Sports Collision’s Athlete of the Decade (2000-2009)
As we look back on what transpired in the sports world from 2000-2009, it becomes clear that many great athletes emerged to make their mark on the individual sports they participate in. Whether it was Brady and Manning carving up the defenses of the NFL and winning 4 Super Bowls between the two of them, Kobe finding ways to win titles with and without Shaq, or Tiger owning the PGA Tour, we were treated to some remarkable performances throughout the last decade. However, despite these and other quality efforts, one athlete was more dominant in his sport than any other athlete may have ever been in their respective sport. He destroyed his competition, transcended his sport, and he captivated the sporting world year after year. Sports Collision’s Athlete of the Decade is….
… Lance Armstrong.
We have all seen dominating performances in sports, and at times we have been privileged enough to see one athlete repeat their domination year after year to become the defining icon of their sport. Not only did we see that with Lance Armstrong in the 2000s, but we saw it at an entirely new level. Lance won the Tour de France (The Super Bowl of cycling) every year from 1999-2005. That gave him six titles in the decade and seven in a row going back to 1999. He destroyed the previous record of five in row held by three other cyclists. It is difficult to put this in perspective, especially if you have never seriously ridden a bike. The Tour de France is a stage race held in France and other surrounding countries every summer. It averages 21 stages and covers roughly 2200 miles. This is just short of the distance it would take to ride from New York to LA. The Tour is far from a stroll through your neighborhood park and is perhaps the most grueling event in sports. You ride in driving wind and rain, up steep mountain passes that many people would be afraid to drive over, and then careen down the other side at speeds approaching 70 mph. The majority of the race is spent wheel to wheel in the pelaton (a large group of riders) with over 150 other cyclist where one wrong move could trigger a violent wreck and end your Tour. Just to make it through seven Tours in a row is a feat. By winning 7 in a row, Lance showed that he was at a whole different level than the rest of his competition.
His seven victories were not without controversy or suspense. By winning his first Tour in 1999, Lance propelled himself into the position of the most scrutinized athlete in the world. Cycling is a sport that has long been dominated by Europeans. The French, Belgians, Germans, and Spanish are accustomed to seeing their men standing on top of the podium in Paris at the end of each Tour. So whenever an American emerges victorious, it creates a bad taste in the mouth of many Europeans. Lance however was not an ordinary American. Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. Given how close he was to dying, just to come back and live an ordinary life would have been amazing. This was certainly not enough for Lance though. He was back on the bike in 1998 riding better than he did before his cancer. People found it unbelievable that somebody who almost died from cancer could not only compete in the Tour, but win it by over 7 minutes versus his next closest competitor in 1999. When this was combined with Lance’s personality as a brash, extremely confident, and overly competitive person, it caused people to take notice and attempt to bring him crashing down. The only way his detractors could explain his victories were by attributing his success to performance enhancing drugs. Lance became the most tested athlete in the world. It did not matter if was in the off season or during the peak of the race, Lance was constantly giving drug test samples. Though Lance has never tested positive, it has not quieted the comments from his detractors as they swear to this day that he must have taken something. Despite the allegations, the falls, and the flat tires, Lance managed to emerge victorious year in and year out.
Lance managed to show his dominance one last time in the 2009 Tour de France. After retiring from cycling in 2005 to pursue other interests and spend more time with his family, Armstrong again got the itch to compete in late 2008. Lance announced at the end of 2008 that he would be returning to cycling in 2009. His ultimate goal was once again to win the Tour de France. In an unfamiliar environment, Lance rode with Team Astana for the 2009 event. Usually the undisputed captain of the team, Lance was forced to compete against two other teammates that also had realistic shots at capturing the title. Despite the constant controversy that swirled around his team, Lance managed to come in third place overall. This may not sound that great, but consider that he had been out of competitive cycling for over three years. To take that kind of time off and then expect to be competitive in a race as difficult as the Tour de France is no small task. Becoming the second oldest rider to stand on the podium in Paris was a perfect way to bookend a decade in which Lance dominated his sport.
The achievements of Lance Armstrong on his bike during the Tour are only part of what makes Lance The Athlete of the Decade though. Lance transcended his sport in a way that few people have ever even thought of doing. Due to his remarkable comeback from cancer, Lance found himself in a unique position. As his story became better known, people began to draw motivation from Lance. They began to realize that though cancer is a deadly and destructive disease, being diagnosed with it did not mean that your life was over. Cancer patients saw that they could still pursue their dreams and live a fulfilling life despite the changes that cancer would cause in their lives. Lance Armstrong used his popularity and resources to create the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF). The LAF has become one of leading organizations in the world dedicated to the cause of combating cancer. Whether it is helping people resume life after cancer, funding research, or pushing politicians to pursue agendas that include helping patients and fighting cancer, The LAF has become synonymous with the battle against cancer. Perhaps the singular defining work of Lance and The LAF has been the success of the “Yellow Wristband”. The simple yellow bracelet that was introduced to the world in the 2004 Tour de France has raised millions of dollars in the fight against cancer. What Lance did during the past decade for the fight against cancer, based upon the platform given to him due to his success in cycling, pushes him beyond the title of The Athlete of the Decade. It is hard not to recognize Lance Armstrong as one of the most philanthropic and inspiring people period.
If being the best in his sport and changing the lives of millions of people were not enough, Lance also managed to change the face of his sport and the manner in which its athletes competed. Before Lance began his streak of seven titles in a row, cycling was something Americans did for fun, and something that only Europeans got really excited about. To say that Lance made cycling relevant to America is somewhat of an understatement. As Lance dominated in France, cycling fever took over America. The Outdoor Life Network (OLN), the channel that broadcast the Tour de France in America, saw their ratings explode during Lance’s run. Each summer OLN would become a destination for Americans who wanted to get their fill of Lance coverage. To show the impact of Lance on the Tour, you only have to look at the ratings for the Tour on OLN after Lance retired as they fell off by more than 50 percent. It wasn’t just a TV thing though. America got out of the house and got on the bike during Lance’s victories. It became commonplace to see people in US Postal and Discovery Channel jerseys riding TREK bikes all across the country. Drivers had to learn to share the road with cyclist as bike sales exploded. Bike shops saw their best years during the Tours that Lance won. Like OLN, they also saw their numbers decline once Lance retired. There is no doubt that Lance was the sole factor in the rise in popularity of his sport.
It wasn’t just the consumers and fans that experienced a change in the sport of cycling, it was also the competitors. Lance’s dedication and obsession to cycling forced the professional cycling world to take notice. Before Lance, bikes became more advanced and people trained for the Tour. During and after Lance though, the advancement in bikes became a science and preparation for the Tour became as important as the race itself. Lance pushed bike manufactures to improve their product like nobody had ever thought of doing. If Lance wasn’t riding his TREK on the road, he was riding it in a wind tunnel trying to find out how he could reduce the drag his bike and clothing were producing. Bike frames, gears, seats, handle bars, pedals, shoes, jerseys, shorts, helmets, and glasses, if it could be tweaked to be made lighter or more aerodynamic, it was. While TREK and other bike companies were tweaking the equipment, Lance was out testing it. He was out riding the course for the Tour de France as early and often as possible. Lance knew every road, every spot of danger, and every area that he could make up time better than any of his competition did. If the Tour was the biggest event, Lance wanted to win it. His preparation for the event gave him an edge that the other riders just could not match.
It is rare that an athlete comes along in which they define their sport. Yes, there are athletes that are dominant. Yes, there are athletes that drive the popularity of their sport. Yes, there are athletes that are inspiring and motivating. However, there is only one Lance Armstrong. Lance does every single one of these things. Simply put, he is cycling. When you combine his performance as an athlete, the hope that he gives to millions of people, and the way that he has changed his sport, it is very easy to see why Lance Armstrong is The Athlete of the Decade.
Honorable Mention:
Tiger Woods: In the same way that Lance dominated cycling, Tiger dominated golf. He had performances that were absolutely incredible, commanding, and moving. Tiger has taken golf to another level the world over. When he competes, people watch. The last thing another golfer wants to see is Tiger in his red shirt hot on their trail on Sunday. With his twelve major victories from 2000-2008, Tiger was a very close second place.
Other Nominees:
Tom Brady: 3 Super Bowl Championships
Peyton Manning: Arguably the best pure QB in the last decade
Kobe Bryant: 4 NBA Championships
Shaq: 4 NBA Championships
Roger Federer: 15 Tennis Grand Slams
Agree? Disagree? Let us know your thoughts. Comment below or send us an email.
