Lance Armstrong Role Model

Lance Armstrong’s confession to Oprah that he had doped during the Tour de France stunned the world: why would the seven-time winner of cycling’s highest title cheat so shockingly? But Armstrong is merely the most recent in a long history of cheating in cycling. It is the demands of the public, both with regards to role models and to national pride, which drives many cyclists, both past and present, to cheat in order to win, so as to satisfy these demands.
Cheating has a long history in cycling. Ever since the creation of the Tour de France in “the year 1904 and every year since… cyclists have always looked for every advantage available” (Lindsey). Many of the most famous champions in the world have been accused of cheating. However, in the
One of the primary demands that riders try to satisfy is the public’s desire for national pride. Armstrong was the hero of the country when he was “waving the American flag in victory” (Schrotenboer). The competitive nationalistic sentiment of their fans pushes many cyclists to strive for victory in whatever manner they can. In addition, Armstrong had personal pressure on him. After surviving testicular cancer, he used “his fame to help others with the disease” (Thompson 75). There was great pressure on him because he was a role model for others with cancer. He also founded the Livestrong organization to help “others manage life through and beyond a cancer diagnosis” (“Our Founder”). Being a representative for Livestrong was an extension of his function as a role model, and so he faced public pressure to succeed and be an example of overcoming adversity. And Armstrong was under financial pressure to succeed as well. Due to his phenomenal success, he received millions of dollars in endorsements from a variety of companies (“Lance Armstrong”). He did, however, need continued success in order to keep the endorsements coming, as the public would only respect his advertising image if he kept winning. All of these factors together pressured him to cheat in order to secure the advantage he needed to win. But Armstrong is merely the most famous example of doping in cycling. Doping in cycling is “endemic”, with some estimating that “90% of the peloton [the main body of cyclists in a race] is still doping”