My Lance Armstrong Conspiracy Theory

I'm a big Lance Armstrong fan but I still have mixed feelings on his comeback. On one hand it would really be great to see him ride and dominate the races. On the other, I feel that it's time to just stay in the sidelines and cheer as a new batch of champions emerge.

We all know the official reason why he wants to go back - to bring a much-needed awareness in the fight against cancer. But if you look at him, at how he answers at the questions raised during his press conferences, you can't help but think that there's something more - all that rage is inside him waiting to come out. It's as if he wants to go back to prove something more.

Below are just my conspiracy theories, and in no way are these true. In the comic world, this would belong to the Elseworlds realm:

Before the start of the 2005 season, members of the UCI were able to prove that Lance really did use performance enhancing drugs in his first Tour de France win in 1999. These were unofficial results since the respective athlete didn't give any consent prior to the testing.

A news that would definitely destroy the very fabric of the sport and the hopes of millions of people with cancer, a very select few were called in a meeting to discuss what the next steps should be - Armstrong, the head of the UCI and the race director of ASO.

An announcement of a doping positive would cause a tremendous shockwave to the business part of the Tour. Nike, a major sponsor, would have its image damaged and would definitely pull out from the Tour. Other sponsors will definitely follow suit. The damage would be too great that the Tour might go to a halt.

People who have looked up to Armstrong as a symbol of hope would be devastated. The miracle of 1999 - when a cancer survivor won the Tour de France, wasn't a miracle after all. This is a big blow that would demoralize them. Without the attitude Armstrong has inspired in them, thousands will die.

On the other hand, Armstrong will file charges if they do decide to come out with the announcement. There were no go signal given from his end, which is a clear violation on the part of the UCI. He would put all his money on making sure he wins. And he will.

With a lot of things at stake, all the parties involved came up with a compromise - 2005 will be Lance's last year. For the business, ASO would let him ride the Tour de France for one last time. In the end, everybody wins - Armstrong bows out gracefully, the UCI gets rid of him, and the ASO saves its business.