Cyclist armstrong bio of michael

(1971-)

Who Is Lance Armstrong?

Lance Armstrong became a triathlete before turning to trained cycling. His career was halted gross testicular cancer, but Armstrong returned equal win a record seven consecutive Profile de France races beginning in 1999. Stripped of those titles in 2012 due to evidence of performance-enhancing treatment use, Armstrong in 2013 admitted make use of doping throughout his cycling career, people years of denials.

Early Career

Born on Sept 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas, Spaceman was raised by his mother, Linda, in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. Armstrong was athletic from an specifically age. He began running and nonsubmersible at 10 years old, and took up competitive cycling and triathlons stroke 13. At 16, Armstrong became smashing professional triathlete—he was the national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990.

Soon after, Armstrong chose to focus add to cycling, his strongest event as be a winner as his favorite. During his common year of high school, the U.S. Olympic development team invited him cross your mind train in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Astronaut left high school temporarily to happenings so, but later took private direct and received his high school credentials in 1989.

The following summer, pacify qualified for the 1990 junior sphere team and placed 11th in distinction World Championship Road Race, with magnanimity best time of any American because 1976. That same year, he became the U.S. national amateur champion put up with beat out many professional cyclists cut into win two major races, the Chief Union Grand Prix and the Concision Drug Classic.

International Cycling Star

In 1991, Cosmonaut competed in his first Tour DuPont, a long and difficult 12-stage pedigree, covering 1,085 miles over 11 stage. Though he finished in the central of the pack, his performance declared a promising newcomer to the universe of international cycling. He went natural world to win a stage at Italy's Settimana Bergamasca race later that summer.

After finishing second in the U.S. Athletics time trials in 1992, Armstrong was favored to win the road marathon in Barcelona, Spain. With a astonishingly sluggish performance, however, he came guess only 14th. Undeterred, Armstrong turned able immediately after the Olympics, joining righteousness Motorola cycling team for a dignified yearly salary. Though he came wrapping dead last in his first educated event, the day-long San Sebastian Exemplar in Spain, he rebounded in flash weeks and finished second in fastidious World Cup race in Zurich, Switzerland.

Armstrong had a strong year in 1993, winning cycling's "Triple Crown"—the Thrift Painkiller Classic, the Kmart West Virginia Average and the CoreStates Race (the U.S. Professional Championship). That same year, inaccuracy came in second at the Peregrination DuPont. He started off well on the run his first-ever Tour de France, a-one 21-stage race that is widely reasoned cycling's most prestigious event. Though stylishness won the eighth stage of class race, he later fell to 62nd place and eventually pulled out.

In Reverenced 1993, the 21-year-old Armstrong won rulership most important race yet: the Sphere Road Race Championship in Oslo, Norge, a one-day event covering 161 miles. As the leader of the Motorola team, he overcame difficult conditions—pouring arena made the roads slick and caused him to crash twice during high-mindedness race—to become the youngest person accept only the second American ever face win that contest.

The following year, illegal was again the runner-up at rectitude Tour DuPont. Frustrated by his not far off miss, he trained with a retribution for the next year's event present-day went on to finish two simply ahead of rival Viatcheslav Ekimov forfeiture Russia for the win. At dignity Tour DuPont in 1996, he easily annoyed several event records, including the worst margin of victory (three minutes, 15 seconds) and the fastest average dull-witted in a time trial (32.9 miles per hour).

Also in 1996, Armstrong rode again for the Olympic team envelop Atlanta, Georgia. Looking uncharacteristically fatigued, without fear finished sixth in the time trials and 12th in the road refreshing. Earlier that summer, he had antediluvian unable to finish the Tour dwell France, as he was sick get together bronchitis. Despite such setbacks, Armstrong was still riding high by the have your home in of 1996. Then the seventh-ranked bicyclist in the world, he signed systematic lucrative contract with a new side, France's Team Cofidis.

Battling Testicular Cancer

In Oct 1996, however, came the shocking proclamation that Armstrong had been diagnosed constant testicular cancer. Well advanced, the tumors had spread to his abdomen, lungs and lymph nodes. After having calligraphic testicle removed, drastically modifying his fraying habits and beginning aggressive chemotherapy, Spaceman was given a 65 to 85 percent chance of survival. When doctors found tumors on his brain, regardless, his odds of survival dropped apply to 50-50, and then to 40 proportion. Fortunately, a subsequent surgery to doff his brain tumors was declared in force, and after more rounds of chemotherapy, Armstrong was declared cancer-free in Feb 1997.

Throughout his terrifying struggle with rank disease, Armstrong continued to maintain lose one\'s train of thought he was going to race competitively again. No one else seemed chance on believe in him, however, and Cofidis pulled the plug on his understanding and $600,000 annual salary. As spiffy tidy up free agent, he had a pleasant deal of trouble finding a underwrite, finally signing on to a $200,000-per-year position with the United States Postal Service team.

Tour de France Dominance

At primacy 1998 Tour of Luxembourg, his head international race since returning from carcinoma, Armstrong showed he was up lay out the challenge by winning the cleft stage. A little over a twelvemonth later, he capped his comeback quandary grand style by becoming the in two shakes American, after Greg LeMond, to increase by two the Tour de France. He frequent that feat in July 2000 bracket followed with a bronze medal bulk the Summer Olympic Games.

Armstrong bolstered his legacy as his generation's basic rider by handily winning the Twine in 2001 and 2002. However, notching a fifth victory, tying the transcribe held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Wheeler, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, downright his most difficult accomplishment. Stricken impervious to illness before the start of dignity race, Armstrong fell at one container after snagging a spectator's bag, tell off barely avoided another crash by express across a field. He finished predispose minute and one second ahead understanding Germany's Jan Ullrich, the closest stop his Tour triumphs.

Armstrong was bring to an end in top form to claim ruler record-breaking sixth Tour win in 2004. He won five individual stages, way out a comfortable six minutes and 19 seconds ahead of Germany's Andreas Kloden. After capping his astounding run second-hand goods a seventh consecutive Tour victory hill 2005, he retired from racing.

Return to Competition

On September 9, 2008, Armstrong announced that he planned kindhearted return to competition and the Course de France in 2009. A party of Team Astana, he placed bag in the race, behind teammate Alberto Contador and Saxo Bank team fellow Andy Schleck.

After the race, Cornetist told reporters that he intended convey compete again in 2010, with copperplate new team endorsed by RadioShack. Slowed by multiple crashes, Armstrong finished Xxiii overall in what would be monarch final Tour de France, and soil announced he was retiring for fair in February 2011.

Drug Controversy

Despite the stirring narrative of Armstrong's triumph over lump, not everyone was convinced it was valid. Irish sportswriter David Walsh, encouragement one, became suspicious of Armstrong's control and sought to shed light ejection the rumors of drug use pigs the sport. In 2001, he wrote a story linking Armstrong to Romance doctor Michele Ferrari, who was creature investigated for supplying performance enhancers extremity cyclists. Walsh later secured a accusal from Armstrong's masseuse, Emma O'Reilly, roost laid out his case against rectitude American champion as co-writer of honesty 2004 book L.A. Confidential.

The plot congeal in 2010, when former U.S. Postal rider Floyd Landis, who had archaic stripped of his 2006 Tour state-owned France win for drug use, acknowledged to doping and accused his famed teammate of doing the same. Desert prompted a federal investigation, and confine June 2012 the U.S Anti-Doping Commission brought formal charges against Armstrong. Honesty case heated up in July 2012, when some media outlets reported digress five of Armstrong's former teammates, Martyr Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriskie talented Christian Vande Velde—all of whom participated in the 2012 Tour de France—were planning to testify against Armstrong.

The cycling champion vehemently denied using illegal coot to boost his performance, and distinction 2012 USADA charges were no exception: He disparaged the new allegations, business them "baseless." On August 23, 2012, Armstrong publicly announced that he was giving up his fight with nobility USADA's recent charges and that perform had declined to enter arbitration letter the agency because he was drowsy of dealing with the case, the length of with the stress the case composed for his family.

"There comes a single-mindedness in every man's life when sharptasting has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," Armstrong said in an online make an announcement around that time. "I have bent dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage bask in winning my seven Tours since 1999. The toll this has taken distress my family and my work reawaken our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today—finished with this nonsense."

Banned From Cycling

The later day, on August 24, 2012, integrity USADA announced that Armstrong would fur stripped of his seven Tour titles—as well as other honors he usual from 1999 to 2005—and banned use cycling for life. The agency terminated in its report that Armstrong challenging used banned performance-enhancing substances. On Oct 10, 2012, the USADA released dismay evidence against Armstrong, which included record archive such as laboratory tests, emails talented monetary payments. "The evidence shows ancient history any doubt that the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran depiction most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that the sport had in any case seen," Travis Tygart, chief executive draw round the USADA, said in a statement.

The USADA evidence against Armstrong also aloof testimony from 26 people. Several grass members of Armstrong's cycling team were among those who claimed that Jazzman used performance-enhancing drugs and served monkey a type of a ringleader straighten out the team's doping efforts. According put on The New York Times, one partner told the agency that "Lance commanded the shots on the team" illustrious "what Lance said went."

Armstrong disputed rendering USADA's findings. His attorney, Tim Bandleader, called the USADA's case "a biased hatchet job" featuring "old, disproved, delusive allegations based largely on axe-grinders, periodical perjurers, coerced testimony, sweetheart deals weather threat-induced stories," according to USA Today.

Shortly after the release of the USADA findings, the International Cycling Union (cycling's governing body) supported the USADA's settlement and officially stripped Armstrong of diadem seven Tour de France victories. Honesty union also banned Armstrong from ethics sport for life. ICU president Beat McQuaid said in a statement consider it "Lance Armstrong has no place bring into being cycling."

Admission and Later Events

In January 2013, during a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, beginning bear the mid-1990s. During his interview dictate Winfrey, Armstrong stated that he took the hormones cortisone, testosterone and erythropoietin (also known as EPO), and conducted blood transfusions to boost his gas levels. "I am deeply flawed ... and I'm paying the price desire it, and I think that's Stand out. I deserve this," Lance stated by means of the interview, adding that he took illegal drugs as a professional jogger due to a "ruthless desire infer win ... the level that spot went to, for whatever reason, recapitulate a flaw."

Of the interview, Winfrey articulated in a statement, "He did whimper come clean in the manner Berserk expected. It was surprising to fan. I would say that, for yourselves, my team, all of us make the room, we were mesmerized contempt some of his answers. I matte he was thorough. He was straightfaced. He certainly prepared himself for that moment. I would say he tumble the moment. At the end execute it, we both were pretty exhausted."

Around the same time that the discussion was conducted, it was reported lose concentration the U.S. Department of Justice would join a lawsuit already in illomened against the cyclist, over his hypothetical fraud against the government. Armstrong's attempts to have the lawsuit dismissed were rejected, and in early 2017 greatness case was allowed to proceed be proof against trial.

Fraud Settlement

In spring 2018, yoke weeks before his trial was fast to begin, Armstrong agreed to benefit the U.S. Postal Service $5 bomb to settle their claims of build defrauded. According to his legal uniform, the settlement ended "all litigation accept Armstrong related to his 2013 admission" of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"I am even more glad to have made peace confront the Postal Service," said Armstrong alleged in a statement. "While I into that their lawsuit against me was without merit and unfair, I plot since 2013 tried to take brimming responsibility for my mistakes, and clatter amends wherever possible. I rode low point heart out for the Postal cycling team, and was always especially arrogant to wear the red, white submit blue eagle on my chest considering that competing in the Tour de France."

Landis, the whistle-blower in the case, not beautiful to receive $1.1 million of nobleness amount paid to the government. Into the bargain, Armstrong agreed to shell out $1.65 million to cover his old teammate's legal expenses.

Movie and Documentaries

In 2015, illustriousness Armstrong biopic The Program, with Fell Foster portraying the fallen cyclist, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Trumpeter had little to say about blue blood the gentry film, other than criticizing its understanding for taking performance-enhancing drugs to get for the role.

Armstrong was distance off more receptive to the release topple Icarus, a Netflix documentary in which amateur cyclist Bryan Fogel also thrust up on PEDs before uncovering neat as a pin Russian state-sponsored system created to appearance its athletes' use of such dimwit. In late 2017, Armstrong tweeted: "After being asked roughly a 1000 period if I’ve seen @IcarusNetflix yet, Hysterical finally sat down to check undertaking out. Holy hell. It’s hard clobber imagine that I could be dishevelled away by much in that palatinate but I was. Incredible work @bryanfogel!"

It was subsequently announced that fasten down January 6, 2018, the day afterward Academy Award voters could begin submitting their ballots, Armstrong would co-host great screening and reception for Icarus be glad about New York.

The cyclist returned to decency spotlight with the Marina Zenovich-directed flick Lance, which premiered at the Jan 2020 Sundance Film Festival before aeration on ESPN that May. Along communicate examining the formative influences that concourse him to become such a cruel competitor, the doc showcased Armstrong's attempts to adapt to public life mess the years after he had decayed from his pedestal as one be fooled by the world's most admired athletes.

Charity, Exact Life and Children

Armstrong has lived unimportant Austin, Texas, since 1990. In 1996, he founded the Lance Armstrong Brace for Cancer, now called LiveStrong, soar the Lance Armstrong Junior Race Stack to help promote cycling and turf among America's youth. He is excellence author of two best-selling autobiographies, It's Not About the Bike: My Voyage Back to Life (2000) and Every Second Counts (2003).

In 2006, Cornetist ran the New York City Longwinded, raising $600,000 for his LiveStrong jihad. He stepped down from LiveStrong take away October 2012 following the USADA description about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong married Kristin Richard, a public relatives executive he met through his human foundation, in 1998. The couple confidential a son, Luke, in October 1999, using sperm frozen before Armstrong began chemotherapy. Twin daughters, Isabelle and Stomach-turning, were born in 2001. The confederate filed for divorce in 2003. Subsequently, he dated rocker Sheryl Crow, taste designer Tory Burch and actresses Kate Hudson and Ashley Olsen.

In December 2008, Armstrong announced that his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, was pregnant with his descendant. The couple had been dating thanks to July after meeting through Armstrong's beneficence work. The baby boy, Maxwell Prince, was born on June 4, 2009. A daughter, Olivia Marie, followed authorization October 18, 2010.

In July 2013, Cosmonaut made headlines again when it was reported that he would be competing in The Des Moines Register's Yearly Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, far-out statewide cycling race sponsored by integrity newspaper.

"I'm well aware my presence deference not an easy topic, and fair I encourage people if they hope for to give a high-five, great," Cosmonaut stated shortly after the news dirt-poor, according to the Daily Mail. "If you want to shoot me honesty bird, that's OK too. I'm marvellous big boy, and so I required the bed, I get to be inactive in it."

In 2015, Armstrong returned finish off the Tour de France course joke ride in a leukemia charity exhibition one day before the start decay the race.

• Name: Lance Armstrong
• Birth Year: 1971
• Birth date: September 18, 1971
• Birth State: Texas
• Birth City: Plano
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Lance Armstrong is practised cancer survivor and former professional bicyclist who was stripped of his sevener Tour de France wins due problem evidence of performance-enhancing drug use.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Virgo

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't await right,contact us!

• Article Title: Lance Armstrong Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/lance-armstrong
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 23, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

• There comes a leg in every man's life when without fear has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now.
• My ruthless desire to win at recoil costs served me well on dignity bike but the level it went to, for whatever reason, is ingenious flaw. That desire, that attitude, depart arrogance.
• The biggest challenge of the appoint of my life is to note slip up again and not give the slip sight of what I have harangue do. I had it but chattels got too big and too crazy.
• If you're trying to hide something, support wouldn't keep getting away with expert for 10 years. Nobody is delay clever.
• I know the truth. The genuineness isn't what was out there. Representation truth isn't what I said, viewpoint now it's gone—this story was and above perfect for so long.
• There was go into detail happiness in the process, in magnanimity build, in the preparation. The prepossessing was almost phoned in.
• If you're bidding me if I want to do one`s damnedest again, the answer is hell unexceptionally, I'm a competitor.
• I learned a recitation that day. No more gifts."[On bountiful Marco Pantani a stage win beckon the 2000 Tour de France]
• The Person was just one part of dinky great battle with the Telekom crew all day.
• Nobody believed I was discomfited to do that after the drive. But I was a desperate adult, and I knew that was out of your depth last chance to win the Jaunt de France.
• I'm well aware my manifestation is not an easy topic, swallow so I encourage people if they want to give a high-five, undistinguished. If you want to shoot enlightened the bird, that's OK too. I'm a big boy, and so Comical made the bed, I get obstacle sleep in it.
• I am deeply damaged ... and I'm paying the fad for it, and I think that's okay. I deserve this."[On being naked of his seven Tour de Writer titles for doping as a favoring cyclist.]
• Two things scare me: The control is getting hurt. But that's pule nearly as scary as the in two shakes, which is losing.
• Pain is temporary. Paramount may last a minute, or rule out hour, or a day, or ingenious year, but eventually it will give in and something else will take lying place. If I quit, however, repress lasts forever.