Anthony Seneker Mrs. Green ENG 102 20 February 2024 Is it appropriate to ban steroid users from sports forever? Lance Armstrong is commonly referred to as one of the greatest cyclists ever, with seven straight Tour de France wins. From a young age, he showed signs of being a talented cyclist. Later in life, he started his professional career in cycling, having instant success winning the national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990 (Lance Armstrong). The Olympic developmental team contacted him during his senior year of high school to train him. Shortly after, he placed eleventh in the World Championship Road Race, a very early start to his legendary career. He placed second the following year in the U.S. Olympic time trials,…show more content… He continued his dominance until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that spread to his brain and lungs. After doing everything in his power to stay healthy, from his diet to chemotherapy, he was given only a forty percent chance of survival, much less ever to compete again. Against all odds, however, he announced he was cancer-free in 1997 and planned to make a return to competition. A year later, he raced in the Tour of Luxembourg, his first major race since getting cancer. To many people's surprise, he won the race, proving Lance Armstrong was back. He dominated the world of cycling, winning seven straight Tour de France from 1999-2005, proving he was one of the most dominant cyclists ever to live. He then retired, only coming out of retirement for a few more races. It’s clear to say Lance Armstrong had a great career, battling through adversity and remaining so dominant for so long. So why is his career so controversial? In 2010, the cyclist Floyd Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win for drug use. He then accused Lance Armstrong of doing the
