Armstrong impresses Carmichael prior to Tour Down Under

By Kirsten Frattini
published

Chris Carmichael is impressed with Lance Armstrong's improvement following a three and a half year...

Lance Armstrong heads out

Lance Armstrong heads out (Image credit: Luca Bettini)

Chris Carmichael is impressed with Lance Armstrong's improvement following a three and a half year break from professional cycling. The American is training the seven-time Tour de France winner for his comeback that starts this month in Australia at the Tour Down Under, 20 to 25.

"The progress I am observing is equal to what he had before retiring," Carmichael said to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Carmichael first noticed the American at the 1989 Junior World Championships in Moscow. He helped Armstrong to win the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005. Armstrong retired after the 2005 edition, but announced his comeback this last fall.

"At first he thought he would not be in acceptable form for the first races. He will continue to train in Australia because he is still at the start of the road leading to the Tour de France [July 4 to 26 - ed.]."

Carmichael arrived in Hawaii this week to meet Armstrong. He is training on the American Island prior to the Tour Down Under. (GB)

Cyclingnews' complete coverage of Lance Armstrong's comeback.

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Kirsten Frattini
Kirsten Frattini
Women's Editor

Kirsten Frattini is an honours graduate of Kinesiology and Health Science from York University in Toronto, Canada. She has been involved in cycling from the community and grassroots level to professional cycling's WorldTour. She has worked in both print and digital publishing, and started with Cyclingnews as a North American Correspondent in 2006. Moving into a Production Editor's role in 2014, she produces and publishes international race coverage for all men's and women's races including Spring Classics, Grand Tours, World Championships and Olympic Games, and writes and edits news and features. As the Women's Editor at Cyclingnews, Kirsten also coordinates and oversees the global coverage of races, news, features and podcasts about women's professional cycling.