Still Not About The Bike

As Armstrong well knows. He is driven by ego, yes, but also a desire to muzzle the doubters who don't believe he was a clean champion. He has retained the services of Don Catlin, one of the world's top antidoping detectives. Catlin, who will be paid by Astana, will subject his client to tests to ensure that he is clean, then make the results public.

"You could argue that this is the riskiest thing I've ever done," says Armstrong. "Say I get fifth in the Tour. There'll be people who say, 'Uh-huh. Now that he's clean, he comes in fifth.'" Still, the cyclist sees his return to the races as a no-lose situation. "If I get fifth and five guys write, 'It's because he was dirty before and he's clean now'—but I've effected some change around the world—well," says Armstrong, "guess who wins?"

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