Biography of Lance Armstrong

Human strength and weakness

September 18, 1971 his story to Hollywood could also become the script for a drama: a deadly disease that strikes a promising athlete. Although the situation is desperate he not only fights to defeat his evil but also returns to compete and win all the prizes the most coveted. It seems incredible, but it is reality. But the reality and the history does not end on a goal; his experience led him to join a community of cancer patients, and motivates him to devote the same determination and the same passion that puts on bike pedals during races to fight for fighting the disease. Born in Plano, Texas on September 18, 1971, Lance Armstrong began his career very young: Linda's mother supports it right from the start. Just 13 years old compete in one of the hardest sport known to man, the Triathlon, where athletes perform long and gruelling kilometres to go swimming, then riding a bike and ride. Lance Armstrong decides to 16 years that his profession is that of the athlete. Finished his studies and graduated enters the Olympic cycling team for an experimental project in Colorado Springs. Getting started his career on two wheels. Compete in amateur categories: efforts bring results, and Lance to qualify for the World Junior Championships in Moscow 1989. In 1991 he won the National Amateur Championship and shortly after passing in the professionals. Don't spend a lot of time and Lance wins the National Championship professionals. His star shines at international level: win some stage in the Tour de France, a World Championship and several victories at the Tour du Pont. In brief reaches the top of the world rankings. In 1996 he is the number 1: the cycling team at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. While it looks towards a future of success happens something so traumatic tears from the pedals to throw him into a terrible punishment: at the beginning of October of 1996 his doctors communicate was suffering from cancer. His life changes forever. The analysis reveal an advanced cancer in the testicle. The chance to heal 50% 's seem less: Lance begins to undergo an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. The risk of collateral damage accompanies as a shadow the cure period. Chemotherapy begins to function and Lance, gradually, it can even think of returning to competitive activity. Cancer leaves him a deep scar physical but also emotional unwillingly today Lance remembers that sad period of life as "... the best thing that ever happened to me". The new mindset and new perspectives push him beyond his sporting commitments: he founded the "Lance Armstrong Foundation" with the goal of helping others in their fight against cancer. Complete healing of Spears seems miraculous. After the experience with the French team Cofidis, he finds himself without a team until the "United States Postal Service" to believe and bet on him. If he wasn't back in the saddle the story would still have been positive, but it would not have been enough for Lance. Armstrong feels the need to put himself back to the test. On his return in a competitive world is not easy. Participates in 1998 to a cold little lucky Paris-Nice ending badly, retreating. Many people think that Lance Armstrong is a champion at sunset. Lance later admitted that he was not ready to go back so soon. Withdraws so at Boone, North Carolina, with his friend and trainer Chris Carmichael for a week of hard training, during which Lance back to learning to love the bike again, and above all to build the courage to try again. The race that marks its return is a symbol that gives him the reason and motivation to do well: win the "Lance Armstrong Foundation Downtown Criterium" in his hometown, Austin, Texas. Its new and invigorated objectives, together with the adequate training led him to achieve positive results: ends in the top five at the Spanish Vuelta and subsequent World Championships. In 1999 the goal is important and precise: the Tour de France, the world's most important race for image and Blazon. The prologue of the Tour, in the eyes of the world, Lance is already a double winner, for defeating cancer and to be back among the biggest names in world cycling. But appear in public for him is not enough. Won the prologue and won the Tour in an athletic endeavor that involves a blend of power, determination, aggressiveness and strategy team. The circumstances and history moved the entire sporting world: Lance Armstrong is an international hero. Lance doesn't stop. Until 2003 adds consecutively to his list another four titles in the Tour de France (before he would only Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault and Indurain), receives numerous awards from all over the world, and especially becomes a living symbol of hope and inspiration. In 2004 the name of Lance Armstrong fits into cycling legend even more than it was already there, conquering Champs-Elysees its sixth-consecutive-yellow Jersey. Then in 2005 still: dedicates months of his athletic training only for the Tour. With a superb second in the general classification-the first of the ' human '-will be the Italian Ivan Basso; Nancy will be able to declare: "I attacked and tried to win the race, but Armstrong has proven to be the best." Lance Armstrong won the last time trial: and is seventh apotheosis. Eighty-three times in the yellow Jersey, twenty-two stages won in France. A true Titan. At the end of August 2012 the Usada (United States Anti-Doping Agency) formalizes the decision to ban him for life: Removes all sports results obtained from 1998 onwards, including seven Tour de France. Nike has cancels the contract of sponsorship and Armstrong was forced to announce his resignation as Chairman of the Livestrong Foundation, which he founded in 2003 for the fight against cancer.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.