31. Lance Armstrong: American Hero or Villain?

There is no American sports celebrity is as as Lance Armstrong. Armstrong enjoyed years of glory adoring American public during his cycling career for a decade. Between 1999 through 2005, Armstrong won famous Tour de France road cycling event seven years. This is a feat that no other in the history of the famed race has accomplished. He was an American hero who benefited from his fame and fortune. During those years, other athlete in the United States was more than Armstrong.

Armstrong was born in 1971 in , Texas. By the age of 12, he had competing in swimming competitions with great success. At , Armstrong began competing in the grueling triathlon races, contestants must cycle, swim, and run for several . His Tour de France records were superior to other racer in the history of the annual , which began in 1903. However, Armstrong had a side.

After he retired from competition in 2011, of drug use began to surface. The United Anti-Doping Agency began investigating the cyclist, and eventually he had used performance-enhancing drugs during his years in the Tour de France.

Armstrong denied any , but the USADA stripped him of his titles. was also barred from ever competing professionally again. was followed by a lifetime ban from the Cycliste Internationale, an international racing organization. Armstrong did admit to using drugs until January, 2013 on Oprah Winfrey Show. He claimed that he was the only athlete using drugs on the tour, that he was being singled out because of success. However, that did not matter; this American had fallen.