Lance Armstrong and Astana general manager Johan Bruyneel in press conference for the 2009 Tour Down Under in Adelaide South Australia. www.tourdownunder.com.au/2009/ The press conference started out with talk of doping and testing, I felt bad for Lance and Johan that those were the first questions. Although both seemed relaxed and without expectations, they claimed that Armstrong was in better shape for this time of year than in a normal year due to a longer preparation for the season, this time starting in July rather than the usual December. He said that he still had some weight to lose and as a result he estimated that his current time-trial form would be better than climbing. The impression was that he had no great expectations for the Tour Down Under but stated that if opportunities arose that he would take them.

Custom Lance Armstrong motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers

Nina Kraft Ironman 70.3 Florie

Lance Amstrong Ironman 70.3 Floride

Paris, 24 July 2005. Lance Armstrong had another appointment with history. The American was starting to build up his lead in stage 1. After the 19 kilometre time trial, his rivals were already more than 50 seconds behind. Armstrong even rode past Ullrich in that race against the clock. A battled flared up during the fourth stage, a team time trial, between yellow jersey-wearer David Zabriskie's Team CSC and Armstrong's Discovery Channel. Zabriskie took a tumble one and a half kilometres before the finishing line, allowing Armstrong to take the yellow garment from his fellow countryman. Victory also fell to his team. It was only in the 20th stage, an individual time trial, that Armstrong managed to achieve his first individual Tour victory. That was all the American needed to win his seventh Tour in a row.

Paris, 24 July 2005. Lance Armstrong had another appointment with history. The American was starting to build up his lead in stage 1. After the 19 kilometre time trial, his rivals were already more than 50 seconds behind. Armstrong even rode past Ullrich in that race against the clock. A battled flared up during the fourth stage, a team time trial, between yellow jersey-wearer David Zabriskie's Team CSC and Armstrong's Discovery Channel. Zabriskie took a tumble one and a half kilometres before the finishing line, allowing Armstrong to take the yellow garment from his fellow countryman. Victory also fell to his team. It was only in the 20th stage, an individual time trial, that Armstrong managed to achieve his first individual Tour victory. That was all the American needed to win his seventh Tour in a row.

Paris, 24 July 2005. Lance Armstrong had another appointment with history. The American was starting to build up his lead in stage 1. After the 19 kilometre time trial, his rivals were already more than 50 seconds behind. Armstrong even rode past Ullrich in that race against the clock. A battled flared up during the fourth stage, a team time trial, between yellow jersey-wearer David Zabriskie's Team CSC and Armstrong's Discovery Channel. Zabriskie took a tumble one and a half kilometres before the finishing line, allowing Armstrong to take the yellow garment from his fellow countryman. Victory also fell to his team. It was only in the 20th stage, an individual time trial, that Armstrong managed to achieve his first individual Tour victory. That was all the American needed to win his seventh Tour in a row.

Paris, 24 July 2005. Lance Armstrong had another appointment with history. The American was starting to build up his lead in stage 1. After the 19 kilometre time trial, his rivals were already more than 50 seconds behind. Armstrong even rode past Ullrich in that race against the clock. A battled flared up during the fourth stage, a team time trial, between yellow jersey-wearer David Zabriskie's Team CSC and Armstrong's Discovery Channel. Zabriskie took a tumble one and a half kilometres before the finishing line, allowing Armstrong to take the yellow garment from his fellow countryman. Victory also fell to his team. It was only in the 20th stage, an individual time trial, that Armstrong managed to achieve his first individual Tour victory. That was all the American needed to win his seventh Tour in a row.

Paris, 24 July 2005. Lance Armstrong had another appointment with history. The American was starting to build up his lead in stage 1. After the 19 kilometre time trial, his rivals were already more than 50 seconds behind. Armstrong even rode past Ullrich in that race against the clock. A battled flared up during the fourth stage, a team time trial, between yellow jersey-wearer David Zabriskie's Team CSC and Armstrong's Discovery Channel. Zabriskie took a tumble one and a half kilometres before the finishing line, allowing Armstrong to take the yellow garment from his fellow countryman. Victory also fell to his team. It was only in the 20th stage, an individual time trial, that Armstrong managed to achieve his first individual Tour victory. That was all the American needed to win his seventh Tour in a row.

One of Lance Armstrong's bikes at the Clinton Presidential Library.