Bait for Eight

It's official, Lance Armstrong will be training with Team Discovery over the winter. It now looks as if L'Equip has shot itself in the foot with its obnoxious slurs against the Tour's greatest champion. L'Equip has hated Armstrong for one thing -- his greatness. With Lance in the Tour (which, incidentally, is organized by L'Equip's parent company) there is little opportunity for anyone else to win, least of all a Frenchman. And, good news, Lance hates L'Equip, too. Hates them enough to kill himself during another year of preparation, and more than enough to head back to France for a run at an Eighth championship.

My suspicion is that this will happen. Lance will take the lap of France in July 2006. And, mark my words, not only will he win, he will make it his most jaw-droppingly convincing win ever. See, Lance knows he can't retire, comeback, and lose. He can't even retire, comeback and barely win. If he's going to do this -- and it is now pretty clear he is -- he's going for the jugular. Sooooo. Hip, hip, hooray. The world has not seen the last of Lance. His detractors can cast some more aspersion while I and his millions of fans watch Lance dust off that rusty bike just one more time. Gonna make it shine. Yeah.