Lance Armstrong

NAME: Lance Edward Armstrong (né Gunderson) He was named after Lance Rentzel, a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR: Winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times (1999-2005) [stripped due to doping]

Surviving life-threatening cancer and becoming a cancer advocate

BIRTH: On September 18, 1971, at Methodist Hospital in Plano, Texas

FAMILY BACKGROUND:  Armstrong grew up in a middle-class family in Plano. His father, Eddie Charles Gunderson, was a route manager for The Dallas Morning News, and his mother, Linda Gayle Mooneyham, worked as a secretary.

He was raised by his mother after his father left the family when he was young.

CHILDHOOD: : Lance Armstrong's childhood was marked by his early passion for sports, particularly cycling. He showed remarkable determination and competitiveness from a young age, traits that would later define his professional career.

Athletic from a young age, as well as participating in cycling, he ran and swam and became a national champion in triathlons as a teenager.

EDUCATION: Armstrong attended Plano East High School but dropped out before graduating to pursue a career in professional cycling. He didn't exactly set the world on fire academically, but hey, who needs books when you can win races?

CAREER RECORD: Professional Cycling:

Numerous stage wins in Tour de France before 1999

Seven Tour de France victories (1999-2005 - later stripped due to doping)

World Champion road race winner (1993)

Post-Doping Revelation:

Stripped of all Tour de France titles and banned from competitive cycling

APPEARANCE: Armstrong has a tall and lean physique honed through cycling.

By Paul Coster - Lance Armstrong 2009 Wikipedia

He was known for his shaved head during cancer treatment.

FASHION: During his cycling career, Armstrong was often seen in the sleek and aerodynamic attire typical of professional cyclists. 

CHARACTER: Lance Armstrong was known for his fierce competitiveness, unwavering determination, and relentless drive to succeed during his cycling career. He was also known for his resilience in overcoming adversity, both on and off the bike.

He became a symbol of hope and resilience after surviving cancer.

SENSE OF HUMOR: Armstrong possessed a dry wit and sharp sense of humor, often displayed in interviews and public appearances.

RELATIONSHIPS: Armstrong's personal life mirrored the turbulent ups and downs of his cycling career. A high-profile romance with singer Sheryl Crow ended in a broken engagement, whispers of heartbreak echoing in the song "Diamond Ring." He later dated Hollywood A-listers like Kate Hudson and Ashley Olsen, his love life a whirlwind of celebrity connections.

Armstrong was also married to Kristin Richard (1998-2003).Their three children were conceived with sperm that Armstrong banked before he began chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

Armstrong found love again in 2008. Through his charity work, no less!  This time, it was Anna Hansen who stole his heart.  By December that year, Armstrong was announcing the good news: a little Armstrong was on the way.

Now, this was a bit of a surprise. Doctors had assumed the old ticker-tape (referencing the procedure to retrieve sperm before cancer treatment) wouldn't be much use anymore, thanks to that nasty bout with testicular cancer. But nature, it would seem, had other plans. The baby, a bouncing boy in June 2009, was all natural, followed by a daughter in October 2010. Finally, in 2022, they sealed the deal and said "I do."

MONEY AND FAME: At the peak of his career, Lance Armstrong enjoyed immense wealth and fame, becoming one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. However, his reputation suffered significant damage following the doping scandal, leading to financial and legal repercussions.

Despite the shadow of the doping scandal, Armstrong wasn't all about shaved legs and questionable cocktails. His brush with mortality from testicular cancer had a profound impact. In 1997, he established the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a beacon of hope for those battling the disease. The foundation's success is undeniable, becoming a top fundraiser for cancer research, a testament to Armstrong's desire to make a positive impact beyond the world of cycling.

FOOD AND DRINK: Armstrong followed a strict diet regimen typical of professional athletes, focusing on nutrition and hydration to optimize performance.

MUSIC AND ARTS: While Armstrong's primary focus was on cycling, he appreciated music and the arts as forms of relaxation and inspiration.

LITERATURE: Armstrong is known to enjoy reading, particularly books on sports, motivation, and personal development.

NATURE: As a cyclist, Armstrong spent countless hours training outdoors, developing a deep appreciation for nature and the open road.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS:  Armstrong rocketed onto the scene in 1992, joining the Motorola team and promptly leaving a trail of impressive victories in his wake. World Championships, prestigious races like the Clásica de San Sebastián and Tour DuPont - he collected them like a magpie with a penchant for shiny trophies. Even the Tour de France, that grueling Everest of cycling, couldn't resist his relentless pedaling, surrendering stage wins year after year.

Then came the golden era, a period that would etch Armstrong's name in cycling's hall of fame (or perhaps the hall of infamy, depending on your perspective). Seven consecutive Tour de France victories - a record that stood as testament to his superhuman talent, or so we were initially led to believe.

However, lurking beneath the veneer of triumph was a truth as dark as a doping doctor's basement. Years of vehement denials crumbled in 2012, revealing a shocking reality - Armstrong had been indulging in the unsavory world of performance-enhancing drugs. This bombshell confession shattered his image and resulted in the rescinding of his Tour titles, a lifetime ban from the sport, and a permanent stain on his legacy.

Outside of cycling, Armstrong had a passion for triathlons and endurance sports. He also engaged in philanthropic activities, particularly through his Livestrong Foundation, which aimed to support cancer survivors.

SCIENCE AND MATHS: Armstrong's understanding of sports science and physiology played a crucial role in his training and performance as a cyclist.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY: Armstrong's experiences with overcoming cancer and his dedication to raising awareness through his foundation reflected elements of resilience, hope, and the human spirit.

He's made no public statements about specific philosophies or religious beliefs.

SCANDAL: Lance Armstrong's career was marred by one of the most significant doping scandals in sports history. Despite vehement denials for years, Armstrong eventually admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career, leading to the stripping of his Tour de France titles and a lifetime ban from professional cycling.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS: Armstrong was known for his exceptional physical fitness, honed through rigorous training and dedication to his sport. However, his health faced challenges when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, a battle he ultimately overcame.

His heart is almost a third larger than that of an average man. 

HOMES: Armstrong has lived in various locations throughout his career, including Texas, France, and Spain. He owns homes in Austin, Texas, and Aspen, Colorado, as well as a ranch in the Texas Hill Country

TRAVEL: As a professional cyclist, Lance Armstrong traveled extensively for competitions and training camps around the world.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA: Numerous documentaries, books, and interviews chronicling his career, cancer battle, and doping scandal. In 2017, Armstrong started a podcast named The Move, which provided daily coverage of the Tour de France in 2018 and 2019.

The Program, a 2015 biographical drama film about Lance Armstrong directed by Stephen Frears, starring Ben Foster as Armstrong.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Winning the Tour de France seven times (since stripped due to doping)

Founding the Livestrong Foundation

Inspiration for cancer survivors

THE BOTTOM LINE:  Lance Armstrong's story is a rollercoaster. Amazing comebacks, inspiring fight against cancer, but ultimately tainted by the doping scandal. A complex dude with a legacy that's hard to define.