After winning his seventh Tour de France title, Lance Armstrong stepped off the winner's podium in Paris and into retirement, declaring, "I'm finished.''

 

Six weeks later, he's already talking about a comeback.

 

"While I'm absolutely enjoying my time as a retired athlete with Sheryl and the kids, the recent smear campaign out of France has awoken my competitive side,'' Armstrong said. "I'm not willing to put a percentage on the chances, but I will no longer rule it out.''

 

When he retired, Armstrong said he was looking forward to time away from the grueling months of training and six-hour rides around the countryside.

 

He planned to spend a few days "with a beer, having a blast'' with time dedicated to playing with his three young children from his first marriage.

 

But he's been dogged in recent weeks with allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. On Aug. 23, the French newspaper L'Equipe reported it had evidence that six of Armstrong's urine samples from the '99 Tour tested positive last year for the blood booster EPO. The substance was banned in 1999, but there was no reliable test at the time.

 

Armstrong has angrily denied the charge, saying he was a victim of a "setup.''

 

He first hinted of a comeback in an interview Monday with the Austin American-Statesman. An Armstrong spokesman on Tuesday said the comments were a joke, but within hours, the cyclist confirmed it was possible.

 

"I'm thinking it's the best way,'' to anger the French, he told the newspaper. "I'm exercising every day.''

 

Dan Osipow, manager of Armstrong's Discovery Channel team, seemed to be caught off-guard by Armstrong's comments, but said the cyclist appears determined to protect his legacy.

 

"That to me sounds very Lance-like. It leaves things open and the motivation seems pretty clear. He is immensely proud of his reputation,'' Osipow said.

 

"Lance was pretty definitive when he announced his plans for retirement. But circumstances change. Who knows?'' Osipow said. "I leave that to him. We all know he planned on staying fit.''

 

Although Armstrong will be 34 by next year's race, Osipow said it's likely he could win again.

 

"People said if he'd stuck around, he'd be the favorite the next two, three, four years,'' Osipow said.

 

Armstrong had said he'd be back on the Tour next year, as adviser for the Discovery Channel team. Now it could be as the lead rider.

 

"He owns part of the team,'' Osipow said. "If there's a certain rider from Texas who wants to join the team, we'll have space.''

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=2153202

 

:notworthy

"I'm thinking it's the best way,'' to anger the French

 

I love it!

Go for 10.

 

Lance is the man. Stick it to the French

He should come back just to piss off those French bastards.

Go Lance!

go for it. own the french at their own sports

Go for it, Lance

DO IT LANCE...F the French!

Wow.

 

So much ignorance. I hope he comes back, but the French hatred is 2 much.

If he wants to come back to piss off the French, that's great, but winning another couple tours isn't going to silence the critics, it will just make them say he's still good at hiding the illegal drugs in his system.

 

I'm not saying that's exactly how I feel, but just paying the devil's advocate here.

I think once you get to seven in a row, it really doesn't make a difference anymore. Eight in a row? Nine? Ten? Whatever.

 

Did anyone really buy into that retirement stuff, though? I thought it was kind of crazy at the time how seriously the media outlets were taking this "retirement".

He should make it an even 10 in a row.

Longest retirement ever.

If he wants to come back to piss off the French, that's great, but winning another couple tours isn't going to silence the critics, it will just make them say he's still good at hiding the illegal drugs in his system.

 

I'm not saying that's exactly how I feel, but just paying the devil's advocate here.

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it won't silence the critics, but it would piss them off even more.

 

if that's Lance driving force, who I am to judge him?

He should do it just to pi$$ the French off.

 

It'd be great!

 

Go get 'em Lance!

Lance can win again. If he wants to do it again, he might as well. Plus he would piss off the French, which is always awesome.

Is it a comback from retirement if you are still 11 months from your one event of the year. Plus you havent missed an event yet?

 

 

On another note if it wasnt for lance I dont think 90% of americans would even know cycling was a sport.

 

Go Lance stick it to the french