| Famous for his "Livestrong" Nike campaign, Lance | | | | returned to race again in 2009. |
| Armstrong is far and away the most famous cyclist | | | | Citing support from his friends and family, Armstrong |
| the sport has ever known. | | | | returned to training in the fall of 2008. He was |
| Tragedy hit just as he was reaching the top; Lance | | | | preparing for a Tour in which he would get no salary |
| was forced to drop out of the 1996 Tour de France in | | | | and no bonuses. Though it was clear that he simply |
| only the 7th day due to illness. Armstrong was | | | | couldn't stay away from bicycle racing, his stated |
| diagnosed with testicular cancer that had | | | | purpose was to raise as much awareness for cancer |
| metastasized to the brain and lungs a few months | | | | research as possible. The fall of 2008 was the height |
| later and underwent radiation and chemotherapy. He | | | | of the doping scandal, so Armstrong volunteered to |
| came out cured, and went on not to retirement but to | | | | post his blood test results online, and hired independent |
| win the Tour de France seven consecutive times. He | | | | anti-doping scientists to test him as he had been having |
| used his wins to promote the Lance Armstrong | | | | problems getting into some races that now demanded |
| Foundation for Research and Support. He retired from | | | | 6 months of anti-doping blood tests. |
| racing after completing the 2005 Tour de France, but | | | | |