Lance Armstrong

why we like him?

Any guy that wants to educate the public about a disease that he was still battling at
the time deserves our admiration. This man had cancer in his brain and lungs, but
fought back to become number one in his sport. He is gentlemanly and heroic; a
very likeable combination.

why is he famous?

Lance Armstrong is famous for his courage. The professional cyclist fought off a life-
threatening disease and graced the front page of many newspaper sports sections.
He hasn't merely returned from an illness to win the Tour de France; he fought off
cancer to become one of the best ever.

overall rating 85

Lance Armstrong must rate high in this category. His athletic prowess merits the
recognition that he receives for his accomplishments. His founding of various

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charitable organizations and stature as a role model are well documented. Armstrong
is deeply embedded in North American culture and is the epitome of what the human
spirit can overcome.

What makes Armstrong so revered is that he is fallible. He has endured failure in his
life. He is not immune to everything. But, he is hard to defeat. Whenever he
encounters any sort of obstacle, he meets them head-on and comes out victorious. If
you had to pick any athlete to lead you into war, you'd ultimately choose Lance
Armstrong.

He never had anything handed to him on a silver platter; he earned everything

himself. From an early age until now, Lance Armstrong feeds off of challenges. He
never quits, he merely moves on to bigger and tougher challenges.

personality & talent 95

Lance Armstrong has the heart of a lion. It is in his makeup to never give up and
always give his best. His compassion and concern for others knows no bounds. He
has used his very painful battle with cancer to promote his causes. People respect
Armstrong and are drawn to him by the pictures he paints.

He is a very loving guy, something that is refreshing in the modern age of spoiled
athletes. For the past three years, his talents have been showcased for the world to
see. His fellow cyclists appreciate and fear him. It is hard for a competitor to harbor
any ill feelings towards Lance Armstrong.

His personality is very goal-oriented. There are very few people in the world that are
as self-driven as Lance Armstrong. He has been the most consistent cyclist in the
world for a few years and doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon.

woman magnetism 85

Lance met his current wife Kristin, a public relations executive, through his cancer
research foundation in 1998. Kristin was obviously attracted to Armstrong's strong
determination and moral convictions.

Many women might possibly find Lance's athletic physique and sheer dominance of
his sport very attractive. His enormous heart is also appealing to women, who
always appreciate a man who's sensitive.

accomplishments & fame 97

Lance first gained notoriety in 1991, by winning the US Amateur Cycling

Championship. In 1993, he won the million-dollar US Triple Crown of cycling. In
1999, he won the first of three consecutive Tour De France titles. Aside from his

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storied battles with cancer, Armstrong's fame grew in part by starring in a series of
national advertisements for his sponsor, the US Postal Service.

Armstrong's various public announcements for cancer awareness merely added to his
public exposure. In 1997, he founded a cancer research foundation, something that
he is immensely proud of. Through his charitable work and his sporting of the yellow
championship jersey, Lance Armstrong is the most recognizable cyclist in the world.

Sports Illustrated even named him "Sportsman of the Year" in 2002, in honor of his
fourth Tour de France victory and incredible perseverance.

coolness factor 90

Armstrong is well respected by fellow cyclists. He was the first to use a type of
aerobic training that aids in his conditioning for races. While other racers cycle by
standing up and pushing down (which burns up your reserve carbohydrates), Lance
sits and pedals in lower gears, thus giving him more oxygen. Many of his fellow
cyclists are taking a serious look at Lance's training methods.

Evidence of his coolness is his sheer popularity. Most children could not name one
cyclist. Yet, the name Lance Armstrong is widespread in North America. When kids
take to the street and bicycle, they invariably invoke the mindset of Lance. Many
kids round that last corner on the way home pretend that they too don the yellow
championship jersey.

personal style 60

Lance Armstrong is not a man of fashion. It is rare that you will ever see a photo of
him without his bicycle shorts. But, when he isn't racing, he tends to be a very laid-
back person. Lance wears a lot of T-shirts and is always in casual mode.

He has the mentality of an athlete. As such, Armstrong doesn't care too much about
his appearance. He always wears his hair extremely short and doesn't appear to
have any stylist dressing him, unlike many people that work in the public eye.

That we enter a bike marathon and have Lance Armstrong on our team -- pushing us
all the way to the finish line.

quote

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"It's ironic, I used to ride my bike to make a living. Now I just want to live so that I
can ride."
-Lance Armstrong

biography

Lance Armstrong was born September 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas. He was
predominantly raised by his mother Linda, who was married and divorced twice.
Armstrong grew up in the suburbs of Dallas and took part in athletics at a young
age. By age 13, he was competing in triathlons, which led to him turning pro at age
16.

But, Armstrong soon found that he loved cycling more than running and swimming,
and he chose to focus his energy on his favorite sport. Soon, the national cycling
team took notice and invited young Lance to work out with them, while he was still a
senior in high school.

a vicious cycle

In 1991, he went on to capture the National Amateur Cycling Championship.

Moreover, he won his first two major races that same year (First Union Grand Prix
and Thrift Drug Classic).

After finishing second at the US time trials, Armstrong finished a disappointing 14th
at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. But, he took the poor showing in stride, following it
up by winning the US cycling's Triple Crown in 1993. In August, he became the
youngest person to ever capture the grueling World Race Championships in Oslo,
Norway.

Armstrong continued his climb to the top in 1994, finishing runner-up in the Tour Du
Pont. The following year, he won the very same race with the largest margin of
victory in the history of the race.

Armstrong's 1996 season was up and down. It included fatigue and bronchitis. He
finished 12th in the road race at the Atlanta Olympic games and signed a lucrative
sponsoring contract with Team Cofidis.

the new battle

But, in October of 1996, Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which had
spread to his brain and lungs. Doctors gave him a 40% chance of recovery.
However, with successful surgery and chemotherapy, Armstrong was pronounced
healthy in February of 1997.

Determined to prove that he could still perform at the level of all the top cyclists,
Armstrong embarked on a rigorous training regimen, to prepare for a possible
comeback. Cofidis dropped Armstrong, doubting his proclamation that he would be
back and better than ever. The US Postal Service became his sponsor and agreed to

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pay him an annual salary of $200,000 ($400,000 less than what Cofidis would have
paid him).

Armstrong returned to racing in 1998 and won several low-key races. But, it was his
return to the Tour De France that would redefine his career. Leading from start to
finish, Armstrong established a new average speed of 40.2 km and captured the
title; the first of three consecutive wins.

cycling away from cancer

In 1998, Armstrong married his wife Kristin Richard, after meeting her through
working on the Lance Armstrong Foundation. She gave birth to their son Luke David
in October of 1999. In July of 2001, the couple announced that they are expecting
twins in December 2001, more good news to add to his 2001 Tour de France victory.

Armstrong's best-selling autobiography published in March 2000, It's Not About the
Bike: My Journey Back to Life, also garnered him some much-deserved attention.

Finally, on October 18, 2001, five years after being diagnosed with cancer, Lance
Armstrong received a clean bill of health. He continues to beat the disease; the
disease never beat him.

After his fourth consecutive Tour de France win (becoming the first American to
achieve such a feat), Armstrong was named Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the
Year" in 2002 .