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PAGE 8: PAGE 8 EXCLUSIVE: LANCE ON MILANO-SANREMO, THE GIRO, THE TOUR AND ALBERTO CONTADOR
Tim Maloney-European Editor
March 20, 2009
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
More than one hundred journalists and photographers attended Lance Armstrong’s pre Milano-Sanremo press conference Friday at Castello Sforzesco in central Milano. It was his first European press conference since August 2005 and the 37-year-old American showed once again that he knows how to handle the media with aplomb. In a wide-ranging session, Armstrong covered his comeback to European cycling, his preparation for the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France as well as his relationship with Astana teammate Alberto Contador and how cycling has changed since he left the sport in 2005.
Q: How did you find life without cycling?
LA: Well, my life never existed without cycling because I rode the bike for fun, for recreation and fitness. There certainly has been a t readjustment back into the life of a professional cyclist, which requires more training, a certain diet and more commitment, but life wasn’t bad before and life isn’t bad right now. I can’t complain about either. I’m having a good time right now and I’m excited for tomorrow.
 Armstrong last rode Milano-Sanremo in 2002 (Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
Q: Do you remember your first Milano-Sanremo and why did you choose the race as your first race back in Europe?
LA: My first Milano-Sanremo was 1993 when I was with Motorola and I remember it well although I wasn’t necessarily a factor in the race. At the time, (Motorola) had an Italian leader, Max Sciandri and I was working for him. I think this is the 7th or 8th time I’ve done the race. For me, (Milano-Sanremo ) represents a lot of history in cycling, as a fan of the sport and a novice (cycling) historian, (Milano-Sanremo) has a certain mystique. I wanted to do more classics; unfortunately I couldn’t do Flanders because of scheduling. Also, (Milano-Sanremo) is not a bad race to gauge your fitness and condition. It’s not possible to train 300 kilometers. It’s good for you as well, but you have to stay out of trouble.
Q: What is your main ambition (in Milano-Sanremo)?
LA: Well I don’t want to sound like a complete slacker, but I don’t have a whole lot of ambition, other than to have a good day, a safe day. I think it’s no secret that (Milano-Sanremo) can potentially be dangerous…so stay out of trouble and get to the finish line. I think at the end if there are twenty or thirty or forty guys left, I would hope that I’m there and I think that shows that my condition is coming along. But (Milano-Sanremo) was never my strong suit or specialty so it won’t be tomorrow, but I hope to be somewhat involved.
 Armstrong says he is on schedule for the Tour (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Q: What about your build-up to the Giro and the Tour? Where are you?
LA: I think I’m progressing. Days like (Milano-Sanremo) can tell you things; indicators and factors that will tell you things. Next week (Vuelta Castilla y Leon), when we race in Spain with two uphill finishes and a (28.2km) time trial will give us an indication…but I think I’m on schedule.
 "I certainly hold no personal animosity (for Simeoni), so end of story, end of discussion." (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Q: Will you try to make peace with (Italian Champion) Fillipo Simeoni?
LA: For me, there’s absolutely no issue (with Simeoni); it’s really an issue of the press…of course I know that these dramas have to be built, whether in a team or in any dynamic. I’ve been very clear that have no problem (with Simeoni) it’s really time for us to all move on. This is an old story and I have no interest in discussing it. I certainly hold no personal animosity (for Simeoni), so end of story, end of discussion.
Q: Lance, you wrote on your Twitter account today “Just rode the Le Manie climb for tomorrow's MSR. Climb's not bad but the turn off the coast??? Wow. 200 guys trying to go where 4 can fit.”
LA: I wanted to see the Le Manie climb mainly for the run-in; I know this from racing (Milano-Sanremo) before that you have 200 guys that want to be in one place at the same time and that’s not possible. But mainly for safety I wanted to see the kilometers before the climb and also ride (Le Manie) to see how difficult it is. And as I suspected, the turn before (Le Manie) is tight so it will be a big fight. But we’ll be up there as well trying to stay out of trouble. The climb can also be a factor and after 300km, anything you’ve done before that makes a difference. And I noticed when I was driving into Milano if we have the same (crosswinds) tomorrow that we had today, there won’t be an easy start to the race with a crosswind for the first 130 kilometers, which will make life very tough.
Q: Are you the same physically and emotionally as you were before?
LA: I’m similar on a lot of levels. Physically, I just spent 10 days in the south of France where I was climbing and training on the same roads as before and I was trying to reflect and ask myself the same question, and whether or not those rides felt the same as before and the answer was, they do feel the same, and even a little more fun; a little bit better. Physically, I feel good and in my head I feel good. I feel like I’m doing the right thing, I feel like I’m having a good time and physically I’m getting stronger.
Q: What has changed in cycling since you have been out of the sport?
LA: It’s hard to say because I have not done any European races; I’ve raced in Australia which has a European feel but the dynamic is different. The same goes for the Tour of California. While you have a lot of big European names (the race) has just a different feel. Tomorrow (Milano-Sanremo) will be a good indication, next week will be a good indication. For me there are certain things to adjust to; just the simple thing of not knowing who certain people are. At the Tour Down Under, I had no idea of who 50-percent of those riders were. Whereas in the past, I knew who all the riders were; their names, where they came from, their team and results, if they could climb or sprint…everything. Now, I don’t so I ask the guys on the team and Johan more. That part has changed.
Q: What if you get caught up in the excitement tomorrow at Milano-Sanremo? Will we see you on the attack?
LA: Well, I’m a racer so if I was ever in that position, I wouldn’t pass it up. I would certainly try to be a factor in the race. But I don’t know if I’m there yet. The guys who come to this race to win, who are looking to attack (on the Poggio) or a bunch sprint of thirty guys, neither of those suit me right now. But once a racer, always a racer, so if I’m in position, I’ll give it a go.
Q: Which is your main goal, the Giro d’Italia or the Tour De France?
LA: They are both very important; the Giro is important to me simply because I’ve never done it, I’ve never experienced the Giro. It’s clearly one of the monuments of cycling, an important year because it’s the 100th anniversary. I feel like a have a long personal history with this country, with people that have raced here and people within the sport and I want to respect that relationship. When I show up in May, it’s not to eat pasta and gelato and say I did the Giro and go home. I need to be competitive…
But the Tour, you can’t deny it’s stature and you can deny the relationship that I have had for those seven years. My goal is to be at the top of my game for both of them.
 "I like Alberto, he's on our team and it's my job as an older rider to try and help him" (Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Q: Lance you said Contador is nervous; why is he nervous?
LA: I think it’s normal…and I realize this statement went around the world… that I meant it as a criticism, per se. I think if you watch (Paris-Nice), there’s things that happened and tactically there’s things that could have been done differently. I have a ton of respect for Alberto and I’ll repeat it again right now; he’s the best multi-day racer in cycling. There is nobody better, myself included. But there are always things we can learn. In the later years of my previous career, people criticized me, like Eddy Merckx. He criticized the way I was racing and I would call Eddy and ask him what I could do better, what could I learn. There are always things we can learn in cycling, physically or tactically or within the team. It's normal and natural that the pressroom wants to build up this rivalry within the team. I don't think that’s accurate and I would also say the same things to Alberto if I was face to face. I also said he would hang tough and attack the next day, but nobody wrote that story. So there's a lot of drama over a very small issue. I like Alberto, he's on our team and it's my job as an older rider to try and help him and so I would offer that advice.
 Leipheimer is just one of the Astana leaders who already has a win in 2009
(Photo: Ken Conley)
Q: So far, Astana has had Levi, Alberto & Kloden win races this season. Is it important for you to win too?
LA: I'd like to win something, for sure. We all like that taste, that feeling. You can't force it; there have been many years at this time of year, where not only did I not win things, but I was not even close to winning things. So keep that in mind. Right now, it's important to show some improvement, especially in the time trial. In the time trial in Castilla y Leon, I have to show some improvement over California and I think I can. I don't need it but I'd like to get a little taste of victory. My local race in Austin doesn't count, but at the same time you have to be patient and follow your training, follow your program, follow the races and if you are fit enough, you'll get (the win).
Q: Lance, you have changed your program and will not race the Giro del Trentino, so what will you do before the Giro d'Italia. And who will win Milano-Sanremo tomorrow?
LA: Well, I don't know that we have totally decided on Trentino. Still trying to decide those things for the month of April. As far as who's going to win tomorrow, I don't know! I'm not a very good prognosticator. Between Boonen and Petacchi and Thor Hushovd and Stuart O'Grady and...don't ask me. I'm not good at that stuff!
 Armstrong has already ridden the time trials of the Tour and Giro
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Q: You recently rode the TT courses for the Giro and Tour. What are they like?
LA: The Giro time trial is perhaps the most epic time trial I've ever seen. 62 kilometers; I thought it was the longest I'd ever done but in the 1994 Tour I did one where Indurain caught and passed me (July 11, 1994: Stage 9 Périgueux–Bergerac 64km individual time trial). It has more climbing then I thought; if you look at the profile it's deceiving. Those are actually long, sustained climbs. I think there is about 1500m. of climbing for the day and equally important are the descents, which are fast and twisting and technical. It's a complete time trial and lay that over the area of Cinque Terre, which is absolutely gorgeous and I think that the time differences between first and third and fifth and tenth and one hundred will be massive.
The Tour's opening time trial is very tough, with the first 8km are all uphill in the spectacular setting in Monaco, with a twisty fast downhill which really means that there is no recovery and I suspect that there will be big time differences there as well. It will already start to tell you who will win the Tour.
Q: Lance, you always used to race to win. What about now?
LA: It's hard to say; in the past I would ride to win...we're not there yet and quite frankly, I don't know that I'll get back there. Because this experiment, if you want to call it that, has never been attempted. Nobody’s tried (to come back) after three and a half years out of the sport and they haven't tried it in their late thirties. So we don't know...would I like to (win)? Yeah. I'd like to be competitive. I want to be strong and I want to be competitive and there is another sensitive issue. When we come to the Giro, if Levi is riding like he was in California, you have to respect that situation, that it's possible for Levi to win a pink jersey here too. So you have to do the right thing on the road; honor cycling, honor it's rules and the team tactics. So it's too early to say; I'm having a helluva good time and feel like I'm improving month by month.
Q: Have you changed your approach mentally?
LA: I've had to change mentally; there are no guarantees (now) whereas in the past, there were question marks year to year as to whether or not I was early or late in my condition. I think the question mark is a bigger one now; there's nothing we can look at (to compare my condition with). I can look at March 20, 2005 all day long, but in reality it doesn't make difference; it was four years ago. I don't wake up every day full of doubt; I wouldn't do it! I'd go home. I still wake up thinking 'I'm feeling pretty good today; I feel strong' and I'm getting stronger so as long as that keeps up I'll keep going.
Q: Do you feel older?
LA: The first couple of races of the year, my back was a problem, to be honest. I've gone back to my old seat (Selle San Marco Concor Light) which has cleared things up. My fountain of youth is in a bike seat. I saw my picture in L'Equipe the other day and didn't realize my hair was that grey so that made me feel a little bit old. But overall, mentally I feel 25 and my body feels pretty good too, now that the back is better. I think (Milano-Sanremo) will be a good test for the back.
Q: How about your Livestrong initiative in Europe?
LA: Well, since I have not been in Europe, this press conference is pretty much sports journalists, but come Giro time, we have some meetings with (Italian premier) Berlusconi to talk about the cancer burden in Italy. (Fighting cancer) is the main reason I'm here; anything I can do to talk about it, bring about exposure and awareness.
Watch highlights from the Lance Armstrong Press Conference Here
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