The ‘Other’ Armstrong Is Bowing Out of Cycling in Style

Kristin Armstrong was thinking this on Wednesday as she stood on the podium in Mendrisio, Switzerland, and watched the American flag being hoisted in her honor. Go out on top. Go out with the anthem being played.

Armstrong, 36, is the accidental champion, the late bloomer who took to the sport because running in triathlons caused osteoarthritis in her hips and her doctor advised her to do something healthier, like cycle full time. She took him seriously.

On Wednesday she won the time trial at the world championship of cycling, to go with her gold medal in Beijing last year. Now, as planned, she will retire after the world championship road race on Saturday.

“There are already people who are talking about my comeback for 2012 in London,” Armstrong said, alluding to the next Summer Olympics.

If she did come back, she would be following the pattern set by her illustrious namesake, Lance Armstrong, who won the Tour de France seven times from 1999 through 2005, then retired, only to come back to finish an impressive third in the Tour this year, at 37. Kristin Armstrong has her own reasons for retiring now.

“Being female, it’s important for me to have a family,” she said in a telephone interview. She and her husband, Joe Savola, have planned this retirement, which was announced weeks ago.

While there is still time, the American public can get to know this champion who burst into prominence so belatedly.

First of all, she is not related to Lance Armstrong, or to his former wife, Kristin Richard Armstrong. She did not go into cycling to emulate her namesake. She just happened to discover she was very good at this sport, once she concentrated on it.

In 2004, Kristin Armstrong finished eighth in the road race at the Olympics in Athens but was not used in the time trial. On Wednesday, a day made for crowing, she refused to say the American coaches were wrong in 2004. She had already followed that by winning the world time trial in Italy in 2006 before taking that gold in Beijing.

Lance Armstrong has not won an Olympic gold medal — well, at least not yet. He won a bronze in 2000, while recovering from a fractured vertebra in his neck, from a collision with a car. There is always drama surrounding Mr. Lance.

“Lance lives a life I’m not at all familiar with,” Armstrong said in 2008. “No movie stars or million-dollar bank accounts for me.”

On the only day the two Armstrongs have ever met, he displayed a major sense of collegial gallantry.

“I really admire him for the work he does against cancer,” Kristin Armstrong said Wednesday.

“I met him after a criterium at Ojai in 2005,” she added, referring to a race in California.

She and a female friend joined the autograph mob around Armstrong, and her friend persisted in saying, “Lance, Lance, Kristin Armstrong is here.” Armstrong picked up his head and quickly volunteered that he had heard a lot about her. And this was before her world championship or her gold medal.

Kristin Armstrong grew up in a military family, lived 10 years abroad, attended high school in Japan. She thinks she learned adaptability — in language, customs and food — that serve her well on the cycling circuit.

After graduating from the University of Idaho, she was working in an advertising agency in Boise when her doctor said her triathlon days were over. But she did so well on the bike that T-Mobile stunned her by offering her a two-year contact to join its touring team.

“When she became a cyclist, I thought it was cool,” her husband said in 2008. “When she became one of the best, I thought to myself, ‘There’s something special in this woman.’ But never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this.”

On Wednesday, Armstrong finished in 35 minutes 26.09 seconds over two laps of the 16.65-mile (26.8-kilometer) course, defeating Noemi Cantele of Italy by 55.01 seconds.

“Over all, this has been my best season,” Armstrong said recently. “I haven’t put as much stress on myself. Sometimes we do that and it takes a lot of the fun out of the sport. This year I really just enjoyed the sport and my team.”

She has everything planned. She will represent Idaho Potatoes, Blue Cross and United Dairymen — “three products I use and believe in,” she said. She appears to be as adept as her namesake at sticking to her talking points. Now, just as her country discovers her, she is going out, as a world champion.

Muhammad Ali beats Bradman to title of greatest sportsman

ormer World Heavyweight Boxing champion Muhammad Ali, 67, has been named the greatest sports star by Australia's No 1 sporting magazine Alpha.

Ali's record in professional boxing's most competitive era has seen him get the nod ahead of cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman. Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Diego Maradona rounded out the top five, reports The Herald Sun.

"Ali was an unbelievably skilful, clever boxer who was involved in some of the biggest fights of the 20th century," Alpha editor Heath Kelly said.

"Away from the ring, Ali's impact was just as great - from his rapid-fire tongue, to his stance against the Vietnam war, to lighting the Atlanta Olympic torch when visibly affected by Parkinsons, he captured the public imagination like no athlete in history," Kelly added.

Alpha's top 10
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Sir Donald Bradman
3. Michael Jordan
4. Tiger Woods
5. Diego Maradona
6. Rod Laver
7. Pele
8. Roger Federer
9. Carl Lewis
10. Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong upbeat after comeback

Lance Armstrong finished 29th in the final standings in his competitive comeback in the Tour Down Under.

The seven-times Tour de France winner was 49 seconds behind overall leader Allan Davis of Australia after the 81km sixth and final stage in Adelaide.

Armstrong, making his comeback after three years, took the lead towards the end but was unable to remain in front.

More than 144,000 people turned out to see the stage which was raced over 18 laps of a 4.5km street circuit.

The American hit the front with little more than a lap remaining but quickly fell back into the peleton, finishing 71st on the stage.

"I can't lie. I felt pretty good today," said the 37-year-old American.

"It was a comfortable circuit and I gave it a little go with a couple of laps left but I needed to be with some more guys. I couldn't stay away from the charging field.

"It helps when you have good legs. I felt a lot better today, actually felt the best day of the entire week so when you feel good and you have good legs, you have to go for it don't you."

Armstrong's next race will be the Tour of California from 14-22 February.

"[This] is a good indication I've done the right work. I still have to fine tune things, get lighter, still get fitter and work on certain aspects of my conditioning but I'm headed in the right way," he said.

"I'd say we're on track if not ahead of schedule. Even if it was a normal year when you're focused on July [and the Tour de France] I wouldn't be riding this well in January."

Davis, twice a runner-up in the Tour Down Under, won three of the tour's first five stages to lead by 25 seconds going into the final stage and finished among the main group to ensure victory. Francesco Chicchi of Italy won the stage in a sprint finish.

"I've finally done it, I can't believe it," said Davis.

"This win is very important to the [Quick Step] team. It's the first ProTour race of the season. With three stages and the overall it has been an unbelievable race."

Sastre to face Lance Armstrong in Italy

Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre and Lance Armstrong will battle it out at next year's Giro d'Italia.

Armstrong is still undecided over whether he will compete in the Tour, a competition he has won seven times.

But the American has committed to the event in Italy and he will now come up against Sastre, who had been previously undecided over his own participation.

"The Giro d'Italia will be my first important goal, I will be ready for the start," the Spaniard said.

"If I go to the Giro it is not just for training," he added.

Armstrong, 37, retired in 2005 but recently announced he would return to the sport in 2009.

The American dominated the Tour between 1999 and 2005 and is said to be 50-50 to race in next year's competition.

And the appearance of Armstrong at the Giro will give Sastre extra motivation.

"To have Lance in front of me and to try to beat him is really nice," Sastre said.

"It will be his first Giro d'Italia, and that is where I will have an advantage over him. It is my fourth Giro."

Lance Armstrong fears Tour crowd attack

America's seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong fears he may be attacked by spectators when he returns to the race in 2009.

The 37-year-old won every Tour title between 1999 and 2005 and is making a comeback three years after retiring.

But his achievements are still being questioned by those who claim he used performance enhancing drugs.

He told the Guardian: "There are some aggressive, angry emotions (in France). My safety could be in jeopardy."

Armstrong fears a repeat of what happened to Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx who was punched by a disgruntled French spectator during the 1975 Tour de France.

Many Frenchmen thought Merckx may beat home favourite Jacques Anquetil's record of five wins and while he was climbing the Puy-de-Dôme, one attacked him, arguably denying him a then record-breaking sixth Tour victory.

And Armstrong said: "Eddy would have won six Tours if he hadn't been punched.

"Cycling is a sport of the open road and spectators are lining that road. I try to believe that people, even if they don't like me, will let the race unfold.

"(But) there are directors of French teams that have encouraged people to take to the streets, elbow to elbow.

"It's very emotional and tense."

Armstrong also confronted the doping controversies that continue to blight his record.

"I understand people in France and in cycling might have that perception but the reality is that there's nothing there," he added.

"The level of scrutiny I've had throughout my career from the press and the anti-doping authorities is unmatched.

"I've got nothing to hide. I won seven Tours through hard work."

French paper L'Equipe reported in 2005 that a sample of Armstrong's urine from his first victory in 1999 had been retested and found to contain traces of EPO, but he was fully exonerated after an independent investigation.

2009 Tour of Georgia is scrapped

The Tour of Georgia, one of American's cycling's most prestigious events, has been cancelled for next season.

Created in 2003, the Tour has failed to secure regular sponsors since Lance Armstrong's retirement in 2005.

The Texan, who announced his return to professional cycling in September, did not include Georgia in his 2009 plans.

"I'm disappointed that the 2009 Tour has been cancelled, but very pleased that it will return in 2010," said USA Cycling boss Steve Johnson.

In a statement, organisers said: "The planning process for the Tour of Georgia requires a tremendous amount of time and effort.

"We wanted to give all of our partners enough time to plan and allocate their resources to take full advantage of the event. Therefore, we will skip 2009."

Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong took the Georgia title in 2004.

Armstrong firms up 2009 schedule

Lance Armstrong plans to ride in a number of classic races next year - but the American remained coy as to whether he will ride in the Tour de France.

Armstrong, 37, retired in 2005, but is to return to cycling in 2009.

"I simply don't know," Armstrong told Cyclingnews website of his Tour de France plans. "I'm not in a hurry.

"I'm going to do Tour of Flanders, all the classics, except Paris-Roubaix, Tour of California, Criterium International, Circuit de la Sarthe."

The one-day classics include the Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Milan-San Remo, the Fleche Wallonne, the Amstel Gold Race, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.

During his domination of the Tour between 1999 and 2005 when he won a record seven times, Armstrong focused on the world's greatest stage race at the expense of the classics.

"I want to say that I am not trying to be coy," added Armstrong, who will race for the Astana team next year. "I'm not playing games with them (Tour organisers), with the fans, the media."

Armstrong is already committed to the Giro d'Italia in May, while Astana team boss Johan Bruyneel said the American was "50-50" to also race in the Tour.

Armstrong initially looked set to launch a bid for an eighth title in France but it was met with a less than enthusiastic response from Tour organisers.

His former mentor, and five-time Tour winner, Eddy Merckx has also said he is convinced that Armstrong will not compete as taking part in the Giro and the Tour in the same year will be too much.

Armstrong will end a three-and-a-half-year absence from the sport when he rides in the Tour Down Under in Australia in January.

Armstrong famously overcame an aggressive form of testicular cancer before embarking on his remarkable run of Tour de France victories.