Lance is back!

...and riding two of the most grueling races in the same season, something he's not done before.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ap-armstrong-tourdefrance&prov=ap&type=lgns

I have mixed feelings about his return. I was/am a huge Armstrong fan, his accomplishments are unrivaled. I just don't want to see him come back and not be able to perform up to his former standards. It's amazing the amount of resentment for him outside of the U.S., I expect the Tour de France to try and nail him on doping charges whether or not he's guilty of it.

They have tried for years now.

Yes they have. IIRC they claimed to have a positive blood sample from him after or during his last TdF win. Nothing ever came of it for some reason, Armstrong and his camp claim that it was a doctored test.

I don't think that Lance's concern about his safety is unfounded. I talked to a few recreational cyclist in France while there on a trip and they have no love for him at all.

They just can't wrap their brain around him being the best simply because he trains harder than anyone else. Plain and simple. The 'positive blood sample' was a bunch of pooey. All the French dissent is sour grapes.

I don't think Lance would come back if he couldn't be a serious competitor, and he's still young enough to be a contender, so I imagine that he'll be fine. I'm sure he's already relocated to Europe to train with his team, and plenty on his own. It's said that many cyclist's don't peak physically in their career until their late 30's or early 40's.