The news this week about Lance Armstrong has, for me as for many, been
actually quite upsetting.
Like many people I bought into the whole Armstrong legend, I have the
books, the cycling jersey, the yellow wristband, a livestrong gym
t-shirt, the whole thing. I wear a Giro helmet, as does my daughter
who when we bought it said she wanted the same as Lance Armstrong. The
reason I started riding a road bike was, essentially, because Lance
Armstrong did. He not only rode a bike, he did it better than anyone
else and in an era of drug abuse he was clean.
That's what he told the world.
I have had rows with friends where I have defended Armstrong, buying
into the "most tested athlete on the planet" narrative, and "never
having failed a drug test". I feel a fool now. To their credit they
haven't said I told you so - yet;)
So what do i hope for? I want Armstrong to front up. The death nail
for me was George Hincapie admitting drug use. If ever there was a guy
I thought had integrity and honesty it was him. With all around him
confessing surely he has to?
What I still find hardest to accept is that he survived cancer and
then used that incredible recovery to say why would I put anything
into my body? That's compelling and very difficult to argue against,
it was just a convenient lie.
I hope he pays for this enormous fraud and this example is used to
educate and inform other riders coming through.
Luca used to have the poster on his wall where LA was saying "they ask
me what am I on? I'm on my bike for 6 hours a day busting my ass.
Share you on?"
