How long will Lance Armstrong be allowed to support Hincapie's U.S. cycling project through his podcast?

Now 53, Armstrong has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. He has been in the news frequently as the savior of former cyclists Jan Ullrich and Bradley Wiggins, and with his podcast, The Move, he regularly shares his sharp opinions on what is happening in the cycling world. His former team manager, Jan Bruyneel, and former teammate and good friend, George Hincapie, are also frequent guests.

Now that 51-year-old Hincapie has started his own cycling team, Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, money and attention are needed. The Move can lend a helping hand to this ambitious project. Hincapie aims to participate in the Tour de France within five years, marking a 'renaissance of American cycling'. Bobby Julich is helping him. Neither of them has a clean past in the sport, so questions were asked when The Move appeared as one of the sponsors of the new team.

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According to Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, The Move, as a partner, provides “world-class analysis, leadership, and a community of engaged fans.” It is an important part of the ambition to turn the new team into an "American Dream Team." A subtle punch at American WorldTour team EF Education-EasyPost, which has been operating as an American cycling team for years, but that aside.

The fact that Armstrong hosts the podcast could be perceived as problematic by some, given his lifetime ban from cycling. However, according to Cycling Weekly, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has approved the sponsorship. "As of now, our understanding is that this venture is outside the UCI jurisdiction and that of any WADA Code signatory. So, the lifetime ban on Lance Armstrong under the WADA Code is not implicated."

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And so, for the time being, Hincapie can build an 'American Dream Team' with the support of his good friend. According to USADA, this could change if Modern Adventure Pro Cycling applies for a UCI license for 2026 when the ambitious project is set to begin. Sponsorship will play a role in the granting of a license. Hincapie denies that Armstrong is involved in his cycling team. “But I will certainly ask him for advice from time to time.”

The team is in the process of registering with the UCI, and Hincapie does not believe that The Move will have to take a step back. "I am co-owner of the podcast with Lance and saw this as an opportunity to promote the team through our channels and gain more support, as we attract a lot of viewers during the Tour de France. There are no other connections; we have been completely transparent about the structure and are working with our legal team to ensure that everything meets the UCI's requirements."