Lance Armstrong, from cycling to real estate

Lance Armstrong, from cycling to real estate - BusinessWeek

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Steve
CyclingForums.com

'Lance Armstrong' is a brand now - probably has been for some time. Cycling is just a means to an end for the guy, err, I mean brand...

An interesting move.

Having seen him up close at the Tour of Ireland - it would appear that the guy is looking at branding himself, as a celebrity, as opposed to being a cyclist.

He was nothing but pleasant while he was here.
I saw that for myself : he was prepared to sign every autograph, speak to everyone.
He was courteous, polite etc.

As TZ said, it's now about the brand.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

I disagree. I was at the first race he got to wear his Worlds jersey in, and he was the only cyclist talking to the spectators.
I was on a ride in Iowa ,along with over 20,000 riders and Lance mingled w the people all day.
That evening,in a small social setting put on by a donator to the LAF,again he was a class act.

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"Since we started [selling the Livestrong wristbands], we've sold 75 million of these bracelets," said Armstrong. "What's different this year, is that anybody who buys a bracelet during the Tour, all the money stays here. I think it's important for people to understand that the money they spend - 1 Euro - is not going to Texas or the United States, it stays in France."

the man can do anything he wants and i for one am impressed. he's earned everything.

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Anything is Possible.

A class act indeed.

You guys are hilarious.

emphasis on the 'act' of course..

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Find your ideal riding partner. Anywhere in the world!!!

It's no great secret that Lance is interested in politics. He may be attempting to generate a war chest to finance a run at the gubernatorial elections in Texas & at the same time establish his 'business' credentials.

I'm not a fan of the man by any means (I hate the fact that he turned the T de F into the 'Lance show', the dope etc, etc) but he is one of the most interesting personalities in professional cycling (& any other sport for that matter) - totally driven, arrogant, conceited but one hell of a cyclist & I can't deny that Livestrong is doing good things.

A lot of US based members do seem to think that he will run for political office.

He gets little or no coverage over this side, so I am curious as to how/why posters base this theory on.
Has he become involved in local politics in Texas?
Which political party is he a member of?

Curious.


I do know that our own cyclists here in Ireland have been approached numerous times to run for office.
Kelly, for example, has been plagued by various Taoiseach (Prime Ministers) to get involved in party politics.
Thus far he has refused to become involved.
Of course the local electorate would vote him in without a doubt but he has refused all entreaties.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Just put 'Lance Armstrong Politics' into google - you'll get 2 million + replies & he's dropped enough hints. He'll be a republican - remember the cosy mountain bike rides with GW Bush? I suspect the new look cuddly, smiley, chatty Armstrong is to do with him training himself to cope with the rigours of campaigning.

Kelly was wise to avoid politics - I've heard that personally you couldn't meet a nicer guy but he can come across as a bit taciturn when a microphone is stuffed in his face. Roche'd be good at it though. Any english speaking cyclist who can charm the french into thinking he's wonderful & win the Giro whilst riding for an Italian team is clearly well schooled in the 'machiavellian arts'!

Good god. Did the google search as you suggested and yeah, I can now see where many posters are coming from regarding politics and armstrong.
It would appear that a career beckons for him.

Yeah, kelly has been pressured to run over here : wisely he has always refused saying that he would be no use as a politician.

Roche? Roche burnt his bridges in terms of a political career when he said (in 1998) that he would never raise his kids in Ireland given what he claimed was the level of teenage anti-social behaviour here.
He got rightly rollocked over make those comments!

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Haha - naughty old Stephen . Still he's got the hotel & the eurosport gig to keep him busy.

Tom Boonen for President of Belgium!

i can see armstrong in politics. he's already got the entourage thing down, and is likely working with schwarzenegger and crew before the toc getting advice!

Yup. Class a act.
It's being reported in this months ProCycling magazine that Armstrong stood up and "crowed" at a rival team during dinner at a hotel during the Tour. Armstrong was heard shouting at the unnamed team saying without any provocation:

"You want a rider?"

"you can take this guy...." gesturing at Contador.

The rival team sat in silence as did Contador as Lance stared him down.

(Stolen from WTB--err, I mean The Hog--from cyclingnews)

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

Really?

Fark me : no wonder Contador and Armstrong were at each others throats.

Lance is yesterdays man.........Contador is da man at the mo.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.