Furthermore, Armstrong may saddle up in the deal with Hein Verbruggen - the former president and now vice-president of cycling's world body, the Union Cycliste Internationale. Some say it may be an Armstrong-UCI deal. It sounds far fetched … especially to those who might ask what Armstrong would get out of owning the Tour. Others may ask why he would race the Tour if a deal was in place. And what about the boilover of emotion from the French if their most famous sporting event was not only owned by an American, but by one they never really embraced even though he won it a record seven times?

Then again, there was a time when no one thought man would land on the moon. An Armstrong did that … So let's think out of the square here. Let's just say the whispers of an ASO buyout are true. Were Armstrong to own ASO, it would give him a huge European-based sporting arm through which he could promote the Lance Armstrong Foundation and expand exposure for his own personal sponsors.

It is worth noting that ASO, whose revenue in 2006 was €150 million ($263m), does not just own the Tour. It also owns nine other races - including the Tour Qatar and Tour du Faso in Africa - the Dakar car rally, Paris marathon and half-marathon, the French Golf Open and the R.I.D.E international equestrian event in Normandy. The return of Armstrong to racing after a four-year hiatus - let alone if he won - would also reinforce the Armstrong branding that he virtually had on the Tour during his reign as champion, and would cement it as its future figurehead.

And if such a deal pains the French, should not the blame be pointed at ASO's owners for giving up a national icon? If it sounds absurd, there have been a number significant events that hint at such an outcome. American ownership of ASO would strengthen the bridge between it and the US-based Anschutz Entertainment Group which organises, among other events, the Tour of California.

Furthermore, the event already supports two cancer charities and has been listed by Armstrong as one of the races he will compete in next year. A relationship already exists between ASO and AEG, too. Last year, they settled on a marketing partnership deal.

The prospect of an Armstrong-UCI coalition involving UCI vice-president Verbruggen also carries weight. The Dutchman appears available. He stood down as an International Olympic Committee member on August 24. The UCI also announced during the Olympics that it had met with the Amaury Group to settle a long-standing dispute with the tour organisers over the official sanctioning of races. But did they discuss more?

Nothing was said by the UCI then about a possible ASO takeover. Nor has it been since. But, interestingly, no tour executives were present at those talks, or at the UCI press conference in Beijing. Recent whispers also hint that several ASO executives may soon be leaving. Such a scenario would leave Australia, South Africa and other countries in the southern hemisphere as the next frontier for the Armstrong-UCI ticket.

The gain for the UCI is its association with Armstrong, while for Armstrong, it would allow him to take his fight against cancer worldwide. Which is, after all, the reason he says he is getting back on the bike.