...didn't win all the Tour de France races?

I was browsing through Graham Watson's website and came across a gallery that showed Lance in his pre-cancer days. There were pics of him riding in the World Champ jersey, winning Classica San Sebastian, and even riding the Belgian Classics.

As I browsed through the photos, I thought to myself, "this is a whole new person."

What if Lance still recovered from cancer, but didn't focus on the Tour so much? Would you still admire him as millions around the world do?


For me, I think he would be an all-around racer who, with age, become better at stage races. He may win a Tour or two, but he would win the other Grand Tours and some Classics.

From a palmares perspective, I think that's the Lance I would admire even more than the Lance who won 6 Tours.


What are your thoughts on an alternate reality Lance?

:confused:

...kind of depends on what his palmares ended up looking like. Then again, I'm a cycling racing fan, and have been for a while. So he could be admired by me, but ignored by millions of other Americans that only care about the TDF when it comes to cycling. He's done a lot more for the fight against cancer by dominating the TDF than he could have done with a broader palmares.

He would not have the commercial appeal. If Lance concentrated on the classics he would not have the same commercial success as he has today. "Lance Armstrong Inc" is huge. The Lance Armstrong Foundation relies on support from both non-cyclist and cyclists. If joe blow on the street didn't read/watch Lance winning the TDF his foundation would suffer.

Lance who? ;)

We'd be saying, "Will Jan win his fifth/sixth tour this year?"

I would like to have seen him refocus his efforts on the classics and one-days. Like Jalabert, no reason he couldn't ride and win another 5 years. But he's got his reasons, and they're good ones.

I would like to have seen him refocus his efforts on the classics and one-days. Like Jalabert, no reason he couldn't ride and win another 5 years. But he's got his reasons, and they're good ones.

I would personally like to see Lance refocus ALL of his efforts like the great Ja-Ja, renaming himself La-La, focusing on the cobbled classics and the emphasizing the role of medical marajuana in cancer treatment.

But it's simply not meant to be because he has too much to lose. Jalabert could afford to refocus his career because he was simply a good rider who could only enhance his stature by doing what no one thought possible, a sprinter in polka dots. With Lance, on the other hand, it's a whole different ballgame. He's a legend, nearly mythological in both cycling and popular culture, doing anything but riding off into the sunset on his high horse would diminish that. Plus, everyone knows that he could and should win one-day events. If he didn't his other achievements would be diminished.

Sure, it's sad to see a greta one go, but it'd be even sadder to see him soldier on past his prime Ricky Henderson anyone). Partly, I think perople who are so desperate for him to continue feel that way because they have no faith in other American cyclists carrying the torch.

than palmares for me. I used to love watching Big Mig crush the opposition and never wanted his reign to end. He was just pure class and humility.

I just don't care for Lance on a personal level. A bit of a classless, arrogant hypocrit if you ask me.