cancer survivor Lance Armstrong said July 25 after winning the Tour de France.
“It truly is nothing short of miraculous,” said Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, who helped oversee the chemotherapy and radiation treatments on Armstrong.
Not only was Armstrong, 27, not expected to win the race – many thought he wouldn’t even be around to see it. Doctors gave him, at best, a 50-50 chance of survival when he was diagnosed with cancer in October 1996.
But he won what many consider the toughest event in sports – and at a record average speed of 25 m.p.h.
The French press brought up speculation that Armstrong had been using the performance-enhancing drug corticosteroid. However, the International Cyclist Union denied any violation of the rules – the substance just happened to be an ingredient found in a topical balm cream Armstrong was using to treat saddle sores.
“It was a long road to the Tour, and a longer one to get through it,” Armstrong said. “For those people who look at my case as an example, I would just like to say one thing: If ever you get a second chance in life for something, go all the way.”
