maartendc

Well this is kind of a controversial topic, but here goes:

How do you guys feel about Lance Armstrong doing a podcast these days, where he comments on professional bike races (with a colleague / guest). He also takes sponsorship money from companies who sponsor his podcast, and he talks about cycling like nothing ever happened that he should be ashamed of?

I never sought this out, but some of the videos kept popping up in my Youtube "suggested videos" feed (because I watch a lot of cycling related things I guess). So I was just curious how people feel about it.

Personally, I am disgusted that the name "Lance Armstrong" is even mentioned in the same sentence as the word "cycling", even if it is just a podcast. Eternity would be too soon for me. He did so much damage to the sport, that he should be ashamed to even be talking about it. But the man has no shame obviously. And the fact that there are actually brands that want to have their name associated with this thing? Wow. Just wow.

What are your thoughts? I am genuinely curious (especially because there is a majority Americans on this forum). 

cb400bill

Thread moved from Road Cycling forum to Pro Cycling for the Fans forum.

tagaproject6

He can do what he wants.

maartendc

Well thanks mods, for completely deleting my OP when moving the topic. Anyway, my question / comment was this:

I know this is a controversial topic, so let's keep things civil, but here goes: Lance Armstrong is now doing a cycling podcast where he comments with a friend on professional racing. I never sought out his podcast, but it kept showing up in my Youtube suggestions (probably because I watch a lot of cycling related videos). He also has brands / companies sponsor this podcast.

Personally, I am disgusted that the name "Lance Armstrong" is even mentioned in the same sentence as the word "cycling", even if it is just a podcast. Eternity would be too soon for me. He did so much damage to the sport and it's reputation. But the man clearly has no shame. And there are actually brands that want to have their name associated with this thing? Wow. Just wow.

Sure, there are other former dopers who are still active in professional cycling (which is also troublesome in my opinion). But LA was the most visible figure in the sport for about a decade. I would argue his actions have done more to harm the sport, and its credibility, than any other doper in the history of the sport (or perhaps ANY sport) have. He also went above and beyond other "convicted" dopers in covering up, threatening, blackmailing, taking legal action against accusers (who turned out to be right), etc.

Obviously, nobody can prevent him from doing this podcast, and he is just looking to make a living (not that he needs to make any money ever again). However, for me personally, I could not ever listen to or watch his stuff, the man just sickens me.

I was just genuinely curious to know how others feel about it, especially Americans (since this forum mostly has US-based members). I pretty much know how Europeans (myself included) feel about him nowadays.

rpyr

was he not a professional cyclist at the highest level?

burnthesheep

Lots of people willing listen to Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern. I'd rather a cyclist, or non cyclists for that matter, listen to LA instead of either of those two nutters.

Now......Durianrider......nope. That dude popped up on my Youtube feed one time and I watched a few of his videos and immediately turned it off.

tyrion

I want to hear stories of his doping technique. How they kept it hidden, both physically and chemically. Must have been quite an operation. Like Mission Impossible, but with bikes.

rutan74

FWIW, he has been doing the podcast for a couple of years. I have listened to many of them and most are quite interesting. If you can get by his doping, he does know a lot about cycling and the mechanics of racing and what goes on in the pro peleton. When the Tour rolls around, his podcasts are usually spot on for the race days.

Hey, love him or hate him, he still has the power to have people get their panties in a wad.

His podcast or interview of Alex Honnold (Free Solo) a couple of months ago was really good too.

john

dwing

He admitted he doped, admits to his errors, settled his lawsuits, paid restitution, understands the forever hate... So, you want him to not make podcasts on a subject he has great knowledge of. Do u want him not ride or own a bike also? What job would be ok for him to draw income that would be ok? Simply dont watch it, and dont patronize anything hes related to. It would be a leap to think people never learn and change from mistakes, right?

MarkND

I like his podcasts, they provide a lot of insight into the races and are entertaining. I guess I've moved on from the doping scandal business that him and most of professional cycling were involved in.

maartendc

Yeah read some books on it, it is pretty well published. And disgusting to read.

Interesting. Personally, I find the podcast that I listened to neither entertaining nor informative. It was just boring to be honest. I have listened to many better podcasts about pro cycling, such as "The cyling podcast" by Lionel Bernie, Richard Muire and Daniel Freebe, which is both highly entertaining and informative.

Also, I cannot ever move on from what he did to the sport, so even if I did find his podcast entertaining, I wouldn't support it.

Any job that doesn't remotely involve professional cycling would be fine by me. I guess doing a podcast is much better than him coaching young athlethes or being a Directeur Sportif (I dont think he would be allowed, the UCI has banned him from perhaps ever being involved, not sure).

Interesting that you think he has made good by "settling his lawsuits" or "admitting to his errors". I was under the impression he merely admitted it (on Oprah), but in the same breath saying "everyone else was doing it, so it was OK". It is my understanding from what I have read from accounts of people who know him / have interviewed him, that the man does not regret it. To me, the fact that he feels comfortable doing this podcast at all, says it all.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/l...d-trial-360847

You are correct, I will not watch it, nor patronize it, nor give him more attention than he deserves. I just wanted to gauge what other people think about it, as his podcasts seems reasonably popular.

Aubergine 

KraneXL

People talk about what they know and have experienced, and he has as much experience and knowledge about the sport of cycling as anyone. He was caught with his pants down and punished.

He has paid his price to society, and can now move on with his life. Same as Martha Stewart (who now has a cooking show) and many others before him.

bbbean 

It's a free country and the first amendment applies to Armstrong. You're not required to like it, listen to it, or even acknowledge it's existence. Consider - Fox News and MSNBC can both broadcast, and you can watch whichever one you like, both of them, or neither of them. Ain't life grand?

Personally, I think he's paid his pound of flesh, and I'm interested to hear his take on the sport. He has forgotten more about cycling than most of us will ever know, and no one listening to him is unaware that he used to cheat.He'll never compete again, and his legacy is forever tainted. What more do you want?

maartendc

Lol, I believe Floyd Landis and himself are not on speaking terms. Armstrong has in the past invited former teammate and co-doper George Hincapie on the podcast if I am not mistaken (saw a screenshot of it somewhere I think, never listed to it myself).

As far as Greg Lemond is concerned: Reading books about Lance Armstrong made me admire Greg Lemond more. At the end of Lemond's career, when EPO was coming up in the peloton, he basically said: **** this, I am out! It seems like he always raced clean. And he had always been critical of Armstrong, pretty much knowing through mutual friends and contacts that he was not riding clean.

At the end of the day: I think the way Floyd Landis goes about his life, or Tyler Hamilton: both former Armstrong teammates, former dopers who got caught, is a better way than what Armstrong is doing. Landis just lives a quiet light away from the spotlight. Hamilton gives talks and sells books about doping, but at least is an evangelist for anti-doping now (although you could argue he is profiting off of his former transgressions just the same). Armstrong on the other hand just can't help himself wanting to be in the spotlight, and does not seem sorry at all for what he did. He is just sorry he got caught.

Lemond1985

Hincapie makes some really nice jerseys.

brianmcg123

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cb400bill

And Floyd is now in the CBD business. https://floydsofleadville.com/

2cam16

I just started listening a couple of weeks ago and am enjoying them.

Rajflyboy

Rajflyboy

rutan74

I see. So you want to chastise him for getting 2 million or more people off the couch and riding bikes here in the U.S.? How about making Trek a household name or the largest bike company in the world. Let's then not talk about the millions he raised for cancer. A few weeks ago it came out that the Australian government paid him 1 million to appear in the tour down under years ago. They have taken flack from that, but the government figures he generated more than 200 million in revenue from that 1 million appearance fee. That seems like a pretty good investment. No current rider, not Froome, nor Sagan could drum up that type of business.

I know you hate the guy and so be it but the fact remains that he is still probably the biggest name in the sport. Love him or hate him, he still draws a crowd. And if you need further "proof" of this star power just search for the most expensive bikes sold to date. He has like 5 in the top 10. Some are well into 6 figures. So he still commands a great deal of interest.

But it is a free country and you are more than welcome to continue the hate.

Riveting

I'd prefer Lance's podcast over a podcast of Lori Loughlin teaching parents how to help get their kids into college.

maartendc

No, I chastise him for robbing professional cycling of all credibility for about a decade (probably more).

All the other stuff you mention is irrelevant to me. Other people do great things without being a total fraud or criminal in the process.

Actually no, I don't hate him. I'll just continue to ignore him and his podcast, pretend he doesn't exist.

Lemond1985

I hope you enjoy your hate, it can make you a better person, provided that you don't gradually become the very thing you despise most. I myself really "hate" when that happens to me, but find that it inevitably does.