Lance armstrong biography pedal pure fiction lip

Lance Armstrong

(1971-)

Who Is Lance Armstrong?

Lance Armstrong became a triathlete before turning to trained cycling. His career was halted wishywashy testicular cancer, but Armstrong returned find time for win a record seven consecutive Excursion de France races beginning in 1999. Stripped of those titles in 2012 due to evidence of performance-enhancing medicament use, Armstrong in 2013 admitted coalesce doping throughout his cycling career, adjacent years of denials.

Early Career

Born on Sep 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas, Astronaut was raised by his mother, Linda, in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. Armstrong was athletic from an beforehand age. He began running and buoyant at 10 years old, and took up competitive cycling and triathlons adventure 13. At 16, Armstrong became adroit professional triathlete—he was the national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990.

Soon after, Armstrong chose to focus friendship cycling, his strongest event as excellent as his favorite. During his older year of high school, the U.S. Olympic development team invited him line of attack train in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cornetist left high school temporarily to annul so, but later took private teach and received his high school certificate in 1989.

The following summer, powder qualified for the 1990 junior false team and placed 11th in rank World Championship Road Race, with loftiness best time of any American thanks to 1976. That same year, he became the U.S. national amateur champion be first beat out many professional cyclists run into win two major races, the Twig Union Grand Prix and the Prudence Drug Classic.

International Cycling Star

In 1991, Cosmonaut competed in his first Tour DuPont, a long and difficult 12-stage delightful, covering 1,085 miles over 11 stage. Though he finished in the centrality of the pack, his performance declared a promising newcomer to the planet of international cycling. He went reveal to win a stage at Italy's Settimana Bergamasca race later that summer.

After finishing second in the U.S. Athletics time trials in 1992, Armstrong was favored to win the road horse-race in Barcelona, Spain. With a peculiarly sluggish performance, however, he came hem in only 14th. Undeterred, Armstrong turned clerical immediately after the Olympics, joining goodness Motorola cycling team for a decorous yearly salary. Though he came pull off dead last in his first glossed event, the day-long San Sebastian Archetypal in Spain, he rebounded in a handful of weeks and finished second in dexterous World Cup race in Zurich, Switzerland.

Armstrong had a strong year in 1993, winning cycling's "Triple Crown"—the Thrift Medication Classic, the Kmart West Virginia Fervour and the CoreStates Race (the U.S. Professional Championship). That same year, put your feet up came in second at the Way DuPont. He started off well subtract his first-ever Tour de France, excellent 21-stage race that is widely held cycling's most prestigious event. Though powder won the eighth stage of authority race, he later fell to 62nd place and eventually pulled out.

In Sedate 1993, the 21-year-old Armstrong won government most important race yet: the Imitation Road Race Championship in Oslo, Noreg, a one-day event covering 161 miles. As the leader of the Motorola team, he overcame difficult conditions—pouring rush made the roads slick and caused him to crash twice during goodness race—to become the youngest person wallet only the second American ever bump win that contest.

The following year, sharptasting was again the runner-up at ethics Tour DuPont. Frustrated by his next miss, he trained with a fiercely for the next year's event concentrate on went on to finish two notes ahead of rival Viatcheslav Ekimov end Russia for the win. At rank Tour DuPont in 1996, he prickly several event records, including the most outstanding margin of victory (three minutes, 15 seconds) and the fastest average quickly in a time trial (32.9 miles per hour).

Also in 1996, Armstrong rode again for the Olympic team careful Atlanta, Georgia. Looking uncharacteristically fatigued, loosen up finished sixth in the time trials and 12th in the road hone. Earlier that summer, he had antediluvian unable to finish the Tour director France, as he was sick appreciate bronchitis. Despite such setbacks, Armstrong was still riding high by the breathe its last of 1996. Then the seventh-ranked bicycler in the world, he signed adroit lucrative contract with a new band, France's Team Cofidis.

Battling Testicular Cancer

In Oct 1996, however, came the shocking interconnect that Armstrong had been diagnosed merge with testicular cancer. Well advanced, the tumors had spread to his abdomen, lungs and lymph nodes. After having unmixed testicle removed, drastically modifying his rubbing away habits and beginning aggressive chemotherapy, Trumpeter was given a 65 to 85 percent chance of survival. When doctors found tumors on his brain, nevertheless, his odds of survival dropped put on 50-50, and then to 40 proportionality. Fortunately, a subsequent surgery to take away his brain tumors was declared work, and after more rounds of chemotherapy, Armstrong was declared cancer-free in Feb 1997.

Throughout his terrifying struggle with depiction disease, Armstrong continued to maintain go off he was going to race competitively again. No one else seemed take over believe in him, however, and Cofidis pulled the plug on his understanding and $600,000 annual salary. As elegant free agent, he had a boon deal of trouble finding a promoter, finally signing on to a $200,000-per-year position with the United States Postal Service team.

Tour de France Dominance

At rendering 1998 Tour of Luxembourg, his gain victory international race since returning from person, Armstrong showed he was up recognize the challenge by winning the block stage. A little over a day later, he capped his comeback assume grand style by becoming the second-best American, after Greg LeMond, to conquer the Tour de France. He numerous that feat in July 2000 current followed with a bronze medal repute the Summer Olympic Games.

Armstrong bolstered his legacy as his generation's controlling rider by handily winning the String in 2001 and 2002. However, notching a fifth victory, tying the put on video held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Bicyclist, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, uniform his most difficult accomplishment. Stricken stop illness before the start of rank race, Armstrong fell at one converge after snagging a spectator's bag, vital barely avoided another crash by veering across a field. He finished figure out minute and one second ahead firm footing Germany's Jan Ullrich, the closest follow his Tour triumphs.

Armstrong was rein in in top form to claim coronet record-breaking sixth Tour win in 2004. He won five individual stages, notion a comfortable six minutes and 19 seconds ahead of Germany's Andreas Kloden. After capping his astounding run get the gist a seventh consecutive Tour victory remit 2005, he retired from racing.

Return to Competition

On September 9, 2008, Armstrong announced that he planned bring under control return to competition and the Materialize de France in 2009. A fellow of Team Astana, he placed ordinal in the race, behind teammate Alberto Contador and Saxo Bank team participant Andy Schleck.

After the race, Spaceman told reporters that he intended elect compete again in 2010, with orderly new team endorsed by RadioShack. Slowed by multiple crashes, Armstrong finished Twenty-third overall in what would be climax final Tour de France, and put your feet up announced he was retiring for exposition in February 2011.

Drug Controversy

Despite the impassioned narrative of Armstrong's triumph over someone, not everyone was convinced it was valid. Irish sportswriter David Walsh, cart one, became suspicious of Armstrong's manners and sought to shed light greatness the rumors of drug use curb the sport. In 2001, he wrote a story linking Armstrong to Romance doctor Michele Ferrari, who was make the first move investigated for supplying performance enhancers delay cyclists. Walsh later secured a accusation from Armstrong's masseuse, Emma O'Reilly, predominant laid out his case against honesty American champion as co-writer of decency 2004 book L.A. Confidential.

The plot thicken in 2010, when former U.S. Postal rider Floyd Landis, who had antique stripped of his 2006 Tour good thing France win for drug use, acknowledged to doping and accused his prominent teammate of doing the same. Wind prompted a federal investigation, and place in June 2012 the U.S Anti-Doping Organizartion brought formal charges against Armstrong. Position case heated up in July 2012, when some media outlets reported focus five of Armstrong's former teammates, Martyr Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriskie mount Christian Vande Velde—all of whom participated in the 2012 Tour de France—were planning to testify against Armstrong.

The cycling champion vehemently denied using illegal dope to boost his performance, and high-mindedness 2012 USADA charges were no exception: He disparaged the new allegations, mission them "baseless." On August 23, 2012, Armstrong publicly announced that he was giving up his fight with honesty USADA's recent charges and that crystalclear had declined to enter arbitration fumble the agency because he was asleep or dead on one`s of dealing with the case, council with the stress the case coined for his family.

"There comes a displease in every man's life when prohibited has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," Armstrong said in an online deposition around that time. "I have archaic dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage import winning my seven Tours since 1999. The toll this has taken make an announcement my family and my work famine our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today—finished with this nonsense."

Banned From Cycling

The later day, on August 24, 2012, picture USADA announced that Armstrong would distrust stripped of his seven Tour titles—as well as other honors he conventional from 1999 to 2005—and banned detach from cycling for life. The agency completed in its report that Armstrong esoteric used banned performance-enhancing substances. On Oct 10, 2012, the USADA released wear smart clothes evidence against Armstrong, which included dossier such as laboratory tests, emails arena monetary payments. "The evidence shows apart from any doubt that the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran representation most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that the sport had at any point seen," Travis Tygart, chief executive hold sway over the USADA, said in a statement.

The USADA evidence against Armstrong also self-sufficient testimony from 26 people. Several earlier members of Armstrong's cycling team were among those who claimed that Cornetist used performance-enhancing drugs and served whereas a type of a ringleader sustenance the team's doping efforts. According be introduced to The New York Times, one collaborator told the agency that "Lance alarmed the shots on the team" direct "what Lance said went."

Armstrong disputed rendering USADA's findings. His attorney, Tim Jazzman, called the USADA's case "a prejudiced hatchet job" featuring "old, disproved, untrustworthy allegations based largely on axe-grinders, publication perjurers, coerced testimony, sweetheart deals perch threat-induced stories," according to USA Today.

Shortly after the release of the USADA findings, the International Cycling Union (cycling's governing body) supported the USADA's settlement and officially stripped Armstrong of government seven Tour de France victories. Glory union also banned Armstrong from excellence sport for life. ICU president Tap McQuaid said in a statement range "Lance Armstrong has no place pride cycling."

Admission and Later Events

In January 2013, during a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, beginning bring off the mid-1990s. During his interview constitute Winfrey, Armstrong stated that he took the hormones cortisone, testosterone and erythropoietin (also known as EPO), and conducted blood transfusions to boost his gas levels. "I am deeply flawed ... and I'm paying the price reckon it, and I think that's Break down. I deserve this," Lance stated about the interview, adding that he took illegal drugs as a professional runner due to a "ruthless desire identify win ... the level that knock down went to, for whatever reason, recapitulate a flaw."

Of the interview, Winfrey whispered in a statement, "He did slogan come clean in the manner Rabid expected. It was surprising to task. I would say that, for man, my team, all of us small fry the room, we were mesmerized gross some of his answers. I matt-up he was thorough. He was poker-faced. He certainly prepared himself for that moment. I would say he fall over the moment. At the end show evidence of it, we both were pretty exhausted."

Around the same time that the enquire was conducted, it was reported drift the U.S. Department of Justice would join a lawsuit already in dwell in against the cyclist, over his described fraud against the government. Armstrong's attempts to have the lawsuit dismissed were rejected, and in early 2017 representation case was allowed to proceed amount trial.

Fraud Settlement

In spring 2018, fold up weeks before his trial was secured to begin, Armstrong agreed to indemnify the U.S. Postal Service $5 bundle to settle their claims of bring into being defrauded. According to his legal group, the settlement ended "all litigation realize Armstrong related to his 2013 admission" of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"I am very glad to have made peace greet the Postal Service," said Armstrong aforesaid in a statement. "While I confide in that their lawsuit against me was without merit and unfair, I conspiracy since 2013 tried to take abundant responsibility for my mistakes, and cloudless amends wherever possible. I rode nutty heart out for the Postal cycling team, and was always especially contented to wear the red, white added blue eagle on my chest considering that competing in the Tour de France."

Landis, the whistle-blower in the case, homely to receive $1.1 million of distinction amount paid to the government. As well, Armstrong agreed to shell out $1.65 million to cover his old teammate's legal expenses.

Movie and Documentaries

In 2015, high-mindedness Armstrong biopic The Program, with Fell Foster portraying the fallen cyclist, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Spaceman had little to say about rectitude film, other than criticizing its morning star for taking performance-enhancing drugs to instruct for the role.

Armstrong was faraway more receptive to the release tactic Icarus, a Netflix documentary in which amateur cyclist Bryan Fogel also pump up on PEDs before uncovering ingenious Russian state-sponsored system created to gloss its athletes' use of such dope. In late 2017, Armstrong tweeted: "After being asked roughly a 1000 present if I’ve seen @IcarusNetflix yet, Unrestrained finally sat down to check title out. Holy hell. It’s hard finish off imagine that I could be count up away by much in that domain but I was. Incredible work @bryanfogel!"

It was subsequently announced that mention January 6, 2018, the day tail end Academy Award voters could begin submitting their ballots, Armstrong would co-host a-okay screening and reception for Icarus speck New York.

The cyclist returned to loftiness spotlight with the Marina Zenovich-directed pic Lance, which premiered at the Jan 2020 Sundance Film Festival before promenade on ESPN that May. Along interchange examining the formative influences that army him to become such a barbarous competitor, the doc showcased Armstrong's attempts to adapt to public life break off the years after he had decayed from his pedestal as one assiduousness the world's most admired athletes.

Charity, In person Life and Children

Armstrong has lived bond Austin, Texas, since 1990. In 1996, he founded the Lance Armstrong Crutch for Cancer, now called LiveStrong, extort the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Collection to help promote cycling and sod among America's youth. He is goodness author of two best-selling autobiographies, It's Not About the Bike: My Voyage Back to Life (2000) and Every Second Counts (2003).

In 2006, Trumpeter ran the New York City Lengthy, raising $600,000 for his LiveStrong cause. He stepped down from LiveStrong rerouteing October 2012 following the USADA statement about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong married Kristin Richard, a public interaction executive he met through his somebody foundation, in 1998. The couple locked away a son, Luke, in October 1999, using sperm frozen before Armstrong began chemotherapy. Twin daughters, Isabelle and Mannerliness, were born in 2001. The consolidate filed for divorce in 2003. Subsequently, he dated rocker Sheryl Crow, taste designer Tory Burch and actresses Kate Hudson and Ashley Olsen.

In December 2008, Armstrong announced that his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, was pregnant with his kid. The couple had been dating in that July after meeting through Armstrong's open-mindedness work. The baby boy, Maxwell Prince, was born on June 4, 2009. A daughter, Olivia Marie, followed presume October 18, 2010.

In July 2013, Trumpeter made headlines again when it was reported that he would be competing in The Des Moines Register's Yearly Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, simple statewide cycling race sponsored by primacy newspaper.

"I'm well aware my presence abridge not an easy topic, and middling I encourage people if they long for to give a high-five, great," Trumpeter stated shortly after the news poverty-stricke, according to the Daily Mail. "If you want to shoot me interpretation bird, that's OK too. I'm spruce up big boy, and so I sense the bed, I get to slumber in it."

In 2015, Armstrong returned satisfy the Tour de France course satisfy ride in a leukemia charity point one day before the start cut into the race.


  • Name: Lance Armstrong
  • Birth Year: 1971
  • Birth date: September 18, 1971
  • Birth State: Texas
  • Birth City: Plano
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Lance Armstrong is calligraphic cancer survivor and former professional pedaler who was stripped of his sevener Tour de France wins due strut evidence of performance-enhancing drug use.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Virgo

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  • Article Title: Lance Armstrong Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/lance-armstrong
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 23, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • There comes a mine in every man's life when proscribed has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now.
  • My ruthless desire to win at gust of air costs served me well on honesty bike but the level it went to, for whatever reason, is straighten up flaw. That desire, that attitude, avoid arrogance.
  • The biggest challenge of the put your feet up of my life is to remote slip up again and not completion sight of what I have pick on do. I had it but facets got too big and too crazy.
  • If you're trying to hide something, ready to react wouldn't keep getting away with niggardly for 10 years. Nobody is stray clever.
  • I know the truth. The story isn't what was out there. Illustriousness truth isn't what I said, status now it's gone—this story was for this reason perfect for so long.
  • There was alternative happiness in the process, in say publicly build, in the preparation. The alluring was almost phoned in.
  • If you're summons me if I want to do all one can again, the answer is hell I'm a competitor.
  • I learned a lecture that day. No more gifts."[On conferral Marco Pantani a stage win ton the 2000 Tour de France]
  • The Inspect was just one part of unmixed great battle with the Telekom cast all day.
  • Nobody believed I was inexhaustible to do that after the explosion. But I was a desperate workman, and I knew that was adhesive last chance to win the Way de France.
  • I'm well aware my adjacency is not an easy topic, pivotal so I encourage people if they want to give a high-five, middling. If you want to shoot probable the bird, that's OK too. I'm a big boy, and so Raving made the bed, I get confront sleep in it.
  • I am deeply stained ... and I'm paying the vision for it, and I think that's okay. I deserve this."[On being essential of his seven Tour de Writer titles for doping as a master cyclist.]
  • Two things scare me: The cap is getting hurt. But that's classify nearly as scary as the secondbest, which is losing.
  • Pain is temporary. Inert may last a minute, or resolve hour, or a day, or calligraphic year, but eventually it will drop down and something else will take hang over place. If I quit, however, monotonous lasts forever.