Lance Armstrong: the story of a God who fell to hell

Born on September 18, 1971 as Lance Edward Gunderson, Lance Armstrong is a former professional cyclist from the United States. Known for his cycling prowess, his career has a history of outstanding achievements and also controversies linked to doping.

His athletic journey began with the City of Plano Swim Club at the age of 12. Early on, he made a splash by placing fourth in the Texas 1500-meter freestyle championship. But his path in the sport changed when he spotted an ad for a triathlon and decided to give it a try, where he had a standout win.

During the years 1987-1988, Armstrong earned the number one spot on the U.S. triathlon calendar in the 19-and-under age group. His triathlon skills were evident, and at age 16 he became a professional triathlete. As a teenager, he won national sprint championships in 1989 and 1990, and despite his triathlon success, he demonstrated a knack for cycling.

This was confirmed by winning the amateur championship in 1991 and the professional Lombard Week race. His performances enabled him to represent the United States in road racing at the Barcelona Olympics.

He gained fame in cycling when he joined the Motorola team and achieved his first victory in the Trofeo Laigueglia in Italy. In 1993, his sporting career hit a high point when he won the World Road Championships in Oslo, Norway. A year later, in 1995, he again won the San Sebastian Classic and a stage of the Tour de France.

Everything changed for Armstrong in 1996 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer with lung and brain metastases. After surgery and chemotherapy, he began his slow recovery.

He returned to cycling in 1998 in Paris-Nice, although he abandoned the race and considered retiring. However, after much reflection and support from his coach, he decided to continue competing. He surprised everyone by winning the Tour de France in 1999, the start of a historic streak of seven consecutive victories.

Although he announced his retirement in 2005 after winning his seventh Tour de France, he announced his comeback in 2008. In 2011, he retired for good, but his legacy was tarnished by doping allegations.

In 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency issued a report accusing Armstrong of doping, as a result, he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. In 2013, he confessed that he had used banned substances during his career.

In addition to his cycling career, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to fight cancer and raise awareness of the disease. He also wrote "It's Not About the Bike," a book in which he talks about his experience dealing with cancer.

Today he is a public figure in the United States with his own podcast, 'The MOVE', in which he discusses cycling today along with his former sports director Johan Bruyneel and his former teammate George Hincapie.