With Lance Armstrong continuing to make good progress in the Tour de France, attention has focused on his decision to Twitter as he participates in the event. Latest postings include the following:
"Driving 2 the start. Whattya think? A break makes it 2 the finish 2day? I'm guessing so. Rolling terrain today too. Tomorrow's stage is tuf!"
"St12 done. Uh, not easy! Up and down all day long and was aggressive from the start. Took 80 kms for the break to go. Ouch. Also pretty warm."
"Getting post race massage. Listening to the Garden State soundtrack. So good. Shins, Iron and Wine, Remy Zero, Simon and Garfunkel, etc."
More Tweets from Armstrong can be accessed via: http://twitter.com/lancearmstrong
In the meantime, SI.com has recently published the following article:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/the_bonus/06/05/twitter.sports/index.html
Why is Armstrong Twittering? What does he stand to gain? Is this an attempt to smooth out the rough edges of a personality which the cycling fraternity has in the past failed to warm to? Is this Armstrong's attempt to engage more openly and closely with fans? Is he trying to make a point to his critics - those in France and those more generally who are cynical about who he is, what he does and the vehement drug denials Armstrong continues to make? Is there a commercial reason for his decision, especially as he seeks to build a new cycling team that should enter the Tour at some stage in the future? Is Twitter being used as a marketing communications tool to promote 'Brand Armstrong'? Or is this simply a perfectly innocent case of an athlete finally having a tool that enables them to tell fans exactly like it is?
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