Bad Ass on a Bike

                                                                                            Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-15270) was a Florentine political philosopher, historian, musician, poet and romantic comedic playwright. Machiavelli was also a key figure in realistic political theory which was crucial to European statecraft during the Renaissance. Machiavelli claimed that, “ the ends always justifies the means.” When we discussed Machiavelli in lecture and his beliefs that, “men will lie, cheat, or steal if it has some benefit to them,”  I immediately thought of Lance Armstrong, the former professional road racing cyclist as a perfect example of what  the good ole’ Prince represented.

“Nobody needs to cry for me, I will be great.” (Lance Armstrong)

Just when I was starting to like Lance Armstrong, he gets caught for doping and is stripped of his seven titles in the Tour de France. I always thought Armstrong was too confident, arrogant, and combative. True Machiavellian characteristics!  Also, my mom and sister thought he was a jerk for dumping Sheryl Crowe. But then, I read an article in Sports Illustrated and he became more human to me. He was still cocky to me but he had a right to be. He battled with death and came out a true champion - or at least we thought so. In the article, I discovered that Armstrong was born in Texas and was raised by a single mother. He never met his father. He was adopted by his step-father, Terry Armstrong and took his name. Armstrong showed so much respect for his mother and the sacrifices she made to raise him. It was  just the two of them, mother and son for many years. They did not have much but his mom got him his first bike. Armstrong and his bike became one with the road. People who knew him said when they saw him at a young age he was  ”kicking the shit out of his bicycle” and when he rode “ power billowed off his body like smoke off a burning skillet of grease.” It was said that he seemed to be “riding mad into madness, desperate to escape something behind him.”

At sixteen, Armstrong became a triathlete and was invited by the Olympic development team to train with them. In 1995, he competed for the first time in the Tour de France. He was not a celebrity. He was not rich. In 1996, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It spread to his brain and lungs. He then retired for the first time to battle the cancer. Despite the terrible odds this guy beats the affliction. He unleashed the same passion and drive in bike racing to fight the cancer.  It was a miracle and through this even alone, he is seen as a hero. Then he began winning the world’s biggest race. From 1999  - 2005 he won seven consecutive Tour de France titles. The way he won redefined the sport of cycling. Riding was dangerous on the European domain with its’ rocky terrain. While other cyclists were getting injured or crashing into others, Armstrong never even broke his elbow.

Armstrong goes on to create the Livestrong foundation and makes  the Livestrong bracelet which becomes an icon of hope and bravery. Through the foundation, he has sold yellow Livestrong bracelets that raise money for cancer research. Forty million are sold worldwide at $1.00 each and Armstrong donated $500,000 dollars to the fund.

“Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied. “ - (Machiavelli)

Then it all starts to fall apart for Armstrong. On October 10, 2012 the National Anti-Doping Organization of the United States (USADA), released a giant file of witness statements and scientific data that said Armstrong used sophisticated doping methods to gain an edge and avoid testing positive. After all of this evidence came out, his major sponsors announced they would  terminate their relationships with him. Armstrong stepped down as chairmen of the Livestrong foundation. The International Cycling Union (UCI) endorsed the USADA’s decision to ban Armstrong for life and strip him of his seven titles in the Tour de France. The UCI called Armstrong to return his nearly four million dollars in prize money. Tragedy! Former cycling teammates call him the “Bernie Madoff of Sport.” All this comes at the height of Armstrong’s career. The USADA calls Armstrong “ a serial cheat who led the most sophisticated, professionalized doping program that the sport has ever seen......”

Machiavelli argues “when in a position of power, the overall objective is to maintain the state.”

Armstrong helped professional racing as well as amateur racing gain mainstream exposure at a time when the interest in the sport was declining. Did Armstrong feel somehow justified in his lying and cheating because he felt he was contributing to the awareness of his sport as well as to cancer research? I believe in his own mind Armstrong became an untouchable American hero. If you watch the clips from his documentary, “The World According to Lance Armstrong” there is an eery feeling of his Machiavellian spirit that seems to predict the future. Even the title of the documentary alludes to Armstrong’s twisted reality.  I think he will lose his jerseys but will he be guilty in court? I doubt it. He gave cancer survivors a chance to draw hope from someone who cheated in a bike race. Is that totally unreasonable? What are your thoughts? I admire him and pity him at the same time. I was enraged and I do feel he owes us something. When Floyd Landis, a competitor and bitter enemy of Armstrong is interviewed, he claims that, “Everyone at this level of cycling dopes.” And when it comes to his thoughts  on Lance Armstrong specifically he says, ..............”he is a bad ass on a bike.”