UCI President David Lappartient will refrain from visiting the Tour of Flanders because the organisers are sticking to the invitation for Lance Armstrong. I cannot confiscate Armstrong’s American passport and prevent him from coming to Belgium,”said the Frenchman,” but I am not happy with the situation and will not visit the roundabout “.
Armstrong is scheduled to be the first speaker at the newly founded Business Academy two days before the race, and on the first day of the race Armstrong will be the first speaker at the newly founded Business Academy. As far as I am concerned, he is very welcome to visit the famous spring classic himself. Lance Armstrong is and remains a great champion,”said Wouter Vandenhaute when the invitation came out in December.
“He will of course attract a lot of attention, but that’s not the image cycling is supposed to have. We want to promote a clean sport and Armstrong is not a symbol of that,”said Lappartient, who also pointed out the Texan’s lifelong ban, which forbids him from participating in UCI events:”He is not allowed to sit in a support vehicle.”
Vandenhaute wants to avoid this by showing Armstrong at different locations in the race, but without driving in the support caravan,”Lance said he didn’t want to be a burden and allowed me to make other arrangements. He’s keynote speaker on Friday. I would find it impolite and not hospitable not to invite him to the Ronde on Sunday”, Vandenhaute defended himself against Het Nieuwsblad.