond was.

It's a real shame he's been unable to go from being a fantastic competitor to fantastic Spokesman for the Sport but it's time he accepted he's not #1 anymore and stepped aside.

Preferably very, very quietly.

@MetaMarshall: Hey, nice to see you stop by. I grew up watching him too and am really amazed at how he’s acting. As next year’s tour gets close I think it’s only going to get worse from both Lemond and the French press.