September 24, 2003 (Toronto, ON) “” To a packed house of 5,000 (and 600 more via broadcast) at a Power Within seminar, six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong recanted his journey from “good athlete and good guy” to being diagnosed with extremely advanced testicular cancer to the all-time King of the Tour.

Speaking from the heart, Armstrong relived his life from 1996 to 2004. Like a true champion, he knew that at his lowest point he nothing to lose and everything to gain. After treatment (which included brain surgery), Armstrong decided to get back on the bike with one goal in mind: “To win races.” But that didn’t happen.

In March of 1998, he quit. For good.

It wasn’t until a conversation with his coach Chris Carmichael that Armstrong decided to take another approach. He started training again and headed for Europe later that same year. But this time, he had another goal in mind: “I’m not quitting another race for the rest of the year.” He won his first race, and, as they say, the rest is history.

Speaking without notes and choosing his words carefully, Armstrong then shared his thoughts about winning six straight Tours, the importance of having a team behind you, and that heart-wrenching moment during the 2003 Tour when his fight to beat Jan Ullrich almost came to a crashing end.

Armstrong finished his talk by telling the crowd that it was on October 2, 1996 “” when his diagnosis was confirmed “” that his life started. And what a life it’s been. Live strong.

Check out the full story in the next issue of Pedal Magazine.
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