# Armstrong the ledgend, anyone met him?



## ralph1 (May 20, 2006)

As the subject line says has anyone ever met the great man in person, if so what was he like. I will go one further does anyone know him? 

cheers

Ralph


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## Howzitbroke (Jun 1, 2005)

Neil or Loius "Satchmo"?


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## djg714 (Oct 24, 2005)

cocky and full of himself......met him in 96.....


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## meathead (May 8, 2006)

Howzitbroke said:


> Neil or Loius "Satchmo"?


itd be sweet if someone had some "so me and satchmo..." stories


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

I "met" (actually I stood around as some of my buddies got autographs from him at a race) him back around the Tour Dupont days. He came across as pretty cocky and full of himself, but that's no more then everyone else says about him and he has more or less said about himself at the time.

I know someone who works with the LAF at a pretty high level and has become good buddies with him. But I've never really asked him anything about it since he became buds with him over the last couple of years.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

I've encountered him a few times. Exchanged a couple of words. He seemed nice enough to me. He's smaller than he looks on TV.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

mohair_chair said:


> He's smaller than he looks on TV.


That's because when we used to see him on TV (when he was racing) he was surrounded by other members of the pro peloton. They're not exactly a large bunch. Now, when you meet "small" basketball players or "small" football players, you have the opposite reaction. When I was in college, the guys on the basketball team used to have lunch at a table in the main dining hall that was near my dorm's table. The guys who looked like shrimps on TV were giants in person. I live near the Baltimore Ravens training camp and have seen some of the guys on the team in the supermarket after practice -- it is the same as seeing the basketball players. Even the "small" guys are giants.


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

*through the grapevine..*

I work at the university hospital in Portland, Oregon where he completed his last few cancer check-ups with Dr. Nichols 6 or 8 years back. Speaking to students and staff around here, I guess he came off as quite arrogant and full of himself, even to the people that were associated with his treatment...
I can't tell you from my experience, just from what others spread through the grapevine...

I thought it was pretty tasteless though, if its true, to treat people that way who are associated with the life saving techniques that saved his ass, and that he so advocates for...maybe he was having a bad day.


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## MellowDramatic (Jun 8, 2006)

MarkS said:


> That's because when we used to see him on TV (when he was racing) he was surrounded by other members of the pro peloton. They're not exactly a large bunch. Now, when you meet "small" basketball players or "small" football players, you have the opposite reaction. When I was in college, the guys on the basketball team used to have lunch at a table in the main dining hall that was near my dorm's table. The guys who looked like shrimps on TV were giants in person. I live near the Baltimore Ravens training camp and have seen some of the guys on the team in the supermarket after practice -- it is the same as seeing the basketball players. Even the "small" guys are giants.


+ 1...I was shocked at how tiny Valverde is.


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## OnTheRivet (Sep 3, 2004)

ralph1 said:


> As the subject line says has anyone ever met the great man in person, if so what was he like. I will go one further does anyone know him?
> 
> cheers
> 
> Ralph


Did a cyclocross race with him a few years back. talked a little at the start line and he signed everyones autograph and talked afterwards, seemed nice enough. 

I'm in Blue and white in picture.


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

OnTheRivet said:


> Did a cyclocross race with him a few years back. talked a little at the start line and he signed everyones autograph and talked afterwards, seemed nice enough.
> 
> I'm in Blue and white in picture.


that's pretty tight i gotta say. i remember that. him and that dude in the santa hat were goin' at it off the front. that woulda been cool.


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*I too have to say..*

when I met him in 96 he seemed like a total arse. It's a shame, I'd really like to like the guy for all he's done, but that's my lasting impression. Kinda makes it hard for me to wear a livestrong bracelet.


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## pianopiano (Jun 4, 2005)

*The bigger they are, the harder they fall.*

It's funny, but if you met *me* in '96, you'd probably think that I was a arse too!. 
But that was 10 years ago, and I've changed a lot since then (and I didn't even
have to survive cancer!)

These days, I actually strive to be cocky and bold. I belive that It's a neccesity
to succeed in this world. It's not a bad thing.
And, it doesn' t mean that you ever have to abandon finer human qualities 
such as humility, compassion, understanding, and humbleness to be a 
winner at whatever you chose to do.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

I've never met him or seen him in the flesh therefore the legend is bogus. He's as good a Yeti material to me. 

Now on the other hand, "Big" George Hincapie as they call him, I have seen. ...the legendary bigness, bogus.


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## topflightpro (Nov 3, 2004)

I met him a little over a year ago, just after his last TDF.

My wife and I decided to take a road trip down to Austin. As we were driving there, I joked, to my her, Hey, maybe we'll meet Lance -- She's a really big fan. She snapped back. He's in Spain, everyone knows that.

So our first night there, we went to Chuy's Mexican restaurant for dinner. We were sitting at a table at the bar, waiting for a real table, and there he was. I looked at my wife and said, Lance Armstrong is right behind you, but she didn't beleive me. He walked by her on his way to the bathroom. 

After he came out, he walked by us again on the way to the door. My wife just stared at him. So I said Mr. Armstrong. He kind of hesitated a minute, like he was thinking about pretending he didn't hear me, but then he stopped. I told him congratulations, shook his hand, and then he left.


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## wzq622 (Aug 3, 2004)

rocco said:


> Now on the other hand, "Big" George Hincapie as they call him, I have seen. ...the legendary bigness, bogus.



true.

I met George in Bedford last October where he did charity work for the local science museum (which he's doing again this year with Bob Bobke Roll).

I was surprised at how skinny he was! We're exactly the same height, maybe a few hairs difference, but he looked so frail. He wore jeans that made his trunk-like legs seem like twigs.

For someone who is 6'3" to look as skinny as Big George, then he must barely weigh anything in relation to his height and size.


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## MellowDramatic (Jun 8, 2006)

wzq622 said:


> true.
> 
> I met George in Bedford last October where he did charity work for the local science museum (which he's doing again this year with Bob Bobke Roll).
> 
> ...



I felt the same about Valverde...considering how powerful he looks at the finish of a mountain stage, he looked like a baby tree up close.


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## daneil (Jun 25, 2002)

meathead said:


> itd be sweet if someone had some "so me and satchmo..." stories


Not me and satchmo, but my grandfather grew up across the street from Louis when he lived in Corona Queens. Used to practice on the roof from what I've heard.


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## Steve-O (Jan 28, 2004)

*Interbike*

Just got back from Interbike today. Went with a friend of mine who is relatively new to cycling. On the flight back we were commenting on all the pro's we saw and got autographs from (Hushovd, Backstedt, Tomac, Leipheimer, Ligget, Merckx, Kabush, etc.etc.). Everyone was very cool. Merckx was shaking hands and posing for pictures. Ligget was handing out anti-doping wristbands. 

My friend then noted that Armstrong was nowhere to be found. I told him he could draw his own conclusions....


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## smw (Mar 7, 2006)

wzq622 said:


> true.
> 
> I met George in Bedford last October where he did charity work for the local science museum (which he's doing again this year with Bob Bobke Roll).
> 
> ...



Ive always thought george was too skinny for his height. Im also 6'3 and skinny, but at 195 I really dont like being any thinner, I feel weak and tired. I think they just call him big george cause most of the other riders are much smaller then he is. Alot of times the podium girls are much bigger then the riders.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

wzq622 said:


> true.
> 
> I met George in Bedford last October where he did charity work for the local science museum (which he's doing again this year with Bob Bobke Roll).
> 
> ...



Hincapie is thin, very thin.

I was in the finish area at the first time trial of the 2003 Tour de France when Hincapie came in. He looked like a pencil in a skinsuit. The guy may be 6'2" or 6'3", but I would estimate that he has a 26" or 27" waist. Hincapie would make an anorexic female fashion model look chunky.

BTW: While I was standing near Hincapie, a kid who was about 9 or 10 years old came up to him and asked him for his race number. Hincapie was very gracious, peeled it off and gave it to the kid. It was clear that Hincapie wanted to get into the team bus to recover (it was about 100 degrees and all of the riders were exhausted/overheated/dehydrated -- this was the same day that Ulrich won the TT and Armstrong lost 8 pounds and had foamy drool coming out of his mouth). But, Hincapie also took time to sign a few autographs and treated the fans well given the circumstances.


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## Mosovich (Feb 3, 2004)

*to respond...*

yeah, that was 96, but that was my first impression. Like they say, the first impression is a lasting impression. But, like also says, you gotta admit, it's wonderful the awareness he's raised about cancer research. The problem is, without him getting cancer, would he have raised awareness for anything else? Probably not, but of course, I can't say I raise awareness for anything that affects me either. I'm more aware of cancer now because my dad has it, but up until then I didn't have much thought on it. Anyway, at least he has done some good with his fame and fortune, alot more than most capable people.


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## OnTheRivet (Sep 3, 2004)

wzq622 said:


> true.
> 
> I met George in Bedford last October where he did charity work for the local science museum (which he's doing again this year with Bob Bobke Roll).
> 
> ...


Being thin is the price of being fast. Also as Americans we have a very distorted view on what normal weight is. We are a nation that is grossly overweight and calling people who are normal weight "skinny" is just a defense mechanism to keep people from accepting their weight problems. I worked with some guys who were always calling me skinny and I called them fat, they said it was muscle, so I brought my body fat scale to work and let them stand on it. Ya, 28% body fat is muscle. Three of the weight lifter guys were over 25% body fat, I was 5% at the time, definitley and eye opener.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

OnTheRivet said:


> Being thin is the price of being fast. Also as Americans we have a very distorted view on what normal weight is. We are a nation that is grossly overweight and calling people who are normal weight "skinny" is just a defense mechanism to keep people from accepting their weight problems. I worked with some guys who were always calling me skinny and I called them fat, they said it was muscle, so I brought my body fat scale to work and let them stand on it. Ya, 28% body fat is muscle. Three of the weight lifter guys were over 25% body fat, I was 5% at the time, definitley and eye opener.



I agree to large a extent but GH still isn't big.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

Steve-O said:


> My friend then noted that Armstrong was nowhere to be found. I told him he could draw his own conclusions....



That's what I'm saying... he's Yeti material. Armstrong never landed on the moon because nobody ever landed on the moon.


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## CaseLawZ28 (Jul 14, 2005)

OnTheRivet said:


> Being thin is the price of being fast. Also as Americans we have a very distorted view on what normal weight is. We are a nation that is grossly overweight and calling people who are normal weight "skinny" is just a defense mechanism to keep people from accepting their weight problems. I worked with some guys who were always calling me skinny and I called them fat, they said it was muscle, so I brought my body fat scale to work and let them stand on it. Ya, 28% body fat is muscle. Three of the weight lifter guys were over 25% body fat, I was 5% at the time, definitley and eye opener.


Yup yup yup. I was in Italy for a good while, and was shocked when I came back home; I still am. So many overweight people. :yikes:


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## levels1069 (Jun 9, 2006)

Dwayne Barry said:


> I "met" (actually I stood around as some of my buddies got autographs from him at a race) him back around the Tour Dupont days.


i was just a kid when lance did his first Tour Dupont (dont remember the year) and the race basically runs through my backyard at once point. We've a picture in my house of Lance and my dad conversing with each other while i just stare at him...i had no idea who he was, or how big of a deal he would become. Ten or more years later, a mothers cancer survivorship, my interest in cycling, his dominance of the sport and just the person he's become makes me treasure that picture more than anything....

dan <---big LA fan haha


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## wzq622 (Aug 3, 2004)

MarkS said:


> BTW: While I was staning near Hincapie, a kid who was about 9 or 10 years old came up to him and asked him for his race number. Hincapie was very gracious, peeled it off and gave it to the kid. It was clear that Hincapie wanted to get into the team bus to recover (it was about 100 degrees and all of the riders were exhausted/overheated/dehydrated -- this was the same day that Ulrich won the TT and Armstrong lost 8 pounds and had foamy drool coming out of his mouth). But, Hincapie also took time to sign a few autographs and treated the fans well given the circumstances.



He's definitely a nice guy...hmm, that may be an understatement.

When I met him, he graciously signed everything and anything the fans wanted and he did it all with a smile. He even carried on a few short conversations. It was definitely worth skipping class for a day and meeting one of the greatest athletes.


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## wzq622 (Aug 3, 2004)

OnTheRivet said:


> Being thin is the price of being fast. Also as Americans we have a very distorted view on what normal weight is. We are a nation that is grossly overweight and calling people who are normal weight "skinny" is just a defense mechanism to keep people from accepting their weight problems. I worked with some guys who were always calling me skinny and I called them fat, they said it was muscle, so I brought my body fat scale to work and let them stand on it. Ya, 28% body fat is muscle. Three of the weight lifter guys were over 25% body fat, I was 5% at the time, definitley and eye opener.



5%? wow! I'm jealous...

I'm 6'3, 168 lbs and trying to gain some muscle mass, but my metabolism is so high that whatever food I eat burns away before it ever reaches my stomach.

Anyways, I find it amusing how some of the students, excluding the athletes, at my university work out to maintain their vanity and will probably cease to exercise as soon as they stop chasing tail.

While I realize that I, and my fellow cyclists, may be too skinny in the eyes of everyone else, they will never realize that they are too big for their own good.


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## asciibaron (Aug 11, 2006)

Lance who? is he still a pro racer?


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Lance wouldn't sign autographs for OCC when they built his yellow TdF bike...

He's still better than Greg LeMond in the attitude department, but still leaves something to be desired.

Still a cycling god, though.


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## blackhat (Jan 2, 2003)

iliveonnitro said:


> Lance wouldn't sign autographs for OCC when they built his yellow TdF bike...
> 
> <b>He's still better than Greg LeMond in the attitude department,</b> but still leaves something to be desired.
> 
> Still a cycling god, though.



yeah, I really don't know about that. lemond seems to have poor media skills and has a knack for offering inopportune quotes, but he's apparently nowhere near the asshat that LA has shown himself to be.


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## pwagle (Jul 4, 2005)

rocco said:


> I've never met him or seen him in the flesh therefore the legend is bogus. He's as good a Yeti material to me.
> 
> Now on the other hand, "Big" George Hincapie as they call him, I have seen. ...the legendary bigness, bogus.


No kidding. I briefly met him in the 2000 Tour of Flanders. I'm a lean 6'4, 195 and I looked like a bulldozer compared to his rail thin 6'3 stature. There is no way he is 185 when in form. Seemed chill plus a fellow NY'er.


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

I "met" him in '05 at the Tour de Georgia. We exchanged "hi, how are you?"s He was signing autographs for lurkers that morning before the race. I thought he was about as gracious as could be expected to a bunch of losers stalking him and trying to get a picture with him(which I did...I'm grinning as if deranged, I'm surprised he wasn't frightened), and who couldn't think of anything better to say after 7 years of fan-dom than "hi Lance, how are you?"

Anyone who says George isn't a waif hasn't seen him up close.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

litespeedchick said:


> Anyone who says George isn't a waif hasn't seen him up close.


Basketball players are Tall, american football players are Fat, and bike racers are Skinny, I guess.

I mean, even the "big sprinters" are tiny. Petacchi weighs, what, 160-165?


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## white bread (Jul 24, 2006)

I met him in early 1997 at the expo of his first Race for the Roses. I was third in line to have a ride poster signed and getting very nervous. He started signing without looking up and completely stopped when I told him about my brother in law that had just survived TC. He asked how he was doing and then shook my hand. Eric Heiden and Sean Kelley were there also.


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## crankee (Aug 2, 2003)

I met him at the Ride for the Roses Expo back in 2000 or 2001. A friend of mine knows Lance (in fact my friend was Miguel Indurain's interpreter for RFTR) asked if I'd like to meet Lance and get his autograph. I showed up at the Expo to pickup my ride packet and to hopefully meet Lance. The autograph line seemed 200+ deep. Given I had to get back to work soon, it didn't look good. But my friend saw me and motioned me up to the front of the line. I had a couple of cycling mags with me for Lance to sign. I was kinda tongue tied but managed to say something like "Hey Lance - we're really proud of what you've done". And I meant it. He beat cancer and by this time had won 2-3 TdFs - it's one hell of an accomplishment. He just glared at me for a second or two, autographed the two magazines and that was that. He seemed rather cold and indifferent.

Indurain, on the other hand, was a much more personable guy. I got his autograph, shook his hand and got my picture taken with him.


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## akrafty1 (Apr 10, 2006)

I would like to meet him some day.

Talk about a warm reception, We met Bobki and Phill at the T De G. The chatted with us for a good 10 minutes posed for pics, and shared a laugh! That was special to me and I will always cherrish those memories. 2 Guys that went with us met LeMond on Brass Town Bald, they said he was very nice.


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## moneyman (Jan 30, 2004)

*Yes*



ralph1 said:


> As the subject line says has anyone ever met the great man in person, if so what was he like. I will go one further does anyone know him?
> 
> cheers
> 
> Ralph


I've been involved with the LAF for since 1999. Had occasion to ride with and chat with LA. Cocky is often used to describe him, but that's not my personal experience. He has always had time to chat, smile and say thanks. His foundation has grown exponentially since 99, along with his fame. He continues to describe himself as a cancer survivor first, a (retired) cyclist second. I recently got a letter from the LAF acknowledging my personal cancer challenge. Had my name on it and was signed by LA.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

OnTheRivet said:


> Did a cyclocross race with him a few years back. talked a little at the start line and he signed everyones autograph and talked afterwards, seemed nice enough.
> 
> I'm in Blue and white in picture.


I was there as well. That's my teammate next to you. (wussup OTR?)

he was very nice. thanked me for loaning him a back-up wheel.

went to interbike, most were super cool, even eddy whose English is so-so and was absolutely swamped, but the guy who impresed me the most by how nice, how talkative, etc.. was Lemond. He runs late for everything because he gives each person his time and attention.


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## cheddarlove (Oct 17, 2005)

Geez! You two look like brothers! Must be the hair and Texas long-heads!


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## aliensporebomb (Jul 2, 2002)

Haven't met LA but have met Bobke and that guy is hilarious, one of the funniest
men alive. He honestly could go into the stand-up comedy biz if he wanted to.

He was generous with time, autographing stuff and even posing for pictures with
people and was especially nice in talking to some young kids who showed up.

He was like the cool uncle everyone wishes they had.

Gary Fisher was slightly less colorful personality wise but was nice too.

But have never met any of those other guys. I'd probably say something
really dumb.


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## Rsix (Oct 18, 2005)

I met him at the Livestrong ride. He was nice. Took time to talk to folks and sign autographs.


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