Lance Armstrong

I believe in Lance Armstrong.

I am totally appalled at how he has been victimised by the tongue waggers and self righteous on both sides of the Atlantic.

It is not in his moral fibre to take performance enhancing drugs because he is a fighter and this has been shown in his survival from a life threatening disease and in his attitude to his sport.

I remember watching him on TV win his first Tour de France Stage in 1993 at Verdun. I did not know who he was at that time or what reputation he had arrived at the race with as a rookie but his absolute class and character were abundantly clear for all enthusiastic followers of cycling to see. His win was masterful for someone so young. The combination of a great tactical mind and sheer pedal power.

He was the first real non-European cycling super star with global appeal. It was because of this that he was both envied and eyed with suspicion by the old established cycling nations of France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Holland.

He was meticulous in his preparation for the Tour de France in particular and it was because he selected what he could race and be sure to win that he was criticised again by the tired and poorer performing Europeans who went for everything and came away usually with nothing. 

The plain and simple fact that he was the most drug tested rider in history and with no positive results is what I am holding up at the reason why I believe in Lance Armstrong. The Federal judgement to strip him of his career record has, to my mind, no grounding in fact and has arisen out of a typically Stateside witch hunt which is to innocent sportsmen and women as the US Foreign and Military Policy is to peaceful nations.

I quote directly from his statement of this week 

"Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet."

Lance Armstrong remains as an inspiration to me and many others not just in cycling but in the way he has conducted his life with dignity and a selfless attitude to others.