More signs from team mates that Lance will be targetting the classics next season. The European Classics Uber-squad of Roger Hammond, George Hincapie and Max Van Heeswijck are heading to Lance’s hometown Austin, Texas next week for a training camp and briefing for the 2005 season.
Hammond has reported that he is already in training and has a new Trek Madone to ‘hack about on’. It’s tough at the top. Apparently the Discovery team doctors have already said he is too fat(?!) so no mince pies for him at Christmas. He also hinted again when talking about the route that Armstrong is tackling Flanders.
In Spain Eddy Merckx also suggested that Lance is the greatest rider of his generation at a news conference on Wednesday, the cannibal praised Armstrong by saying he was “a better rider” than he. “The Tour is the most important race and Lance is the one who won it most. I don’t have a problem with the fact that he’s topped me. Cycling has different eras, be it Indurain’s, Hinault’s, Armstrong’s or mine. Everyone of us has competed at a different time. What counts is to be the best of your generation. Beyond that, comparisons are never any good.” The greatest ever all-round cyclist not wanting to make a comparison. Mmmm. Eddy went on to say he is certain Lance will ride the Tour next year and try to win number 7.
So when the Discovery team arrive in Texas, they may not know which races they are riding yet but they’ll certainly be sitting down to watch a Discovery programme on Tuesday night. Sheryl Crow bought Lance a GTO for winning his 6th Tour de France. It is the car-mad Tour winner’s pride and joy. However Discovery channel’s car programme Overhaulin’ got hold of it and renovated it. Behind his back. The programme looks like a cross between ‘You’ve Been Framed and Top Gear. Not a great combination then, but it will show a few signs of Lance under pressure as he thinks someone has stolen his car…
Take a look at the clip here.
It’s due to air on 30th November in the US. We’ll ask Discovery if we can get a copy somehow…
