EverymanTri.com - Lance Armstrong confirms his Ironman Triathlon plans

[ryanchandler25]

The ego of this guy is beyond belief. He is nearly 40 years old and thinks he can be competitive? Give me a break. The World Class Triathletes are running the marathon portion of the event a 6 minute pace. Lance is going to just be an age grouper.

[ricstolz]

"I don't know that I'll win" - what a JOKE.  Armstrong won't ever be anywhere near the podium.

[runthomas1]

F**k you. Lance competing will be great for triathlon

[smithytri89]

I don't think he'll be that competitive over the full race. It will be great to see him on the cycle tho so you can kind of compare the difference between the elite triathletes and the elite cyclists. Like other people have said it brings more attention to the sport aswell.

[nightowl8936]

I'm not a training expert, just an enthusiast, but from what I understand of Ironman distance events, they go out of their way to ride conservatively on the bike, and save their strength for the marathon that's coming.

So Lance, being essentially a very powerful engine on the bike, but not the fastest legs on the marathon, should focus his training on optimizing his marathon training, and ride conservatively. So he would probably need to thin out for the run while riding a bit more slowly.

[lucybyu]

Follow his triathlon twitter account!  Under the name JuanPelota

[raoulhery]

somehow we have to combine M.Phelps, Lance and gebreselassie, it would be the ultimate IRONMAN

[GShock112]

If he dopes himself like he did for bycicle he could do the Deca IronMan and win it easy! :)

[nitescuiustin]

@GShock112 he didn't dope you ignorant retard. you have no idea about anything. keep reading the fk. newspapers ... 

[GShock112]

@nitescuiustin

You're right, doping (especially in cycling) doesn't exist... it's just imagination. :)

[rangerdanger222]

I would like to see him show up and put it all on the bike and try to break the course record at Kona.

[jarroddraper]

Lance is a top bloke and a tough competitor, but if he even remotely thinks he has a chance of winning Kona then good luck but I seriously doubt it. Yeah he has ran marathon's before (around 2:45) and no one argues with his skill on ths bike, but putting all three together in Kona of all places, that isnt an easy thing to do let alone thinking you could win. I predict he may come in the top 10%

[marcosbullock]

@jarroddraper I think if we've learned anything from Lance's life its that he's capable of anything he puts his mind to. As for the tri, he ruled the triathlon circuit long before he started biking so he's probably got better chances than you think.

[skinamarinky22]

Now that's how you hydrate!!

[WELLBRAN]

This is ludicrous he thinks he can jump into Triathlons now, I wonder if Hinault would thing about the decathlon?

[jabraunski]

you do know he went neck to neck with mark allen when he was a kid!

[mar504]

@WELLBRAN What's ludicrous about it? He started with triathlon before focusing on cycling.

[nightowl8936]

I remember reading about Lance Armstrong as a triathlete when he was 16.

He trained like a monster at such a young age, but for whatever reason always was behind the other world class triathletes.

Its clear bike racing was his calling, but I think its great if he were to do triathlons too, but no one should expect him to dominate in triathlon, anymore than we would expect a professional triathlete to keep up in the Tour de France.

Similar, but different enough sports.

[percdann]

@nightowl8936 True what ya say, but ya gotta remember armstrong at 15 was competing with mike pigg, mark allen, dave scott.....3 of the best triathletes ever..... and ivan rana the itu triathlete raced for a year as a pro biker....it can be done.....for armstrong his problem will be his age now.... and he ran a 2.46 in boston fresh...macca ran 2.43 in kona this year after the bike and swim.....lance is thee greatest cyclist and one of the best athletes of all time..... is that not enough hehe!

[dahgutone]

@nightowl8936

He was a triathlete at the age of 16. But then again, at age 16, he was racing against pro world class triathletes also.

[ryanchandler25]

@nightowl8936 He was behind the World Class Triathletes because there were adults in their prime and Lance as 16.

[justinperry1]

I love reading lance armstrongs twitters and the fact that he came out of the sport of triathlon.

[Jonahisme]

Gogo lance u can do it i am very sure u will do very well

[Ilych5791]

Es una gran noticia el que mi querido y siempre bien ponderado Lance tome nuevos retos, en lo personal lo idolatro tanto como a Michael Jordan o Pelé, es un atleta en toda la extension de la palabra y para los insulsos que todavia creen que la luna es de queso, la ayuda con dopantes va de la mano con el deporte profesional, otra cosa es que las liebres son mas rapidas que los sabuesos y de ahi los negativos en las pruebas, pero la realidad es otra, mejor no desgastemos al deporte con pavadas.

[alexmusic2909]

I think lance can do it, top three I'd like to see, If he can get his running legs back. Norman Stadler already proved that you can win Kona on the bike. Maybe a bike course record??

[mortal2k]

@alexmusic2909 Exactly, just like Stadler he will own the bike. Plus he has already proven that he can excell at marathoning. He will be in the top three and slice the kona wind.

[str8bowlin]

if Lance can win the TDF with one testicle, you can do it with TWO!!

[innismor11]

Triathlon is a different sport and he hasn't competed in one seriously in some 20 years. Mexico's German Silva won the New York City marathon twice (1994, 1995) and has a marathon PB of 2:08:56. He recently trained for and finished his first Ironman (age 41) at Cozumel in 10:40 (very respectable). His marathon time was 3:12. Armstrong should do better overall, but not a whole lot. No one should expect him to be competitive.

[innismor11]

I expect Armstong will have to compete as an age grouper (which is fine, and really apropos), unless they grant him an exemption (for PR). I can't see him qualifying as a pro. It usually takes 8:45 or better at another Ironman to qualify as a Pro and I can't see him doing that. He was never a great runner, and I can't see him becoming one now at his age.

[hshammerthrow]

The guy started as a triathlete and has since won a bunch of TDF and finished a marathon in a decent time...I think he'll hold his own. And as far as drugs are concerned...in a world of ever-present scrutiny...until he tests positive, he's clean.

[u368]

You cannot dismiss all facts linked to Lance's doping and the inefficiency of doping test.

Marion Jones was tested 160 times and no one was found positive despite his continuous doping with EPO and other drugs.

EPO was found in a scientific retro testing in 6 samples of 1999 TDF Lance but cannot be used as sanction.

Unable to climb before to met Dr Ferrari, infamous epo doctor

Drugs(actovegin) and blood transfusion equipment in US Postal garbage

5 or more oath testimonies

...

[p996378v]

a decent marathon got dragged round in 3 hrs by joan benoit without 112 miles in his legs !

[p996378v]

looking forward to see him being chicked . Would be lucky to finish in the same time zone as chrissie

[ksduathlete]

Yeah, I don't think that'll happen.

[hghepo]

With doping, every thing can happen, even to win 7 TDF in a row despite being a poor climber during 4 TDF (1992-1996). Don't confuse one day race and GT.

[rafaquebras]

My god!! Lance is a fu%#%& great cyclist... and poor climber??? tell me another joke my friend... He is not the best of all times, but still being one of the greatests.

[hghepo]

Lack of knowledge evident here. May you point a decent performance of Lance in one mountain stage of his first 4 TDF ?

May you compare the begining career of Lance with Merckx, Hinault, Lemond, Anquetil, Coppi, Zootemelk, Fignon,... who all were TDF contenders at their first TDF despite their young age.

Lance Armstrong is a Ben Jonhson for everyone who knows a bit in cycling.

Riis was nowhere in mountain stages before taking EPO.

[rafaquebras]

OK, i must agree, there is lack of knowledge, but who cares... My point is: "All these guy are on drugs, so Lance is just another one..."

[u368]

@rafaquebras, I don't believe that all riders are on drugs. Not all can pay for blood transfusion or the best doping doctor like Ferrari but sure all top riders are doped.

Speeding or not paying some minor tax don't make you an equivalent of Madoff or Al Capone.

To push out and pressure a rider like Bassons or Simeoni who were fighting for a cleaner cycling make of Lance a worst doper than many others.

[GreekPT]

It's not "white rocks," it's CORAL, but Lance could be the next Jurgen Zack on the bike, only faster on the run.

[sweatygrowler]

lets face it guys hes not going to win, but who cared hes an awesome guy very best of luck to him

[leedriver10]

he might not beat alexander and co but they guys will have to catch him up on the run, and it would be fantastic to see! il think he'll break the course record for the bike at kona.

[percdann]

I dont think he can beat craig alexander! Cant see it happening!

[stumpjumperpro2004]

lance at the vision quest under 5 hours in orange county

[photoshopzoo]

What a true champion. I've been hoping for years he will get back into Tri's would be AWESOME to see him race in some of the top level Ironmans like Kona. Go Lance!

[slamedu]

You know your badass when you get done with a bike race and are like, "yeah... ill do kona, might not win, but uh ill go to the Y a few times and do a few laps, how on the tredmill every once in a while, see how it goes," bet anything he does it and is absolutely competitive, will be a great thing for the sport too, if he could do to triathlon what he did for biking that would be amazing

[robmccarthy98]

AHHH Lance is SOOOo sexy don't you thnk????

[p00kela]

thxango40.. hilarious!

[thxango40]

Lance is going to attempt a Triathlon? That takes ball.

[ferzeilz]

The hardest triathlon is not as hard as the Tour

[mc1703]

decaironman

[simpsonbo]

Its a different kind of hard... no team cars no radios, you have to self manage your nutrition, keeping enough gas in the tank to run fast. 8 -9 hours is a long day

[Piglet279]

@simpsonbo I dont think an athlete of Lances calibre needs to worry about how to manage nutrition.

[realalbertan]

@Piglet279 - race day nutrition in an ironman can bring down some of the best pros... Lance is used to having a team car bringing him what he needs when he wants it. Different story when you have to manage it all yourself...

[alexmusic2909]

@ferzeilz , no one can say one sport is the hardest, it's just the person in the sport, I've wrestled seriously, and it can be just as hard as all the races i've competed in.... different sports have different ways of being "hard"

[losidan]

rather than attempt i think be very competitive is a better description.

[mc1703]

he was a triathlete before he went pro as a cyclist

[simpsonbo]

He was a pro triathlete when he was 16... he gave it up to race bikes exclusively... he was a top 4 1500 swimmer (13-14) in Texas ( a top swimming state )

[moviedude22]

lance never looks "happy" but hope he doesn't live out some "tortured" destiny or something because he didn't win the Tour - he's still the best that ever did it in my book!

[scalatorino]

If he 'll come back to the Triathlon , he will never win aganin a GT ...

[libasay]

Great that Lance is looking at Triathlon seriously. Will be good for the sport, but it will be really fun to watch. Hopefully I'll be racing some of the same events just to watch him fly by.

[DrJorgeReynal]

@libasay Not sure if he can win. He can probably get 8 to 10 min in the bike. And probably swim at the pace of the main pack. But starting fresh, Lance did a 3 hour marathon. This would mean a 3:20 or 3:30 in Kona. And there are guys like Macca who ran a 2:42 marathon in an Ironman. Beat that one...

[Trivetler]

@libasay

are you serious? We want Triathlon to be a sport without doping, so Armstrong should better go for Golf or Darts....I can't believe this post...