Docherty hopes to race Armstrong

Lance Armstrong will race in the Eves Blue Lake triathlon event in Rotorua next year. Photo / Getty Images

Two time Olympic triathlon medalist Bevan Docherty is hopeful to compete against cycling great Lance Armstrong in Rotorua next year.

But it will defend on whether the race will affect Docherty's quest for gold at the London Olympics in 2012.

Seven times Tour de France champion Armstrong announced on Twitter last week that he will race in the Eves Blue Lake Multisport Festival, a sprint triathlon held at Lake Tikitapu on January 30.

Event organiser Charlotte Pearson confirmed yesterday that Armstrong was just the third person to complete an entry form.

The number is expected to rise sharply as interest in the race increases on the back of one of the world's biggest sporting names committing to the event.

Docherty said the announcement was huge for the sport.

"It's super exciting that Lance could be racing in Rotorua, not only is it good for the sport but it's great for Triathlon New Zealand.

"He couldn't have chosen a better race to get back into it, the Blue Lake is one of the most beautiful locations and for a sprint triathlon race a pretty tough course."

Next year marks the 25th anniversary of the event which includes a sprint triathlon of a 750m lake swim, 16km road cycle and a 5.5km forest run.

Docherty was hopeful of competing against Armstrong but said he'd have to check with his 2011 schedule which will be set to prepare him for the next Olympics.

The ITU World Championship Series doesn't begin until April next year.

"I would love to be on the start line, however I have to put it past my coach first, as the next 18 months are very important with Olympic selection coming up.

"Blue Lake Triathlon was one of my favourite courses as a junior, I learnt the ways of the sport, and it would be great to show Lance where the level is at now."

Pearson said for top New Zealand triathletes "it will be a novelty to race against Lance Amstrong".

Docherty, who won silver and the Athens Olympics and bronze four years later at Beijing, wasn't prepared to wage on whether or not Armstrong could take out the event.

"I'm really not too sure how competitive he'll be, I hear he's been doing a bit of swimming, but I'm sure the 'massive engine' he has will carry him through."

Before carving out a record as one the greatest cyclists of all time, Armstrong began his sporting career as a triathlete winning the US national sprint-course triathlon title in 1989 aged just 18.

Armstrong will arrive in New Zealand after taking part in next year's Tour Down Under in Australia which is meant to be his last professional cycling race outside the United States.

- Herald online