It could be argued that from 1999 to 2005, Lance Armstrong owned the Tour de France.   In those seven years, Lance won the race seven times, and pissed off a whole lot of French people in the process.   Well, if you think the French hated Armstrong for constantly winning their event, wait until they hear what Lance has planned next.

There are rumors circulating that Lance’s return to the race this season is just the beginning of his plan, as it appears Armstrong is no longer content with owning the yellow jacket year after year.   He wants to own the entire damn race.

From the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD:

Rumours are circulating that behind Armstrong’s decision, which will allow him to race in next year’s Tour de France, is an audacious plan that will change the face of cycling.

It may not be unveiled next week, but the word is that Armstrong is involved in a possible buyout of Tour organisers Amaury Sport Organisation from its parent company the Amaury Group.

Furthermore, Armstrong may saddle up in the deal with Hein Verbruggen - the former president and now vice-president of cycling’s world body, the Union Cycliste Internationale. Some say it may be an Armstrong-UCI deal.

If this actually happens, where would this rank amongst the greatest, if not the greatest, “FU” moments in sporting history?   To relate it to something taking place now, this would be like the Raiders firing Lane Kiffin three weeks into the season, and then Kiffin coming back and buying the team out from under Al Davis.

To make matters worse for the French, since Armstrong is an American, they’ll have nobody to run to for help taking him out.