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Sunday, January 11, 2009

Lance Armstrong's comeback forces Tour Down Under to beef up security

Lance Armstrong's comeback forces Tour Down Under to beef up security
Big draw: Lance Armstrong's Tour Down Under comeback has forced organisers to rethink their security plans Photo: AP

Seven-time Tour de France winner, Armstrong is expected to arrive in Australia over the weekend from Hawaii ahead of the Jan 18 start to the tour.

Events South Australia general manager Hitaf Rasheed would not comment about specific security arrangements but said: "What a great situation to have with Lance Armstrong coming to Australia.

"And as an organisation we will put all the (security) measures in place to make sure the event runs as smoothly as possible."

Speculation in Australia suggests the 37-year old American and his entourage will have the services of a dedicated police motorcyclist, an unmarked car and two patrol vehicles for his training rides.

An Australian newspaper said Armstrong was also expected to have a personal security guard accompany him as he leaves his city hotel each morning for the walk to the nearby tour village from where he will ride out on training runs or drive to the start line.

Armstrong confidante and official photographer Elizabeth Kreutz was quoted as saying that Armstrong was fully focused on riding success and spreading his cancer awareness message.

Kreutz said Armstrong and his entourage expected the frenzy surrounding the athlete in Adelaide to be around "10 times" the magnitude of his Tour de France appearances because it was his comeback ride.

"It is going to be crazy, it is always crazy with the fans and the media but with this being his comeback race and because everyone is so enthusiastic about Australia we think it will be great," she said.

Kreutz said Armstrong's personal team would fly into Adelaide separate from his Team Astana cycling team, which will converge from different parts of the world.

She said the size of the entourage reflected the fact Armstrong had dedicated the Tour Down Under not only to his comeback but his anti-cancer fight through the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which was formed in 1997, one year after Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Armstrong successfully battled the cancer in 1996, retired from riding in 2005, but has dedicated his comeback to his "Livestrong" cancer prevention campaign.

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