Lance Armstrong

For the Tasmanian politician, see Lance Armstrong (politician).

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong during a press conference for the 2009 Tour Down Under in Adelaide, South Australia.
Personal information
Full name	Lance Edward Armstrong
Nickname	The Boss, Mellow Johnny (from Maillot Jaune, French for Yellow jersey)
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight	1993: 79 kg (174 lb) 1999: 74 kg (163 lb) 2009: 75 kg (165 lb)
Team information
Current team	Alerting users {{alert/first}} ({{Contentious topics/alert/first}}) is used, on a user's talk page, to "alert", or draw a user's attention, to the contentious topics system if they have never received such an alert before. In this case, this template must be used for the notification. {{alert}} ({{Contentious topics/alert}}) is used, on a user's talk page, to "alert", or draw a user's attention, to the fact that a specific topic is a contentious topic. It may only be used if the user has previously received any contentious topic alert, and it can be replaced by a custom message that conveys the contentious topic designation. {{alert/DS}} ({{Contentious topics/alert/DS}}) is used to inform editors that the old "discretionary sanctions" system has been replaced by the contentious topics system, and that a specific topic is a contentious topic. {{Contentious topics/aware}} is used to register oneself as already aware that a specific topic is a contentious topic. Editnotices {{Contentious topics/editnotice}} is used to inform editors that a page is covered by the contentious topics system using an editnotice. Use the one below if the page has restrictions placed on the page. {{Contentious topics/page restriction editnotice}} is used to inform editors that the page they are editing is subject to contentious topics restrictions using an editnotice. Use the above if there are no restrictions placed on the page. Talk page notices {{Contentious topics/talk notice}} is used to provide additional communication, using a talk page messagebox (tmbox), to editors that they are editing a page that is covered by the contentious topics system. The template standardises the format and wording of such notices. Use the below if there are restrictions placed on the page. {{Contentious topics/page restriction talk notice}} is used to inform editors that page restrictions are active on the page using a talk page messagebox (tmbox). Use the above if there are no restrictions placed on the page. If a user who has been alerted goes on to disruptively edit the affected topic area, they can be reported to the arbitration enforcement (AE) noticeboard, where an administrator will investigate their conduct and issue a sanction if appropriate. {{AE sanction}} is used by administrators to inform a user that they have been sanctioned. Miscellaneous {{Contentious topics/list}} and {{Contentious topics/table}} show which topics are currently designated as contentious topics. They are used by a number of templates and pages on Wikipedia.
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-Rounder
Major wins
Tour de France (1999–2005), 23 stages World Cycling Champion (1993) US National Cycling Champion (1993) Clásica de San Sebastián (1995) La Flèche Wallonne (1996) Tour de Suisse (2001) Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (2002, 2003)
Medal record Representing United States Men's Cycling World Championships 1993 Oslo Elite Men's Road Race Olympic Games 2000 Sydney Men's Time Trial

Lance Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971) is an American professional road racing cyclist who rides for the Kazakhstan-based UCI ProTeam

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He won the Tour de France a record-breaking seven consecutive years, from 1999 to 2005, rumor has it that he can win every year due to the fact that he is angry from the testicular cancer taking his balls. He is also much lighter now and that helps him to go faster. He is the only individual to win seven times, having broken the previous record of five wins, shared by Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil. He has survived testicular cancer, a tumor that metastasized to his brain and lungs, in 1996. His cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy, and his prognosis was originally poor.

In 1999, he was named the American Broadcasting Company Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. In 2000 he won the Prince of Asturias Award in Sports. 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. He 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, but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009.

Career

Early career

Armstrong was born in Plano, Texas, on September 18, 1971. He began as a triathlete, winning adult competitions from the age of 13. In the 1987–1988 Tri-Fed/Texas ("Tri-Fed" was the former name of USA Triathlon), Armstrong was the number one ranked triathlete in the 19-and-under group; second place was Chann McRae, who became a US Postal Service cycling teammate and the 2002 USPRO national champion. Armstrong's points total for 1987 as an amateur was better than the five professionals ranked that year. At 16, Armstrong became a professional triathlete and became national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990 at 18 and 19, respectively.

It became clear that his greatest talent was as a bicycle racer after he won the U.S. amateur championship in 1991. Representing the U.S., he finished 14th in the 1992 Summer Olympics with the help of teammates Bob Mionske and Timm Peddie. Also in 1992, Armstrong competed in the Tour of Ireland race.

In 1993, Armstrong finished number one in the world, winning 10 one-day events and stage races. He became one of the youngest riders to win the world road race championship, and took his first stage win at the 1993 Tour de France. He also collected the Thrift Drug Triple Crown of Cycling: the Thrift Drug Classic in Pittsburgh, the K-Mart West Virginia Classic, and the CoreStates USPRO national championship in Philadelphia. Thrift Drug said it would award $1 million to a rider winning all three races, a feat previously unachieved. At the USPRO championship, Armstrong sat up on his bicycle on the final lap, took out a comb, combed his hair and smiled for the cameras.

1994 was less prolific. Although he again won the Thrift Drug Classic and came second in the Tour Du Pont in the U.S., his successes in Europe were second placings in the Clásica San Sebastián and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He won the Clásica San Sebastián in 1995, and this time won the Tour Du Pont and took a handful of stage victories in Europe and the U.S. Armstrong's successes were much the same in 1996, and despite several small victories, he was unremarkable in comparison to others at the time. He finished 12th in the road race at the 1996 Olympic Games.

Cancer

On October 2, 1996, at age 25, Armstrong was diagnosed with nonseminomatous testicular cancer. The cancer had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. The standard chemotherapeutic regimen is BEP (Bleomycin, Etoposide and Cisplatin (or Platinol)). Armstrong, however, chose an alternative, VIP (Etoposide, Ifosfamide, and Cisplatin), to avoid the lung toxicity associated with the drug Bleomycin. Armstrong had surgery on his brain tumors, which were necrotic, and an orchiectomy to remove his diseased testicle. After his surgery his doctor admitted that he had had less than a 50% survival chance.

Tour de France success

Lance Armstrong finishing 3rd in Sète, taking over the Yellow Jersey at Grand Prix Midi Libre

Before his cancer treatment, Armstrong had won two Tour de France stages. In 1993, he won the 8th stage and in 1995 he took stage 18 in honor of teammate Fabio Casartelli who crashed and died on stage 15. Armstrong dropped out of the 1996 Tour on the 7th stage after becoming ill, a few months before his diagnosis.

Armstrong's cycling comeback began in 1998 when he finished fourth in the Vuelta a España. In 1999 he won the Tour de France, including four stages. He beat the second rider, Alex Zülle, by 7 minutes 37 seconds. However, the absence of Jan Ullrich (injury) and Marco Pantani (drug allegations) meant Armstrong had not yet proven himself against the biggest names. Stage wins included the prologue, stage eight, an individual time trial in Metz, an Alpine stage on stage nine, and the second individual time trial on stage 19.

In 2000, Ullrich and Pantani returned to challenge Armstrong. The race that began a six-year rivalry between Ullrich and Armstrong ended in victory for Armstrong by 6 minutes 2 seconds over Ullrich. Armstrong took one stage in the 2000 Tour, the second individual time trial on stage 19. In 2001, Armstrong again took top honors, beating Ullrich by 6 minutes 44 seconds. In 2002, Ullrich did not participate, and Armstrong won by seven minutes over Joseba Beloki.

The pattern returned in 2003, Armstrong taking first place and Ullrich second. Only 1 minute 1 second separated the two at the end of the final day in Paris. U.S. Postal won the team time trial on stage four, while Armstrong took stage 15, despite being knocked off on the ascent to Luz Ardiden, the final climb, when a spectator's bag caught his right handlebar. Ullrich waited for him, which brought Ullrich fair-play honors.

In 2004, Armstrong finished first, 6 minutes 19 seconds ahead of German Andreas Klöden. Ullrich was fourth, a further 2 minutes 31 seconds behind. Armstrong won a personal best five individual stages, plus the team time trial. He became the first since Gino Bartali in 1948 to win three consecutive mountain stages; 15, 16, and 17. The individual time trial on stage 16 up Alpe d'Huez was won in style by Armstrong as he passed Ivan Basso on the way despite setting out two minutes after the Italian. He won sprint finishes from Basso in stages 13 and 15 and made up a significant gap in the last 250m 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 2005, Armstrong was beaten by David Zabriskie in the Stage 1 time trial by 2 seconds, despite passing Ullrich on the road. His Discovery Channel team won the team time trial, while Armstrong won the final individual time trial. To complete his record-breaking feat, Armstrong crossed the line on the Champs-Élysées on July 24 to win his 7th consecutive Tour, finishing 4m 40s ahead of Basso, with Ullrich third.

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

Physical attributes

Armstrong has recorded an aerobic capacity of 83.8 mL/kg/min (VO2 Max) , higher than the average person (40-50), but lower than other Tour De France winners, Miguel Indurain (88.0, although reports exist that Indurain tested at 92-94) and 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 (bpm) with a maximum heart rate of 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 is below 6 μL/kg. Therefore, lactic acid build up (or acidosis) does not occur as easily in his body. Acidosis, and lactate in general, does not cause fatigue but is a good, testable, marker for the cause of muscular fatigue — muscle cell depolarization. Some have theorized that his high pedalling cadence is designed to take advantage of this low lactate level. In contrast, other cyclists rely on their power to push a larger gear at a lower rate.

Collaboration of sponsors

Armstrong revolutionized the support behind his well-funded teams, asking sponsors and suppliers to contribute and act as part of the team. For example, rather than having the frame, handlebars, and tires designed and developed by separate companies with little interaction, his teams adopted a Formula One relationship with sponsors and suppliers named "F-One", taking full advantage of the combined resources of several organizations working in close communication. The team, Trek, Nike, AMD, Bontrager (a Trek company), Shimano, Giro and Oakley, collaborated for an array of products.

Family and personal life

Armstrong (center) on the set of College GameDay during the 2006 UT football season

Armstrong was born Lance Edward Gunderson to Linda Mooneyham, a secretary, and Eddie Charles Gunderson, a route manager for the Dallas Morning News. He was named after Lance Rentzel, a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver. His father left his mother when Lance was two. His mother later married Terry Keith Armstrong, a wholesalesman, who adopted Lance in 1974. Linda has married and divorced three times. Armstrong refuses to meet his birth father and has described Terry Armstrong as deceitful.

Armstrong met Kristin Richard in June 1997. They married on May 1, 1998 and have three children: Luke, born October 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born November 2001. The pregnancy was possible through sperm Armstrong banked three years earlier, prior to chemotherapy and surgery. The couple filed for divorce in September 2003. At Armstrong's request, his children flew in for the podium ceremony in 2005, where Luke helped his father hoist the trophy, while his daughters (in yellow dresses) held the stuffed lion mascot and bouquet of yellow flowers.

Armstrong began dating singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow in autumn of 2003 and revealed their relationship in January 2004. The couple announced their engagement in September 2005 and their split in February 2006. In October 2007, Armstrong and fashion designer Tory Burch ended a relationship after several months. He dated American actress Kate Hudson from May-July 2008. On July 30 2008, a representative for Hudson announced the relationship had ended amicably.

In December 2008, Armstrong announced that his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, was pregnant with his child. The couple started dating in July 2008 after meeting through Lance's charity work. Although it was believed that Armstrong could no longer father children, after having undergone chemotherapy for testicular cancer, this child was conceived naturally. The baby boy, Maxwell Edward "Max" Armstrong, was born on June 4, 2009 in Aspen, Colorado. Armstrong announced the birth using the micro-blogging service Twitter. Lance Armstrong has become a very popular Twitter user with over one million followers.

Armstrong owns a house in Austin, Texas, as well as a ranch in the Texas Hill Country. Armstrong is a fan of the University of Texas Longhorns college football program and is often seen on the sidelines supporting the team. He is agnostic, quoted as saying, "at the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I'd been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn't say, 'But you were never a Christian, so you're going the other way from heaven.' If so, I was going to reply, 'You know what? You're right. Fine.'"

Allegations of drug use

Armstrong has continually denied using performance-enhancing drugs and has described himself as "the most tested athlete in the world". A 1999 urine sample showed traces of corticosteroid in an amount that was not in the positive range. A medical certificate showed he used an approved cream for saddle sores which contained the substance.

On March 17, 2009, French Anti-doping Agency tested Armstrong for the 24th time in the last year and the test was negative for performance enhancing drugs.

Specific allegations

• Armstrong has been criticized for his treatment of Christophe Bassons an outspoken anti-doping cyclist.
• Armstrong has been criticized for working with controversial trainer Michele Ferrari. Greg Lemond described himself as "devastated" on hearing of them working together, while Tour organiser Jean-Marie Leblanc said "I am not happy the two names are mixed". Following Ferrari's conviction for "sporting fraud" and "abuse of the medical profession", Armstrong suspended his professional relationship with him, saying that he had "zero tolerance for anyone convicted of using or facilitating the use of performance-enhancing drugs", and denying that Ferrari had ever "suggested, prescribed or provided me with any performance-enhancing drugs".
• In 2004, reporters Pierre Ballester and David Walsh 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 Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms. Another figure in the book, Steve Swart, claims he and other riders, including Armstrong, began using drugs in 1995 while members of the Motorola team, a claim 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 sued for libel and the paper 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 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 the brief, Anderson claimed 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 are undisclosed.
• On August 23, 2005, L'Équipe, a major French daily sports newspaper, reported on its front page under the headline "le mensonge Armstrong" ("The Armstrong Lie") that 6 urine samples taken from the cyclist during the prologue and five stages of the 1999 Tour de France, frozen and stored since at "Laboratoire national de dépistage du dopage de Châtenay-Malabry" (LNDD), had tested positive for EPO in recent retesting conducted as part of a research project into EPO testing methods. For years, it had been impossible to detect the drug, called erythropoietin, which builds endurance by boosting the production of oxygen carrying red blood cells. The world governing body of cycling, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), did not begin using a urine test for EPO until 2001, two years after the samples were taken. 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. To establish a link between Armstrong and the samples, the LNDD matched the tracking numbers on the samples with those on Armstrong's record with the UCI during the 1999 Tour. 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 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 company attempting to withhold a $5-million bonus; this was 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 suggested Betsy Andreu may have been confused by possible mention of his post-operative treatment which included steroids and EPO that are taken to counteract wasting and red-blood-cell-destroying effects of intensive chemotherapy. The Andreus' 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), there exists a recorded conversation in which Stephanie McIlvain, Armstrong's contact at Oakley Inc., told LeMond, "You know, I was in that room. I heard it."
• In July 2006, the Los Angeles Times published a story on the allegations raised in the SCA case. The report cited evidence 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 information on testimony given by Armstrong's former teammate, Swart, Andreu and his wife Betsy, and Instant messaging conversation between Andreu and Jonathan Vaughters regarding blood-doping in the peloton. Vaughters 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. The SCA trial was settled out of court, 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." The L.A. Times' article provides a 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."

Handling of urine tests

In October 2005, in response to calls from the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for an independent investigation, the UCI appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman to investigate the handling of urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, LNDD. Vrijman was 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 because of improper handling and testing. The report said 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 no disciplinary action against any rider on the basis of LNDD research. It also called upon the WADA and LNDD to submit themselves to an investigation by an outside independent authority. The WADA rejected these conclusions. The IOC Ethics Commission subsequently censured Dick Pound, the President of WADA and a member of the IOC, for his statements in the media that suggested wrongdoing by Armstrong.

Post-cycling career

During his first retirement, Armstrong focused on the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports people affected by cancer, and on other interests. He was the pace car driver of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for the 2006 Indianapolis 500.

In 2007, Armstrong with Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded Athletes for Hope, a charity which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

Marathon

Armstrong ran the 2006 New York City Marathon with his friend, Robert McElligott. With Nike, he assembled a pace team of Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Hicham El Guerrouj to help him reach 3 hours. He struggled with shin splints and was on pace for a little above 3 hours but pushed through the last 5 miles (8.0 km) to 2h 59m 36s, finishing 856th. He said the race was extremely difficult compared to the Tour de France. "For the level of condition that I have now, that was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done. I never felt a point where I hit the wall. It was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness." The NYC Marathon had a dedicated camera on Armstrong throughout the event. This camera, according to Armstrong, pushed him to continue through points in which he would have normally "stopped and stretched". He also helped raise $600,000 for his LiveStrong campaign during the run.

With more dedication to marathon training, Armstrong ran the 2007 NYC Marathon in 2h 46m 43s finishing 232nd, a substantial improvement from his previous year. On April 21, 2008, he ran the Boston Marathon in 2h 50m 58s, finishing in the top 500.

Politics

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

In the New York Times, teammate George Hincapie hinted at Armstrong's running for Governor of Texas after cycling. In the July 2005 issue of Outside, Armstrong hinted at running for governor, although "not in '06". Armstrong and former president George W. Bush, a Republican and fellow Texan, call themselves friends. Bush called Armstrong in France to congratulate him after his 2005 victory, and in August 2005, The Times reported the President had invited Armstrong to his Prairie Chapel Ranch to go mountain biking. In a 2003 interview with The Observer, Armstrong said: "He's a personal friend, but we've all got the right not to agree with our friends." Armstrong has described himself as: "Left of center, against the war in Iraq, and pro-choice."

In August 2005, Armstrong hinted he has changed his mind about politics. In an interview with Charlie Rose on PBS on August 1, 2005, Armstrong pointed out that running for governor would require the commitment that led him to retire from cycling. Again, on August 16, 2005, Armstrong told a local Austin CBS affiliate [2] 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?"

In 2006, Armstrong began 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: "I need to run for one office, the presidency of the Cancer Fighters' Union of the World." Sports Illustrated quoted Armstrong that he fears halving his influence with legislators if he chose one side in politics. His foundation lobbies on behalf of cancer patients before United States Congress.

Comeback

Lance Armstrong on 2008-11-01 at an informal time trial near New Braunfels, Texas

Armstrong announced on September 9, 2008 that he will return to pro cycling with the express goal of participating in the 2009 Tour de France. "After talking with my children, my family and my closest friends, I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden," Armstrong said on his livestrong.org website. VeloNews reported that Armstrong will race for no salary or bonuses and will post his internally tested blood results online.

The announcement ended speculation that he would return with

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Miscellaneous

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Australian ABC radio reported on September 24, 2008 that Armstrong would compete in South Australia's Tour Down Under in early 2009. UCI rules say a cyclist has to be in an anti-doping program for six months before an event but the Tour Down Under brings him in short, but he was allowed to compete.

In October 2008, Armstrong confirmed he will compete in the 2009 Giro d'Italia, his first participation.

On 17 of January, Armstrong said at a press conference in Adelaide for the Tour Down Under that his comeback was motivated by spreading the Livestrong message and raise awareness of cancer.

In January 2009, Lance placed 29th in the Tour Down Under stage race in Australia, his first official sanctioned race since retiring after the 2005 season.

Lance's stolen Trek bicycle was returned to the Sacramento police by an anonymous citizen on February 18, 2009. The time-trial bike was found four days after it disappeared from the Astana team truck after he used it before Stage 1 of the Tour of California. A police statement read, "The facts surrounding how the person came into possession of the bicycle are not being released at this time due to an ongoing investigation."

In February 2009, Armstrong was confirmed to compete in the Tour of Ireland from 19-23 August 2009, before then participating in the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit from August 24-26th in Dublin. The Astana Cycling team confirmed in early March that Lance will return to Europe to continue his comeback season with races at Milan-San Remo and the Vuelta a Castilla y León. He had to retire from the 2009 Vuelta Castilla y León during the first stage after crashing in a rider pileup in Baltanás, Spain and breaking his collarbone.

Armstrong flew back to Austin, Texas for corrective surgery, which was successful, and was back training on a bicycle within four days of his operation. On April 10, 2009, a controversy emerged between the AFLD and Lance and his team manager, Johan Bruyneel, stemming from a March 17, 2009 encounter with an AFLD anti-doping official who visited Lance after a training ride in Beaulieu-sur-Mer. When the official arrived, Armstrong claims he asked—and was granted—permission to take a shower while Bruyneel checked the official's credentials. In late April, the AFLD cleared Lance of any wrongdoing. Armstrong returned to racing after his collarbone injury at the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico on 29 April.

On 7 July in the 2009 Tour de France fourth stage, Armstrong narrowly failed to win the yellow jersey after his Astana team won the team time trial. His Astana team won the 39km lap of Montpellier but Armstrong ended up just two tenths of a second outside of Fabian Cancellara's overall lead.

Teams and victories

Lance Armstrong competed with the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team (later Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) for most of his career, including his seven Tour de France victories.

1992 - Motorola

Settimana Bergamasca (stage 6)

Vuelta a Galicia (Stage 4a)

Trittico Premondiale (Stage 2) (or GP Sanson)

First Union Grand Prix (Atlanta)

Fitchburg-Longsjo Classic (overall, 1 stage win)

2nd, Züri-Metzgete

1993 - Motorola

Template:FlagiconUCI World Cycling Champion - UCI Road World Championships

US National Cycling Champion — CoreStates USPRO National Road Championships

Tour de France (Stage 8)

Tour of America (overall)

Trofeo Laigueglia

Tour du Pont (2nd overall, 1 stage win)

Tour of Sweden (3rd overall, 1 stage win)

Thrift Drug Classic

Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 2 stage wins)

1994 - Motorola

Thrift Drug Classic

Tour du Pont (1 stage win)

2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège

2nd, Clasica San Sebastian

1995 - Motorola

Tour de France (Stage 18)

Clásica de San Sebastián

Paris-Nice (Stage 5)

Tour du Pont (overall, mountains, 3 stage wins)

Kmart West Virginia Classic (overall, 2 stage wins)

Tour of America (overall)

1996 - Motorola

Tour du Pont (overall, 4 stage wins)

La Flèche Wallonne

2nd, Liège-Bastogne-Liège

2nd, Paris-Nice

1997 - Cofidis

Sprint 56K Criterium (Austin, TX)

1998 - U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt (overall)

Tour de Luxembourg (overall, 1 stage win)

Cascade Cycling Classic

4th, Vuelta a España

1999 - U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

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)

2nd, Amstel Gold Race

2000 - U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

Tour de France (overall, 1 stage win)

GP des Nations

Grand Prix Eddy Merckx (with Viatcheslav Ekimov)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (ITT) (Stage 3)

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

2001 - U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

Tour de France (overall, 4 stage wins)

Tour de Suisse (overall, 2 stage wins)

2nd, Amstel Gold Race

2002 - U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team

Tour de France (overall, 4 stage wins)

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (overall, Stage 6)

GP du Midi Libre (overall)

Profronde van Stiphout (post-Tour criterium)

2003 - US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team
presented by Berry Floor

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

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (overall, Stage 3 ITT)

2004 - US Postal Service pro Cycling Team
presented by Berry Floor

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 - Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team

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

Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (points classification)

2008 - Lance Armstrong Foundation / Team Livestrong

Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race (2nd place)

12 Hours of Snowmass (1st place with Len Zanni and Max Taam)

Tour de Gruene (1st place Individual Time Trial & Team Time Trial)

2009 - Astana Team

Tour Down Under (29th overall)

Tour of California (7th overall)

Giro D'Italia : Stage 1 - TTT - 3rd

2009 Tour de France : Stage 4 - TTT - 1st

2009 - Mellow Johnny's Cycling Team

Tour of the Gila (2nd overall)

Amateur cycling and triathlon years

1991 - Subaru-Montgomery / US National Team

United States National Amateur Road Race Champion

Settimana Bergamasca (overall and youth classifications)

Gastown Grand Prix (now known as Tour de Gastown criterium) (Vancouver, BC)

Challenge of Champions Triathlon (Monterey, CA)

1990 - Subaru-Montgomery

United States National Sprint Triathlon Champion

Stonebridge Ranch Triathlon (McKinney, TX)

1989

United States National Sprint Triathlon Champion

Waco Triathlon (Waco, TX)

1988

Athens YMCA Triathlon (Athens, TX) (course record)

River Triathlon (Shreveport, LA) (course record)

Hillcrest Tulsa Triathlon (Tulsa, OK)

1987

Texas State Triathlon Championship

Hillcrest Tulsa Triathlon (course record)

1986

Norman Triathlon (Norman, OK)

1985

2nd, IronKids Triathlon National Championship

IronKids Triathlon at Houston (regional level)

IronKids Triathlon at Dallas (local level)

1983

IronKids Triathlon at Dallas

Filmography

• Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
• You, Me and Dupree (2006)

Accolades

• United States Olympic Committee (USOC) SportsMan of the Year (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)
• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• World's Most Outstanding Athlete Award, Jesse Owens International Trophy (2000)
• Reuters Sportsman of the Year (2003)
• Prince of Asturias Award in Sports (2000)
• Sports Ethics Fellows by the Institute for International Sport (2003)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year (2003)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year (2000)
• Trophee de L'Academie des Sport [France] (2004)
• Vélo d'Or Award by Velo Magazine in France (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
• Mendrisio d'Or Award in Switzerland (1999)
• Premio Coppi-Bici d'Oro Trophy by the Fausto Coppi foundation in conjunction with La Gazzetta dello Sport (1999, 2000)
• Marca Legend Award by Marca, a Spanish sports daily in Madrid (2004)
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award (2003)
• ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
• ESPY Award for GMC Professional Grade Play Award (2005)
• ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete (2000)
• ESPN/Intersport's ARETE Award for Courage in Sport (Professional Division) (1999)
• ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year (1999)
• Favorite Athlete award at Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (2006)
• Presidential Delegation to the XIX Olympic Winter Games (2002)
• Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year (2002)
• VeloNews magazine's International Cyclist of the Year (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
• VeloNews magazine's North American Male Cyclist of the Year (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005)
• William Hill Sports Book of the Year: It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life (2000)
• Union Cycliste Internationale: World Number 1 Ranked Elite Men's Cyclist (1996)
• Triathlon magazine's Rookie of the Year (1988)
• Pace car driver for the Indianapolis 500 (2006)
• An asteroid, 1994 JE₉ was named 12373 Lancearmstrong in honor of him.
• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Tufts University (2006)

See also

• Cycling records

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, teaching us about both Lance and the Tour.
• Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: L. A. Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong (ISBN 2-84675-130-7), La Martinière Template:Fr icon. Various circumstantial evidence pointing to Armstrong doping.
• Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: L.A. Officiel (ISBN 2-84675-204-4), La Martinière Template:Fr icon. Why Lance Armstrong gave up trial against the authors after publication of L.A. Confidentiel.
• 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.
• John Wilcockson: 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.
• John Wilcokson: LANCE: The Making of the World's Greatest Champion (ISBN 9780306815874), Da Capo Press 2009. The story of what drives the 7-time Tour de France champion through the words of Armstrong's family, friends, rivals, and Lance himself. [3]

External links

• Official website
• The Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Lance Armstrong at Cycling Archives
• Lance Armstrong on Twitter

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