Armstrong Announces Retirement - Triathlon Week

**daphne** · 04-18-2005, 01:39 PM

Apr 18,2005 - Augusta, GA:

Lance: First of all I'd like to thank everyone for being here. This is probably the second biggest media event in Augusta in recent weeks (referring to recent The Masters golf tournament) - we'll happily be second.

I will cut right to the chase and say that after a lot thought, considering the season and the races I was going to do this year, and having decided to focus on the Tour, at the same time I have decided that the Tour de France will be my last race as a professional cyclist. (Lance was visibly choked up as these words came out.) So July 24th will be the last one after more or less 14 years in the professional peloton, it will be the last one - win or lose. Having said that, I am fully committed to winning a 7th Tour.

There are a few people I would like to thank that have been very helpful along the way. First and foremost, I think the biggest inspiration in my life now and the biggest inspiration to this decision is my children. They are the ones that make it easier to suffer, but they are the ones who have told me that it's time to come home. And so without them, none of this would be possible. The second is my mother, she's been a great force that I have learned a lot from.

All the many, many sponsors and partners we have had along the years, and obviously now Discovery Communications. John Hendrix, Judith McHale, and especially Billy Campbell who came along and picked up a program last year, believed in our sport, believed in the team, believed in the Tour de France, believed in cycling - I can't thank them enough. Obviously the relationship with Discovery will continue for years to come and I am excited in being a part of the programming there, helping Billy, helping all of the Discovery Networks to do different things, and sort of parlay the success on the bike into something else.

Also, I would like to thank this guy here - Johan Bruyneel - who in my view has been the premier sports director of all time. He's directed 6 Tours and won 6, and I don't know anyone else that can claim that record. This is the guy that came along and believed in me in 1998, and said that you could do it, and this is how you're going to do it, and let's go for it. And along the way he helped shape and mold the team and put together a group of people - not just riders, but staff and sponsors and advisors that made all of this a reality. With Johan and my teammates over the years - all of them, some are still on the team and some are not - they have all been key to 6 Tours and even the other races that lead up to the Tours. So I can't thank them enough.

Sheryl, you've been an amazing woman. For somebody's who's the Queen of Rock & Roll you sure have been a great cycling fan, cycling teammate and a great partner. Lastly, my one other team - this team of 10 million cancer survivors around the country that have been very powerful, and I think if you look at certain times in my life I've relied on a special force, and I think the force of a team like that is incredibly powerful. So to have them to fall back on, and to know that not only do they inspire me, but that I can hopefully inspire them, I hope to give them one more Tour de France. That's it for now, and I'd like to take some questions...

Photo © Chuck McCall

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- Can you speculate, one year from now, how difficult will it be to abide by this decision?

I have thought a lot about it. And I have gone bacl and forth... there are are many races that I think about and I dream about because they really motivate me. I was watching Milan-San Remo a few weeks ago - for you non-cycling journalists here, that's a big race! - and I couldn't sit down the entire race. I was in front of the TC the entire race, and Sheryl said to me, "Look at yourself - you can't even sit down! How are you going to retire?" And so that's a great question, but I have to tell you I am 100% committed and the decision is final.

It's going to be hard to separate a professional cyclist from a fan of cycling. I'll always stand up during the intense moments. And the outloet for me will have to become via Johan (Bruyneel) and via the team. And I think the team can move forward, I think we can develop another Tour winner, and I'll just be asking Johan if I can come along and ride in the car in the Tour de France - I might not be able to sit down! But ultimately athletes have to retire. I have been doing this for 14 years, I've been a professional athlete for almost 20 years, and the body doesn'y just keep going and going and going. So my time has come and there are many other things I need to do in life - but I'll definitely have the itch every now and then...

- Is Georgia your last race in America? Will we see you race in San Francisco?

No - if it's after July 24 (and it is) then it' not an option. Georgia could possibly be the last American race, I would love to be able to find a race in May to go and do - some of you may or may not know that I jumped in a local race a few weeks ago (Ojai, CA). Depending on where I am, the first place I look is the Internet and the local race scene. If there's good, high quality racing I am more than willing to jump in and ride with the locals. I can't promise you I won't show up somewhere in May, but I have yet to scour the Internet and find locations, I know there's some stuff in Colorado. So I guess I have scoured it a little bit (laughs)...

- How are you feeling physically at this point, and how much of an effect is that having on your decsion?

I feel fine right now. I was a little but unsure about this race last year coming in, and it ended up being successful. So I would put my feeling and senstions on the bike at about the same place they were 12 months ago. Of course all that is not really much until you get into the race and you test it against the other guys, so we'll see here in the race. I am excited to race - it's a great race and a great field and I'd like to try and win again. But if you remember last year I was also guarded when I said I didn't know if I could win, and I'll say it again.

- It's my understanding you have a 2-year contract with Discovery and I am wondering how that's going to come into play?

In regards to my contract with Discovery Channel it's realy more than 2 years, but I don't have to be on the bike. I do have to do another Tour de France and I would love to be able to go out on top. There are many other ways to be involved and I would love to be able to help develop the next American Tour de France winner.

- Why announce now vs. in July?

The decision is firm and final and I thought it was something that needs to be out there. I am just trying to be upfront and honest about that.

- Will he ever race as an amateur?

If there's a local Mountain Bike Race somewhere in Texas, I might show up - I'll need to get my competitive fix somehow, but I will not do the Olympics in 2008.

source: thepaceline.com