Back in the Saddle Again for Some Familiar Faces

This year marks the return of some of the most famous and infamous names in cycling.  Floyd Landis returns after what has seemed like a 10 year court battle to unsuccessfully clear his name from any wrong doing.  Ivan basso returns after was serving a suspension for admitting to "almost doping" and the return of the living legend himself,  Lance Armstrong.  

The impact of Lance's return can be felt immediately.  Lance has stirred the pot the minute rumors started flying about his return to the peleton.  Speculation of his return to the Tour de France and if his team, full of tour winners and potential tour winners, would even welcome him back.

The stir became headline news (as much as cycling can be headline news) and can be compared to the return of Brett Favre and Micheal Jordan.People began to talk about the Tour de France and what races he would be at.  His official comeback to the pro peleton is currently underway in the Tour Down Under. 

Typically a warm up race and a chance for some of the pros to log some base miles in the warmth of the Australian summer, has turned into live coverage for mainstay cycling outlets.  The press coverage has grown and the fact that lance is there and the "How is he doing?" has stolen center stage.

Lance simply makes Cycling headline news.

For Basso the reaction has been kind of mixed.  Outside of Italy, most cycling fans do not think he will be able to return to the podium of the Tour.  He was always a quite guy and not very flashy.  He did not get the casual cycling fan excited.  Also a few consider his suspension to be less than others have received.  No one really knows how his body and mind will re adapt to the pressures of regaining his top form. 

What he does have going for him his he still young, in cycling years, and was always a class rider.  His bike position and body mechanics, made it seem effortless for him to stick with lance in the Tour on some of the hardest stages. Rumors has it that he is on form and spent his time from racing to focus on his training.

How Floyd will be received is harder to gauge.  His fall was from the highest step of the Tour, age,  along with hip replacement surgery will impact his ability to return to close to his previous form.  He has been seen "Drilling It" on the local Southern California weekend hammer-fest rides but doing the same to real pros is completely different.

Floyd is on a domestic team and should be at most major US races.  One thing that you can be sure, he will ride to prove everyone wrong and that can be a great motivational tool.

The first real test will occur at this years Amgen Tour of California. Expect to get a good indication of How Lance, Basso and Floyd are doing compared to others in short few weeks.