BOISE -- It is a moment that few could ever forget. Cyclist Kristin Armstrong posing on the podium with her two-year-old son Lucas, moments after her second gold medal ride, this one a dominate showing at the 2012 London Olympics.
"I was a mom first and a cyclist second," an emotional Armstrong told NBC back in 2012.
Prior to the 2012 Games, Kristin made it known it was the moment she was seeking.
"I couldn't image anything better than being on the top step with my son Lucas," Armstrong told KTVB after coming out of retirement for the first time back in 2008.
It the was golden moment that would allow her to walk away from competition and retire for good.
But as we found out on Tuesday, their is still plenty left in the competitive tank for Kristin Armstrong.
"This is a big day for me. To announce that I'm coming out of retirement again," Armstrong told KTVB on Tuesday. "I love competition."
That win by 15 seconds in London two-and-half years ago has had time to marinate. The sheer dominance is now put in perspective. It was an athlete not just at the top of her game, put at the top of her sport.
Retirement no doubt treated one of Idaho's most accomplished athletes well. And believe it or not, she's still the same caliber of athlete.
"I train on watts," Armstrong explained. "Power doesn't lie. Currently I'm at a very similar level as what I was at in 2012. It's crazy, but it's real."
So the question begs to be asked: Will Kristin try for one more gold medal ride at the 2016 games in Rio?
Who knows the road to the Olympics better than Kristin? If she and her bike are the lone factors from here on out that determine her participation next summer, it is hard to believe the reigning Olympic champ won't win the race to Rio.
"The pinnacle of sports for me is that Olympic podium," said Armstrong with a smile. "I'm here to win. I'm here to be on top."
NOTE: Kristin's first competitive race is May 7th in Mexico. If everything goes as planned over the summer, she will compete at world's in September. The top 3 finishers from that event get an automatic bid to the 2016 Games in Rio.
