By Bob Acton of
Sportingbet USA - now SuperBook.com -
Forget the argument about whether it is a true sport and simplytake a few moments to recognize the accomplishments of Lance Armstrong.When you have some spare time, go to the library or book storeand grab a copy of one of his books.
A hero is someone who inspires individuals and in Lance Armstrong’scase he has touched millions of individuals worldwide. Today allacross the planet there are people in hospitals who are fightingfor their lives against the difficult opponent called CANCER!
If this epic journey that Sir Lance has taken is helping togive these folks even an ounce of fight and hope, then he trulyis one of the greatest hero’s of all time. We are talking aboutan instrument that is used universally across the globe and thatis a bicycle. In fact it is one of the most used quotes in ourmodern time when someone suggests, that attempting a task thathas been done before, is like getting on a bike, as once you havedone it, you never forget how to do it.
The guy has made a difference and I’m certain every last oneof us has been affected by the crippling disease called cancer.Lance has raised the awareness level, about this brutal sicknessand the strides that have been taken in the last ten years areremarkable.
Someone who is very close to you or has touched you in a specialway will one day defeat this vicious opponent and will use theaccomplishments of Sir Lance, as their greatest motivator.
Please take a moment today and reflect on this remarkable hourand July 24th, 2005 will be remembered forever!
Age: 33, born Sept. 18, 1971, in Dallas, Texas.
Children: Luke, age 5, twins Grace and Isabelle,age 3. Their mother, Kristin, and Armstrong divorced in 2003.
Tour de France Wins: Seven, 1999-2005.
Stage Victories: 22, 11 of them time trials.
Stages Won, When and Where:
-- 1993: Verdun.
-- 1995: Limoges.
-- 1999: Puy du Fou (prologue time trial), Metz (time trial),Sestrieres, Futuroscope (time trial).
-- 2000: Mulhouse (time trial).
-- 2001: L'Alpe d'Huez, Chamrousse (time trial), Saint-Lary-Soulan,Saint-Amand-Montrond (time trial).
-- 2002: Luxembourg (prologue time trial), La Mongie, Plateaude Beille, Macon (time trial).
-- 2003: Luz-Ardiden.
-- 2004: Plateau de Beille, Villard-de-Lans, L'Alpe d'Huez (timetrial), Le Grand Bornand, Besancon (time trial):
-- 2005: Saint-Etienne (time trial).
Team Time Trial Wins: 3, with U.S. Postal Serviceand Discovery Channel squads, 2003-2005.
Biggest Winning Margin: 7 minutes, 37 secondsover Alex Zulle, 1999.
Smallest Winning Margin: 61 seconds, over JanUllrich, 2003.
Winning Margin in 2005: 4 minutes, 40 seconds,over Ivan Basso:
Yellow Jerseys Worn: 83.
