I have updated by Blog ( link below) with some of my personal thoughts on the return of Lance Armstrong. For those interested, please feel free to check it out and or discuss here.
Good read Steve. Lance has done more for the sport of cycling and raising the bar for cancer awareness/fundraising to the next level. That being said, he isn’t without his critics but everyone is entitled to form their own opinion. I for one am a fan of his work on and off the bike.
I enjoy watching Lance race and wish him the best, for what it’s worth.
Well written. I think Lance is great for a lot of the same reasons that some round here seem to hate the guy. Bottom line the guy has a great story. Apparently he is tougher than cancer. Is he a asshole in real life, no idea, never met him. Did he take PED’s, no clue, says he didn’t and never got caught if he did. Is anyone really arguing that the reason he won all those years is that he was taking PED’s and none of his competition was? Seems likely that at the top levels they all had access to PED’s.
Also, when he is racing my wife will actually watch the tour stages at night on TV. For that reason alone I hope he is back forever. Was in a crowded room last weekend with R10C full of non bike racers/triathletes. Just to get a gauge on non ST folks reaction I annouced that Chip thinks LANCE is an asshole. From the reaction of most of the people in the room you would have thought that I was in a southern baptist church announcing that Jesus was an asshole. BTW there are not too many people in the world you can refer to by only their first name and pretty much everyone knows who you are talking about. I mean lets face it, in North America, not that many people give a crap about bike racing.
Well written. I think Lance is great for a lot of the same reasons that some round here seem to hate the guy. Bottom line the guy has a great story. Apparently he is tougher than cancer. that is a seriously ridiculous comment
Is he a asshole in real life, no idea, never met him. Did he take PED’s, no clue, says he didn’t and never got caught if he did.
He tested positive. He then retroactively provided a TUE. I’m guessing if his name wasn’t ‘Lance’, that whole affair would have been handled differently
Is anyone really arguing that the reason he won all those years is that he was taking PED’s and none of his competition was? Seems likely that at the top levels they all had access to PED’s.
what about the guys who didn’t want to play by those rules?
forget about Lance: here’s the real-life Chuck Norris
BTW there are not too many people in the world you can refer to by only their first name and pretty much everyone knows who you are talking about.
You know you are somewhat main-stream when you get tagged in a Rap song. I heard this on the radio a while back but I never heard what the name of the artist(Rapper) was or the name of the Tune:
“It was bad
It was so hard to get buy,
had to ride my bike 'round like that Lance guy”
Also, when he is racing my wife will actually watch the tour stages at night on TV. For that reason alone I hope he is back forever
Exactly same situation in my household. Wife and son are actually pumped to watch the TdF this summer and I for one want to qual for Kona 2010 only because Lance is supposed to be racing. I want to be there for the smackdown, where he’s either going to blow away LVL’s record, or get passed by Joe Boness in the energy lab and I want to be heading the other way to see either one happening !!!
Thanks for the article roady, good read.
what about the guys who didn't want to play by those rules?
forget about Lance: here’s the real-life Chuck Norris
Great read, Roady.
Tuft is the real deal. Unorthodox and breaking all the rules. Once every few years, someone like this comes along.
FWIW - Lance even thinks it’s interesting. From Lance’s Twitter postings:
“Morning. Up early and drinking coffee down at the local Starbucks. Reading the NYT. Interesting piece on Svein Tuft in the sports section”
Nice piece Fleck. I saw LA a few days ago since Astana is here in town for training camp. He seemed pretty mello and relaxed when i saw him up close and chatted with folks. I had always heard he could be prickly but he made a point to chat with folks and the press and finally Levi yelled over, “let’s go” as the group was all waiting to leave for their ride. He looked very fit to me with that sort of sunken in face you see in hyper lean, elite cyclists
From the Svein article:*** It wasn’t like I was into drugs or alcohol or anything,” Tuft said softly. “I wanted to explore, and I was searching for so many things. I just never felt right anywhere. At that age, you don’t know anything about yourself, and I was trying to find out who I was.”***
Darn, someone forgot to send me the memo some time between when I was 15 and 43, cause I’m still trying to find out who the hell I am supposed to be…or that’s what happens to you during life while you are busy figuring out who the heck you are, or what the heck you want to be!!!
Nice piece Fleck
Thanks. I’ll admit that I am a fan. Not a ride-around-in-Discovery-team-kit-and-Lance-Nike-shoes sort of Fan, but a fan none-the-less. But I am also a fan of pro cycling. I think it’s one of the best sports on the planet to watch and follow. I am also a fan of athletes who get it that it’s also about entertainment. They know that they are in the eye-of-the-storm and know that whatever they do, good or bad, people will be watching. John McEnroe was like that. Love or hate Mac, he knew this. Knew that while he was also one of the best tennis players of his generation, he was also an entertainer. He played with his heart on his sleeve - and let you know how he felt afterwards - holding no punches on the court or in interviews. That’s my favourite kind of athlete.
Nice piece Fleck
Thanks. I’ll admit that I am a fan. Not a ride-around-in-Discovery-team-kit-and-Lance-Nike-shoes sort of Fan, but a fan none-the-less. But I am also a fan of pro cycling. I think it’s one of the best sports on the planet to watch and follow. I am also a fan of athletes who get it that it’s also about entertainment. They know that they are in the eye-of-the-storm and know that whatever they do, good or bad, people will be watching. John McEnroe was like that. Love or hate Mac, he knew this. Knew that while he was also one of the best tennis players of his generation, he was also an entertainer. He played with his heart on his sleeve - and let you know how he felt afterwards - holding no punches on the court or in interviews. That’s my favourite kind of athlete.
Very nice - both your thoughts on Lance and above … I have seen the light a few years ago and I think I can call myself a “roadie” now as well 
I enjoyed your writeup and I am a huge fan of Lance from back before he was diagnosed with cancer…of course I’m still a fan now!
Thanks for posting that article. Svein Tuft - I know who I’ll be watching for at the tdF this year
Here! here! I don’t post alot, but I do have my own opinion.
I admire Lance for what he has overcome and what he continues to do. He is like the Micheal Jordan of cycling.
I totally admire Lance for getting back onto his bike after fighting a frickin crazy cancer battle.
WTF? If anyone could battle what he had battled in CA terms we would be much more humble to him and anyone in his situtation.
There I said it and flame away, but if it were you, or your family, close friends, would you respond the same way?
Yeah, he is still alive to make $$$ but more power to him is what I say.
I like your editorial. Writing about Lance is tough… and dangerous.
Me thinks that the man may be writing some verbal checks now that may be tough to cash later… Banter about the Tour, the hour record, Ironman… It’s an understatement to say that is a full plate. But then again, we are talking about an incredibly driven man with substantial resources. Anything is possible.
I’d like to see him succeed. It’s good for cancer awareness, it’s good for endurance sports. It’s a good human story. I’m guarded in my prediction as I notice you are as well.
Let’s Hope for the best for him. He is a tenacious man, regardless of the outcome. For that, he has my untarnished respect.
Good blog post.
But not enough hater representation here.
I’ll watch the ToC and TDF because of Lance, but I’ll watch like the paparazzi watches Britney Spears - just waiting and hoping for a spectacular meltdown. He’ll probably disappoint me. He’ll probably do a solid ToC, then finish somewhere top-15 in the TDF. People who think he’ll breeze right back to another TDF win just because he’s Lance, though, have little appreciation for how hard it is to do.
I’ll be cheering for Garmin-Chipotle. It’s time to move on.
I have seen the light a few years ago and I think I can call myself a “roadie” now as well
I still dream of lifting weights and clearing 8 foot drops on a 6" dual suspension bike… I want to go faster for a while longer before I go back to what I’m really built for.
That’s a cool story about that guy Svein Tuft. I like people that are a bit off the norm like that.
Your blog on LA is just about spot on, Steve. You write very well, too. Lance Armstrong is a BAMF for a couple of reasons:
- He is a tenacious, well prepared, physically gifted, intelligent protagonist; a formidable opponent.
- Find a cause/goal he believes in and he’ll own it. You won’t outwork him.
- He believes in himself. For better or worse, his endeavors center on his raison d’etre – Tour de France, global cancer fight.
- He’s not afraid to step on toes to achieve his goals/aspirations.
I admire LAs drive and determination to stamp out cancer. His battle w/ the disease profoundly altered his world view. And now, he is pouring energy into raising awareness, at a global scope and scale, that would not have been possible without the notoriety and curiosity that surrounds his superstar status. He’s evolved from a sporting icon to a global icon. True.