US pro cycling races have been dealing with Floyd Landis and Lance
Armstrong in very different ways of late; one event distancing itself from
Landis while another is embracing Armstrong.
The difference in approaches is interesting, coming as it does as
Landis and Armstrong are now very far down the road of reinventing themselves.
Landis has gone into the business of CBD, the active
ingredient in cannabis derived from the hemp plant.
His business, Floyd’s of Leadville, sells a range of products
“to help you relax, recover and feel your best”.
These include everything from hydration supplements to gels and oils
that are said to address chronic pain.
Armstrong has taken a different route, involving the establishment of
an investment vehicle for sports-related start ups.
He has also developed ‘The Move’ podcast; part of his new Wedu Sports
company, which is very firmly keeping him in cycling.
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Armstrong’s podcast during the Tour de France reportedly brought in $1 million in revenue; through sponsorships and the sale of merchandising.
He is also involved with the Gran Fondos run by his former team mate,
and podcast co-host, George Hincapie.
Those Gran Fondos are no longer UCI-affiliated. That means Armstrong can be involved in the events without his doping-related lifetime ban from cycling causing any difficulties for Hincapie.
Both Armstrong and Landis doped during their career and both repeatedly lied about their doping.
However, Landis eventually came clean and he provided the information
to the anti doping authorities that ultimately brought down Armstrong.
For his part, Armstrong confessed only after the investigations into
him concluded he was the head of a large-scale doping operation in pro cycling.
Fast forward seven years since the USADA reasoned decision setting out the evidence against Armstrong and it is the Texan who was stripped of his seven Tour de France “wins” who is enjoying a warmer embrace from US cycling than Landis.
Though Armstrong is banned from cycling for life, the
Colorado Classic – which gets underway tomorrow – has had no hesitation in
working with him.
It got into some hot water two years ago when it
announced a media partnership with Armstrong’s podcast; Stages as it was known
then.
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USADA expressed concerns about the arrangement and the
race backed out.
However, two years on and with Armstrong significantly
rehabilitated, the Colorado Classic is back working with him, of sorts.
This time it has simply announced that Armstrong’s
podcast will cover the race. One of the race’s officials Lucy Diaz also
appeared as a guest on the podcast during the Tour de France to speak about the
race.
She and Armstrong jointly confirmed he would be covering
the race and the Colorado Classic also shared the video of the pair together on
its social media.
Jump forward to 32 minutes into this clip below to see Diaz
appear alongside Armstrong to announce his covering the race.
In contrast to the Colorado Classic getting cosy with
Lance Armstrong, the Tour of Utah organisers stuck a peg on their nose when
dealing with Floyd Landis in the build up to their event last week.
Landis used the money he received from his involvement in
supplying the key information against Armstrong to sponsor the Floyd's Pro
Cycling Continental team this year.
He said he felt he had a duty to use the money to put
back into cycling and so backed the Canadian-registered team.
When the team rode the Tour of Utah last week it did so under the Worthy Pro Cycling livery; backed by a brewery.
Landis said the organisers told him the team would only
be permitted to appear in the race if his name was stripped away from the team’s
kit and vehicles.
It has been suggested the organisers had an issue with
the fact Floyds of Leadville was in the CBD business.
However, Landis claims his name being stripped out was
personal and related to his doping and lying about it.
He pointed out that the name of his business – Floyds of
Leadville – does not appear in the team’s kit or any other livery.
Whatever the reason; the team only got to compete in Utah
when Landis’s name was wiped away. At the same time, in Colorado Armstrong’s
involvement is seen as a prize – contrasting fortunes for the two men.
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