The retirement of Lance Armstrong
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fleaflicker
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The retirement of Lance Armstrong
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Lance Armstrong will retire from professional cycling after this summer's Tour de France, ending one of the great careers in all sports.
"Ultimately, athletes have to retire ... the body doesn't just keep going and going," Armstrong said Monday at a news conference.
The 33-year-old Texan will attempt to win his record seventh straight Tour de France in July. Before Armstrong, Miguel Indurain's five straight Tour de France wins were the record.
Eddy Merckx of Belgium and Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil of France are the only other riders to win five Tour de France races overall.
Armstrong's streak of six straight titles, along with his inspirational recovery from testicular cancer, has made him a superstar in the sport and an international celebrity.
Armstrong's possible retirement plans had become the focus of growing speculation as he spoke in recent months that he wants to spend more time with his three children and in his campaign against cancer.
Armstrong says he is "100 percent committed" to his decision to retire and that he will not be participating in any other races after July 24 - the scheduled end of the Tour de France.
The announcement came on the eve of Armstrong's defense of his Tour de Georgia championship. The six-day, 648-mile event he uses as a training tool for the Tour de France begins Tuesday.
His new two-year contract to race for the Discovery Channel team requires he compete in just one more Tour de France.
"I was fortunate to win six times. Can I win again this year? I'm not sure, but I'm going to try," he said. "It's my ambition to win and also a little bit of my job to win."
He has said previously if he retires he would amplify his high-profile role as a cancer survivor.
Armstrong's relationship with rock star Sheryl Crow has also made him the focus of the tabloids and paparazzi.
"Sheryl, you've been an amazing woman. For someone who is the queen of rock n' roll, you've been a great cycling fan ... a great teammate," he said.
"Ultimately, athletes have to retire ... the body doesn't just keep going and going," Armstrong said Monday at a news conference.
The 33-year-old Texan will attempt to win his record seventh straight Tour de France in July. Before Armstrong, Miguel Indurain's five straight Tour de France wins were the record.
Eddy Merckx of Belgium and Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil of France are the only other riders to win five Tour de France races overall.
Armstrong's streak of six straight titles, along with his inspirational recovery from testicular cancer, has made him a superstar in the sport and an international celebrity.
Armstrong's possible retirement plans had become the focus of growing speculation as he spoke in recent months that he wants to spend more time with his three children and in his campaign against cancer.
Armstrong says he is "100 percent committed" to his decision to retire and that he will not be participating in any other races after July 24 - the scheduled end of the Tour de France.
The announcement came on the eve of Armstrong's defense of his Tour de Georgia championship. The six-day, 648-mile event he uses as a training tool for the Tour de France begins Tuesday.
His new two-year contract to race for the Discovery Channel team requires he compete in just one more Tour de France.
"I was fortunate to win six times. Can I win again this year? I'm not sure, but I'm going to try," he said. "It's my ambition to win and also a little bit of my job to win."
He has said previously if he retires he would amplify his high-profile role as a cancer survivor.
Armstrong's relationship with rock star Sheryl Crow has also made him the focus of the tabloids and paparazzi.
"Sheryl, you've been an amazing woman. For someone who is the queen of rock n' roll, you've been a great cycling fan ... a great teammate," he said.
Last edited by fleaflicker on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
"To give anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift." -Steve Prefontaine
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The Ancient Enemy
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Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
Too bad America's sweetheart Lance Armstrong is probably gonna retire before he falls off a cliff on his bike and plummets about 6,000 feet on some rocks after what he did to his wife and kids.
Last edited by The Ancient Enemy on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
it's too bad he's retiring i was hoping to see him win an olympics!
duece2
duece2
Last edited by duece2 on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
Ancient Enemy what did lance armstrong do to his wife and kids?
duece2
duece2
Last edited by duece2 on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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The Ancient Enemy
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Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
Left them high and dry for Sheryl Crow. It's not bad enough that he completely kicked them to the curb out of nowhere, but he had to do it with another celebrity where they are on TV all the time. I'm sure his wife loves that and loves explaining it to their kids that Daddy cut out for a rockstar. It's dispicable.
Last edited by The Ancient Enemy on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
yeah i agree there i didn't know that but i know he dropped out of the olypics to be with his kids!
duece2
duece2
Last edited by duece2 on September 20th, 2011, 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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fleaflicker
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Re: The retirement of Lance Armstrong
Lance loves his kids, and I am not going to judge what happened between him and his wife as I am not sure of the circumstances. I am thinking that perhaps she decided to leave him. In any case his marriage is not our business.
But for a man that won 6 consecutive tours, and has established himself as possibly the greatest cyclist of all time, his announcement that he is leaving the tour is big. And he did this after a fight with cancer where his initial odds of survival, just living, were 50/50. Pretty impressive athlete you have to admit.
But for a man that won 6 consecutive tours, and has established himself as possibly the greatest cyclist of all time, his announcement that he is leaving the tour is big. And he did this after a fight with cancer where his initial odds of survival, just living, were 50/50. Pretty impressive athlete you have to admit.
"To give anything less than the best is to sacrifice the gift." -Steve Prefontaine