Lance Armstrong, the 7 time winner of the Tour De France bicycle race, called off his fight against the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). He doesn’t seem like the type to quit a fight, since he came back from testicular cancer himself. Armstrong has maintained his innocence from use of performance enhancing drugs for years, stating that he has successfully passed over 500 drug tests during his career. In fact, he has never tested positive, while many of the other leading cyclists have been caught over the years.
So why stop the fight to clear your name now? It may have something to do with the impending testimony of several witnesses, including Armstrong’s good friend, George Hincapie. Hincapie isn’t just some other cyclist to Armstrong. He was by Lance’s side during all seven of his Tour De France title runs. Hincapie was also named in the dedication of both of Armstrong’s autobiographies, and was once referred to as Armstrong’s “best bro in the peloton”. With Hincapie ready to spill his guts in a courtroom about alleged doping details, it looks like the jig was up. Coincidentally Hincapie has just retired from cycling, after his last race on Sunday.
Armstrong has been stripped of all of his Tour De France titles, and has also received a lifetime ban from cycling. The only reasonable explanation for him quitting his fight, is because he is afraid the impending testimony, especially from Hincapie, is too damning to face in public. A cancer survivor, who became the greatest cyclist of all time, giving up, doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of his competitive life. The good thing is, the Lance Armstrong Foundation is still going strong, even after he has given up his fight with the USADA. He will continue to inspire those with cancer to fight and Livestrong (the brand name of the foundation). Although this looks like the end of his cycling career, he is determined to move on, continue with his foundation, and he has been doing well with his new interest lately, triathlons.
