Great Next Chapter: Armstrong & American-sponsored Cycling

Published: November 25, 2009Posted in: News

2010 has every possibility for beginning a great next chapter for American-sponsored professional cycling, and for Lance Armstrong, as Team Radioshack hits the roads in the new year.

Armstrong, already a seven-time champion of the sport’s premier event, the Tour de France, returned to compete after a brief retirement from the sport, riding to an impressive third-place finish under the moniker of the Kazakh-sponsored team, Astana, in 2009.

An international sport that for the most part has been more of a novelty to the masses in the United States, professional cycling came to the fore in the US with Armstrong’s story and true dominance of Le Tour from 1999 to 2005. His accomplishments as young cycling prodigy become cancer survivor become Tour Champion, and “champion” for the cancer fighting cause efforts via the foundation that bears his name, are well known.

Now returning as a leader to ride for an American-sponsored team under the well-known Radioshack name, together with a talented international team composed of both savvy veterans like fellow Americans Levi Leipheimer & Chris Horner, internationals like Yaroslav Popovych & Jose Luis Rubiera, and promising young riders, Armstrong and The Shack will very likely take American interest in professional cycling to the next level.

Armstrong has a great opportunity to compete with the best cyclists in the world, while expanding awareness and interest in road racing for millions of Americans, young and old alike. Under the leadership of a proven and talented management team lead by Armstrong’s long-time partner in racing, Johan Bruyneel as team manager, Team Radioshack is sure to compete at the head of the peloton in every event they enter, in 2010 and beyond. Enjoy the ride!

By Jeff Ludlum, staff writer

Joan

Posted November 25, 2009 at 8:57 PM

YES – the Boys are back in town, and I can’t wait to follow their endeavours.

Thomas Elias Weatherly

Posted November 25, 2009 at 10:24 PM

I am a bicycle tourist, one of the folk who buy a light bicycle only to load it with front and rear racks and panniers, a bike with triple in front and eight in rear cluster, then spin in lowest gear possible. Lance pedals like a tourist, though at a much higher level. Tourists carrying forty to fifty pounds have to use low gears and spin them fast or broken knees result. He pedals in low gears and spins them fast. His low gears are not my low gears, but he pedals like a tourists compared to most other racers. I have discovered that I can keep up with my friends with unloaded race bikes. Unloaded I fly. I change the low ones three times a year; I seldom change the high ones.

Radio Shack is a good sponser; although I believe that Microsoft should be its sponsor.
+

Matt

Posted November 26, 2009 at 3:22 AM

Lance was taught that style of pedaling after his cancer. It shows that while most think ‘I’m in the big ratio…I can hold off all the guys behind me’ Is not always fact.

A big ratio at 50rpm-70rpm will not hold out against a guy with a lower ratio spinning at 90rpm-100+rpm. And you don’t get as tired as fast…strange but true.

TEAM LOOKS GREAT…LETS GOT GUYS TDF win for LA 2010!

Your dady

Posted November 26, 2009 at 7:02 PM

go 4 it !!
If armstrong win alot of mouth around the world will shutt thats why i want him to win

Posted November 28, 2009 at 12:25 AM

I just want him to get that #8 and to shut up the media. 2009 should of seeing he was 3rd, and tested daily. But, no they still claim it’s dope…

stan sweeney

Posted November 29, 2009 at 3:57 AM

I can’t wait to start my L.A. oil paintings in the new Team RadioShack colors. Put the hammer down in 2010, L.A.

Posted November 29, 2009 at 4:04 AM

I can’t wait to start 2010 Team RadioShack oil paintings.

Steve G

Posted November 29, 2009 at 9:17 PM

Bring it home. Texas, America, cancer survivors WIN THE TOUR FOR US! Show the world how to ride! Show the world how to WIN!

Pete

Posted November 30, 2009 at 7:42 PM

Contador must be saying to himself , lance came back from retirement with little amount of preparation to finish third in the tour .Now hes formed a new team with colleagues that once rode with contador and no real back up from Astana, a contract with astana that he cant get out of till next year.So if you thought last year had people on the edge of their seats then wait till the new season starts.This is going to be an awesome year to wait for !!!.

jeff

Posted December 2, 2009 at 7:45 PM

Thanks everyone for adding to the dialogue on this new chapter for LA and another American-sponsored pro cycling team. Gonna be fun to watch indeed…I echo all yall’s comments…here comes The Shack!