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NEWSMAKER: Lance Amstrong Armstrong
bids cycling adieu
CBC Sports Online | April 19, 2005
American cyclist Lance Armstrong will retire after this year's Tour de France.
(AP FILE PHOTO) |
Lance Armstrong, one of the most celebrated
athletes of his generation, will walk away from the sport of cycling
after this year's Tour de France.
The six-time Tour de France champion ended months of speculation when
he officially announced his retirement Monday at a news conference
in Atlanta.
"I have decided the Tour de France will be my last race as a
professional cyclist," said the 33-year-old native of Texas.
"I have thought a lot about it, I have gone back and forth. My
time has come but I will definitely have the itch [to race] every
now and again.
"My children are my biggest supporters but at the same time they
are the ones who told me it's time to come home."
The story of his amazing success reads like a Frank Capra script,
but unlike so many Hollywood films, Armstrong's tale of personal triumph
is steeped in fact, not fiction.
Armstrong began 1996 as the No. 1-ranked cyclist in the world, but
his career took an unfortunate turn when he was diagnosed with testicular
cancer that spread to his lungs and brain, and left him with less
than a 50-per-cent chance of survival.
After surgery and rounds of chemotherapy, he not only returned to
his sport, but he rocketed to the top, and in 1999 won his first Tour
de France, the crown jewel of cycling.
Last year he won the event again, for an unprecedented sixth consecutive
time - aside from Armstrong, only four men have won the event five
times in its 91-year history.
Armstrong's domination of the Tour de France not only established
him as one of cycling's all-time greats, but also as one of the most
recognized athletes of his era: Sports Illustrated magazine named
him Sportsman of the Year in 2002 and he was selected the Associated
Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2002, 2003 and 2004. This from
a culture drenched in big-league pro sports.
Worldwide fame has come at a price, however, as Armstrong has been
dogged by allegations of drug abuse over the last few years. The most
recent claim was made by Mike Anderson, a former personal assistant,
who stated he found steroids in Armstrong's home in Spain.
Anderson worked for Armstrong from 2002 until last November. A month
later, Armstrong began legal action against his former assistant,
claiming Anderson tried to extort a settlement of $500,000 US.
Last year, a Paris court spurned Armstrong's attempt to force a publisher
to insert his denial of doping allegations into copies of the French-language
book, L.A. Confidential: the Secrets of Lance Armstrong, by
authors David Walsh and Pierre Ballester.
The book relied in part on allegations by former Armstrong assistant
Emma O'Reilly, who once reportedly worked as Armstrong's personal
assistant, physical therapist and masseuse. The book stated Armstrong
asked O'Reilly to dispose of used syringes and lend him makeup to
hide the needle marks on his arms.
Armstrong has always refuted doping accusations made against him,
arguing that he is the most tested athlete in any sport, and that
he has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during
a remarkable career that has produced more than 80 victories.
Now, as the sun is about to set on that momentous career, Armstrong
can become the oldest Tour de France champion in the post-Second World
War era, should he win this year's race.
Asked what motivates him to endure the gruelling punishment of the
Tour one last time, Armstrong replied: "Because of that dream
to go out on top.
"I have to tell you that's a big deal to me."
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Born:
Sept. 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas.
Personal:
Armstrong and his ex-wife Kristen were married on May 8, 1998. The couple had
three children together (Luke, and twin daughters Isabelle and Grace). They separated
in 2003 and later divorced. Since 2004, Armstrong has been dating singer Sheryl
Crow.
Notable career victories:
Tour de France (1999-2004), USPro Championship (1993), World Road Championships
(1993), Clasica San Sebastian (1995), Tour of The Netherlands (1996), Tour de
Suisse (2001), Criterium du Dauphine Libere (2002-03).
Teams raced for:
United States National Team (1991-92), Motorola (1992-96), Cofidis (1997), US
Postal Service (1998-2002), US Postal Service presented by Berry Floor (2003-04),
Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team (2005).
Books written:
It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life; Every Second Counts.
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