Anaerobic Threshold TriathleteLance Armstorng won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005.
Armstrong began training as a triathlete at the age of 16. His strongest talent was obvious, and at 17 he was invited to train with the Junior National Cycling Team. A six-week training leave during the second semester of his senior year resulted in Armstrong being banned from graduating with his class. Soon after, he graduated from another high school in Dallas, Texas. He became a professional cyclist in 1992 after he finished 14th in the 1992 Olympics.
He has an extremely high anaerobic threshold, which gives him a very unique style of riding. He can maintain a higher cadence and consistent pace, regardless of the steepness of the climb, in a lower gear than his competitors.
In 1996 Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which had spread to his lungs and brain. During this time, doctors told him that he had a 50 percent chance of survival. He then took a break from riding to undergo chemotherapy and managed to recover after surgery to remove his right testicle and two brain lesions. He returned to biking in 1997 completely cancer free.
Armstrong has published two books, It's Not About the Bike, and Every Second Counts. He was been named Sportsman of the Year (2002) by Sports Illustrated Magazine, and won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality (2003).
It has been alleged that Armstrong used performanace-enhancing drugs. L'Equipe, the French newspaper covering sports, reported that Armstrong had taken EPO during the 1999 Tour de France. According to the paper, Armstrong tested positive for EPO on three different test methods. Armstrong responded, "I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs."
Singer Sheryl Crow has been a devoted supporter of Armstrong and was romantically involved with him after 2004, when he divorced Kristin Richard. In 2005 Armstrong announced his retirement and that the 2005 Tour de France would be his last. He planned to devote more time to his family and his relationship with Crow. The couple ended their engagement in 2006.
Armstrong's teammate, George Hincapie, reported in a New York Times interview that Armstrong may run for Governor of Texas in his retirement. He political leanings are "middle to left," and he would most likely be considered a Democratic candidate. His number one priority in retirement, regardless of his political ambitions, is spending time with his three children: Luke, born in October 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born November 2001. | 
