Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist, born on September 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas. Despite his controversial career due to doping allegations, Armstrong is considered one of the most prominent figures in the history of the sport. He started his professional career with the Motorola team before moving to the U.S. Postal Service team, where he won his seven Tour de France titles.

Armstrong is known for his endurance, strength, and strategic ability. He has won numerous awards, including the World Championships, and held multiple records, such as the most consecutive Tour de France wins.

Off the track, Armstrong is recognized for his work in cancer awareness through his foundation, Livestrong, inspiring millions worldwide.

Motorola

• Early Career: Armstrong began his professional career with the Motorola team in 1992. He showed early promise and won stages in several prominent races.

U.S. Postal Service team

• Success and Controversy: Armstrong joined the U.S. Postal Service team in 1998. Despite facing a battle with testicular cancer, he went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005. However, his achievements were later tarnished by doping allegations.

Team Astana and Team Radioshack

• Comeback: After a brief retirement, Armstrong returned to professional cycling with Team Astana in 2009 and Team Radioshack in 2010. His comeback was marked by solid performances but also ongoing controversy.

Retirement

• Armstrong announced his retirement from professional cycling in 2011. In 2012, he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles due to doping allegations.

U.S. National Team

• Debut: Made his debut for the U.S. National Team in the early 1990s.

Achievements:

• World Championships: Winner in 1993.
• Olympics: Armstrong competed in several Olympic Games but was stripped of his bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics due to doping allegations.

• Skills: Known for his remarkable endurance, strength, strategic ability, and climbing prowess. Armstrong was celebrated for his aggressive riding style.

• Family: Armstrong has five children. He was previously married to Kristin Richard and later engaged to singer Sheryl Crow. He is currently in a relationship with Anna Hansen.
• Philanthropy: Armstrong founded the Livestrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides support for people affected by cancer.

• Lance Armstrong's legacy is marked by both his extraordinary talent and the doping scandal that led to his downfall. Despite the controversy, his impact on the sport and his efforts in cancer awareness continue to resonate.

Most Consecutive Tour de France Wins:

• Seven consecutive wins from 1999 to 2005, later stripped due to doping allegations

World Championships:

• Winner in 1993

Books

• Macur, J. (2014) Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong. New York: HarperCollins.
• Coyle, D. (2005) Lance Armstrong's War. New York: HarperCollins.

Websites

• UCI: Information about Lance Armstrong’s career and achievements. Available at: https://www.uci.org
• Livestrong: Details about Armstrong’s work in cancer awareness. Available at: https://www.livestrong.org

Articles

• BBC Sport: Lance Armstrong: Career in numbers. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/21034961
• The Guardian: Lance Armstrong’s career highlights and records. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/lancearmstrong

Interviews and Documentaries

• The Armstrong Lie (2013): Directed by Alex Gibney. This documentary provides a detailed look at Armstrong’s career and the doping scandal that led to his downfall.