Lance Armstrong Returns To Road Cycling, Wins Twice

Lance Armstrong has returned to road cycling exaclty as he left it — by winning races. After claiming the individual time trial Saturday, Armstrong teamed with John Korioth, who helped co-found the Lance Armstrong Foundation, to capture the team time trial Sunday in the concluding day of the 25th anniversary of the Tour de Gruene in Texas.

Armstrong and Korioth were timed in 56 minutes and 37 seconds in the 27.3-mile team time trial, nearly three minutes faster than the runnerup twosome.

In Saturday’s 16-mile individual time trial. Armstrong, 37, claimed the age 35-39 age group in 33:14, more than three minutes faster than the second place age group finisher and 1:43 faster than anyone else in the field.

The individual time trial was Armstrong’s first road race since he retired on the final day of the 2005 Tour de France after his seventh straight win.

Armstrong said he felt better in Sunday’s after making position and power adjustments.

Armstrong, who lives in Austin, has now competed in the Tour de Gruene, a festive, German heritage-themed competitive and citizens’ ride weekend event, three times.

Armstrong previously competed in the Tour de Gruene with Eddy Merckx of Belgium, a five-time Tour de France winner, and with former teammate Kevin Livingston, who now works for Medalist Sports, a cycling event management company.