lance armstrong comeback tour de france

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This Day In History : July 24

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Lance Armstrong wins seventh Tour de France

On July 24, 2005, American cyclist Lance Armstrong wins a record-setting seventh consecutive Tour de France and retires from the sport. After Armstrong survived testicular cancer, his rise to cycling greatness inspired cancer patients and fans around the world and significantly boosted his sport’s popularity in the United States. However, in 2012, in a dramatic fall from grace, the onetime global cycling icon was stripped of his seven Tour titles after being charged with the systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Born on September 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas , Armstrong started his sports career as a triathlete, competing professionally by the time he was 16. Biking proved to be his strongest event, and at age 17 he was invited to train with the U.S. Olympic cycling developmental team in Colorado . He won the U.S. amateur cycling championship two years later, in 1991, then finished 14th in the road race competition at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. He turned pro later that year but finished last in the Classico San Sebastian, his first race as a professional. In 1993 he bounced back to win 10 titles, including his first major race, the World Road Championships. That same year, he also competed in his first Tour de France, the grueling three-week race that attracts the world’s top cyclists, and won the eighth stage. In 1995 he again won a stage of the Tour de France, as well as the Tour DuPont, a major U.S. cycling event.

Armstrong began 1996 as the number-one-ranked cyclist in the world, but he chose not to race the Tour de France and performed poorly at that year’s Olympics. After experiencing intense pain during a training ride, he was diagnosed in October 1996 with Stage 3 testicular cancer, which had spread to his lungs and brain. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy, then began training again in early 1997. Later that year, he signed with the U.S. Postal Service team. After he quit in the middle of one of his first races back, many thought his career was over. However, after taking some time off from competition, Armstrong came back to finish in the top five at both the Tour of Spain and the World Championships in 1998.

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In 1999, to the amazement of the cycling community, Armstrong won his first-ever Tour de France and went on to win the race for the next six consecutive years. In addition to his seven overall wins (a record for both total and consecutive wins), he won 22 individual stages and 11 individual time trials, and led his team to victories in three team time trials between 1999 and 2005. After retiring in 2005, Armstrong made a comeback to pro cycling in 2009, finishing third in that year’s Tour and 23rd in the 2010 Tour. He retired for good from the sport in 2011 at age 39.

Over the years, Armstrong’s intense training regimen and his famed dominance in the difficult and treacherous mountain stages of the Tour de France inspired awe among both fans and opponents. His cycling cadence, which averaged 95 to 100 rotations per minute (rpm) but reached as high as 120 rpm, was considered remarkable, particularly during climbs. In addition to being an exceptionally talented climber, Armstrong performed extremely well in time trials.

Throughout his career, Armstrong, like many other top cyclists of his era, was dogged by accusations of performance-boosting drug use, but he repeatedly and vigorously denied all allegations against him and claimed to have passed hundreds of drug tests. In June 2012 the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), following a two-year investigation, charged the cycling superstar with engaging in doping violations from at least August 1998, and with participating in a conspiracy to cover up his misconduct. After losing a federal appeal to have the USADA charges against him dropped, Armstrong, while continuing to maintain he had done nothing wrong, announced on August 23 that he would stop fighting the charges. The next day, USADA banned Armstrong for life from competitive cycling and disqualified all his competitive results from August 1, 1998, through the present.

On October 10, 2012, USADA released hundreds of pages of evidence, including sworn testimony from 11 of Armstrong’s former teammates, that the agency said demonstrated Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service team had been involved in the most sophisticated and successful doping program in the history of cycling. A week after the USADA report was made public, Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer awareness foundation, and also was fired from many of his endorsement deals. On October 22, Union Cycliste Internationale, the cycling’s world governing body, announced that it accepted the findings of the USADA investigation and officially was erasing Armstrong’s name from the Tour de France record books and upholding his lifetime ban from the sport.

After years of denials, Armstrong finally admitted publicly, in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired on January 17, 2013, he had doped for much of his cycling career, beginning in the mid-1990s through his Tour de France victory in 2005. He admitted to using a performance-enhancing drug regimen that included testosterone, human growth hormone, the blood booster EPO and cortisone.

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Lance Armstrong wins seventh consecutive and last Tour de France

Lance Armstrong closed out his amazing career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory today — and did it a little earlier than expected.

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PARIS — Lance Armstrong closed out his amazing career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory today — and did it a little earlier than expected. Because of wet conditions, race organizers stopped the clock as Armstrong and the main pack entered Paris. Although riders were still racing, with eight laps of the Champs-Elysees to complete, organizers said that Armstrong had officially won. The stage started as it has done for the past six years — with Armstrong celebrating and wearing the race leader’s yellow jersey. One hand on his handlebars, the other holding a flute of champagne, Armstrong toasted his teammates as he pedaled into Paris to collect his crown. He held up seven fingers — one for each win — and a piece of paper with the number 7 on it. When it was over, Armstrong saluted the race he’s made his own. “Vive le Tour, forever,” he said. Armstrong choked up on the victory podium as he stood next to his twin 3-year-old daughters — dressed in bright yellow dresses, appropriately — and his son. His rock star girlfriend Sheryl Crow, wearing a yellow halter top, cried during the ceremony. “This is the way he wanted to finish his career, so it’s very emotional,” she said. Looking gaunt, his cheeks hollow after riding 2,232.7 miles across France and its mountains for three weeks, Armstrong still could smile at the end. He said President Bush called to congratulate him. Armstrong’s new record of seven wins confirmed him as one of the greatest cyclists ever, and capped a career where he came back from cancer to dominate cycling’s most prestigious and taxing race. Standing on the podium, against the backdrop of the Arc de Triomphe, Armstrong managed a rare feat in sports — going out on the top of his game. He previously said that his decision was final and that he was walking away with “absolutely no regrets.” Armstrong mentioned Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi as personal inspirations. “Those are guys that you look up to you, guys that have been at the top of their game for a long time,” he said. As for his accomplishments, he said, “I can’t be in charge of dictating what it says or how you remember it.” “In five, 10, 15, 20 years, we’ll see what the legacy is. But I think we did come along and revolutionize the cycling part, the training part, the equipment part. We’re fanatics.” Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan eventually won the final stage, with Armstrong finishing safely in the pack to win the Tour by more than 4 minutes, 40 seconds over Ivan Basso of Italy. The 1997 Tour winner, Jan Ullrich, was third, 6:21 back. “It’s up to you guys,” Armstrong said, forecasting the Tour future. Armstrong’s sixth win last year already set a record, putting Armstrong ahead of four other riders — Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, Belgian Eddy Merckx and Spaniard Miguel Indurain — who all won five Tours. Along the way, he brought unprecedented attention to the sport, and won over many who had dismissed it. “Finally, the last thing I’ll say for the people who don’t believe in cycling — the cynics, the skeptics — I’m sorry for you,” Armstrong said. “I’m sorry you can’t dream big and 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.” Armstrong’s last ride as a professional — the closing 89.8-mile 21st stage into Paris from Corbeil-Essonnes south of the capital — was not without incident. Three of his teammates slipped and crashed on the rain-slicked pavement coming around a bend just before they crossed the River Seine. Armstrong, right behind them, braked and skidded into the fallen riders. Armstrong used his right foot to steady himself, and was able to stay on the bike. His teammates, wearing special shirts with a band of yellow on right shoulder, recovered and led him up the Champs-Elysees at the front of the pack. Organizers then announced that they had stopped the clock because of the slippery conditions with more than 10 miles to go. Vinokourov surged ahead of the main pack to win the last stage. He had been touted as one of Armstrong’s main rivals at the start of the Tour on July 2, but like others was overwhelmed by the 33-year-old Texan. Armstrong’s departure begins a new era for the 102-year-old Tour, with no clear successor. His riding and his inspiring defeat of cancer attracted new fans — especially in the United States — to the race, as much a part of French summers as sun cream, forest fires and traffic jams down to the Cote d’Azur. Millions turned out each year, cheering, picnicking and sipping wine by the side of the road, to watch him flash past in the race leader’s yellow jersey, the famed “maillot jaune.” Cancer survivors, autograph hunters and enamored admirers pushed, shove, and yelled “Lance! Lance!” outside his bus in the mornings for a smile, a signature, or a word from the champion. He had bodyguards to keep the crowds at bay — ruffling feathers of cycling purists who sniffed at his “American” ways. Some spectators would shout obscenities or “dope!” — doper. To some, his comeback from cancer and his uphill bursts of speed that left rivals gasping in the Alps and Pyrenees were too good to be true. Armstrong insisted that he simply trained, worked and prepared harder than anyone. He was drug-tested hundreds of times, in and out of competition, but never found to have committed any infractions. Armstrong came into this Tour saying he had a dual objective — winning the race and the hearts of French fans. He was more relaxed, forthcoming and talkative than last year, when the pressure to be the first six-time winner was on. Some fans hung the Stars and Stripes on barriers that lined the Champs-Elysees on Sunday. Around France, some also urged Armstrong to go for an eighth win next year— holding up placards and daubing their appeals in paint on the road. Armstrong, however, wanted to go out on top — and not let advancing age get the better of him. “At some point you turn 34, or you turn 35, the others make a big step up, and when your age catches up, you take a big step down,” he said Saturday after he won the final time trial. “So next could be the year if I continued that I lose that five minutes. We are never going to know.”

Lance Armstrong documentary highlights former Tour de France winner's contradictions

Analysis Lance Armstrong documentary highlights former Tour de France winner's contradictions

"This is going to sound terrible, but I am relevant. I am."

The words of Lance Armstrong, subject of the latest ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, who in both his mind and ours, remains one of sports most compelling characters.

To paraphrase three-time American Tour de France champion Greg LeMond, The Lance Armstrong story is sport's greatest comeback-turned greatest fraud.

That's why, nearly 20 years after his era-defining run of Tour de France victories, the American is still given the documentary treatment.

Seven years after Armstrong's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which he finally admitted to doping his way to seven Tour de France titles, and eight years after Four Corners thoroughly lifted the lid , we're offered another no-holds-barred documentary.

"I'm going to tell you my truth," Armstrong tells film maker Marina Zenovich in the early stages of part one.

"And my truth is not my version, my truth is how I remember it."

Did we learn anything new? And if we did, can we take Armstrong's word for it anyway?

Was Armstrong a product of his environment?

Armstrong's will to win is clearly evidenced in footage and reports from earlier in his career, right from when he jettisoned his coach as a prodigiously talented teenage triathlete.

That drive was perhaps enabled by his mother, or even his step-father who admits to being "hard" on Armstrong as a child, although Armstrong remembers that as him "beating the shit" out of him.

There is an argument, covered extensively in the first episode, that Armstrong resorting to nefarious means to achieve his goals was as much a product of the rolling pharmacy that made up the mid-90s professional peloton as his personality.

Armstrong's defence for using drugs has always been that everyone else was too.

However flawed that argument is, Armstrong clearly feels he has been unfairly scapegoated by the media, along with former rival Jan Ullrich.

The one moment in the film where Armstrong appears to show genuine emotion is when speaking about Ullrich, who spent time in a psychiatric hospital after struggling with substance abuse, having admitted to doping throughout his career.

Armstrong said he visited Ullrich, adding that it was "not a good trip" describing him as a "f***ing mess".

"Jan was in that era, that cesspool that we were all in, and he got caught, like we all got caught," Armstrong said.

"When I look at Jan's situation and I look at my situation … they're very similar."

Armstrong then rails against the supposed hypocrisy in the cycling media that resulted in him being ostracised while others were allowed to continue their careers in the sport.

Floyd Landis even comes to Armstrong's defence, saying: "Lance didn't invent doping, it wasn't his idea."

"He shouldn't be treated any different from [former teammate and current boss of EF Pro Cycling team] Jonathan Vaughters.

"Just because he's a better athlete that happened to take the same drugs, I don't understand how [Vaughters] ends up being the messiah that's curing doping and [Armstrong] is the outcast."

What that viewpoint ignores is Armstrong's reputation for dragging people through the mud, ruining their reputations to save his own, such as former teammate Frankie Andreu and his wife Betsy, as well as working to end LeMond's contract with bike manufacturer Trek after LeMond criticised his relationship with Dr Michele Ferrari.

"It might be one lie because you answer once, or in my case it might be 10,000 lies because you've answered 10,000 times," Armstrong said.

"Then you take it a step further and reinforce and go 'don't you ever ask me that f***ing question again'. And then you go sue somebody.

"That's why it was 100 times worse. Because we all lied."

Armstrong's 'fundamentally evil' act

During the documentary, Armstrong is asked about the worst things he has ever done.

There's some list to choose from, not least a litany of careers and livelihoods he ruined in an attempt to preserve his image along the way, resulting in Armstrong pausing enough to have Zenovich accuse him of deflecting.

"Probably the way I treated and spoke about Emma O'Reilly. That was probably the worst," Armstrong said.

This was in relation to his testimony against O'Reilly, his team's former massage therapist, who told journalist David Walsh Armstrong had been using drugs.

"To call a woman a whore is totally unacceptable. It's hard to be worse than that," Armstrong said.

"I was an idiot and in full attack mode, that's why I did it. I would have said anything."

However, the other thing Armstrong says is "right up there with Emma" is his attack of Italian rider Filippo Simeoni during the 2004 Tour.

Simeoni had spoken out and testified against the controversial Dr Ferrari, Armstrong's coach, and his links to drug taking.

After chasing him down and riding next to him, Armstrong sent a message to the world that speaking out would not be tolerated by miming a zipping of his lips towards the TV camera.

It is one of the most iconic images in that era of the Tour de France.

"You cannot get any more fundamentally evil than that," Vaughters says in the film.

Contradictions of Armstrong's cancer work

As single-minded and as driven as Armstrong was throughout his career, footage of his work with the Livestrong foundation showed a different side to him.

The documentary shows Armstrong as very hands-on, although meeting terminally ill patients would leave him "a wreck" according to former business manager Bart Knaggs.

And Armstrong's profile helped generate enormous amounts of funds for his charity, raising millions of dollars for cancer survivors, including the near-ubiquitous early 2000s fashion accessory, a yellow Livestrong band, of which 80 million were made and sold.

As is pointed out in the documentary, Armstrong's cancer advocacy is not an excuse for his doping but neither does his doping negate the great work he did raising money for cancer patients.

However, some of Armstrong's other comments further muddy the waters.

Some of his former business partners say in the film that "Armstrong Inc" meant he could never back down and allow the rumours around his drug-taking to develop.

Armstrong said it was "unfair" to say he used Livestrong as a shield, yet in the very next sentence added, "I'll admit, I used cancer occasionally as a shield".

This came after Armstrong said in episode one that he could not be sure whether or not taking drugs earlier in his career when he was 21 — earlier than he'd previously admitted — had caused his cancer.

"I don't know if it's yes or no, but I certainly wouldn't say no," Armstrong said.

"The only thing I will tell you is the only time in my life I ever did growth hormone was the 1996 season [the year Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer].

"So, just in my head, I'm like 'growth, growing hormones and cells, if anything good needs to be grown it does, but wouldn't it also make sense that if anything bad was there it too would grow?'"

Clear? Well wait until you hear from Armstrong's son, Luke.

Armstrong wouldn't be happy if his son took PED's. Kinda.

In the documentary we meet Luke, Armstrong's son, who was just 12 when his father "flipped [his] world upside down" with that Oprah interview.

Luke is now an offensive lineman at Rice University, something he highlighted primarily so he could "be Luke and not be Lance's son".

In that vein, Luke is asked whether he would ever take performance-enhancing drugs.

"I've always felt grinding for something and really working for a specific goal has always been so much more worth it than taking a shortcut," Armstrong junior said.

"I also feel if I ever did that and got caught, for random people, they would be like 'he's just like his dad'."

Would Lance be disappointed if his son was taking performance-enhancing drugs though?

"If we were put in the position where Luke came to me and said either 'I'd like to try this' or 'I'm doing this' I would say that's a bad idea, you're a freshman in college.

"It might be a different conversation if you're in the NFL, but at this point in your life, in your career, not worth it."

Aside from further illustrating Armstrong's apparent disregard for the rules when it came to gaining an advantage, that comment also highlights the absence of his contrition in relation to drug-taking throughout the documentary.

The Lance Dance

The 10-part The Last Dance more than whetted the public's appetite for a detailed look at some of sport's most intriguing characters, and Lance is a perfect follow for many reasons.

Ahead of The Last Dance, Michael Jordan warned that people wouldn't like him after watching him use every tool at his disposal to reach the top, no matter the cost to those who got in his way.

In Lance, Armstrong is similarly unapologetic about doing everything he could to win, even admitting to making up rivalries to motivate himself, just like Jordan did .

The vaguely contemptuous shrugs when attempting to justify something unpleasant that he had done are jarringly similar to those displayed by Jordan, albeit the things Armstrong is defending are far more serious.

Jordan portrayed himself as freakishly talented athlete who knew how to push himself to greater heights, despite displaying a single-minded focus to the point of selfishness in pursuit of that glory, unafraid to throw people by the wayside in the process.

On that level, there is no difference between Jordan and any of the all-time great athletes, including Armstrong.

"I couldn't be a different person off the bike," Armstrong said of his attacks in the courts and media on those who crossed him.

"There was no getting in my way, and it worked really well for training and racing. Perfect for that. It just doesn't work well with another human being who's not in the race."

Will he ever be forgiven?

"With regards to how I carried myself as the leader of a sport, the leader of a cause … inexcusable. Totally inappropriate behaviour. For that I'm deeply sorry," Armstrong says by way of a conclusion.

"I wish I could change it. I wish I could have been a better man.

"All I can do is say I'm sorry and move on. And hope that others do too."

The last sentence almost comes across as a threat, Armstrong challenging people to forgive him.

Whether that is realistic or not is a different matter.

Throughout the film, Armstrong appears to show no genuine remorse for his actions, or at most, an apology immediately contradicted by a claim that casts those words into doubt.

"The story is so polarising … it will always be that way," Armstrong said.

"I don't expect it to change, I don't want it to change, I'm not trying to will it to change. It's complicated."

For those reasons, the public are unlikely to be sold on whether Armstrong is going to be redeemed by this film, not that he appears too worried by that fact.

"Some people just can't chill the f*** out," Armstrong said.

"They're pissed. Still. And they will be pissed forever."

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LANCE ARMSTRONG'S TOUR DE FRANCE COMEBACK IN DOUBT

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Lance Armstrong has admitted that he might not ride the 2009 Tour de France during his comeback to racing.

In an exclusive interview in the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper the day after he confirmed he will ride the 2009 Giro d?Italia, Armstrong revealed that there are still problems with the Tour de France organisers.

?I?m excited about riding the Giro and I?m definitely coming to try to win because there?s a chance that the Giro will be the only three-week stage race I?ll ride,? Armstrong revealed.

?There are still doubts about the Tour de France. Everybody knows how important it is but with the problems that I?ve got with the organisers, journalists and fans, I could get distracted from mission, which is to focus world attention on the fight against cancer.?

?I hope a diplomatic and pacific solution can be found. Before announcing my comeback I contacted the (Tour de France) organisers but I still haven?t had an answer. Is there a chance they won?t invite me? Anything could happen but I find it incredible, a kind of own goal. I want to be in Paris but with a relaxed atmosphere.?

RECENT DECISION

Armstrong revealed he only decided to ride the Giro d?Italia last week, but said he decided to make a comeback after watching the 2008 Tour de France on television and riding the Leadville 100 mountain bike race in August.

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?It (not riding the Giro) was one of the big regrets of my career. But I love routines: I won in France the first time without riding the Giro d?Italia and I didn?t want to change a successful programme. I?m also methodical in my life: changes make me insecure.?

?There are two reasons (for a comeback). The first is sporting, I believe I can still be competitive. The second is social, because I think I can be much better in the fight against cancer on the bike. I watched the Tour on television and it made me want to ride. I made a definitive decision in August, the day I finished second in the mountain bike race in Colorado. That was when I got the answers I was looking for.?

?IF I LET THEM TEST ME EVERYDAY IT?S HARD TO CHEAT?

Armstrong revealed he was tested by the World Anti-Doping Agency two days before giving the interview to Gazzetta dello Sport. He defended his decision to hire Don Catlin to be his personal anti-doping tester but admitted some people may never accept he was clean during his career.

?If I let them test me every day, it?s hard to cheat,? Armstrong said when asked if offering totally openness will be enough.

?If I?m as fast in time trials as I was before and if I climb the mountains at the same speed as three years ago, that should end all the talk don?t you think? But I?m sure there will always be someone who has some doubts: ?OK Lance was clean in 2009 but what about the past?? ?

RELATED LINKS

Lance Armstrong's Tour de France comeback in doubt

Armstrong to ride the 2009 Giro d'Italia

Armstrong rejects offer to re-test 1999 samples

Armstrong knew about six month rule

French offer Armstrong re-test of his 1999 Tour samples

Amrstrong hopes UCI show 'common sense' for Aussie return

Armstrong comeback in Tour Down Under faces possible delays

Watch Armstrong in Vegas 'Cross race

Armstrong confirms Ventoux time trial for 2009?

Armstrong's comeback starts in Australia

Wednesday Comment (September 24)

Contador says riding with Lance could be difficult

UCI president rubbishes Armstrong Tour buyout claims

Bruyneel talks up Armstrong's chances

The Wednesday Comment, Armstrong Edition (September 10)

Tour de France: Lance can race in 2009

Contador: Lance could win eighth Tour

Lance confirms 2009 comeback

Armstrong: No smoke without fire?

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• Four-time winner Chris Froome convinces oblivious Tour security guard to let him through to race finish without pass

Former pro cyclist-turned-Strava KOM hunter Phil Gaimon addressed the comments of a certain other retired American cyclist, you know, the one who had seven yellow jerseys stripped for doping. Lance Armstrong bulldozed his way into the final weekend of the Tour de France, warning Tadej Pogačar "don't give people a reason to hate you" and "don't give them a reason to doubt you" after the Slovenian ruthlessly won his fourth stage of the race, at Isola 2000 on Friday , picking off the breakaway riders to beat Matteo Jorgenson with another brutal mountain performance.

Armstrong called cycling a "political game", claiming relevance and being the person best qualified to talk about the subject because... I guess, he got caught for one of sport's worst cheating scandals so... he's allowed to make mysterious comments about future generations? Something like that...

Gaimon was unimpressed, telling his podcast : "Never, ever listen to Lance Armstrong about anything." Cool, story done, next...

Only joking, he added on the episode released yesterday: "This was the performance  (Isola 2000) that put it over the line for some folks, this is unbelievable, we don't believe in this guy any more.

"People keep doing these climb comparisons. They're looking at the climbs from Pantani and Lance and Ulrich and all those guys. And of course, Tadej smashed a tonne of those this year. And you look at that, it's like, oh, well, that's a bad sign. But then look at this is 25, 30 years ago for a lot of those. Think about if you went to ride Pantani's bike right now up a hill, you'd be like, 'ew'. Everything has progressed. All sports progress, technology has progressed, aerodynamics, equipment.

> Comparing the Tour de France bikes that won on the Plateau de Beille in 1998 and 2024: Marco Pantani's Bianchi Mega Pro XL vs Tadej Pogačar's Colnago V4Rs

"And then you get into like nutrition and training. Every sport is going to get faster over time. Cycling from a certain era was going to regress a little bit and then progress over time. Am I saying Tadej is clean? No, I don't know that guy. But I see a lot of comments like, 'man, don't be naive, everyone's doing it'. No, they're not. That is absolutely not true. I know a lot of guys in the peloton still, I'm very close friends with a handful of them.

"I'm not best friends with anyone on the podium, but I'm super tight with people who are very high up, who have gotten significant results this year, whose names have been mentioned in these events, who I trust thoroughly. So is everyone doing it? No, even back then, that wasn't the case."

 Pogačar was of course on hand to collect his prize for winning the Tour last night — a press conference with questions about doping...to which he replied: "There will always be doubts because cycling was damaged so much in the past, before my time. In any sport, if somebody is winning there's always jealousy, there's always haters. If you don't have haters, then you're not succeeding. 

"In cycling, WADA and the UCI invested a lot of money and time to make this sport clean. I think this is one of the cleanest sports in the whole world because of what happened so many years ago. I tell you now, it's not worth it. I think taking anything that can risk your health or your heart is super stupid. You can cycle until you're 35, but there's a long way to enjoy life afterwards. It would be stupid to do this and risk your life for stupid racing."

Britain's most successful Paralympic athlete Dame Sarah Storey has been selected for a ninth Games and will be looking to defend the titles she has held for the past three Paralympics in the C5 time-trial and C4-5 road race.

"Competing in nine Games is a dream I didn't ever have. As a teenager I wanted to be an athlete for as long as I possibly could but always assumed I'd be too old by 46! I've got such a great support around me, led by my brilliant husband Barney and am very excited to pull on ParalympicsGB kit again," she said.

> "We used to have a life": Chants of "no more cyclists" at anti-tourism protest in Mallorca as residents complain of tourists driving up cost of living

What a dominant #TDF2024 victory by @TamauPogi . 🙌🙌🙌 Incredible second place after a serious crash weeks before the tour by @VingegaardJonas 👏👏👏 And of course the classic calls by @bobkeroll and @PhilLiggett ✊💙 — Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) July 22, 2024

It was one of the hot topics at this year's Tour de France, the news that UAE Team Emirates, Visma-Lease a Bike and Israel-Premier Tech all admitted that they were using a controversial, but legal, device called a carbon monoxide rebreather during altitude camps to test riders' progress.

What it all comes down to is that testing using the expensive device, which allows precise dosages of the deadly gas to be inhaled into the lungs, is safe and does not have a performance-enhancing effect. This is what cycling teams are using them for currently.

However, some have expressed discomfort at the fact the very same devices and techniques could be used by those looking to artificially boost haemoglobin.

> What is carbon monoxide rebreathing and why is the entire Tour de France talking about it? Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard insist it's "nothing suspicious" and "just a simple test", but others are less convinced

The Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) has told Cyclingnews  that rebreathers are "not a subject" it is looking to call to ban at the moment. "We're talking about something hypothetical rather than something suspicious, so you have to be careful," the organisation's president Roger Legeay explained. "Right now, there is nothing that says that it's being used in the optic of performance enhancement, so it's not a subject at the moment."

> Cycling UK calls on Labour government to put "divisive rhetoric" around active travel to bed "once and for all" with "coherent and committed" investment for cycling

        View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Saddleback Ltd (@saddleback_ltd)

 "It's not everyday you build a bike for an Olympian, and this is one interesting build!" the people from Saddleback wrote on Instagram. You can say that again...

"Built for track superstar @neah.evans, this @envecomposites Melee features some special modifications to fit the specifications and bike fit requirements. The 22cm wide cockpit is quite a stand-out feature!" they continued. 

Cav was honoured by the race organisation as well, getting his own special podium presentation alongside the other classification winners...

Sir Mark Cavendish, the all-time record holder for stage wins at the Tour de France 3️⃣5️⃣🇮🇲🚀 #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/4KV1hHy72W — ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 21, 2024

For those particularly at a loss for something to do tomorrow lunchtime, Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui posted on social media: "Mark Cavendish will be arriving at Heathrow T5 tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1300. Let's get a little flash Cav Homecoming thing going shall we?"

 > Mark Cavendish's Tour de France stage-winning bikes — from Giant to Wilier, every bike the Manx Missile rode to his record-breaking 35 Tour stage wins

Some reaction from you guys...

Jakrayan:  "I've only ever jumped up and down screaming at the TV twice. The first time was watching the Worlds in Copenhagen. The second was seeing the same racer hit the front with about 200m to go just over two weeks ago. 

"Thank you Cav, for many things, but particularly for making me understand why and how people get so emotional when watching sport. I shed many tears after number 35, not ashamed to admit it, and I am delighted that you are going out with a fairytale ending after the crappy years, and particularly after being forced to pull out last year with the broken collarbone when you'd already come so close."

Rendel Harris:  "Thanks Cav, you've added huge interest, excitement and joy to my watching of pro cycling and especially the Tour for the last nineteen years and finishing your last Tour by finally capturing the elusive #35 was a highlight of the year. Good luck with wherever the sport, or life, takes you in future!"

best stadium in the world 💛 #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/1piYSzWFdq — Emma Bianchi 🍉 (@cyclartist) July 21, 2024

Jonas Vingegaard quickly shut down any ideas that he could ride the Vuelta a España, telling Eurosport he needs a rest and has never "been this tired after a Grand Tour before".

"Unfortunately not this year," he confirmed. "I have different priorities this year, but for sure I will be there again in the future. I'm tired, I don't think I've ever been this tired after a Grand Tour before. To be honest, I'm exhausted, and I need a bit of rest now. It's been quite some journey because it's only three and a half months ago I had the worst crash of my career, breaking almost every bone in the upper right side of my body, and puncturing both lungs."

Meanwhile, the Dane's fellow podium finisher Remco Evenepoel had some critics to respond to...

"In my home country there has been a lot of criticism. I've worked my arse off to be in the best shape possible" Remco Evenepoel spoke to Matt after the podium presentation 🤍🇧🇪 #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/ZQwLMhXElC — ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 21, 2024

> REVIEW: Enigma Eikon Frame 2024

Biniam Girmay's historic moment arrived in Nice last night — three stage wins later, the first black African to win one stood on the Tour de France podium adorned in green. 

A journey from Asmara to Nice, via the World Cycling Centre in Switzerland, a facility Girmay was invited to train at after being spotted by a UCI scout as a 12-year-old winning a mountain bike race in Eritrea. Culture shocks, initial challenges adapting to Europe's colder climate, and visa issues were all part of Girmay's story since. Gent-Wevelgem two years ago was the breakthrough moment, a Giro d'Italia stage in the same year a monumental step too — but three stages of the Tour de France, the green jersey and a place at cycling's very top table is on another level entirely.

The impact of Girmay's success was seen online during these past three weeks, in videos from Eritrea, the streets packed with celebrating faces, a country inspired by his achievements.

Mani Arthur, who runs the Black Cyclists Network and has competed for Ghana, told the BBC : "We don't really see many black riders, especially from Africa, competing in the Tour de France. So to see Girmay not only be competing but to also win a much coveted stage is incredible. He's proven himself to be amongst the best riders in the world."

Eritrean cycling coach Aklilu Haile added: "Sometimes cycling seems like it's for white people only, but now he teaches us that cycling is for all the world."

'No, really... Monsieur, I really did win this four times... Please... Let me in...'

My favourite moment of the Nice final stage, was @chrisfroome rocking up in Birkenstocks, trying to convince the guard that he didn't need a pass to go through 😂 #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/jZya25O1G0 — Hilde (@hilduspildus) July 21, 2024

Thankfully, Froome made it through without a repeat of the incident at the 2018 Tour which saw him pushed from his bike by an overzealous gendarme who thought he was a fan descending the mountain too soon after the stage had finished...

Then, in 2021, he was  mistaken for a 'leisure rider' on French TV after being turned back due to forest fires in the South of France.

I bet David Beckham never has to deal with this... 

Dan is the road.cc news editor and has spent the past four years writing stories and features, as well as (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. Having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for the Non-League Paper, Dan joined road.cc in 2020. Come the weekend you'll find him labouring up a hill, probably with a mouth full of jelly babies, or making a bonk-induced trip to a south of England petrol station... in search of more jelly babies.

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13 comments.

Sorry but Froome sounds like an arrogant 'do you know who I am' t**t. If you need accreditation to get passed then get it. Don't expect officials to risk their jobs just becuase they don't recognise you. And even if they did, that doesn't give you the right to get passed anyway. 

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Rome73 wrote: Sorry but Froome sounds like an arrogant 'do you know who I am' t**t. If you need accreditation to get passed then get it. Don't expect officials to risk their jobs just becuase they don't recognise you. And even if they did, that doesn't give you the right to get passed anyway. 

Have you considered that maybe the guard was wrong and that he didn't need accreditation, that maybe he was told by the organisers he could just come along and they would let him in? Clearly accreditation was not essential as the guard eventually did let him in. Best not to judge without the full facts.

Pog would be so much more believable if he didn't sound so much like Lance.

Pog: "I think this is one of the cleanest sports in the whole world because of what happened so many years ago. I tell you now, it's not worth it. I think taking anything that can risk your health or your heart is super stupid. I think this is one of the cleanest sports in the whole world because of what happened so many years ago. I tell you now, it's not worth it. I think taking anything that can risk your health or your heart is super stupid."

It sounds a lot like Lance talking about how the Tour is clean because of, well, Festina, and how he'd never dope because of, well,  "cancer.''  And all this worrying about health risks from people who regularly engage in high-speed, potentially deadly downhill runs on their bikes on a regular basis. 

Hopefully, Pog is clean. But it might feel better if he just said: "I"m not doping. I don't know what else to tell you. You'll have to take my word for it, I guess, because I can't bring myself to offer phony claims as to how that wouldn't be healthy.'' 

cmedred wrote: Hopefully, Pog is clean. But it might feel better if he just said: "I"m not doping. I don't know what else to tell you. You'll have to take my word for it, I guess, because I can't bring myself to offer phony claims as to how that wouldn't be healthy.'' 

But if he isn't doping and that is one of his main motivations not to then his claims aren't phony. Honestly, I know we're all geared towards suspicion and for good reason but he really is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, isn't he?

cmedred wrote: And all this worrying about health risks from people who regularly engage in high-speed, potentially deadly downhill runs on their bikes on a regular basis. 

That's a totally nonsensical argument, on that basis you can't believe anyone who says they care about their health if they undertake any potentially dangerous activities as part of their job or hobbies. I'm fond of a good descent myself (nothing like Tour speeds but 80 km/h or so on a good surface with a clear run), I don't disregard my health the rest of the time on the basis that I could be killed doing it. These are young men who devote their lives to achieving superhuman levels of fitness, just because their pursuit also involves high risk activities doesn't mean you can write off as nonsense any claim that they care about their health.

Couple of dashcams from the w/e

Interesting one asking who is a fault

https://youtu.be/4ZVZBFRWTEQ?t=142

Driver fails to understand the difference between middle of the lane and middle of the road. Fails to think about where to overtake safely and what happens even if the overtake is ok.

https://youtu.be/jDMr4AEEn8M?t=124

Hirsute wrote: who is a fault

I'm going to go with pretty much everybody:

• That's a terrible place to park your heavy machinery towing truck - 243 DO NOT stop or park opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorised parking space (I can't tell whether the parking bays extend that far, but if so then we can add a share of the blame to whoever approved that layout).
• The driver of the car doesn't indicate until the very last minute, and presumably isn't checking their mirrors sufficiently to realise that the cyclist is there.
• The cyclist was probably a little reckless in diving in to that space when, even if they hadn't been turning, the driver was still likely to be moving left, further in to the lane, having passed the parked vehicle.

This is the location from the dashcam overlay - https://maps.app.goo.gl/WZF7QD1PvVodr6mP6

Possibly the cyclist thought the driver was going to turn right, that would explain the attempt to pass on the left.

Hirsute wrote: Driver fails to understand the difference between middle of the lane and middle of the road. Fails to think about where to overtake safely and what happens even if the overtake is ok. https://youtu.be/jDMr4AEEn8M?t=124

Gotta say, I went into that comment section expecting a fight, but the general consensus (surprisingly) seems to be that "yeah, he's obviously going to take primary approaching a junction, why would you even think of overtaking there?!".

Maybe we're finally getting somewhere?

Yes, I could only find loads of comments against the driver and none against the cyclist.

#1 - motorist overtakes cyclist who is overtaking (badly) parked heavy plant, then thinks that they have evaporated so it's safe to turn left.

#2 - motorist clearly doesn't realise that the approach to a junction is a really bad place to overtake a cyclist, cyclist disagrees so moves right  ever so slightly so as to discourage said unsafe overtake.

Guardian interview with Victoria Pendleton

Well that was a fucking depressing read. Poor woman. 

She has been through so much shit. Her successes during and since her cycling career are remarkable achievements.

She's one of so many athletes British Cycling, particularly of that era, have utterly failed

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Lance Armstrong: Triumph Over Cancer and the Ultimate Comeback

Lance Armstrong, the renowned cyclist who defied the odds and conquered cancer, is the focus of this article. In 1996, Armstrong’s world was shattered when he received a devastating diagnosis. However, his indomitable spirit and unwavering determination propelled him to overcome the disease and embark on a remarkable comeback. Despite facing numerous challenges, Armstrong’s triumph over cancer became the driving force behind his mission to inspire others. This article delves into his journey of resilience and the lasting impact he has made in the fight against cancer.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Lance Armstrong’s battle with cancer was a turning point in his life, leading to his decision to quit cycling and find a new purpose.
• Armstrong saw his fight against cancer as a responsibility to inspire others and became a world-famous athlete and advocate for cancer awareness.
• His return to cycling in 2008 aimed to use the sport as a platform to fight cancer and raise funds for research.
• Armstrong’s legacy and impact serve as an inspiration for anyone who has faced adversity and battled the odds.

Lance Armstrong’s Cancer Diagnosis: The Beginning of the Battle

Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer in 1996, marking the beginning of his battle against the disease. This was a pivotal moment in Armstrong’s life, as it forced him to confront his mortality and face the challenges that lay ahead. Throughout his cancer journey, Armstrong demonstrated the power of perseverance and taught valuable lessons in resilience. Despite the physical and emotional toll that cancer took on him, Armstrong refused to give up. He underwent grueling treatments, endured intense pain, and faced uncertain outcomes. But through it all, he remained determined and focused on his recovery. Armstrong’s cancer battle became a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the importance of never losing hope. His journey serves as an inspiration to others facing similar challenges, reminding them that with perseverance and resilience, they too can overcome the toughest of obstacles.

Struggles and Obstacles: Lance Armstrong’s Journey to Recovery

Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, Lance Armstrong persevered in his journey to recovery after his battle with cancer. His struggles and obstacles were met with mental resilience and determination.

Physical Rehabilitation: Armstrong underwent intensive physical therapy to regain his strength and endurance. He pushed himself to the limit, constantly striving for improvement and surpassing his previous abilities.

Psychological Healing: Alongside his physical recovery, Armstrong also focused on his mental well-being. He sought therapy and support to address the emotional trauma and confusion he experienced after surviving cancer.

Finding a New Purpose: Armstrong used his experience with cancer as a catalyst for change. He channeled his energy into raising awareness and funds for cancer research, becoming an advocate for those fighting the disease. This newfound purpose gave him the motivation to overcome any challenges that came his way.

Through his determination and mental resilience, Lance Armstrong proved that overcoming challenges is possible, even in the face of adversity.

The Decision to Quit: Lance Armstrong’s Turning Point

Experiencing a lack of enjoyment and feeling ashamed for allowing his body to get out of condition, Armstrong made the difficult decision to quit cycling during his recovery. This decision had a significant psychological impact on him. Quitting a sport that had been his passion and identity for so long was not easy. However, Armstrong recognized that continuing to cycle without the same level of passion and commitment would not be beneficial for his mental well-being. By choosing to step away from cycling, he was able to confront and overcome his feelings of shame. This turning point allowed Armstrong to focus on finding a new purpose in life, which ultimately led him to his fight against cancer and the creation of the LIVESTRONG foundation. Through this decision, Armstrong was able to transform his shame into motivation and make a positive impact on the lives of others.

Inspiring Others: Lance Armstrong’s Fight Against Cancer

Convinced of the importance of inspiring others, Lance Armstrong used his battle with cancer as a platform to raise awareness and encourage people to fight against the disease. Armstrong’s advocacy efforts have had a significant impact on cancer research. Through his foundation, LIVESTRONG, he has worked tirelessly to promote global cooperation in the fight against cancer. Armstrong became a world-famous athlete and an inspiration for others, retiring from professional cycling to focus on his foundation and other interests. His return to cycling was not just about personal achievements, but also about spreading awareness and raising funds for cancer research. Armstrong’s story serves as a powerful reminder that anyone, regardless of their circumstances, can overcome adversity and make a positive impact on the world.

The Comeback: Lance Armstrong’s Return to Cycling

Facing numerous challenges and setbacks, Lance Armstrong encountered a major crash and a broken collarbone during his return to cycling. Despite these obstacles, he persevered and achieved remarkable comeback achievements.

• Armstrong’s determination to use cycling as a platform to fight cancer fueled his motivation to succeed.
• He underwent grueling physical therapy to recover from his injuries and regain his strength.
• Armstrong’s mental resilience played a crucial role in overcoming the psychological barriers of returning to professional cycling.

Through his unwavering determination, Armstrong was able to overcome these challenges and make a triumphant return to the sport. His comeback achievements not only showcased his exceptional talent and determination but also served as an inspiration to others facing their own adversities. Lance Armstrong’s story is a testament to the power of resilience and the ability to overcome obstacles in pursuit of one’s goals.

Legacy and Impact: Lance Armstrong’s Triumph Beyond the Tour De France

Armstrong’s legacy extends far beyond his victories in the Tour de France, as he continues to inspire and advocate for cancer research and global cooperation. Lance Armstrong’s triumph over cancer has had a lasting impact on cancer awareness and research. His personal battle with the disease propelled him to become a champion for those affected by cancer, not only through his cycling achievements but also through his foundation, the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign. Armstrong’s influence on the cycling community and athletes is undeniable. His comeback to professional cycling after beating cancer inspired many athletes to persevere and never give up. Armstrong’s story serves as a testament to the power of determination and resilience. Despite the controversy surrounding his career, his efforts to raise awareness and funds for cancer research have left a lasting impact on the fight against this devastating disease.

Lance Armstrong: A Beacon of Hope and Resilience in the Face of Adversity

Despite the challenges he encountered, Lance Armstrong’s battle with cancer and subsequent return to professional cycling served as a beacon of hope and resilience for many. Armstrong’s story is a testament to the power of determination and the human spirit. His journey of overcoming cancer and finding the strength to pursue his passion again inspired countless individuals facing their own battles.

• Lance Armstrong’s resilience in overcoming cancer showed that it is possible to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and come out stronger on the other side.
• His advocacy for cancer awareness and research highlighted the importance of early detection and the need for continued research to find a cure.
• Armstrong’s unwavering determination to use his platform in professional cycling to fight cancer demonstrated the impact one person can have in raising awareness and funding for a cause.

Armstrong’s legacy serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there is always hope and the potential for triumph.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did lance armstrong handle the psychological challenges of his comeback after surviving cancer.

Handling the psychological challenges of his comeback after surviving cancer, Lance Armstrong displayed remarkable mental resilience. He faced adversity head-on, feeling confused and disoriented, but ultimately found the strength to overcome and continue his journey in professional cycling.

What Was the Main Reason Behind Lance Armstrong’s Decision to Quit Professional Cycling?

Lance Armstrong quit professional cycling because he no longer enjoyed it and wanted to find a new purpose in life. This decision had an impact on his mental health, but he remained motivated to inspire others and continued his advocacy efforts.

How Did Lance Armstrong View His Battle With Cancer and What Was His Motivation to Inspire Others?

Lance Armstrong viewed his battle with cancer as a responsibility to inspire others. His motivation to inspire came from wanting people to fight against cancer like he did. Armstrong’s legacy includes ongoing advocacy for cancer research and support.

What Setbacks Did Lance Armstrong Face During His Comeback to Cycling?

During his comeback to cycling, Lance Armstrong faced psychological challenges and made the decision to quit professional cycling. These setbacks were significant in shaping his recovery and ultimately led to his triumph over cancer.

How Did Lance Armstrong’s Triumph Over Cancer Become Central to His Life’s Work and What Is His Ongoing Advocacy For?

Lance Armstrong’s triumph over cancer became central to his life’s work. He used his platform as a world-famous athlete to advocate for cancer awareness and fundraising, emphasizing the importance of ongoing advocacy in the fight against the disease.

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Tour de France

Fourth in the prologue, time on his rivals: it’s all good to lance armstrong, lance armstrong was happy to have a good ride in saturday's tour prologue — and even happier to put some time on his rivals..

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It was hard to tell what pleased Lance Armstrong most following his fourth-place finish in Saturday’s Tour de France prologue. The American was happy about feeling good in a time trial for the first time since his comeback; he was also glad to have kept the bike upright and avoided a crash on the wet, slippery roads.

Armstrong was also proud to have also successfully predicted the day’s top finishers, Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin.

But most of all, Armstrong was thrilled to have finished ahead of all of his GC rivals — among them last year’s winner and Armstrong nemesis Alberto Contador.

Armstrong finished only five seconds ahead of the defending champion, but it’s a victory nonetheless in the psychological war between the former Astana teammates that began in September 2008, when Armstrong first announced his comeback.

“I would like to say (the performance) wasn’t a surprise, but in my heart it was,” Armstrong said. “I’ve been waiting to have a decent time trial. I wasn’t the best today, but among GC rivals … I’d have to say it was the best I’ve done since the comeback.”

And while it’s a long way to Paris, Armstrong also distanced himself from the two men that surrounded him on last year’s general classification, Bradley Wiggins and Andy Schleck. The RadioShack rider finished more than 30 seconds ahead of Wiggins and 47 ahead of Schleck.

“I’m not going to complain,” he said. “If you told me this morning that I could sign up for fourth and put time in all of my rivals, I would have signed with both hands.”

Armstrong described the roads around Rotterdam as “wet and slippery,” and admitted he’d benefited from his late start time.

“Some corners were wet, some were dry,” he said. “I got a bit lucky with the weather.”

Asked about Wiggins’ decision to take an early start in hopes of finishing before the rain, Armstrong said choosing start times based around the weather is a lottery.

“That’s just the way the ball bounces. You’re either the smartest guy in the room or you’re not,” he said. “I went early last year. I bet on the weather. And it’s good to start earlier because you also get home early, eat right away, get a massage and get to bed earlier than your rivals. But no one really picked the weather right today.”

It’s no secret that Armstrong has historically ridden well when angered, and he was no doubt irritated following Saturday’s Wall Street Journal story alleging systematic doping on the U.S. Postal Service team. If he was angry, the Texan maintained a firm poker face, saying, “I felt good today, from when I rode this morning, during my warm-up, into the start and through the finale.”

Asked if he had anything to add to the statement he issued this morning regarding the Wall Street Journal story, he replied: “I have nothing to say — nothing to add. It’s been 10 years (of this); it’s nothing new.”

Prodded to compare his fitness heading into this Tour to that of one year ago, when his season was hampered with a broken collarbone in March, Armstrong said: “I think I’m a little ahead (of last year.) There have been some differences. Last year you had the Giro, then a one-month break, then the Tour. This year I had the crash (at the Amgen Tour of California), but for me, in general, racing in June, closer to the Tour, is a better route. No regrets. I feel good. The testing I’ve done, based both on time and wattages, is where I need to be. Now we just have to see where the others are.”

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Where are they now? Lance Armstrong’s 1999 Tour de France US Postal team

A quarter of a century has passed since the 1999 Tour de France , which promised a new era for the sport of professional cycling. It delivered, but not the way it set out to do.

The 1999 edition was dubbed the ‘Tour of Renewal’, coming 12 months after the Festina scandal had shaken the sport to its very foundations. Widespread doping within the peloton had been laid shockingly bare and, after the 1998 Tour somehow made it all the way to Paris, the sport was supposed to have turned the page and started on a fresh, clean, slate.

How farcical that now seems. The 1999 Tour de France was the first in a run of seven successive Tours that do not have a winner. The man standing in yellow atop the podium in Paris on all of those occasions was, of course, Lance Armstrong , the cancer survivor who wrote a story that was, it turned out, too good to be true.

A lot has changed in the past 25 years. Armstrong’s eventual confession to doping, after years of whistles blown, investigations pursued, and lawsuits lodged, sent shockwaves through the sport. The riders on that US Postal squad for the 1999 Tour were all, to differing degrees, caught up in the storm.

But how have they landed now the dust has settled? How do they fill their days? And how are their relationships with not just with Armstrong but with cycling?

There were nine riders on the team – “an odd bunch”, Armstrong once said – and one infamous team manager. Here’s what they’re all up to in 2024.

Lance Armstrong

The rider at the heart of it all needs little introduction. He is the most famous cyclist of all time, his rise and fall making for one of the most extraordinary narratives in sporting history.

Armstrong remains banned for life from professional cycling, and while he might have spent several years in the wilderness, fighting lawsuits and flirting with financial ruin, his rehabilitation has gathered pace in recent years, most notably through the launch and growth of his podcast operation. The podcast is named The Move, and currently sits as high as fifth in the US sport podcast charts, but it’s part of a wider stable named WEDU, a company founded by Armstrong in 2016.

It was a different podcast, The Forward, that kick-started the whole thing, with Armstrong insisting he didn’t want to make a cycling podcast and going out to interview figures from the wider world. However, the output there has become more sporadic as The Move, very much a cycling podcast, has taken flight in the past few years. There are spin-off shows, camps in destinations such as Mallorca, and a healthy array of sponsors.

WEDU, which stands for ‘we do’, was conceived as a community for endurance sport enthusiasts, and also features two sportives in the US, the Aspen Fifty and the Texas Hundred. It’s one of Armstrong’s two main business pursuits, alongside Next Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests primarily in the health and wellbeing sector. Armstrong knows the potential of investment better than most; he credits an early purchase of shares in Uber with ‘saving’ his family, amid a claimed bill of $111m in lawsuit losses.

Armstrong still does some charity outreach, still trains extensively on and off the bike, and still has his bike shop in Austin, Mellow Johnny’s – a play on ‘maillot jaune’, seven of which are proudly displayed on the walls.

But it’s The Move that has thrust Armstrong back into mainstream public consciousness on a regular basis, and in that respect there has seemingly been a softening in public perception. It wasn’t so long ago that Armstrong was so disgraced no one would be seen near him. Pro cyclists would be deemed tainted by association and his appearance at a charity ride taking place a day ahead of the Tour de France in 2015 caused a huge controversy. Nowadays, current pros are regular guests on his podcast, from stars such as Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas to up-and-coming Americans like Matteo Jorgensen. Likewise, he has enough partnerships with brands not to be considered any kind of outcast.

So while his sins may never be forgiven, they are perhaps starting to be forgotten, the edge being chipped off the outrage, if only due to the gradual passing of time.

Tyler Hamilton

Tyler Hamilton has a cycling coaching business. So far, so very predictable. But the Montana native also has the most normal, real-person, job of anyone on this list. He’s a financial advisor. Or, to go full Linkedin, he directs investor relations at Black Swift Group. And so, in the hands of one of the most well-known cyclists of recent times, a profession that wouldn’t set many dinner parties alight suddenly becomes rather fascinating. Many former elite athletes go into business as entrepreneurs, but most don’t have the stomach for the suit and tie five days a week.

Hamilton had studied economics at college, dropping out to pursue his cycling career, but moving into finance was far from a clear-cut post-racing route. In fact, it took him a long time to figure out what to do, and at this point it’s worth circling back to his career and remembering Hamilton as something of a tortured soul. He was the most important rider for Armstrong in 1999, the highest-level lieutenant who would leave in 2002 to chase his own dreams, finishing runner-up at that year’s Giro d’Italia and fourth at the following year’s Tour. However, in 2004 he was found out for blood doping, losing an Olympic gold medal. While he did return to the sport following a two-year ban, he tested positive again and a new eight-year sanction ended his career in 2009.

Hamilton initially upheld the omertà but was subpoenaed as part of the US Postal federal investigation and that was the catalyst for an about-turn. Ever since, he has run like a tap, and it has proved hugely cathartic. Hamilton has been open about the fact he suffered from depression since his best days as a rider, and his whole post-racing life has been testament to the power of letting go of secrets and their baggage. After coming clean to his family and the media, Hamilton penned one of the most explosive sports books of all time, The Secret Race , which came out at a time when the walls were closing in around Armstrong, but little was known of the sordid behind-the-scenes details of daily doping. The book led to another secondary career, as a motivational speaker. That won’t have pleased some of the riders on this list, but there does seem to be an authenticity to Hamilton’s remorse, in that even now when you hear him speak, he still seems troubled by the past, the irony being that the one who has confronted it most directly has perhaps had the hardest time leaving it behind.

As the momentum drained from the speaking duties, Hamilton, alongside his coaching company, Tyler Hamilton Training, trained as a real estate agent in 2015 but soon realised he wasn’t cut out for it. It wasn’t until 2019, when he was approached by an old friend, that he entered the world of finance and investment, and he hasn’t looked back, regularly travelling from his home in Montana to Black Swift Group’s Colorado HQ to cultivate their client base.

Hamilton says he couldn’t face riding his bike for a number of years but has fallen back in love with it, albeit in a different way. He has taken bike packing trips all over the world, and now many of his pedal strokes are spent pulling a trailer containing his three-year-old son from his third marriage. Yoga and meditation also help to keep his mental health in shape.

Pascal Deramé

An internet search and a social media scan sheds no light on how Pascal Deramé fills his days. Our approach via a phone number we dug out remains unanswered, and our enquiries with French cycling insiders yield little progress, either. “He vanished!” says one.

The sole Frenchman on the line-up had a relatively low-key career, retiring after seven years and with one victory to his name. He was a pure domestique, signed ostensibly to add a French ally for Jean-Cyril Robin in 1998, but proving a useful workhorse for Armstrong in 1999, although he’d leave for French team Bonjour by the turn of the season.

Deramé hung up his wheels after the 2002 season and has faded into the background. He remained involved in cycling at a lower-level in France, becoming a director of the long-running U Nantes amateur team in his native Brittany, with a particular focus on developing young talent. He reportedly joined on a voluntary basis at first, before taking up a salaried position, so the love for the sport must have still run deep.

Sadly, he was dismissed in 2017 after more than 15 years of service, as the team faced financial issues. Either the team cut the rider roster or got rid of a director and, as the highest paid, Deramé was the fall guy. “I prefer to hang onto the good memories of the moments we shared, the super guys I met, and a sponsor faithful to cycling,” he told Ouest France .

However, a journalist for that same newspaper informs us that Deramé took it heavily, and cut all ties with cycling. Apparently, he attempted to open a supermarket on the outskirts of Nantes, but didn’t manage to get the project off the ground. He’s said to be living somewhere among the vineyards of Nantes.

George Hincapie

George Hincapie forged a reputation as Armstrong’s sidekick, and that remains the case to this day. He was the only rider by the Texan’s side for all seven of his Tour de France ‘victories’, and he’s now his business partner and co-host of The Move.

With a bigger, heavier physique, Hincapie was more of a Classics specialist, who podiumed Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders and won three US road race titles. As such, he was deployed in the versatile rouleur role and his importance was underlined by his list of races in Armstrong’s service. In fact, only one rider in history has ridden more Tours than his tally of 17. After Armstrong’s initial retirement, Hincapie helped Alberto Contador to Tour de France glory in 2007, before linking up with the up-and-coming Mark Cavendish at Columbia, and then landing another yellow jersey with Cadel Evans at BMC in 2011. He finally confessed to doping in 2012 following the publication of the USADA Reasoned Decision, although he claimed he had raced clean after 2006. 

He has gone on to launch several business ventures, most notably alongside his brother, Rich, a business graduate. Most revolve around cycling, but the pair also opened a luxury guest house in South Carolina, named Hotel Domestique, which in fairness still brings it back to cycling. Rich had already established Hincapie Sportswear, a cycling apparel brand, in 2003, and George joined forces once retired. The brand would be the title sponsor of another joint initiative, a US-based cycling team established in 2012 as a feeder team to BMC Racing. Despite blooding the likes of Toms Skujins and Joey Rosskopf before rising to ProContinental status in 2018, the pandemic was a crushing blow for the set-up and its prospects of competing in Europe, and so it was shut down in 2020.

The Hincapies have since added another arm to their eponymous brand, in the form of a series of Gran Fondos, which now counts five events throughout the USA. Remarkably, one of George’s two sons, Enzo, won the Chattanooga event in 2022 at the age of just 13. His father rode as a luxury domestique that day, and still rides his bike extensively, whether it’s in South Carolina or on the road with The Move.

In short, George is hardly twiddling his thumbs, and the Hincapie name could well reverberate around the cycling world for years to come.

Jonathan Vaughters

Jonathan Vaughters did not play much of a part in the 1999 Tour de France, crashing out on stage 2 as the peloton split on the exposed tidal road that links the island of Noirmoutier with mainland France. However, he has since enjoyed the most prominent role within professional cycling of anyone in the squad.

Vaughters is the general manager of the EF Education EasyPost team, who are currently racing their 17th consecutive Tour de France – a success story in itself. His reabsorption back into the centre of the fold still appears to irk those who are forced to watch on from the sidelines, and it’s safe to say the wounds have never healed. After his retirement in 2003, Vaughters reinvented himself as an anti-doping activist, which has earned him respect in some quarters and derision in others: just last week he was branded a “hypocrite clown” by Johan Bruyneel, the boss of US Postal in 1999 (more on him shortly).

In any case, Vaughters went to found the Slipstream Sports set-up, taking it from a small US operation to a 2008 Tour de France debut with a clean philosophy and another rider on this list, Christian Vande Velde, who would finish fourth at that year’s Tour.

Vaughters took the team to the WorldTour the following year and they’ve remained there ever since, which is quite something given his status as a leading voice in calling out the dysfunctional economic ecosystem of pro cycling. The team came very close to folding in 2017, just after Rigoberto Urán finished runner-up in the Tour. The stress of trying to save it, which involved a crowdfunding campaign, was partly to blame for the collapse of his second marriage, according to Vaughters, who also pointed to his diagnosis of autism the following year.

Vaughters has never had the financial freedom of the biggest teams, but his longevity is surely testament to a certain resilience and innovative streak. He has largely had to resort to 'moneyball' signings and while results have been mixed, there’s no arguing with the success of EF’s ‘alternative’ calendar, which has seen the popular free spirit Lachlan Morton headline a feel-good tour of two-wheeled adventures beyond the confines of the elite pro road scene. It’s no exaggeration to say the initiative has reimagined what sponsorship activation and athlete engagement look like in the modern day, and while Vaughters remains a divisive figure, few would argue his team lacks personality or identity.

Vaughters splits his time between his European base in Girona, Spain, and his home city of Denver, Colorado, where he houses a cellar dedicated to his primary non-cycling passion: wine.

Peter Meinert-Nielsen

One of only two non-US riders on the squad, Peter Meinert-Nielsen became a sports director in retirement, and works in cycling now, but wait until you hear what he did in between. He was a kitchen salesman. In 2004 he ran a store of the Hanstholm chain of luxury kitchens and homeware. The store closed down but he spent the last few years of his tenure operating out of his own home in Torring.

Meinert-Nielsen was the oldest of the 1999 US Postal Tour de France squad, at 33 and with 12 Grand Tours already under his belt. That Tour was to be his last, and he still regrets not finishing it, a crash ruling him out on stage 13. He joined the Danish team Fakta in 2000, in what proved to be his final season sue to waning motivation. In retirement, he moved straight into a management role at Fakta. That was until he got into kitchens.

He had a short second stint as a DS with Blue Water in 2013 but the following year he would start the occupation that keeps him busy to this day: helping get more people into cycling. Meinert-Nielsen works as a consultant for the DGI, a non-governmental association of amateur clubs in Denmark, which aims to increase sports participation at grass roots level. He operates in the Jutland region, putting on rides, offering guidance, and helping cycling clubs boost membership numbers.

Meinert-Nielsen has also started appearing as a pundit on Discovery’s cycling coverage in Denmark, but he still leaves plenty of time for riding his bike. Gravel is his thing now, and he’s also partial to a spot of bikepacking and cyclo-tourism. Whatever it is, he lives for it, as a quick scroll through his Instagram will tell you. He describes headwinds as “lovely” and gravel riding as “pure conditioner for the soul”. Now there’s a man who’s still in love with the bike.

Christian Vande Velde

US cycling fans will likely be familiar enough with Christian Vande Velde, given he’s on their screens every day this month. Remarkably, the Chicago native has already racked up a decade’s worth of broadcasting experience, appearing as an analyst on NBC’s Tour de France coverage for the first time in 2014, the first year of his racing retirement. Since then, he has become an authoritative voice for US viewers, although these day’s he’s found mostly on a motorbike, doing the roving reporting role from within the peloton.

Vande Velde was only just getting going when he lined up for the 1999 Tour as a 23-year-old second-year pro, and he has described a blissful sort of naivety as the whole experience washed over him and the magnitude of it escaped him. He only rode one further Tour for Armstrong before leaving for Liberty Seguros in 2004 and then finding his feet at CSC. It was under the guidance of 1999 Tour teammate Vaughters, however, that things really clicked, as he blossomed into a GC rider with Slipstream/Garmin, placing fourth at the 2008 Tour de France and eighth a year later.

The latter years of Vande Velde’s career were blighted by crashes. He confessed to doping following the publication of the USADA Reasoned Decision in 2012, but claimed he had "started racing clean again well before joining Slipstream". He served a six-month ban before seeing out a short final season in 2013. 

Still, Vande Velde was not deemed persona non grata. He was quickly snapped up by NBC and threw himself into a number of other projects, including rider representation for the CPA riders’ union, with a focus on the US continent.

He soon signed up with Peloton as a celebrity coach, leading virtual indoor training sessions for the exercise bike brand. However, he stopped early in 2020 to launch his own training platform, an app named The Breakaway. Founded alongside two former Strava employees, it takes users’ data to create, with the help of AI, tailored training plans. The app is going strongly but Vande Velde recently announced his return to Peloton as a guest instructor.

Vande Velde moved to South Carolina after leaving his European base of Girona in retirement, and can regularly be seen out riding with Hincapie.

Kevin Livingston

Kevin Livingston was a close friend of Armstrong, and is so again now, but their relationship suffered a notorious blip. Livingston, who’d been headhunted to join US Postal in 1999 after riding with Armstrong at Motorola, deigned to move on after just two seasons and two Tours. What’s more, he wound up working for Armstrong’s arch-rival, Jan Ullrich. Livingston had intended to join the Linda McCartney team after asking for more money and more freedom, which already irked Armstrong, but when that fell through, he ended up doing what Armstrong likened to US Army general Normal Schwarzkopf defecting to communist China.

The pair did re-build their bridges in the wake of Livingston’s shock early retirement after the 2002 season. Livingston continued to live in Armstrong’s hometown of Austin, where he’d moved during their Motorola days. He even opened a base for his retirement project, the Pedal Hard coaching company, in the basement of Armstrong’s bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s. For many years, Livingston operated out of this centre, which included an indoor training hub and a Retul-equipped bike fitting service. This, however, has now shut down.

Livingston also worked with the Trek-Livestrong U23 team and has been involved in race organisation for events in the USA. However, he has consistently kept a low profile, the only sign of him on social media being the roller skiing (a drylands form of cross-country skiing) activities – and the occasional ride – he uploads to Strava. We were unable to get hold of him for this piece and, in his recent biography of Jan Ullrich, Daniel Friebe recounts his own efforts to track Livingston down, which went as far as turning up at Mellow Johnny’s unannounced.

“I spot a shop clerk, tell him why I’m here, to which the colleague responds that he’ll go and fetch Kevin. A minute or two later, the same gentleman returns to uneasily tell me that, no luck, it turns out Kevin’s not around. When I relate all of this to Armstrong the next day,” Friebe continues, “he shakes his head. ‘I don’t get it,’ he mutters. His efforts to solicit Livingston on my behalf come to nothing.”

Frankie Andreu

Armstrong has turned on most riders on this list in one way or another, and while bonds may have been repaired among most, the bridges that were burned between him and Frankie Andreu are as good as irreparable. Andreu and his wife, Betsy, are best known as whistleblowers in the whole saga and while it’d take too long to go over the whole affair here, suffice to say it got very, very ugly.

Andreu was an elder statesman of the 1999 Tour squad, a 32-year-old who had already ridden seven Tours. He’d ridden with Armstrong at Motorola, and played an important road captain role but only for two of the ‘victories’, retiring in 2000, although he did dabble as an assistant team director in 2001 and 2002.

Andreu has made a name for himself with microphone in hand, and that started on Universal Sports’ Tour de France television coverage, where he was cast in a reporter role and, somewhat bizarrely, made his way around the buses trying to grab words with, among others, his former teammates.

Andreu did make attempts to get into team management but never had much luck, partly because, he says, of the whole Armstrong affair. He was fired from Toyota-United in 2006, which he pointed out coincided with the controversy surrounding his testimony, and he only lasted several months at the ill-fated Rock Racing set-up. He then managed five years as DS at the Kenda Pro Cycling team but suggested in his USADA affidavit they weren’t getting race invites due to his feud with Armstrong. “I have been told that my public disputes with Lance Armstrong have made it more difficult for others in the cycling industry to work with me because they fear reprisal from Lance and his associates,” he stated.

Andreu has instead thrown himself into his broadcasting. Despite no longer being a part of TV Tour de France coverage, he has established a successful announcement and commentary business, Andreu Racing LLC, which sees him perform as the official speaker for a number of events, from US crit racing and Gran Fondos to running events and triathlons. He performs the master of ceremonies role pre and post-race, as well as often commentating on live streaming coverage, and judging by his schedule, he’s not short of work.

Johan Bruyneel

Pulling the strings of this nine-man squad was the infamous Johan Bruyneel, a Belgian team director inextricably linked with Armstrong’s rise and fall, and by extension with the very worst of cycling’s doping excesses. In fact, his name still seems to carry super-villain connotations, not quite in the ‘he-who-must-not-be-named’ manner of a Michele Ferrari, but not far off. That’s because, like Ferrari and like Armstrong, he is banned from the sport of professional cycling for the rest of his life.

Bruyneel was initially handed a 10-year ban, but halfway through it was upgraded to life, although he appears to have avoided the worst of the million-dollar financial impact of the US lawsuits by virtue of living abroad, calling Madrid home for a number of years. Nevertheless, Bruyneel has opened up about the toll of the fallout from the scandal, saying his physical and mental health declined as he hit “rock bottom”. His close alliance with Armstrong was undimmed and if anything the pair grew closer. “When I was in really deep trouble – and there were many times when I was in really deep trouble – he was there, unquestioning and without hesitating: 'What do you need?’,” Bruyneel told the Dutch journalist Raymond Kerckhoffs in 2020. “I think that that reinforced our bond.”

Bruyneel remains closely linked to Armstrong in business, as a central member of the Wedu operation. He regularly appears on The Move, has his own spin-off podcast JB2, and hosts the Spanish version – La Movida – in perfect Spanish. For those who don’t listen to those podcasts, Bruyneel sits most prominently in the public imagination for his output on X (formerly Twitter) , where his bio sets out his stall in no uncertain terms: “Calling out bullshitters and hypocrites.”

Vaughters, as we’ve touched upon, is a favourite target in this regard. As recently as last week, it was revealed that the EF rider Andrea Piccolo had been stopped at a border on suspicion of trafficking human growth hormone (itself a throwback to the old days), with Vaughters showing the media a text message from the rider. “LEAKY Jonathan Vaughters has been at it again, doing what he does best: leaking private and personal messages to save his own ass,” cried Bruyneel.

Few are safe from Bruyneel’s cynical, scathing barbs. The World Anti-Doping Agency and UCI president are regularly taken on, but there are also a few more surprising hits, such as a recent insinuation against the former Belgian world champion Philippe Gilbert and a somewhat bizarre eagerness to undermine the Gen-Z social media commentariat. The latter in particular, whether he has a point or not, adds to a look that gives frustration and insecurity. Professional cycling mostly seems to irritate Bruyneel, and yet he remains resolutely attached to it, bitterly suckered to the perspex window. When he’s looking in on so many of his fellow former sinners, can you really blame him?

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Tour de France – Re-Cycle: When Floyd Landis did the impossible on the road to Morzine

Updated 15/07/2021 at 08:20 GMT

A day after handing the initiative to Oscar Pereiro for a second time following an implosion at La Toussuire, Floyd Landis turned the 2006 Tour upside down. Going clear on the first of five climbs 120km from Stage 17’s finish, Landis blew his rivals away with an unbelievable solo win in Morzine to revive his yellow jersey bid. Felix Lowe on a ride that really was too good to be true.

Re-Cycle: When Floyd Landis did the impossible on the road to Morzine

Image credit: Eurosport

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Floyd Landis (USA) during Stage 16

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I think Floyd Landis can absolutely still win this Tour and what my colleagues are doing wrong is that they’re using conventional wisdom in this Tour de France, which does not apply. If you said to anybody that Oscar Pereiro would be in the yellow jersey after the stage to La Toussuire, they wouldn’t have agreed. Nobody would have predicted that a few weeks ago so anything can still happen.

Floyd Landis (L) with the likes of Carlos Sastre and Andreas Kloden for company

Floyd Landis rides ahead of Patrik Sinkewitz on Stage 17

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Floyd Landis on his own on Stage 17

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Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Lance Armstrong's Fight to Reclaim the Tour de France Hardcover – June 15, 2010

• Print length 320 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Crown
• Publication date June 15, 2010
• Dimensions 6.5 x 1.25 x 10 inches
• ISBN-10 0307589846
• ISBN-13 978-0307589842
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown (June 15, 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0307589846
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0307589842
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.2 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 10 inches
• #1,396 in Cycling (Books)

About the author

Bill strickland.

I'm not the famous and nice philanthropist Bill Strickland who helps people lead better lives. I'm just a guy who writes about life, mostly about bikes and life, as it turns out. Besides the books you can find here, I've published stories in Bicycling, Mountain Bike, Men's Health, Men's Journal, Parenting, Parents, Backpacker, Rouleur, Embrocation Cycling Journal, The Indianapolis Star, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Book Review and other magazines and newspapers, and I've commented on cycling, memoirs and other topics for Good Morning America, The Early Show, CBS Sports, ESPN, NPR and other networks. I got to work with Phil Liggett a few times providing narration for race videos. I race road and cyclocross, just a little bit and not very well. I'm the editor-at-large of Bicycling, the biggest cycling mag in the world. And I am an amateur and barely competent goatherd.

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In a final bid for Tour de France glory, Lance Armstrong had everything going for him—almost.

Bill Strickland is the Rider-in-Chief of Bicycling . His equal passions for cycling and writing have led to the books Ten Points: A Memoir ; Tour de Lance: The Extraordinary Story of Cycling’s Most Controversial Champion ; Mountain Biking: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Ride ; and The Quotable Cyclist . His Bicycling story, “100 Pedal Strokes” won a National Magazine Award for Interactive Feature in 2008. In 2009, he assigned and edited the story “Broken,” which won the National Magazine Award for Public Interest. “The Escape,” the December, 2011, edition of his Bicycling magazine column The Pursuit, was named a Notable story by  The Best American Sports Writing . Various editions of his books have been translated into Dutch, German, Hebrew, and Japanese. He uses commas by rhythm and sound, which is a terrible way to do it but makes him happy.

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Lance armstrong, jan ullrich and a tour de france rivalry that brought tears.

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LONS LE SAUNIER, FRANCE- JULY 23: Lance Armstrong of the USA riding for the US Postal Service team presented by Berry Floor and Jan Ullrich of Germany riding for the T-Mobile team ride side by side and talk after pulling away from the escapies during Stage 18 of the Tour de France between Annemasse and Le Lons Le Saunier on July 23, 2004 in Lons Le Saunier, France. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

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Lance Armstrong reportedly breaks down into tears in Sunday’s second episode of his ESPN documentary, discussing his closest rival during his run of seven Tour de France titles, all later stripped for doping.

Armstrong visited Jan Ullrich in Germany in 2018, after Ullrich was released from a psychiatric hospital following multiple reported arrests over assault charges.

“The reason I went to see him is I love him,” Armstrong said, followed by tears, according to reports. “It was not a good trip. He was the most important person in my life.”

Ullrich struggled with reported substance abuse, saying in a 2018 letter in German newspaper Bild that he detoxed in a Miami facility and that he had “an illness.”

Ullrich, after winning the 1997 Tour de France, finished second to Armstrong in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

He retired in 2007. In 2013, he admitted to doping during his career (which had been widely assumed), five months after Armstrong confessed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey .

“Nobody scared me, motivated me. The other guys ... no disrespect to them, didn’t get me up early,” Armstrong said in the ESPN film, according to Cycling Weekly . “He got me up early. And [in 2018] he was just a f---ing mess.”

Armstrong and Ullrich’s most notable Tour de France interactions: In Stage 10 in 2001, on the iconic Alpe d’Huez, Armstrong gave what came to be known as “The Look,” turning back to stare in sunglasses at Ullrich, then accelerating away to win the stage by 1:59.

In Stage 15 in 2003, Armstrong’s handlebars caught a spectator’s yellow bag . He crashed to the pavement. Ullrich and others slowed to allow Armstrong to remount and catch up. Armstrong won the stage, upping his lead from 15 seconds to 1:07, eventually winning the Tour by 1:01, by far the closest of his seven titles (again, all later stripped).

For Armstrong, Ullrich began transforming from rival to friend in 2005. After Armstrong won his last (later stripped) Tour de France that July, he was told Ullrich wanted to show up at Armstrong’s victory party in a luxury Paris hotel. Ullrich wanted to say a few words in front of hundreds of Armstrong supporters.

“If you know Jan, you know that his English is not great,” Armstrong said in a 2017 episode of one of his podcasts . “I’m just going, no, this can’t be happening. This is not real. Jan showed up and took the mic and gave a speech and talked about me and talked about us. It was the classiest thing that anybody ever did for me in my cycling career. I’ll never forget it. I love him for it.

“I wasn’t man enough to do that. If the roles were reversed, there’s no way I would have done that. But for him to do that, that’s something that I’ll never forget the rest of my life.”

In 2017, Armstrong was upset that Ullrich wasn’t invited to appear at the Tour de France’s opening stages, held in Germany that year. In 2013, when Ullrich fessed up to doping, he said of his chief rival and fellow cheater, “I am no better than Armstrong, but no worse either.”

Ullrich (and other dopers) kept his Tour de France title, a fact that Armstrong has brought up in interviews since his confession. Ullrich was reportedly asked in 2016 by CyclingTips if he considered Armstrong a seven-time Tour de France champion.

“This is a hard question,” he said, according to the report . “It’s not good, that in all those years, you have no winner. It’s not good for history, it’s not good for the Tour de France. I have heard all the stories about Lance. It’s a hard question. I don’t know the answer. I’m not the judge. But for the history of the Tour de France, it’s not good that there is no winner.”

TIMELINE: Lance Armstrong’s rise and fall

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Lance Armstrong sends clear message to transgender athletes

Lance Armstrong is pretending to care about "fairness."

If there’s anyone in the world who should refrain from discussing “fairness” in sports, it’s probably Lance Armstrong, who was famously stripped of his seven consecutive Tour de France titles and an Olympic gold medal for doping throughout his career. But somehow, that’s not stopping him from calling for a “spirited debate” regarding the fairness of transgender women in women’s sports.

“Have we really come to a time and place where spirited debate is not only frowned upon, but feared? Where people’s greatest concern is being fired, shamed or cancelled? As someone all too familiar with this phenomenon, I feel I’m uniquely positioned to have these conversations,” Armstrong said in a tweet on Saturday night.

“Of all the controversial and polarizing subjects out there today, I’m not sure there are any as heated as the topic of Trans athletes in sport.”

Armstrong announced that he will be launching a special series called “The Forward” on Monday where he will “dive into this issue with an open mind.”

I do. Hence these conversations… a special series of The Forward, beginning Monday, where I dive into this issue with an open mind in an attempt learn as much as possible from all sides of the debate. — Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023

“Is there not a world in which one can be supportive of the transgender community and curious about the fairness of Trans athletes in sport yet not be labeled a transphobe or a bigot as we ask questions? Do we yet know the answers? And do we even want to know the answers?” Armstrong said.

“I do. Hence these conversations… a special series of The Forward, beginning Monday, where I dive into this issue with an open mind in an attempt learn as much as possible from all sides of the debate.”

Just what everyone needs – one of the most infamous cheaters on the planet inserting himself into a debate about fairness.

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CrossFit athlete Lazar Dukic dies during competition at Texas lake

• ESPN News Services

DALLAS, Texas -- A competitor in the CrossFit Games died while competing in a swimming event Thursday morning on a Texas lake, officials said.

CrossFit CEO Don Faul said during a news conference that they were "deeply saddened" and were working with authorities on the investigation into the death of one of their athletes at Marine Creek Lake in Fort Worth.

The Tarrant County medical examiner's office identified the athlete as 28-year-old Lazar Dukic of Serbia. The medical examiner's office had not yet listed his cause of death.

An official with the Fort Worth Fire Department said they got called out around 8 a.m. to assist police because there "was a participant in the water that was down and hadn't been seen in some point in time."

Officers who were working the event were told a participant was unaccounted for after last being seen in the water and then not resurfacing, police said.

The Fort Worth fire official said they responded for search and rescue and were not on the scene when the initial call was made.

Faul said CrossFit had a safety plan and did have safety personnel on site at the event. CrossFit did not respond Thursday to an inquiry from The Associated Press seeking more details on that safety plan.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the event on Thursday included a 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) run followed by an 800-meter (0.5-mile) swim. The newspaper said an estimated 10,000 people were in the area for the games, which began Thursday and were set to run through Sunday.

Dukic played water polo and was an athlete ambassador for FITAID, a sports drink brand, said Gijs Spaans, general manager for FITAID in Europe. Spaans, who knew Dukic for three years, described him as a driven athlete and a "guy who walks into a room and lights up the room."

"He had an incredible work ethic with his athletics career but, you know, always also made time to speak to people and make time for them," Spaans said. "Just a really, really good dude."

Spaans was watching a livestream of the swim miles away at the main event site. He was looking for Dukic among the swimmers coming out of the water before realizing he was missing.

"I thought he had this. And then all of a sudden I was thinking, 'Why is his name not showing up in the finishes?'" Spaans said. "All the race, he was in top five of the race. And all of a sudden I see all these other people coming in. I'm like, 'What's going on?'"

"He was in it to win it," Spaans added. "He was a great swimmer."

The mission of the CrossFit Games, first held in 2007, is to "find the fittest athletes in the world," the CrossFit website said. It says the games change every year and often the details are not announced until just before the event.

The CrossFit community is like a family, Faul said.

"We're doing everything in our power during this tragic time to support the family, to support our community," Faul said.

Dukic's biography on the CrossFit website says he was the third-ranked CrossFit athlete in Serbia and the 88th-ranked worldwide. Dukic finished ninth in his debut in the games in 2021, then eighth the next season and ninth in 2023.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.