Lance Armstrong

Armstrong speaking at the NIH
Personal information
Full name	Lance Edward Armstrong
Nickname	Mellow Johnny (from Maillot Jaune, French for Yellow jersey)[1]
Date of birth	September 18, 1971 (1971-09-18) (age 36)
Country	United States
Height	1. "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation. The Yellow jersey (Maillot jaune majo ʒoːn is the jersey worn by the leader of many multi-stage bicycle races originally and most notably the Tour de France The Yellow jersey (Maillot jaune majo ʒoːn is the jersey worn by the leader of many multi-stage bicycle races originally and most notably the Tour de France Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Weight	1993: 79 kg (170 lb) 1999: 74 kg (160 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	All-rounder
Amateur team(s)
1990–1991 1991	Subaru-Montgomery US National Team
Professional team(s)
1992–1996 1997 1998–2005	Motorola Cofidis U. S. Postal / Discovery Channel
Major wins
Tour de France (1999–2005), 22 stages World Cycling Champion (1993) US National Cycling Champion (1993) Clásica de San Sebastián (1995) La Flèche Wallonne (1996)
Infobox last updated on:
June 14, 2007

Lance Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson on 18 September 1971 in Plano, Texas) is a retired American professional road racing cyclist. Events 1276 - While taking exile in Fuzhou in southern China, away from the advancing Mongol invaders, the remnants of the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Plano (ˈpleɪnoʊ is a city in Collin and Denton Counties in the U Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Road bicycle racing is a popular Bicycle racing Sport held on roads (following the Geography of the area using Racing bicycles The He won the Tour de France seven consecutive times, from 1999 to 2005. History See also:CategoryTour de France by year The dominant sports newspaper in France The 1999 Tour de France was the 86th Tour de France, taking place from July 3 to July 25 1999 The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24 2005 In doing so, he beat the previous records of five wins by Miguel Indurain (consecutive) and Bernard Hinault, Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil. Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya (born July 16, 1964, Villava, Navarre) is a retired Spanish Road racing cyclist. Bernard Hinault (born 14 November, 1954 in Yffiniac, Brittany) is a French cyclist known for five victories in the Edouard Louis Joseph Baron Merckx ('merks (born 17 June 1945 in Meensel-Kiezegem, Vlaams Brabant, Belgium) known as Eddy Merckx, is a former Jacques Anquetil ( 8 January 1934 &ndash 18 November 1987) was a French Road racing cyclist and the first cyclist to Previous to this achievement, he also survived testicular cancer, a germ cell tumor that metastasized to his brain and lungs in 1996. Testicular cancer is Cancer that develops in the Testicles a part of the Male reproductive system A germ cell tumor ( GCT) is a Neoplasm derived from Germ cells Germ cells normally occur inside the gonads ( Ovary and Testis) Metastasis ( Greek: displacement μετά=next + στάσις=placement, plural metastases) sometimes abbreviated mets, Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) His cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy. Chemotherapy, in its most general sense refers to treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells specifically those of micro-organisms or Cancer.

In 1999, he was named the American Broadcasting Company's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. ABC's Wide World of Sports was a long-running Sports Anthology show on American Television that ran as a series from 1961 to 1998 In 2002, Sports Illustrated magazine named him Sportsman of the Year. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Since its inception in 1954, Sports Illustrated magazine has annually presented the " He was also named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. The first Athlete of the Year award in the United States was initiated by the Associated Press (AP in 1931. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " He received ESPN's ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, and won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award in 2003. ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to The ESPY Awards is an annual Sports awards event created and broadcast by American Cable television network ESPN. The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality is given on an annual basis to the non- British sportsman or sportswoman considered to have made the most Armstrong retired from racing on July 24, 2005, at the end of the 2005 Tour de France. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24 2005

Success

Coaching

Armstrong met former elite cyclist Chris Carmichael in 1990. Chris Carmichael (born October 24, 1961 in Berkeley) is a Cycling, Triathlon and endurance sports coach and founder and Carmichael worked with him as his coach through all of his years at the Tour De France competitions.

The team's sports director, Belgian ex-cyclist Johan Bruyneel, was involved in all of Armstrong's victories. A directeur sportif ( French for sporting director, although the original French term is often used in English-language media plural directeurs sportifs Johan Bruyneel (born August 23 1964 Izegem, Belgium) is a former Road bicycle racer in professional cycling and a Directeur sportif for The Italian coach Michele Ferrari also coached and advised Armstrong. Michele Ferrari (born March 26, 1953) is an Italian physician Cycling coach and author

Riding style

Armstrong has a high lactate threshold and can maintain a higher cadence (often 120 rpm) in a lower gear than his competitors, most noticeably in the time trials. Anaerobic exercise is exercise intense enough to trigger anaerobic metabolism. Cadence in Cycling is the number of revolutions of the crank per minute roughly speaking this is the speed at which a Cyclist is pedalling/turning the This style is in direct contrast to previous champions (such as Jan Ullrich and Greg LeMond) who used a high gear and great strength to win time trials. Jan Ullrich (born December 2 1973 in Rostock, East Germany) is a German former professional Road bicycle racer. Gregory James "Greg" LeMond (born June 26, 1961 in Lakewood California) is a former professional Road bicycle racer from the It is believed that a high cadence results in less fatigue in the leg muscles than a lower cadence requiring more severe leg muscle contractions. Ultimately the cardiovascular system is worked to a greater extent with a high cadence than with a lower, more muscular cadence. Because the leg muscles are taxed less with a high cadence pedaling style, they recover faster, and the efforts can be sustained for longer periods of time. Armstrong dedicated a significant portion of his training to developing and maintaining a high cadence style.

Physical attributes

He is near but not at the top aerobically, having a VO₂ max of 83. VO2 max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity) is the maximum capacity of an individual's body 8 mL/kg/min — much higher than the average person (40-50) but not as high as that of some other elite cyclists, such as Miguel Indurain (88. Miguel Ángel Indurain Larraya (born July 16, 1964, Villava, Navarre) is a retired Spanish Road racing cyclist. 0, although reports exist that Indurain tested at 92-94) or Greg LeMond (92. Gregory James "Greg" LeMond (born June 26, 1961 in Lakewood California) is a former professional Road bicycle racer from the 5). ^[2] His heart is 30% larger than average; however, an enlarged heart is a common trait for many other athletes. He has a resting heart rate of 32-34 beats per minute with a max heart rate at 201 bpm. Measuring heart rate The Pulse rate (which in most people is identical to the heart rate can be measured at any point on the body where an Artery 's pulsation Measuring heart rate The Pulse rate (which in most people is identical to the heart rate can be measured at any point on the body where an Artery 's pulsation ^[3] Armstrong's most unusual attribute may be his low lactate levels. During intense training, the levels of most racers range from 12 μL/kg to as much as 20 μL/kg; Armstrong is below 6 μL/kg. This is probably due to Lance's ability to use lactate more effectively than other riders, for lactate is a source of fuel the working muscles. This ability, of lactate removal, is most likely due to many years of hard training. Therefore, lactic acid buildup (or acidosis) doesn't occur as easily in his body. Acidosis, and lactate in general, does not cause fatigue but is a good, testable, marker for what does cause muscular fatigue: muscle cell depolarization. Some have theorized that his high pedaling cadence is designed to take advantage of this low lactate level, though this has been proven incorrect. Cadence in Cycling is the number of revolutions of the crank per minute roughly speaking this is the speed at which a Cyclist is pedalling/turning the In contrast, other cyclists — like Jan Ullrich — rely on their power to push a larger gear at a lower rate. Further improvements in Armstrong's physical attributes and performance have been attributed to training-induced increases in his muscular efficiency indicating changes in muscle myosin type. Myosins are a large family of Motor proteins found in Eukaryotic tissues. ^[4]

Collaboration of sponsors

Armstrong revolutionized the support behind his well-funded teams, asking his sponsors and equipment suppliers to contribute and act as one cohesive part of the team. ^[5] For example, rather than having the bike frame, handlebars, and tires of a bicycle designed and developed by separate companies with little interaction with each other, his teams adopted a Formula 1-style relationship with sponsors and suppliers named "F-One",^[6] taking full advantage of the combined resources of several organizations working in close communication. The team, composed of Trek, Nike, AMD, Bontrager (a Trek-owned company), Shimano, Giro and Oakley, collaborated for a well-coordinated and technologically cutting-edge array of products. Trek Bicycle Corporation is the United States ' largest Bicycle manufacturer, distributing bicycles and cycling products under the Trek Gary Fisher Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. Shimano Inc ( is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of Cycling components Fishing tackle and Snowboarding equipment Giro is a US manufacturer of Helmets for Cycling and snow sports Oakley Inc is a Company known mostly for their High end Sunglasses, football visors and Ski Goggles.

Consequences of cancer

A 2006 article claims that Armstrong's testicular cancer actually helped him during the Tour de France. ^[7] The article outlines that surgical removal of testicles (even one) re-positions the body's hormonal system, playing with the feedback system of normal testosterone production. The testicle (from Latin testiculus, diminutive of testis, meaning "witness" virility plural testes) is the male Consequently, a cascade of events which allegedly favor or enhance endurance performance is proposed by the authors. They suggest that the increase in LH to testosterone ratio and the increase in free fatty acid (FFA) to glycogen utilisation ratio which resulted in an increase in power-to-weight ratio (a favourable characteristic for mountain climbing) and a remodeling of type I and type II muscle fibers in Armstrong's physiology all contributed to him becoming the super-athlete that he was.

Another mechanism by which the authors propose that Armstrong obtained and maintained his super physiology was that the altered hormonal state induced an increase in the production of red blood cells (RBCs).

Allegations of drug use

Armstrong has continually denied having used performance-enhancing drugs and has described himself as "the most tested athlete in the world". ^[8] Throughout his career only one test showed indications of the presence of doping products: in 1999, a urine sample showed traces of corticosteroids, but the amount was not in the positive test range. Corticosteroids are a class of Steroid hormones that are produced in the Adrenal cortex. He later produced a medical certificate showing he used an approved cream for saddle sores which contained the substance. A saddle sore is a Skin ailment on the buttocks due to or exacerbated by riding on a Bicycle saddle. ^[9]

Specific allegations

• In 2004, sports reporters Pierre Ballester and David Walsh jointly published a book alleging Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs (L. A. Confidentiel - Les secrets de Lance Armstrong). L A Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong ( L A Confidential: Lance Armstrong's Secrets) is a book by sports journalists David Walsh, of the Sunday L A Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong ( L A Confidential: Lance Armstrong's Secrets) is a book by sports journalists David Walsh, of the Sunday L A Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong ( L A Confidential: Lance Armstrong's Secrets) is a book by sports journalists David Walsh, of the Sunday It contains allegations by Armstrong's former masseuse Emma O'Reilly who claimed that Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms. ^[9] Another key figure in the book, Steve Swart, claims that he and other riders, including Armstrong, began using drugs in 1995 while they were members of the Motorola team, a claim since denied by other team members. ^[10] Allegations in the book were reprinted in the UK newspaper The Sunday Times in a story by deputy sports editor Alan English in June 2004. Armstrong subsequently sued the newspaper for libel, which settled out of court after a High Court judge in a pretrial ruling stated that the article "meant accusation of guilt and not simply reasonable grounds to suspect. "^[11] The newspaper's lawyers issued the following statement: "The Sunday Times has confirmed to Mr Armstrong that it never intended to accuse him of being guilty of taking any performance-enhancing drugs and sincerely apologised for any such impression. " (See also^[12] in The Guardian). Armstrong later dropped similar lawsuits in France. ^[13]

• On March 31, 2005, Mike Anderson filed a brief^[14] in Travis County District Court in Texas, as part of a legal battle following his termination in November 2004 as an employee of Armstrong. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Anderson worked for Armstrong for two years as a personal assistant. In the brief, Anderson claimed that he discovered a box of Androstenine while cleaning a bathroom in Armstrong's apartment in Girona, Spain. Girona ( Catalan: Girona ʒiˈɾonə Spanish: Gerona xeˈɾona is a city located in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[15] While Androstenine is not on the list of banned drugs, the substances androstenedione and androstenediol are listed. Androstenedione (also known as 4-androstenedione) is a 19- Carbon Steroid Hormone produced in the Adrenal glands and the Gonads However, Anderson stated in a subsequent deposition that he had no direct knowledge of Armstrong using a banned substance. Armstrong denied the claim and issued a counter-suit. ^[16] The two men reached an out-of-court settlement in November 2005, the terms of the agreement undisclosed. ^[17]

• On August 23, 2005, L'Équipe, a major French daily sports newspaper, reported on its front page under the headline "le mensonge Armstrong" ("The Armstrong Lie") that urine taken from the cyclist during the prologue and five stages of the 1999 Tour de France had tested positive for EPO in recent testing conducted as part of a research project into EPO testing methods. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Erythropoietin (ɨˌɹɪθɹoʊˈpɔɪɨtɨn /ɨˌɹɪθɹoʊˈpɔɪtən/ or /ɨˌɹiːθɹoʊ-/ or EPO is a Glycoprotein Hormone that controls ^[18][19] This claim was based on an investigation in which they claimed to be able to match samples from the 1999 Tour that were used to hone the EPO test to Armstrong. ^[20] The world governing body of cycling, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), did not begin using a urine test for EPO until two years later, in 2001. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI is a Cycling association that oversees competitive cycling events internationally Armstrong immediately replied on his website, saying, "Unfortunately, the witch hunt continues and tomorrow’s article is nothing short of tabloid journalism. The paper even admits in its own article that the science in question here is faulty and that I have no way to defend myself. They state: 'There will therefore be no counter-exam nor regulatory prosecutions, in a strict sense, since defendant’s rights cannot be respected. ' I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs. "^[21]

• In June 2006, French newspaper Le Monde reported claims made by Betsy and Frankie Andreu during a deposition that Armstrong had admitted using performance-enhancing drugs to his physician just after brain surgery in 1996. Le Monde (The World is a Frankie Andreu (born September 26, 1966) is a former professional cyclist whose career highlights include riding as team captain of the U The Andreus' testimony was related to litigation between Armstrong and SCA Promotions, a Texas-based company that was attempting to withhold a $5-million bonus; this was eventually settled out of court with SCA paying Armstrong and Tailwind Sports $7. 5 million, to cover the $5-million bonus plus interest and lawyers' fees. Armstrong later issued a statement suggesting that Betsy Andreu may have been confused by possible mention of his post-operative treatment which included steroids and EPO that are routinely taken to counteract wasting and red-blood-cell-destroying effects of intensive chemotherapy. ^[22] The Andreus' allegation was not supported by any of the eight other people present, including Armstrong's doctor Craig Nichols,^[23] or his medical history, although according to Greg LeMond (who has been embroiled with his own disputes with Armstrong), there exists a recorded conversation in which Stephanie McIlvain, Armstrong's contact at Oakley Inc. Gregory James "Greg" LeMond (born June 26, 1961 in Lakewood California) is a former professional Road bicycle racer from the , said to Greg LeMond, "You know, I was in that room. I heard it. "^[24]

• In July 2006, the Los Angeles Times published an in-depth story on the allegations raised in the SCA case. The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily Newspaper published in Los Angeles California and distributed ^[25] The report cited evidence presented at the trial including the results of the LNDD test and an analysis of these results by an expert witness. ^[26] From the LA Times article: "The results, Australian researcher Michael Ashenden testified in Dallas, show Armstrong's levels rising and falling, consistent with a series of injections during the Tour. Ashenden, a paid expert retained by SCA Promotions, told arbitrators the results painted a "compelling picture" that the world's most famous cyclist "used EPO in the '99 Tour. "^[27] Ashenden's finding were disputed by the Vrijman report, which pointed to procedural and privacy issues in dismissing the LNDD test results. The LA Times article also provided in-depth information on the testimony given by Armstrong's former teammate Steven Swart, Frankie Andreu and his wife Betsy, and Instant messaging conversation between Andreu and Jonathan Vaughters regarding blood-doping techniques in the peloton. Jonathan Vaughters (born June 10, 1973 in Denver) is a former American professional racing Cyclist and current For the supercomputing project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory see Peloton (super computer, and for the military unit see Peloton (military. Vaughters later signed a statement disavowing the comments and stating he had: "no personal knowledge that any team in the Tour de France, including Armstrong's Discovery team in 2005, engaged in any prohibited conduct whatsoever. " Andreu signed a statement affirming the conversation took place as indicated on the Instant messaging logs submitted to the court. The SCA trial was settled out of court, and the LA Times reported: "Though no verdict or finding of facts was rendered, Armstrong called the outcome proof that the doping allegations were baseless. " The LA Times article provides a comprehensive review of the disputed positive EPO test, allegations and sworn testimony against Armstrong, but notes that: "They are filled with conflicting testimony, hearsay and circumstantial evidence admissible in arbitration hearings but questionable in more formal legal proceedings. "
• In September 2006, Frankie Andreu and another unnamed teammate were reported to have made recent statements that they used EPO during the 1999 Tour de France. This was the same tour, and the same drug, at issue in the controversy with the World Anti-Doping Agency. The World Anti-Doping Agency ( WADA) Agence mondiale antidopage is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee While both teammates are reported as saying they never saw Armstrong use EPO, Armstrong at once attacked the article, describing it as a "hatchet job. " [6]

Investigation

In October 2005, in response to calls from the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency ("WADA") for an independent investigation, UCI appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman to conduct an independent investigation of the handling of urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, LNDD. Vrijman was the head of the Dutch anti-doping agency for ten years; since then he has worked as a defense attorney defending high-profile athletes against doping charges. ^[28] Vrijman's report "cleared" Armstrong because of improper handling and testing. ^[29][30] The report said that tests on urine samples were conducted improperly and fell so short of scientific standards that it was "completely irresponsible" to suggest they "constitute evidence of anything. "^[31] The recommendation of the commission's report was that no disciplinary action should be taken against any rider on the basis of the LNDD research. It also called upon the WADA and LNDD to submit themselves to an investigation by an outside independent authority. ^[32] The WADA rejected these conclusions. ^[33] The IOC Ethics Commission subsequently censured Dick Pound, the President of WADA and a member of the IOC, for his statements in the media that suggested wrongdoing by Armstrong.

Family and personal life

Armstrong (center) on the set of College GameDay during the 2006 UT football season. The 2006 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas in the College football season of 2006-2007.

Armstrong was born to Linda Walling and Eddie Charles Gunderson. He was named after Lance Rentzel, a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver. Thomas Lance Rentzel (born October 14, 1943 in Flushing New York) was an American football Wide receiver in the NFL The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference (NFC in the National His father left his mother when Lance was two years old. His mother later married Terry Keith Armstrong, who adopted Lance in 1974 at the age of 3. ^[34] Linda has been married and divorced four times. Lance has since refused to meet his birth father and has described his stepfather as deceitful. ^[35]

Armstrong met his wife, Kristin (Kik) Richard, in June 1997. They were married on May 8, 1998, and had three children: Luke, born in October 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born in November 2001. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The pregnancy was made possible through the use of sperm Armstrong banked three years before having chemotherapy and surgery. ^[36] The couple filed for divorce in September 2003.

Armstrong began dating singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow some time in the autumn of 2003 and publicly revealed their relationship in January 2004. Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American Singer-songwriter and Musician. The couple announced their engagement in September 2005 and their split in February 2006. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE-ROMEOS***************

Armstrong owns a house in Austin, Texas, as well as a ranch in the Texas Hill Country. A ranch is an area of landscape including various structures given primarily to the practice of ranching the practice of raising grazing livestock such as Cattle The Texas Hill Country is a region of Central Texas, USA, that features rolling somewhat rugged Hills that consist primarily of Limestone ^[37] Neighbors of his ranch property claim that Armstrong inadvertently polluted a local swimming hole when he was creating a dam on his ranch. Definitions A swimming hole is a place in a River, Stream, creek, spring, or similar natural body of Water A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees ^[37] One neighboring family said that the problem existed for two years and that "you only have so much patience. "^[37] Armstrong later cleaned it up, much to the satisfaction of his neighbors. ^[38] Armstrong is a fan of The University of Texas Longhorns college football program and is often seen at events and on the sidelines supporting the team (see photo). The Texas Longhorns football team is the interscholastic football team at The University of Texas in Austin Texas. College football is American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, Colleges and military academies

In October 2007, Armstrong and fashion designer Tory Burch ended a relationship after dating for several months. ^[39]

Post-cycling career

Since retirement, Armstrong has focused his efforts on the Lance Armstrong Foundation and other interests. The Lance Armstrong Foundation ( LAF) is a United States 501(c(3 Nonprofit organization He was the pace car driver of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 for the 2006 Indianapolis 500. The Indianapolis 500 auto race has used a Pace car every year since 1911. The Chevrolet Corvette is a Sports car that has been manufactured by General Motors since 1953 The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held on Sunday May 28, 2006. Sam Hornish Jr

In 2007, Lance Armstrong along with Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr. founded Athletes for Hope, a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community. Andre Kirk Agassi (born April 29 1970 is a former World No 1 professional American Tennis player who won eight Grand Slam singles tournaments Biography Early life Cassius Clay Jr was born on January 17 1942 Warrick De'Mon Dunn (born January 5, 1975 in Baton Rouge Louisiana) is an American football Running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jeffery Michael Gordon Mia Hamm (born Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17, 1972 in Selma Alabama) is a former American Soccer Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968) is an American professional Skateboarder He is credited with being the first recorded skater to land the Andrea Jaeger (born June 4 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former World No Jackie Joyner-Kersee (born March 3, 1962 in East St Louis Illinois) is a retired American athlete ranked among the all-time greatest Mario Lemieux (born October 5, 1965 is a retired Canadian professional Ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr (born February 8, 1970, in Chesapeake Virginia) is an American professional Basketball player who ^[40]

Marathon

After his retirement, he continued to stay fit and decided to run the New York City Marathon accompanied by friend Robert Mc elligott. The New York City Marathon ( ING New York City Marathon for Sponsorship reasons is a major annual marathon (42 Together with Nike, he assembled a pace team consisting of well known runners Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Hicham El Guerrouj to help him reach his goal time of 3 hours. Alberto Salazar (born August 7 1958 in Cuba) is an American marathon runner of the 1980s Joan Benoit Samuelson (born May 16, 1957) is an American marathon runner who won gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles Hicham El Guerrouj ( Arabic: هشام الكروج born September 14, 1974, Berkane) is a Moroccan former middle distance He struggled with shin splints and was on pace for a little above 3 hours but pushed through the last 5 miles (8. Shin splints is a general term used to refer to a painful condition in the shins. 0 km) to come through at 2:59:36, finishing 856th. He commented that the race was extremely difficult, even when compared to competing in the Tour de France. "For the level of condition that I have now, that was without a doubt the hardest physical thing I have ever done. I never felt a point where I hit the wall. It was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness. "^[41] The NYC Marathon had a dedicated camera on Armstrong throughout the event. ^[42] This camera, according to Armstrong, pushed him to continue without stop through points in which he would have normally "stopped and stretched. " He also helped raise $600,000 for his LiveStrong campaign during the run. The Livestrong wristband is a Yellow silicone Wristband (a Gel bracelet) launched in May of 2004 as a fund-raising item for the Lance

Lance Armstrong stated that despite the difficulty he had in the 2006 race, he wanted to do the race again in 2007. ^[43] On February 12, 2007, Armstrong officially announced his decision to enter the November 4, 2007, ING New York City Marathon. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[44] Armstrong completed the 2007 NYC Marathon in 2:46:43 finishing 232nd. ^[45]

On April 21, 2008, Armstrong completed the 2008 Boston Marathon in 2:50. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event hosted by the city of Boston, Massachusetts 58, finishing in the top 500. ^[46]

Politics

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

In an interview with the New York Times, teammate George Hincapie hinted at Armstrong possibly running for Governor of Texas after retiring from cycling. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. George Hincapié Garcés (born June 29 1973 in Queens, New York City) is an American professional Road bicycle racer residing Governors of Texas In the July 2005 issue of Outside magazine, Armstrong hinted at possibly running for governor, although "not in '06". ^[47] Armstrong and President George W. Bush, a Republican and fellow Texan, call themselves friends. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. President Bush called Armstrong in France after his 2005 victory to congratulate him, and in August 2005, The Times reported the President had invited Armstrong to his Prairie Chapel Ranch to go mountain biking. The Times is a daily national Newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register. Prairie Chapel Ranch is a 1583 Acre (64 km² estate located seven miles (10 km northwest of Crawford Texas, considered the Western White House Mountain biking entails the Sport of riding Bicycles off-road often over rough terrain whether riding specially equipped Mountain bikes or hybrid road bikes ^[48] In a 2003 interview with The Observer, Armstrong stated; "He's a personal friend [Bush], but we've all got the right not to agree with our friends". The Observer is a British Newspaper published on Sundays In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The ^[49] Armstrong has described himself as; "Left of center, against the war in Iraq, and pro-choice". ^[50][51]

Lance Armstrong and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi

In August 2005, Armstrong has hinted that he has changed his mind about possibly entering politics. The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer&mdashor speaker &mdashof the United States House of Representatives. Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi (born March 26 1940 is the current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. In an interview with Charlie Rose, that aired on PBS on August 1, 2005, Armstrong pointed out that running for governor would require the type of time commitments that caused him to decide to retire from cycling. Charlie Rose (born Charles Peete Rose Jr, on January 5, 1942) is an American TV interviewer and journalist The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Again on August 16, 2005, Armstrong told a local Austin CBS affiliate [7] that he is no longer considering politics. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. "The biggest problem with politics or running for the governor—the governor's race here in Austin or in Texas—is that it would mimic exactly what I've done: a ton of stress and a ton of time away from my kids. Why would I want to go from pro cycling, which is stressful and a lot of time away, straight into politics?"

In 2006, Armstrong began to clarify that he intends to be involved in politics as an activist for change in cancer policies. In a May 2006 interview with Sports Illustrated, Armstrong is quoted as saying "I need to run for one office, the presidency of the Cancer Fighters' Union of the World. Sports Illustrated is an American Sports Magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. " Sports Illustrated also quotes Armstrong as saying that he fears halving his influence with legislators if he chooses one side in American partisan politics. His foundation is becoming more involved in lobbying on behalf of cancer patients before Congress.

Teams and victories

Lance Armstrong competed with the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team (later Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) for most of his career, including his 7 Tour de France victories

Accolades

• United States Olympic Committee (USOC) SportsMan of the Year (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003)
• Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• World's Most Outstanding Athlete Award, Jesse Owens International Trophy (2000)
• Reuters Sportsman of the Year (2003)
• Prince of Asturias Award in Sports (2000)
• Sports Ethics Fellows by the Institute for International Sport (2003)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Sportsman of the Year (2003)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year (2000)
• Trophee de L'Academie des Sport [France] (2004)
• Vélo d'Or Award by Velo Magazine in France (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
• Mendrisio d'Or Award in Switzerland (1999)
• Premio Coppi-Bici d'Oro Trophy by the Fausto Coppi foundation in conjunction with La Gazzetta dello Sport (1999, 2000)
• Marca Legend Award by Marca, a Spanish sports daily in Madrid (2004)
• BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award (2003)
• ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)
• ESPY Award for GMC Professional Grade Play Award (2005)
• ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete (2000)
• ESPN/Intersport's ARETE Award for Courage in Sport (Professional Division) (1999)
• ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year (1999)
• Favorite Athlete award at Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (2006)
• Presidential Delegation to the XIX Olympic Winter Games (2002)^[54]
• Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year (2002)
• VeloNews magazine's International Cyclist of the Year (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)
• VeloNews magazine's North American Male Cyclist of the Year (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005)
• William Hill Sports Book of the Year: It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life (2000)^[55]
• Union Cycliste Internationale: World Number 1 Ranked Elite Men's Cyclist (1996)
• Triathlon magazine's Rookie of the Year (1988)
• Pace car driver for the Indianapolis 500 (2006)
• An asteroid, 1994 JE₉ was named 12373 Lancearmstrong in honor of him. The 2002 Tour de France started in Luxembourg on July 6 2002 and ended in Paris on July 28 The Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré is an annual Cycling road race, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné region in France during the first The Grand Prix du Midi Libre (referred to as just Midi Libre) was a multiple-stage Cycling course in the south of France. The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3350 km (2081 The Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré is an annual Cycling road race, run over eight stages in the Dauphiné region in France during the first Stages Jersey progress Teams 188 riders in 21 teams started 147 riders finished The 2004 Tour de Georgia was the second annual Bicycle road racing event held in the state of Georgia, United States. The Grand Prix du Midi Libre (referred to as just Midi Libre) was a multiple-stage Cycling course in the south of France. The Volta ao Algarve ( Portuguese; English: Tour of the Algarve) is a Road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team ( UCI Team Code: DSC) was a US -based professional Road bicycle racing team. The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24 2005 These are the results for the 2005 edition of the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, won by Basque rider Íñigo Landaluze, who has given positive in a doping test Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team ( UCI Team Code: DSC) was a US -based professional Road bicycle racing team. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Settimana Ciclistica Lombarda ( English: Lombardic Cycling Week) is an Italian cycle road race. Gastown is an area of Vancouver, British Columbia, located at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The IronKids Triathlon Series is a series of Triathlons owned or licensed by the World Triathlon Corporation (perhaps best known for the Ironman Triathlon The Associated Press ( AP) is an American News agency. The AP is a Cooperative owned by its contributing Newspapers radio This article is primarily about Reuters prior to its 2008 merger with Thomson The Prince of Asturias Awards ( Spanish: Premios Príncipe de Asturias, Asturian: Premios Príncipe d'Asturies) is a series of prestigious annual List of winners and nominees of the Laureus World Sports Awards: Sportsman of the Year. List of winners and nominees of the Laureus World Sports Awards: Comeback of the Year. The "fr '''Vélo d'Or'''" ( French for " Golden Bicycle " is a cycle racing award created in 1992 by the French cycling magazine La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian Newspaper dedicated to coverage of various Sports It was first published on 3 April 1896 Marca is a Spanish daily sports newspaper that deals mostly with Football -related topics from a rather yellow perspective The BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality is given on an annual basis to the non- British sportsman or sportswoman considered to have made the most The ESPY Awards is an annual Sports awards event created and broadcast by American Cable television network ESPN. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. ABC's Wide World of Sports was a long-running Sports Anthology show on American Television that ran as a series from 1961 to 1998 The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, also known as the KCAs, is an annual awards show which always aired live and usually is held in late March or early April that honors The 19th annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards were held on April 1, 2006 at UCLA ’s Pauley Pavilion. The William Hill Sports Book of the Year is an annual British book award given by the British bookmakers William Hill. It's Not About the Bike My Journey Back to Life is a 2001 autobiographical book by cyclist Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI is a Cycling association that oversees competitive cycling events internationally The UCI Road World Rankings was a system of ranking Road bicycle racers based upon the results in all UCI -sanctioned races over a twelve month period
• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Tufts University

Quotes

• On the Champs-Élysées podium for the last time, after winning his seventh tour: "Finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the skeptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. But this is one hell of a race. This is a great sporting event and you should stand around and believe it. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it. So Vive le Tour for ever. Thank you!"^[56]
• About the French 2006 FIFA World Cup team during his speech of gratitude at the ESPY Awards: "All their players tested positive. The French national football team represents the nation of France in international football. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament The ESPY Awards is an annual Sports awards event created and broadcast by American Cable television network ESPN. . . for being assholes. "^[57]
• "Pain is temporary, it may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. "^[58]
• "Anything is possible. You can be told that you have a 90-percent chance or a 50-percent chance or a 1-percent chance, but you have to believe, and you have to fight. "^[59]
• "A boo is a lot louder than a cheer, if you have 10 people cheering and one person booing all you hear is the booing. "^[60]
• "At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whether I believed in a certain book, or whether I'd been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn't say, "But you were never a Christian, so you're going the other way from heaven. " If so, I was going to reply, "You know what? You're right. Fine. "^[61]
• "Without cancer, I never would have won a single Tour de France. Cancer taught me a plan for more purposeful living, and that in turn taught me how to train and to win more purposefully. It taught me that pain has a reason, and that sometimes the experience of losing things–whether health or a car or an old sense of self–has its own value in the scheme of life. Pain and loss are great enhancers. "^[62]
• "Well obviously I have some talent. " ^[63]

References

Further reading

• Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life (ISBN 0-425-17961-3), Putnam 2000. It's Not About the Bike My Journey Back to Life is a 2001 autobiographical book by cyclist Lance Armstrong with Sally Jenkins Armstrong's own account of his battle with cancer and subsequent triumphant return to bike racing.
• Lance Armstrong, Sally Jenkins: Every Second Counts (ISBN 0-385-50871-9), Broadway Books 2003. Armstrong's account of his life after his first four Tour triumphs.
• Linda Armstrong Kelly, Joni Rodgers: No Mountain High Enough: Raising Lance, Raising Me (ISBN 0-7679-1855-X), Broadway Books 2002. Armstrong's mother's account of raising a world class athlete and overcoming adversity.
• Daniel Coyle: Lance Armstrong's War: One Man's Battle Against Fate, Fame, Love, Death, Scandal, and a Few Other Rivals on the Road to the Tour De France (ISBN 0-06-073497-3), Harper Collins 2005. Former writer for Outside magazine documents Armstrong's road to the Tour in 2004, teaching us about both Lance and the Tour.
• Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: L. A. Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong (ISBN 2-84675-130-7), La Martinière (French). L A Confidentiel: Les secrets de Lance Armstrong ( L A Confidential: Lance Armstrong's Secrets) is a book by sports journalists David Walsh, of the Sunday Various circumstantial evidence pointing to Armstrong doping.
• Pierre Ballester, David Walsh: L. A. Officiel (ISBN 2-84675-204-4), La Martinière (French). Why Lance Armstrong gave up trial against the authors after publication of L. A. Confidentiel.
• Sharon Cook, Graciela Sholander: Dream It Do It: Inspiring Stories of Dreams Come True (ISBN 1-884587-30-5), Planning/Communications 2004. Chapter 4 details Lance Armstrong's efforts to return to championship form following his cancer treatment.
• John Wilcockson: 23 Days in July (ISBN 0-7195-6717-3), John Murray 2004. An account of how Armstrong won his 6th Tour title in 2004.
• John Wilcockson: The 2005 Tour De France: The Last Chapter of the Armstrong Era (ISBN 1-931382-68-9), Velo Press 2005. The story behind Lance's last ever Tour de France and his 7th consecutive victory.
• Dzulfitree B. Ahmad

Acting

Lance Armstrong has appeared in several films, such as Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and You, Me and Dupree. Dodgeball A True Underdog Story (or commonly referred to as " Dodgeball " is a 2004 Comedy film from 20th Century You Me and Dupree is a Comedy film released on July 14, 2006.

External links

• Lance Armstrong's Official Website
• The Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Nike and the Lance Armstrong Foundation's "Wear Yellow - Live Strong" campaign
• Athletes for Hope
• Photos and Videos of Lance & The Tour De France at NowPublic
• USA TODAY: Tour de France; Fighting cancer is new mission for Armstrong.
• The main website for info about the Discovery Channel team
• BBC Sport Profile Lance Armstrong
• livestrong
• Cycling News: The Legend of Lance: an Armstrong retrospective, August 3, 2005
• U.S. Olympic Team bio . USA TODAY is a national American daily Newspaper published by the Gannett Company. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. . . four photo galleries
• United Athletes Magazine Armstrong's physical qualities and abilities
• Reflective Montage
• Video of Lance Armstrong speaking at the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival, 07/04/2007
• Does Lance Armstrong really have a big heart?

Sporting positions
Preceded by Gianni Bugno	World Road Racing Champion 1993	Succeeded by Luc Leblanc
Preceded by Marco Pantani	Winner of the Tour de France 1999 – 2005	Succeeded by Óscar Pereiro
Awards
Preceded by Marco Pantani	Vélo d'Or 1999 – 2001	Succeeded by Mario Cipollini
Preceded by Derek Birley	William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner 2000	Succeeded by Laura Hillenbrand
Preceded by Barry Bonds	Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year 2002 – 2005	Succeeded by Tiger Woods
Preceded by Mario Cipollini	Vélo d'Or 2003 – 2004	Succeeded by Tom Boonen
Preceded by Michael Schumacher	World Sportsman of the Year 2004	Succeeded by Michael Schumacher