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Thu 8 Jan, 6:35 pm GMT

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Lance Armstrong's Trek Madone 6.9 unveiled

By James Huang, Technical editor

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will mark his official return to professional road racing with Johan Bruyneel’s Astana team at the upcoming Tour Down Under aboard a one-off Trek Madone 6.9, draped in his trademark Livestrong livery.   

In contrast to the blue and white rigs piloted by the rest of his teammates, Armstrong’s bike is a decidedly more somber black and grey punctuated by a bright yellow ‘Livestrong’ logo and band on the top tube.  

Littered throughout the graphics are a number of “hidden messages” though we’ll have to wait until the rest of the bike is unveiled in Australia to see exactly what they are. According to Trek road bike marketing manager Scott Daubert, lying beneath the custom finish is a fully standard 58cm Madone 6.9 frame pulled directly off the production line.

Daubert added that the special paint job required 30 hours of labor to complete – in spite of the complicated graphics, there are no decals and each detail was applied solely with careful paint and masking work. As a result, other production in Trek’s Project One division was essentially shut down in the meantime as nearly the entire staff was involved, including graphic artist Mike Pfalzgraff, ‘paint department maestro’ Bob Seibel, and paint cell leader Brian Yuker among others.

Armstrong’s frame still has a long journey ahead before it's complete, though. In the coming days, team liaison Ben Coates will reportedly fly to Trek headquarters in Wisconsin from Austin, Texas to take delivery of the one-of-a-kind creation. From there, he will then hand-carry it directly to Australia where he will pass it on to Astana team mechanics for assembly.   

According to Daubert, Armstrong will use the standard team build kit consisting of the SRAM Red gruppo and Bontrager wheels and cockpit components. Almost assuredly, the bike will also be topped with Armstrong’s signature Selle San Marco Concor Lite saddle.

Armstrong has stated on multiple occasions that the main purpose of his comeback was “to take the global epidemic of cancer really to a much bigger stage,” and the bright finish, which should be easily distinguishable from others in the peloton, will undoubtedly draw attention to his cause. It is still unclear, though, what kit he will be wearing.   

A similarly distinctive black-and-yellow kit would naturally draw even more attention but International Cycling Union (UCI) rules clearly mandate that “each team may have only a single design for clothing (colours and layout) which may not be altered for the duration of the calendar year,” and that “riders’ clothing shall always be identical to the specimen lodged.”  

However, that hasn’t stopped other riders in the past who have been more than willing to pay a hefty fine in order to don some special duds (remember Mario Cipollini's crazy outfits?). For now, Daubert says the team has supplied Armstrong with official Astana kit though we’ll have to wait a little longer to see what he actually uses.   

User Comments

There are 23 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 23 of 23 comments

  • As a wise man once said......its not about the bike.... :o)

  • Especially if he crashes it in the first sprint finish...

  • Armstrong in a sprint..?

  • Well, the bunch crash during the leadout for first sprint anyhoo...

  • Actually, I believe in his younger days (pre-cancer) Lance was quite a good sprinter.

    While winning his 7 Tours, however, he seldom risked it, saying the danger of crashing was too great. The last time we saw him sprint was, I think, 2004 when he outdistanced Andreas Kloden for a stage win. Remember that one? Kloden was so far ahead Phil Liggett had already declared Kloden the winner. Lance was ticked that Ullrich and Kloden had drafted all day behind Postal, and the last few hours behind Floyd Landis, not once taking a turn at the front. Lance wanted to give the stage to Floyd, and told him to "run like you stole something, Floyd", but Jan and Kloden, without doing the work, wanted to reap the win, and Kloden took off. A tired Landis couldn't catch him....so Lance did! I think this Tour will provide some thrills, whether its Lance, or Alberto, or Levi, or Andreas K. Can't wait to see the new bike.

  • I've seen the pics from the Trek blog and it's going to be a HOT bike. A shame I just bought the Astana version. Can't wait to see Astana's new kit -and really hoping it has some LIVESTRONG livery on it. Always shocked me that Lance rides a 58 inch frame - that's pretty big for a 5'10" rider!

  • Trek sizes measure center-to-top, so you have to fudge up a size, sort of like Italian clothes.

  • Apparently he rides the bigger frame as he likes the correspondingly longer top tube.

  • Astana for 1-2-3 podium finish?

  • The tour de france that is...Basso to figure in the giro 1-2-3 me thinks

  • @djfrey

    And Lance and postal never sat on all day and then when it counted hit the front? Or what about when Ullrich attacked and Postal could not catch him and had to get CSC to help catch him....then Lance danced away on the final climb after an arm chair ride...come on....thats cycling

  • Well, of course you're right, greg68. But I think different circumstances dictate how people feel about unwritten rules, including those in cycling. As you probably recall, Floyd Landis had ridden an amazing ride that day. His power, stamina, and speed had awed the peloton. Only 5 riders could even hang on. I doubt Lance himself could have pulled off such a feat. And Floyd did it for Armstrong, who was just as impressed as everyone else. Did Ullrich owe Floyd Landis for his free ride in Floyd's draft? Maybe not. That's cycling. Did Floyd deserve to win that stage? Well, hell, yes! It's so rewarding when someone actually gets what they ought. Sigh.

  • I find it hard to believe they've only made him one,when it would have cost nothing like twice as much to make two.As has been said above,what happens if he stacks it?.He managed to do ths going UP Luz Ardiden!

  • One more day, one more press release ...

  • This wasn't a press release

  • Is the race on t.v ????

    chrz

  • http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/images/lance-madone-side-hi.jpg

  • @ richard goodman

    As to not question too much - is that the same frame? If you look at the top tube on the link it contains grey, doesnt have livestrong written on it or a yellow band that wraps around the whole tube - just thought id throw that out there and see if anyone knows anything

    Cheers, Mike

  • Lance rides a 58 inch frame??? Yes, that does sound a bit too big

  • I really hope someone steals that. I'd giggle like a badger.

  • do badgers giggle???

  • I think you would have to spend altogether way too much time with a badger to know the answer to that.

  • @16simon

    58 inches! lol. Yes I agree with you. I hope no one on this post is involved with sending a Mars orbiter into space ... English, metric ... it's all the same amongst friends :-)

  • 1

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