Cycling's Comeback Kids: Who Will Pull It Off?

In just a couple of weeks, the Amgen Tour of California kicks off and the road cycling world will get a good glimpse of who it can expect to see at the front of the pro peloton for the rest of the season.

At the forefront of the race will be three come-back stories: Lance Armstrong, Ivan Basso and Floyd Landis, racing against one another for the first time since 2005. Inevitably, there will be doping questions about all three riders.

Though rumors have dogged Armstrong for years and Basso admitted he intended to dope for the 2006 Tour de France, only Landis has actually tested positive for a banned substance. In all likelihood, the peloton will simply acknowledge that, at least in the case of Basso and Landis, they’ve done their time and now they’re back.

Putting aside all the questions about doping, can any of them expect a return to greatness after roughly two years out of the saddle?

Armstrong’s return has been billed as the happy marriage of his cancer foundation work with his continued love of racing. Of course, it’s also tough not to think that the champion’s ego probably hasn’t found much retirement solace running marathons and posing with a string of celebrity girlfriends.

Despite those who doubt the 38-year-old still has another Tour victory in him, he probably stands the strongest chance of a true comeback.

For starters, the organization behind him, built by his long-time friend and sports director, Johan Bruyneel, is top-notch. There is an apparent peace between Armstrong and Tour-winner Contador to run the team together, which has eased preseason tension.

Still, one has to wonder what will happen by Tour time if neither can claim the better form in the spring.

Based on the results of the Tour Down Under, Armstrong isn’t exactly lighting up the peloton – he’s currently 38th in the general classification, but he’s known as a careful, cautious planner and strategist who knows when to strike.

This race is a good opportunity to check out the folks he’s going to be seeing for the rest of the season and put some gloss on his form.

Ivan Basso’s decision to restart his racing career at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina would seem to show some caution. He’s going to test his form in a race of little consequence and let the stars like Armstrong show their form to the main peloton in Australia.

Like Armstrong, he’s showing typical early form–not blowing the doors off, but using the race as an opportunity to get his legs back into the game.

Of the three, Landis is the real question mark. Unlike Armstrong and Basso, he’s spent most of his suspension fighting the doping charges that cost him the 2006 Tour title and not as much on his bike.

The five-day race in California will be his first real racing experience and that’s going to be challenging in a peloton that’s already got a couple of serious stage races under their wheels.

At the same time, Landis’ team is comprised largely of young, unknown riders, which means he may not be able to rely on the bench strength of the veterans riding for Astana and Liquigas.

At this point, my money’s on Armstrong for the title of 2009 Comeback Kid. His early season training is legendary and, while Basso’s younger by a couple of years, Armstrong has always been exceptional at planning each step of a season, and he generally gets what he wants.