Associated Press

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<!-- begin text11 div --><!-- begin leftcol --> <!-- template inline -->PARIS -- Lance Armstrong says the Discovery Channel team has been so impressed by Floyd Landis that they want to sign him.


With Discovery struggling at this year's Tour, with only one rider in the top 20, Landis could be the leader Discovery is looking for.


"We've always been interested in Floyd, he's a damn good rider," Armstrong said Sunday. "We would take Floyd back. We've pursued him for some time now."


From his room at the Crillon hotel in Paris, Armstrong watched Landis step onto the winners podium -- the third American to win the showcase event, a year after Armstrong's seventh and final title.


Armstrong and Landis rode together for three years when the team was called U.S. Postal. Landis, seeking a new challenge, left in 2005 to join Phonak.


Armstrong, who is part-owner of the Discovery team, said he and team director Johan Bruyneel would love to work with him again.


"We believe he's a good rider. We wouldn't be interested in taking him otherwise," Armstrong told The Associated Press. "He's balanced, and I think he's smarter tactically than people think. He knows tactics, and he knows the flow of the race."


Landis has raced with an arthritic hip, injured in a 2003 training crash. He plans to undergo surgery this fall.
Armstrong is hopeful of the outcome.


"I worry a little bit about the hip," he said. "I don't know the whole story about the hip, but we would still be interested."


Before the race, Discovery team director Johan Bruyneel was confident George Hincapie, Yaroslav Popovych and Jose Azevedo would perform well, having had ample time to prepare for Armstrong's retirement.


But Hincapie, tipped to shine in Armstrong's absence, finished 32nd overall, and Popovych, the 2005 Tour's top young rider, was 25th. Azevedo had the highest finish -- 19th.


As soon as the race hit the Pyrenees in the second week, Hincapie knew he was in trouble.


"I saw the other riders go, and I couldn't continue," Hincapie said. "I didn't even want to ride any more. It was very deflating and disappointing, hard to continue at that point."


Because Discovery had several cyclists hoping to become the leader, Bruyneel said the team's focus was as blurred as it was evident under Armstrong.


"We need to be focused on having just one leader," Bruyneel said.
Discovery team highlights were rare at this Tour: Hincapie wore the yellow jersey after the first stage; and Popovych won stage 12, pulling away from a group of breakaway riders in the final stretch.


Bruyneel tried to look on the bright side Sunday, saying "we don't go home empty-handed."
Hincapie was more blunt.


"Everybody wants to know an excuse, but we just don't have one," he said after Sunday's final stage on the Champs-Elysees. "Things just don't always go the way you want them. We worked really hard. ... I don't know what happened."


Viatceslav Ekimov, 40, completed his 15th and final Tour on Sunday.
He predicts more change is likely for the team.


"Discovery Channel won't be without a big guy for long, that's for sure," Ekimov said. "Every big rider would be happy to join us, because every rider sees we don't have a leader. So, it's a good spot. There will be changes."


Armstrong agreed a signing a big name is crucial to fulfilling the team's ambitions and insists Bruyneel is the right man to rebuild Discovery.


"Johan's committed," Armstrong said. "He's frustrated enough to make it right."

This was already posted, in the thread about the fact that Landis has already re-upped with Phonak. Which is where he should stay, IMO.

yep. based on soem of his interviews,landis didn;t really agree with the strict standards of Disco. If he were with Disco, he wouldn;t have been able to drink that beer right after he bonked and lost 8 mins. Without that beer he wouldn;t have been able to put in that magnificent ride right after that stage hehe :)

The last thing I would want to do if I were Landis is to join a team run by Armstrong. Floyd is too laid back for that crap.

I hope Floyd tells Lance to shove it.

The last thing I would want to do if I were Landis is to join a team run by Armstrong. Floyd is too laid back for that crap.

laid back? guess you weren't paying attention on Thursday.

don't confuse the fact that he drinks beer and wears big sunglasses with a 'laid back' disposition.

This side of the pond we only know the US riders from what we see on the box.

What I saw the last two weeks.

Floyd loses and thanks the press for still showing interst.
Floyd wins and is a happy bloke.
Floyd pokes fun at himself and motivates his team.

Armstrong shows up at the tour with umpteen bodyguards that clear the way for his highness to get to the VIP area, completely ignoring press and, what's more, the general public.

I think Floyd is an all round good egg that likes to ride a bike (that doesn't mean he's not competitive).
I don't think his personality is very compatible with Armstrong's.

All from impressions on the tube, of course.

Peter R.

no-go...I think Floyd has too much respect for his current squad and is comfortable with the support that he gets from them to just up and go when Lance snaps his fingers...

Discovery tried to sign Floyd last year and it didn't work because he had a bad taste in his mouth from his time there and the stuff Disco pulled in the Tour of Georgia. But time heals all wounds. And if Floyd wants the advertising dollars and the endorsements and the goodies, Discovery is a better place to be.

Floyd is in a very good place either way. I'm happy for the guy.

Probably wont happen. But Landis was left alone an embarrasingly large amount of the time. His team was one of the weakest in the Tour, and certainly, the weakest team for a winner in quite a while. The teams still has numerous doping problems, despite one management turnover. The primary sponsor is leaving, a secondary sponsor is taking over. Landis endorsement opportunities are limited by the team he is on, and the bike he is riding. This is his last opportunity for a big paycheck, and he is facing significant risk. It makes more sense to jump then not to, but I doubt Landis' pride will allow that.

Armstrong shows up at the tour with umpteen bodyguards that clear the way for his highness to get to the VIP area, completely ignoring press and, what's more, the general public.
So, if Lance had given several interviews and had been more visible, you guys would be saying he was trying to steal the spotlight from Landis, et. al. I believe Lance was trying very hard to be respectful of the real spotlight of this tour and that was this year's tour riders. My opinion based on what I have seen on the box and on the internet.:)

Win seven tours and maybe we see Landis with body guards to protect him from the crazies.:rolleyes: He might even get p*ssed more often and throw more water bottles at folks with cameras!!:eek: