Tour de Lance

Last evening, Lance Armstrong retired from cycling after winning his seventh straight Tour de France. When a sportsperson retires, it is the appropriate time to talk about something called Legacy. Is Armstrong the greatest sportsman of our time-arguably; the most dominant-probably; the most inspirational-definitely. You would have had to have been in Rip van Winkle mode for the last 10 years not to have heard his story-he came back from cancer to win a cycle race seven times. But, that's not even half the story. He survived major brain surgery and intensive chemotherapy and less than three years after his diagnosis started a run that would see him go undefeated till his retirement in the toughest athletic challenge in the world today. In doing so, he not only changed the face of his sport but made a race, from a niche sport, popular only in Western Europe famous worldwide. Sure, he got Americans into it, but how many Asians or Africans or South Americans had heard of the Tour de France before he came along much less followed it. Armstrong made the Tour de France global. His critics (mostly french sportswriters), who have never really accepted him(because he's american), say that he isn't the greatest cyclist of all time, that eddie merx is; they don't really get it,do they? it is not really about whether merx would beat armstrong in a head-to-head, what makes a sportsman stand out is his impact on his sport in particular and society in general. Armstrong transcends cycling, he transcends sport itself. He has given hope and joy and inspiration to millions. If he is the Michael Jordan of cycling, he is also the Christopher Reeve of cancer. Forget sports, he is probably one of the greatest men living.period. Following him on his incredible journey has been one of the great priveleges of my lifetime.