Lance Armstrong

Template:Road bicycle racer infobox Lance Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist. He has won the Tour de France, professional cycling's most prestigious race, a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. In doing so, he beat the previous record of five consecutive wins, held by Miguel Induráin and five non consecutive wins shared by Miguel Induráin, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil. This feat was accomplished several years after brain and testicular surgery, and extensive chemotherapy in 1996, to treat testicular cancer that had metastasized to his brain and lungs.

In 2002, Sports Illustrated magazine named him Sportsman of the Year. He was also named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, received ESPN's ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award in 2003. Armstrong retired from racing on July 24, 2005, at the end of the 2005 Tour de France.

His athletic success and his dramatic recovery from cancer inspired Armstrong to commemorate his accomplishments in conjunction with Nike through the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a charity founded in 1997. The now ubiquitous "Livestrong" yellow rubber wristbands first launched in 2004 netted the Foundation tens of millions of dollars in the fight against cancer and helped Armstrong become a major player in the nonprofit sector.

Career

Early career

Armstrong began his sporting career as a triathlete, competing in adult competitions from the age of 14, he even appeared on the cover of Triathlete Magazine at age 17. It soon became clear that his greatest talent was as a bicycle racer. At 17, he received an invitation to train with the Junior National Cycling Team. Plano Independent School District's school board said that the 42 day leave to train, taken during the second semester of his senior year, would bar him from graduating. Armstrong withdrew from Plano East Senior High School with his mother's blessing and went to train with the team. He graduated from Bending Oaks Private Academy in Dallas the following spring. Armstrong still harbors resentment toward Plano because of this and prefers his adopted home of Austin, Texas.

After competing as a cycling amateur, winning the US amateur championship in 1991 and finishing 14th in the 1992 Olympics road race, Armstrong turned professional in 1992 [[3]]. He finished last in his first professional cycle race, the Clasica San Sebastian. However, the following year he scored his first major victory as he rode solo to win the World Cycling Championship in Oslo, Norway. His victory was so impressive that he was invited to an audience with the King of Norway which he initially turned down after finding his mother was not included in the invitation. Minutes later, the King invited both.

His success continued with Team Motorola, with whom he won stages in the 1993 and 1995 Tours de France and several classic one-day events. Also in 1995, he won the premier U.S. cycling event, the Tour DuPont, after placing second in 1994. He won the Tour DuPont again in 1996 and was ranked the number nine cyclist in the world. Later in 1996, however, he abandoned the Tour de France and had a disappointing Olympic Games, in Atlanta. These early disappointments spurred him on to the great things he has achieved post-cancer, and he admits that if he had given in on the devilishly difficult Clasica San Sebastian in which he had previously finished last, he could have retired from the sport.

Cancer

On October 2, 1996, Armstrong was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer that had metastasized, spreading to his lungs and brain. His doctors told him that he had less than a 40 percent chance of survival. After his recovery, one of his doctors told him that his actual odds of survival had been considerably smaller (one even went as far as to say three percent), and that he had been given the estimate primarily to give him hope. The date of October 2 was eventually commemorated by Armstrong and Nike, through the "10//2" line of merchandise. One dollar from the sale of each piece of "10//2" merchandise is donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which was founded in 1997. Armstrong managed to recover after surgery to remove his right testicle and two brain lesions, and a course of chemotherapy, performed at Indiana University School of Medicine. The standard chemotherapy for his cancer would have meant the end of his cycling career, because a known side effect was a dramatic reduction in lung function; he opted for a more severe treatment that was less likely to result in lung damage. While in remission he resumed training, but his contract had been canceled by his Cofidis team. He was eventually signed by the newly formed United States Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, and by 1998, he was able to make his successful return in the cycling world marked by his fourth place overall finish in the Vuelta a España. To this day, Armstrong lists his return from cancer as his proudest accomplishment.

Tour de France success

Before his illness, Armstrong had already a number of Tour de France stage wins to his name. In 1993, he won the 8th stage of the Tour, and in 1995, he took stage 18.

Post illness, Armstrong's cycling comeback began in 1999, with his first Tour de France win, including 4 stage wins, beating into second place, Alex Zuelle, by a margin of 7 minutes 37 seconds. However, the absence of Jan Ullrich (due to injury) and Marco Pantani (following drug misuse allegations) meant that Armstrong had not yet proven himself against the biggest names in cycling. Stage wins included the Prologue, stage 8, an individual time trial in Metz, an Alpine mountain stage win on stage 9, and the second individual time trial on stage 19.

In 2000, Ullrich and Pantani had returned to challenge Armstrong for the Tour de France crown. A race that began a six year rivalry between Ullrich and Armstrong ended in victory for Armstrong by a margin of 6 minutes 2 seconds over the second placed German. Armstrong took one stage win in the 2000 Tour by winning the second Individual time trial on stage 19.

2001 again saw Armstrong take top honors, with Ullrich beaten into second place, this time by 6 minutes 44 seconds. Armstrong won stage 10, finishing as victor on the famous L'Alpe d'Huez. The next day he won the individual time trial on stage 11. Stage 13 saw Armstrong win again in the mountains. He won his fourth stage of the 2001 tour on race day 18, a 61km individual time trial.

With Ullrich again absent for the 2002 Tour, Armstrong claimed his fourth title, winning by 7 minutes over leading competitor Joseba Beloki. The race included 4 stage wins for Armstrong, including the Prologue, mountain stages 11 and 12 and individual time trial on stage 19.

The familiar pattern returned in 2003, with the Texan taking first place and Ullrich taking second place. 1 minute 1 second is all that separated the two at the end of the final day in Paris. U.S. Postal won the Team Time Trial on Stage 4, while Armstrong took stage 15, despite being knocked off his bike on the ascent to Luz Ardiden, the day's final climb, as a spectator caught the leader's right handlebar, bringing him to the ground.

2004 again saw Armstrong beat a German cyclist into second place. However, this time it was Andreas Klöden, finishing 6 minutes 19 seconds behind the winner. Ullrich finished in fourth, a further 2 minutes 31 seconds behind. Armstrong won a personal best, 5 individual stages, plus the team time trial. He became the first man since Gino Bartali in 1948 to win three consecutive mountain stages; 15, 16, and 17. The individual time trial on stage 16 up L'Alpe d'Huez was won in considerable style by Armstrong as he passed Ivan Basso on the way up the epic climb, despite setting out 2 minutes after the Italian. He won sprint finishes from Basso in stages 13 and 15 and made up a significant gap in the last 250 meters to nip Klöden at the line in stage 17. He won the final individual time trial, stage 19, to complete his personal record of stage wins.

In his final tour in 2005, completing his record breaking feat, Armstrong crossed the finishing line on the Champs-Élysées on July 24th to win his 7th consecutive Tour de France title, finishing 4 minutes 40 seconds ahead of Ivan Basso with Jan Ullrich, perhaps fittingly, occupying the 3rd space on the podium. His Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team won the team time trial, while Armstrong won one individual stage, the final individual time trial. He looked strong from the beginning of the tour, loosing out on the first stage by only two seconds while passing his old rival, Jan Ullrich, on the road. In the Alps and the Pyrenees he answered all attacks, despite his team mates on occasion, failing to keep pace. Because of wet streets in Paris on the last stage, the referees, citing safety concerns, decided that the final General Classification overall time for the event would be taken 50 kilometers before the end. Armstrong crossed the finish line for his seventh consecutive Tour de France victory.

In addition to his 7 Tour de France wins, Armstrong has won 22 individual stages, 11 time trials and his team has won the team time trial on 3 occasions.

Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation

The Lance Armstrong Foundation was formed by Armstrong after fighting cancer. During summer 2004, the Lance Armstrong Foundation (with initial funding from Nike) developed the Livestrong wristband. The band was part of the Wear Yellow Live Strong educational program, intended to support cancer victims and survivors and to raise awareness about cancer. The band sold in packs of 10, 100, and 1200 as part of an effort to raise $5 million for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in cooperation with Nike. Individual bands sold for only US$1 each. Yellow was chosen for its importance in professional cycling, especially as the color of famed leader's yellow jersey of the Tour de France. As of January 2006, over 62 million Livestrong wristbands have been sold. Armstrong has also lent his name to Nike's newest line of footwear, all branded with the familiar "Live Strong" yellow. Armstrong, a member of the President's Cancer Panel since 2002, said in a recent article (7/25/2005) published in USA TODAY "we have the smartest people in the world" working on cures, so his (President Bush) role is to get the funds to keep that research alive.

"Funding is tough to come by these days," he says. "The biggest downside to a war in Iraq is what you could do with that money. What does a war in Iraq cost a week? A billion? Maybe a billion a day? The budget for the National Cancer Institute is four billion. That has to change. It needs to become a priority again."

Armstrong's next steps with the Foundation are yet to be determined. But he seems to be giving thought to using his status as a celebrity and cancer survivor to become more involved in the political world.

After being named the 2005 Sportsman of the Year, he said "Cancer and what all can be done there, not just in the world of health care, but if it's education or political, this is a very real issue," Armstrong said. "We're at an interesting time in medical research. That would be a serious rush for me if I could affect change there.

Armstrong points to rock singer Bono's lobbying for help for the world's poor and AIDS-stricken as a prime example of the power celebrity can bring to an issue.

He also realizes that battles involving politics and money could be much more difficult than anything he faced on the bike. He figures he won't be doing it alone, though, noting the 60 million Livestrong yellow bracelets the foundation has sold since 2004. "I know not all 60 million bought them because of a connection to cancer, but a lot of them did," he said. "When you consider that army, there's a powerful force for change."

Other interests, personal beliefs

Armstrong has diverse interests outside cycling. He had cameo roles in the films Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and You, Me and Dupree and has topped the bestsellers' lists with his book It's Not About the Bike, for which he won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2000. He has also become a spokesperson for survivorship, and he launched his own wristbrand line called Livestrong.

Armstrong drove the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pace car for the 2006 Indianapolis 500. Later that same year, Armstrong was given an honorary degree of doctor in humane letters from Tufts University and gave the commencement address.

Armstrong is not a member of any organized religion.

Reasons for success

Many have discussed the reasons for Armstrong's success in winning seven Tours in a row. No single factor seems to be responsible, but rather a combination of the following:

Training methodology and preparation

Armstrong has clearly triumphed at least partly because he learned to apply the obsessive focus he developed fighting cancer to making a career of winning the Tour de France, training in Spain for months leading up to the Tour de France and making frequent trips to France to fully analyze and ride key parts of the upcoming Tour de France course.

That he focuses solely on the Tour De France and seldom competes in other major races allows him to train 342 days a year for the 23 days of the Tour, a significantly greater training time than riders who compete in other races.

Chris Carmichael

Armstrong met former elite cyclist Chris Carmichael in 1990 and worked with him as his coach through all of his years at the Tour De France.

Johan Bruyneel

The team's sports director, Belgian ex-cyclist Johan Bruyneel, was involved in all of Armstrong's victories. A master tactician who shared Armstrong's obsession for detailed preparation, Bruyneel's symbiotic relationship with Armstrong makes it difficult for even them to ascertain which one influenced the other how much. Starting with Armstrong talking Bruyneel into becoming their sports director, and Bruyneel convincing Armstrong that he could win the Tour, to their almost constant radio communications during each race, the amount of support these men provided for each other through the seven victories was immeasurable.

Riding style

He has an extremely high aerobic threshold and therefore can maintain a higher cadence (often 120 rpm) in a lower gear than his competitors, most noticeably in the time trials. This style is in direct contrast to previous champions (e.g. Jan Ullrich and Miguel Indurain) who used a high gear and brute strength to win time trials. It is believed that a high cadence results in less fatigue in the leg muscles than a lower cadence requiring more severe leg muscle contractions. Ultimately the cardiovascular system is worked to a greater extent with a high cadence than with a lower, more muscular cadence. Because the leg muscles are taxed less with a high cadence pedaling style, they recover faster and the efforts can be sustained for longer periods of time. Armstrong dedicated a significant portion of his training to developing and maintaining a very efficient high cadence style.

Rare athletic physical attributes

All top cyclists have excellent physical attributes. Armstrong is no exception, although in one way, he may be unusual even for an elite athlete. He is near but not at the top aerobically, having a VO₂ Max of 83.8 mL/kg/min — much higher than the average person (40-50) but not as high as that of some other elite cyclists, such as Miguel Indurain (88.0, although reports exist that Indurain tested at 92-94) or Greg LeMond (92.5). His heart is 30 percent larger than average; however, an enlarged heart is a common trait for many other athletes. He has a resting heart rate of 32-34 beats per minute with a max heart rate at 201 bpm. Armstrong's most unusual attribute may be his low lactate levels. During intense training, the levels of most racers range from 12 μL/kg to as much as 20 μL/kg; Armstrong doesn't go above 6 μL/kg. The result is that less lactic acid accumulates in Armstrong's system, therefore it is possible that he feels less fatigue from severe efforts and this may contribute to his ability to sustain the same level of physical effort as other elite racers with less fatigue and faster recovery times. Some theorize that his high pedaling cadence is designed to take advantage of this low lactate level. In contrast, other cyclists — like Jan Ullrich — rely on their anaerobic capacity, pushing a larger gear at a lower rate. Further improvements in Armstrong's physical attributes and performance have been attributed to training induced increases in his muscular efficiency indicating changes in muscle myosin type.

Strength of his team

Some have attributed Armstrong's success in recent years in part to his US Postal Service cycling team (in 2005 the Discovery Channel Team). Throughout his wins in the Tour de France, Lance has slowly built up the strength of his team. In his first few Tour victories, his team was not considered exceptionally strong. Yet it is evident by the wins of his team in the Team Time Trial in his last three Tour de France victories that they are now one of the most dominating teams in the Pro Tour Circuit. While the U.S. Postal Team competes in races worldwide, the riders selected to join Armstrong in the Tour de France are there specifically to help Armstrong win the yellow jersey. However, the decisive moves in which he gains very large leads over the competition almost always involve Armstrong racing far ahead of his team, and Armstrong has often fended off multiple attacks even when his team falters and he is isolated unexpectedly.

Support of broader team

Armstrong also revolutionized the support behind his well-funded teams, asking his sponsors and equipment suppliers to contribute and act as one cohesive part of the team. For example, rather than having the bike frame, handlebars, and tires of a bicycle designed and developed by separate companies miles away from each other, his teams adopted a Formula 1-style relationship with sponsors and suppliers, taking full advantage of the combined resources of several organizations working in close communication. The team comprised of Trek, Nike, AMD, Bontrager, Shimano, and Oakley collaborate for a well-coordinated and technologically cutting edge array of products that produce the fastest Lance Armstrong possible. This is now the standard in the professional cycling industry.

Allegations of drug use

The sport of professional cycling has a particular problem with use of performance enhancing drugs, with prominent individuals and in some cases entire teams being disqualified at one time or another. This has resulted in cycling having a reputation for doping. Against this background, Armstrong has continually denied having used performance-enhancing drugs, and has described himself as "the most tested athlete in the world". Throughout his career only one test showed indications of the presence of doping products: in 1999, a urine sample showed traces of corticosteroids, but the amount was not in the positive test range. He later produced a medical certificate showing he used an approved cream for saddle sores which contained the substance.

Specific allegations

• In 2004, sports reporters Pierre Ballester and David Walsh jointly published a book alleging Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs (L. A. Confidentiel - Les secrets de Lance Armstrong). It contains allegations by Armstrong's former masseuse Emma O'Reilly who claimed that Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms. Another key figure in the book, Steve Swart, claims that he and other riders, including Armstrong, began using drugs in 1995 while they were members of the Motorola team, a claim since denied by other team members. Allegations in the book were reprinted in the UK newspaper The Sunday Times in a story by deputy sports editor Alan English in June 2004. Armstrong subsequently sued the newspaper for libel, which settled out of court after a High Court judge in a pretrial ruling stated that the article "meant accusation of guilt and not simply reasonable grounds to suspect." The newspaper's lawyers issued the following statement: "The Sunday Times has confirmed to Mr Armstrong that it never intended to accuse him of being guilty of taking any performance-enhancing drugs and sincerely apologised for any such impression." (See also in The Guardian). Armstrong later dropped similar lawsuits in France.

• On March 31, 2005, Mike Anderson filed a brief in Travis County District Court in Texas, as part of a legal battle following his termination in November 2004 as an employee of Armstrong. Anderson worked for Armstrong for two years as a personal assistant. In this brief Anderson claims that he discovered a box of Androstenine while cleaning a bathroom in Armstrong's apartment in Girona, Spain. While Androstenine is not on the list of banned drugs, the substances androstenedione and androstenediol are listed. However, Anderson stated in a subsequent deposition that he had no direct knowledge of Armstrong using a banned substance. Armstrong denied the claim and issued a counter-suit. The two men reached an out-of-court settlement in November 2005, the terms of the agreement undisclosed.

• On August 23, 2005, L'Équipe, a major French daily sports newspaper, reported on its front page under the headline "The Armstrong Lie" that the cyclist had taken EPO during the prologue and five stages of the 1999 Tour de France. This claim was based on an investigation in which they claimed to be able to match samples from the 1999 Tour that were used to hone the EPO test to Armstrong. The world governing body of cycling, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), did not begin using a urine test for EPO until two years later, in 2001. Armstrong immediately replied on his website, saying, "Unfortunately, the witch hunt continues and tomorrow’s article is nothing short of tabloid journalism. The paper even admits in its own article that the science in question here is faulty and that I have no way to defend myself. They state: 'There will therefore be no counter-exam nor regulatory prosecutions, in a strict sense, since defendant’s rights cannot be respected.' I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs."

• In June 2006, French newspaper Le Monde reported claims made by Betsy and Frankie Andreu during a deposition that Armstrong had admitted using performance-enhancing drugs to his physician just after brain surgery in 1996. The Andreus' testimony was related to litigation between Armstrong and SCA Promotions, a Texas-based company that was attempting to withhold a $5-million bonus; this was eventually settled out of court with SCA paying Armstrong and Tailwind Sports $7.5 million, to cover the $5-million bonus plus interest and lawyers' fees. Armstrong later issued a statement suggesting that Betsy Andreu may have been confused by possible mention of his post-operative treatment which included steroids and EPO that are routinely taken to counteract wasting and red-blood-cell destroying effects of intensive chemotherapy. The Andreu's allegation was not supported by any of the eight other people present, including Armstrong's doctor Craig Nichols, or his medical history, although according to Greg LeMond (who has been embroiled with his own disputes with Armstrong, see LeMond article), there exists a recorded conversation in which Stephanie McIlvain, Armstrong's contact at Oakley Inc., said to Greg LeMond, "You know, I was in that room. I heard it." .

• In July 2006, the Los Angeles Times published an in-depth story on the allegations raised in the SCA case. The report cited evidence presented at the trial including the results of the LNDD test and an analysis of these results by an expert witness. From the LA Times article: "The results, Australian researcher Michael Ashenden testified in Dallas, show Armstrong's levels rising and falling, consistent with a series of injections during the Tour. Ashenden, a paid expert retained by SCA Promotions, told arbitrators the results painted a "compelling picture" that the world's most famous cyclist "used EPO in the '99 Tour." Ashenden's finding were disputed by the Vrijman report, which pointed to procedural and privacy issues in dismissing the LNDD test results. The LA Times article also provided in-depth information on the testimony given by Armstrong's former teammate Steven Swart, Frankie Andreu and his wife Betsy, and Instant messaging conversation between Andreu and Jonathan Vaughters regarding blood-doping techniques in the peloton. [4] Vaughters later signed a statement disavowing the comments and stating he had: "no personal knowledge that any team in the Tour de France, including Armstrong's Discovery team in 2005, engaged in any prohibited conduct whatsoever." Andreu signed a statement affirming the conversation took place as indicated on the Instant messaging logs submitted to the court. [5]. The SCA trial was decided in favor of Armstrong, and the LA Times reported: "Though no verdict or finding of facts was rendered, Armstrong called the outcome proof that the doping allegations were baseless." [6] The LA Times article provides a comprehensive review of the disputed positive EPO test, allegations and sworn testimony against Armstrong, but notes that: "They are filled with conflicting testimony, hearsay and circumstantial evidence admissible in arbitration hearings but questionable in more formal legal proceedings." [7]
• In September 2006, Frankie Andreu and another, unnamed teammate were reported to have made recent statements that they used EPO during the 1999 Tour de France. This was the same tour, and the same drug, at issue in the controversy with WADA (see below). While both teammates are reported as saying they never saw Armstrong use EPO, Armstrong at once attacked the article, describing it as a "hatchet job." [8]

Investigation

In October 2005 UCI appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman to investigate the handling of urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, LNDD. Vrijman was the head of the Dutch anti-doping agency for ten years, since then he has worked as a defense attorney defending high-profile athletes against doping charges. Vrijman's report "cleared" Armstrong due to improper handling and testing and said that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the LNDD may have "behaved in ways that are completely inconsistent with the rules and regulations of international anti-doping control testing," and may also have been against the law. The report said that tests on urine samples were conducted improperly and fell so short of scientific standards that it was "completely irresponsible" to suggest they "constitute evidence of anything." The recommendation of the commission's report was that no disciplinary action whatsoever should be taken against any rider on the basis of the LNDD research. It also called upon the WADA and LNDD to submit themselves to an investigation by an outside independent authority. The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) rejected these conclusions and is considering legal action

Family

Armstrong met his first wife, Kristin Richard, in June 1997. They were married in May 1998 and had three children: Luke, born in October 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born in November 2001. The couple filed for divorce in September 2003. Kristin Armstrong cited several reasons for the dissolution of their marriage, including her husband's rapid rise to celebrity, his comeback from cancer, and their constant movement between multiple homes in different countries.

Armstrong began dating singer Sheryl Crow some time in the autumn of 2003 and publicly revealed their relationship in January 2004. The couple announced their engagement in September 2005 and their split in February 2006. According to Men's Journal's July 2006 cover story, Armstrong had struggled to grapple with Crow's breast cancer diagnosis on February 20, 2006, but, after talking almost daily for a while, they have again gone separate ways. "I still think about her every day. Primarily now because of her health and hoping that everything works out. And I'm fully confident that it will," he said.

In the November 2006 issue of Details magazine, Armstrong addressed growing rumors that he and actor Matthew Mcconaughey were involved in a gay relationship. "We all have buds, we all take guy trips, but you take something very normal and put it in a magazine and people start talking," he stated. "It's like, either you sleep with everything that moves or you're gay." [9]

Political possibilities

George W. Bush and Armstrong mountain biking at Prairie Chapel Ranch

In an interview with the New York Times, teammate George Hincapie hinted at Armstrong possibly running for Governor of Texas after retiring from cycling. In the July 2005 issue of Outside magazine [10], Armstrong himself hinted at possibly running for Governor, although "not in '06." By Texas political standards, he would almost certainly run as a Democrat, as he has described himself in the past as being "middle to left," "against mixing up State and Church," "not keen on guns," opposed to the Iraq War, and pro-choice. U.S. Senator John Kerry, interviewed on OLN at the 2005 Tour de France, stated Armstrong has the potential to be successful in politics. "I think he'd be awesome, he'd be a force. I just hope it's for the right party," Kerry said on OLN. Armstrong and President George W. Bush, a Republican and fellow Texan, count each other friends. President Bush called Armstrong in France after his 2005 victory to congratulate him and in August 2005 The Times (Can this bike ride be Bush's tour de force?) reported the President had invited Armstrong to his Prairie Chapel Ranch to go mountain biking.

Armstrong was quoted by The Times in 2004 about his views on Iraq: "I don't like what the war has done to our country, to our economy. My kids will be paying for this war for some time to come. George Bush is a friend of mine and just as I say it to you, I'd say to him, 'Mr President, I'm not sure this war was such a good idea', and the good thing about him is he could take that."

Most recently however, beginning in August 2005, Armstrong has hinted that he has changed his mind about possibly entering politics. In an interview with Charlie Rose, that aired on PBS on August 1st, 2005, Armstrong pointed out that running for Governor would require the type of time commitments that caused him to decide to retire from cycling. Again on August 16, 2005, Armstrong told a local Austin CBS affiliate [11] that he is no longer considering politics. "The biggest problem with politics or running for the governor -- the governor's race here in Austin or in Texas is that it would mimic exactly what I've done: a ton of stress and a ton of time away from my kids. Why would I want to go from pro cycling, which is stressful and a lot of time away, straight into politics?"

Even more recently, Armstrong has begun to clarify that he intends to be involved in politics as an activist for change in cancer policies. In a May 2006 interview with Sports Illustrated, Armstrong is quoted as saying "I need to run for one office, the presidency of the Cancer Fighters' Union of the World." Sports Illustrated also quotes Armstrong as saying that he fears halving his influence with legislators if he chooses one side in American partisan politics. His Foundation is becoming more involved in lobbying on behalf of cancer patients before Congress, and Armstrong himself has said that he hopes to model his efforts in the area of cancer in much the same manner as U2's Bono has done on behalf of poverty, AIDS, and hunger. His efforts might be limited in the interim as Armstrong told The Associated Press on April 19, 2006 that he plans to compete in the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2006.

In October of 2006, Armstrong participated in the first panel of HOTSOUP, an online community for the millions of Americans who want a voice in the public square and the ability to influence their nation's course.

Teams and victories

Teams

• 1991–1992: United States National Team
• 1992–1996: Motorola
• 1997: Cofidis
• 1998–2002: US Postal Service
• 2003–2004: US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor
• 2005: Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team

Palmarès

1992

First Union Grand Prix

GP Sanson

Fitchburg Longsjo Classic (overall, 1 stage win)

Thrift Drug Classic

Vuelta La Riberia (overall, 3 stage wins)

Trittico Premondiale (1 stage win)

1993

World Cycling Championship - World Cycling Champion

USPRO National Road Championships - United States National Cycling Champion

Tour de France (Stage 8)

Tour of America (overall)

Vuelta Ciclista a Galega

Trophee Laigueglia

Tour duPont (1 stage win)

Tour of Sweden (1 stage win)

Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 2 stage wins)

Thrift Drug Classic*

*The Thrift Drug Classic included 3 separate 1-day races. One in rural Pennsylvania, the next day in New Jersey and the last day in Philadelphia to determine the U.S. Pro Champion, also known as the CoreStates Cycling Race. Thrift Drug said it would award $1 million to a rider, if he won all 3 races. It had never been done before, until Lance Armstrong came around. He won all 3 races. At the USPro Championship race, on the final lap circuit, he sat up on his bicycle, took out a comb, combed his hair and smiled for the cameras.

1994

Thrift Drug Classic

Tour duPont (1 stage win)

1995

Tour de France (Stage 18)

Clásica de San Sebastián

Paris-Nice (Stage 5)

Tour duPont (overall, 3 stage wins)

Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 1 stage win)

Tour of America (overall)

1996

Tour duPont (overall, 5 stage wins)

La Flèche Wallonne

1998

Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt (overall)

Tour de Luxembourg (overall, 1 stage win)

Cascade Classic

Vuelta d'Espana (4th overall)

1999

Tour de France (overall, 4 stage wins)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (ITT) (Prologue)

Route du Sud (Stage 4)

Circuit de la Sarthe (ITT) (Stage 4)

2000

Tour de France (overall, 1 stage win)

GP des Nations

GP Eddy Merckx

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (ITT) (Stage 3)

Bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics Individual Time Trial, Men

2001

Tour de France (overall, 4 stage wins)

Tour de Suisse (overall, 2 stage wins)

2002

Tour de France (overall, 4 stage wins)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (Stage 6)

GP du Midi-Libre

Profronde van Stiphout (post-Tour criterium)

2003

Tour de France (overall, 1 stage win, Team Time Trial)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (overall, Stage 3 ITT)

2004

Tour de France (overall, 5 stage wins, Team Time Trial)

Tour de Georgia (overall, 2 stage wins)

Tour du Languedoc-Roussillon (Stage 5)

Volta ao Algarve (ITT) (Stage 4)

Profronde van Stiphout (post-Tour criterium)

2005

Tour de France (overall, 2 stage wins, Team Time Trial, Individual Time Trial)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (points classification)

Personal Statistics

• Height: 5'-9.75" (177 cm)
• Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)

Quotes

• On the Champs-Élysées podium for the last time, after winning his seventh tour: "Finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. But this is one hell of a race. This is a great sporting event and you should stand around and believe it. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it. So Vive le Tour. Forever."
• About the French 2006 FIFA World Cup team during his speech of gratitude at the ESPY Awards: "All their players tested positive... for being assholes."
• "Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place."
• "Anything is possible. You can be told that you have a 100-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight."
• "A boo is a lot louder than a cheer, if you have 10 people cheering and one person booing all you hear is the booing."

See also

• List of notable brain tumor patients

Further reading

• Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: It's Not About The Bike. My Journey Back to Life (ISBN 0-425-17961-3), Putnam 2000. Armstrong's own account of his battle with cancer and subsequent triumphant return to bike racing.
• Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: Every Second Counts (ISBN 0-385-50871-9), Broadway Books 2003. Armstrong's account of his life after his first four Tour triumphs.
• Linda Armstrong Kelly, Joni Rodgers: No Mountain High Enough : Raising Lance, Raising Me (ISBN 0-7679-1855-X), Broadway Books 2002. Armstrong's mother's account of raising a world class athlete and overcoming adversity.
• Daniel Coyle: Lance Armstrong's War : One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour De France (ISBN 0-06-073497-3), Harper Collins 2005. Former writer for Outside magazine documents Armstrong's road to the Tour in 2004.
• Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: L.A. Confidentiel : Les secrets de Lance Armstrong (ISBN 2-84675-130-7), La Martinière (in French). Various circumstantial evidence pointing to Armstrong's doping.
• Sharon Cook, Graciela Sholander: Dream It Do It: Inspiring Stories of Dreams Come True (ISBN 1-884587-30-5), Planning/Communications 2004. Chapter 4 details Lance Armstrong's efforts to return to championship form following his cancer treatment -- an inspiring story of conquering one's fears.
• John Wilcocksson : 23 Days in July (ISBN 0-7195-6717-3), John Murray 2004. An account of how Armstrong won his 6th Tour title in 2004.
• John Wilcockson: The 2005 Tour De France: The Last Chapter of the Armstrong Era (ISBN 1-931382-68-9), Velo Press 2005. The story behind Lance's last ever Tour de France and his 7th consecutive victory.

External links

• Lance Armstrong's Official Website
• The Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Nike and the Lance Armstrong Foundation's "Wear Yellow - Live Strong" campaign
• Photos and Videos of Lance & The Tour De France at NowPublic
• USA TODAY: Tour de France; Fighting cancer is new mission for Armstrong.
• The main website for info about the Discovery Channel team
• BBC Sport Profile Lance Armstrong
• Cycling News: The Legend of Lance: an Armstrong retrospective, August 3rd, 2005
• U.S. Olympic Team bio ... four photo galleries
• Lance Armstrong's Relationships with Product Brands
• United Athletes Magazine Armstrong's physical qualities and abilities
• Lance Armstrong Profile Page - Video clip, book listings, speaking topics