Smash hit

Armstrong may continue comeback tour

If Contador can stay clear of Armstrong’s mindgames, if he can stay quiet, if he can keep enough friends in his team and the peloton, then he must win this Tour de France.

Assuming that is indeed the case – and yes, that is one whopping assumption – then a question arises. Pretty soon, we will all be asking: what next for Lance Armstrong? Or, more to the point, will he come back to the Tour again next year? Does he depart with his tail between his legs and call it quits, because he knows he cannot win? (Can anyone imagine behaviour more out of character?) Or does he steel himself for another crack at the title?

In the real world, where egos are an everyday size and where not every male is an alpha, his comeback would and could be considered an astonishing success already. He has had three years out, he is 37 years old, and yet he remains competitive in the Tour de France. More than competitive. Possibly the second best rider out there. He finished 12th in the Giro d’Italia less than two months after a multiple collar bone fracture. That all constitutes a considerable success.

But Armstrong’s comeback will be judged on different terms. It is quite simple: did he or didn’t he win the Tour de France again?

Only two days ago, he was questioned on this very subject: would this be his final Tour? To which he answered: “Probably not. Probably not. Maybe one more Tour.”

But what if the writing is on the wall? What if Contador’s superiority is undeniable, inescapable, even to him? Fascinating.

Texan retains newspaper blacklist

It would be great to ask that question. Will you do another Tour? Or: what would you settle for? What constitutes a success in your comeback? Or: does no eighth Tour victory constitute failure? Or: can you, of all people, re-retire and bow out on a low?

It would be great to ask these questions, but we can’t. Not at The Times. You see, Armstrong will not give an interview to The Times, and that is despite swearing that he no longer has a black list of the newspapers and journalists to whom he will and won’t speak. There are many to whom Armstrong will not speak. And so we make do with the soundbites and bombs from Philippe Maertens’ laptop.

But in the absence of an answer from the man himself, I ask you readers instead. Imagine you are Armstrong, put yourself in his shoes, take on his personality, his psyche. Would you come back and ride the Tour de France again?