Astana teammates Andreas Kloden of Germany, American Levi Leipheimer, American seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, and Alberto Contador of Spain. AP Photo/Christophe Ena
Sporting celebrity hero worship is a funny thing. So many of us do it, yet it is something we often chastise. And few athletes typify this dichotomy like Lance Armstrong.
Armstrong, currently competing in Australia at the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, is one of the truly elite sporting stars at present; one of those very few who transcend their own sport but also singlehandedly and significantly grow it.
Few fit into this category, defined by the impact the likes of Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan had on not just their sports, but also on culture.
Of the elite athletes currently competing, only Lance Armstrong could definitively be put into this category. (For interest’s sake, the likes of Roger Federer, Valentino Rossi, Usain Bolt could be considered, while its debatable whether Tiger Woods’ indiscretions should rule him out.)
But what’s fascinating about Armstrong, and how he towers over the world of cycling, is that as the public love affair with him seems to grow, as evidenced by the popularity of his comeback, there is a growing undercurrent of scepticism about his legitimacy (something that has existed ever since his return from cancer) and the reverence in which he’s held.
Mike Tomalaris, the face of SBS’s cycling coverage, has written an interesting blog on the network’s Cycling Central website regarding how he views Armstrong.
While Tomalaris is glowing in his views, many of the comments left on his blog reflect the negative views on the Texan.
While Armstrong’s ‘Twitter-ride’ in Adelaide was popular with the close to 5,000 who turned up on the day and rode alongside their idol, for many it simply portrayed Armstrong as an egomaniac
One local I overheard said, “Who does he think he is, Moses?”
Few current athletes seem to be as divisive. But even fewer have that justified swagger and persona like Armstrong.
As Tomalaris writes: “I’ve always felt Lance as being a cut above-your-average sportsman who presents himself better than most and capable of holding an audience in the palm of his hand.”
Armstrong can spellbind like no athlete I’ve witnessed in a press conference or while engaging with fans, effortlessly shifting his role from cyclist, cancer ambassador, entertainer and more. Seeing this firsthand has put me with Tomalaris in the admirers camp, for which I make no apologies.
While journalists aren’t meant to have favourites, even we cannot help but be impressed by the Armstrong story.
Few athletes have given back to societies and communities as much as Armstrong, and while many seemed disapproving of Tomalaris labeling him as an ‘ambassador of the human race’, that much is true, and his hero status can only truly be appreciated by those directly impacted by cancer.
World sport needs more Lance Armstrongs.
So few of the elite, global stars have tried to do as much for charity or trying to improve societies wellbeing, let alone engaging with fans. So many athletes are sequestered from the public to such an extent that Armstrong’s efforts to engage come across as unusual (perhaps one of the reasons many view it as a publicity stunt of an egomaniac, having become so accustomed to viewing athletes only through sanitized PR exercises).
With their elevated status, it is a shame that more of the elites haven’t been as vocal and pioneering in their altruism, and it is perhaps this inaction that further differentiates an Armstrong from the rest.
No matter what you think of Armstrong, you cannot help but be impressed by his achievements on and off the bike.
While many will forever connect him with the drug controversies that scar his sport, as Tomalaris concludes: “Well, if Lance is guilty for cheating the spirit of sport it’s never been proven, and until that day arrives I will always admire a guy who has changed the face of cycling to what it is today.”
Ditto.
mattamkII
Guest
bever...he has no choice. Either get on it or be nothing more than a club rider. In all honesty you'd be an idiot to do it though, look at Jobie Dajka. That guy had as much talent as you can imagine. Sadly, after being made a sacrificial lamb his life spiraled out of control and ended in the loss of his life. The most amazing part about the Dajka situation is he was never caught doing anything or having anything in his blood. But they needed another scalp. Amazing to think a young blokes life and career was ruined by far far less smoke that comes from Armstrongs camp. Not saying JD wasnt on it, but he was never caught either.....I bet most people think he was caught though.
bever fever
Guest
I have a mate who's son (15) is involved in cycling here in Perth who was saying the same thing about drugs ... reckons plenty of guys are on the juice , i made the comment if you like your old fella looking like a prawn go for it.
mattamkII
Guest
Marshall, perhaps but there have been way too many red flags to ignore. Also, as someone that has very very close links to pro and elite level cycling I can tell you the sport is flooded with the gear...more than most would imagine...and thats saying something. Whiteline, fair points but I wasnt suggesting otherwise. What I am saying is that if Indurain and co were surrounded with a hand picked team (bought) and wrapped in cotton wool like Lance, they could well have been just as winning. Look, Lance is a great/amazing athlete no question there. I just get annoyed when the hyped up image he has makes people assume he is the greatest of all time by a country mile...which isnt even close to the truth.
Mr cheese
Guest
Well, it's Lemond rather than Lamond. I asked for The World and they gave me Lemond. Lemond pursues just about everybody. During the '09 Tour de France, Lemond wrote an article in ( wait for it............) Le Monde in which he invited Contador to prove his innocence. According to Lemond, Contador must be the greatest athelete in history to do what he does without using dope.
Roger Rational
Guest
This is an incredibly naive article. Far from being unusual for a sports star to make charitable gestures, it almost seems compulsory nowadays. Even the most loutish of EPL footballers have "Academies" in deepest Africa for the education of local children. Most of it is just rampant egotism disguised as altruism. Armstrong, from what I've read, is a classic bully. He persecutes any rider who is bold enough to stand against the prevailing peloton drugs culture. But he's smart enough to "groom" the media to get them to say nice things about him. Those like Paul Kimmage who don't fall for his act get the same treatment as riders who cross him.
Beaver fever
Guest
People seem divided over Armstrong but he seems OK in my book, very driven individual and as such he upsets the apple cart.
Whiteline
Guest
mattamkII - I think part of the reason he is held in such regard is extremely obvious and mentioned many times in the previous posts....the fact he overcame cancer AND won the Tour 7 times!!! Greg Lamond has proven himself to be a jealous, self-centred individual with the way he has pursued Armstrong over the past few years. I can't imagine that sort of behaviour endearing him to many people.
sledgeross
Guest
I kinda agree with Brett. Not a massive fan of cycling (well, I am a fan, but dont really follow it closely), but you have to respect Armstrongs life story and his impeccable record at le Tour. Like most cynical bastards though, I just find it hard to believe that someone can go through so much, and be so bloody good afterwards. Either way he is a freak athlete. Oh, and I really loved his work with Vince Vaughn in "Dodgeball" ;)
Marshall
Guest
That's guilt by association.
Brett McKay
Guest
great piece Adrian. I have fleeting (at best) interest in cycling generally, yet I find it hard not to follow the Lance Armstrong story. I'm sure part of this is that the celebrity element of it fits in nicely with the news coverage trends we currently endure, but on the other side, it's hard not admire a guy for overcoming adversity and going on to dominate his sport...
mattamkII
Guest
rubbish, there is little doubt there are connections to performance lifting drugs. The point is though, the whole sport is full of it. Also, I have never been able to understand why people hold him in so much higher regard than blokes like Indurain, Hinault (both with 5 wins) and even Lamond (3 wins). Sure Lance has won more events but in my book the other did it much harder than he.
Marshall
Guest
Agreed. Sad that so many are turning on an athlete who should be appluaded
Mr cheese
Guest
I suppose people argue that the commentators Liggett and Sherwen should offer a little more objectivity. Can a man be 100 % impartial about his friends ? Probably not. Lance Armstrong and Phil Liggett are good friends. That is why the TV analysis is seldom impartial. The commentators' bias upsets a few people because they reckon it would be better if we could just watch the race. That said, I do have a lot of respect for his achievements.
Whiteline
Guest
Spot on Adrian. I think Lance's intelligence and willingness to use his vast profile to help others is what makes him appealing.