Lance Armstrong Gives the French Dyspepsia

Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 3:53:52 pm PDT

The news of Lance Armstrong’s comeback has left the organizers of Le Tour de France bitter, and devoid of joie de vivre: Tour director leaves door open for Armstrong.

PARIS - Tour de France organizers are hardly thrilled at the prospect of Lance Armstrong returning for a shot at an eighth victory in cycling’s showcase event.

Race director Christian Prudhomme said Wednesday the door is open for Armstrong to compete in the 2009 Tour, but he was cool on the idea and stressed the 36-year-old American must meet stringent new anti-doping standards to clear up the suspicions that dogged him throughout his career.

Prudhomme told The Associated Press that Armstrong and his team must follow all the drug-testing rules “that are much more strict than they were before.”

“If Lance Armstrong is at the start of the Tour de France, it will be the same thing for him and for his team, of course,” he said. “I can’t say anything else. There won’t be any exceptions.”