Presentation by:
Bhalinder Singh Gill
Gundeep Singh Saini
Mayank Singla
“I want to die at a hundred years old after
screaming down an Alpine descent on a
bicycle at 75 miles per hour. A slow death is
not for me. I don’t do anything slow, not even
breathe. I do everything at a fast cadence:
eat fast, sleep fast”
Contents


About Lance Armstrong
Autobiography








The Early Years
The Cancer Phase
Post Cancer Period
Tour De France
The Metamorphosis
Style of Autobiography
Reasons for writing the autbiography
Critical Analysis
About Lance Armstrong

Retired American professional road racing cyclist

Won the Tour De France, professional cycling's most prestigious
race, a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005, the
most by any professional cyclist

This was accomplished several years after having undergone
extensive chemotherapy in 1996, to treat testicular cancer that
had metastasized to his brain and lungs

Dogged throughout his career by doping allegations

His athletic success and his dramatic recovery from cancer
inspired Armstrong to commemorate his accomplishments in
conjunction with Nike through the Lance Armstrong Foundation,
a charity founded in 1997
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The Early Years
The Early Years

Never had a father. His biological father split up with
his mother before he was two

Though of meagre means, his mother never left him
wanting
“why does any kid love a bike? Its liberation and
independence, your first set of wheels. A bike is
freedom to roam, without rules and without adults”
The Early Years


Was never fond of his step dad
He used his adolescent resentments as a fuel for his
competitive energy.
“when it came to anything involving a ball, I was no
good”


He thus channeled his energy to triathlon sports –
swimming, running and cycling
He was good at enduring pain and embarrasement
“If it was a sufferfest, I was good at it”
The Early Years



Armstrong began his sporting career as a triathlete,
competing and winning in adult competitions from
the age of 15
At 16, he became a professional triathlete, thus
giving him an early break in the career
He was soon earning about $20,000 an year and
even bought a car with his own money
“I felt shunned at time. I was the guy who did weird
sports and who didn’t wear the right labels”
The Early Years

Was deeply influenced by his mother in his childhood, especially
since she was a single parent
“my mother had given me more than any teacher or father figure
ever had. When it came to never quitting, to not caring how it
looked, to gritting your teeth and pushing to the finish, I could
only hope to have the stamina and fortitude of my mother, a
single mother with a young son and a small salary – and there
was no reward for her at the end of the day”
“every time she said make an obstacle an opportunity, make a
negative a positive, she was talking about me, about her decision
to have me and the way she had raised me”
The Early Years

He got noticed by the US National cycling
team due to his consistent performance and
got a call from the team director, Chris
Carmichael

Chris Carmichael went on to become his
coach throughout all his years at Tour De
France competitions
The Early Years

He was defiant by nature and did not always
follow the instructions of Carmichael, acting
more on his own will, leading to inconsistent
performance
“I wasn’t trying to be a jerk. I was just being
Texan. The Toro de Texas the Spanish press
named me”
The Early Years

He was insecure and defensive, not totally confident of how
strong he was. He never worked as a team and only rode for
himself
“In a long stage race, you give a little to make a friend,
because you might need one later. Give an inch, make a friend.
But I wouldn’t do it”

He was very short tempered and foul mouthed. This didn’t go
down well with other riders

He was impatient and associated being patient with being weak
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The Cancer Phase
The Cancer Phase
“Of course I should have known that
something was wrong with me. But athletes,
especially cyclists are in the business of
denial. You deny all the aches and pains
because you have to in order to finish the
race. It’s a sport of self-abuse.”
The Cancer Phase



Upon getting some tests done at the local medical centre, he is
diagnosed with testicular cancer that had metastasized to his
lungs
He undergoes surgery and subsequent chemotherapy to get
treatment for the cancer
even after his diagnosis, he continued to cycle.
“cycling is so hard, the suffering is so intense, that it is absolutely
cleansing. You can go out there with the weight of the world on
your shoulders, and after a six hour ride at a high pain threshold,
you feel at peace.”
The Cancer Phase




During the treatment, it is found that the cancer had
progressed to his brain.
He then consults two other cancer centres – one at
Houston and the other at Indianapolis
Upon consultation with both the centres, he decides
to proceed with his treatment at Indianapolis
At Indianapolis, he undergoes brain surgery and his
chemo treatment is changed to VIP as it would not
be as debilitating to his lungs
The Cancer Phase


During this phase he was felt particularly
weak, nauseated and listless.
His defiant nature still persisted – he would
rather walk than use a wheelchair.
“the irony was, the worse I felt, the better I got.
That was chemo for you”
The Cancer Phase



When he had started his treatment, he was given a
survival chance of 50% by the doctors. However, it
was later revealed that his chances were quite slim
(around 3%) and those figures were given just to
make him feel better.
After 2 months of extensive treatment, his
chemotherapy was stopped.
During the following year he was constantly
monitored to check for the relapse of the cancer
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Post Cancer Period
Post Cancer Period

One month after the completion of his treatment, he
launched the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise
funds for cancer awareness and research.

In spring 1997, in spite of being unsure about his
health, he wanted to get back on the bike.

He suffered sudden swings of mood during this time
regarding his getting back to biking.
Post Cancer Period

He met with Kristin with whom he went to Europe
and realised that biking was just his profession and
wanted to spend his time with family and friends.

Chris Carmichael urged him to start racing again. He
agrees to Chris after pondering over.

But his former team Confidis refused to accept him
again as they had lost faith in him as a cyclist.
Finally, US Postal Service team agrees to take him
in.
Post Cancer Period

His first race with his new team did not go
very well and he had to quit midway through
it because of severe climatic conditions.

He gets his final inspiration in Boone, North
Carolina where he goes to train for his
retirement race and comes back with a new
will and determination to race again.
Tour de France

In upcoming year, he participated in several
races but the most significant win of his
career came in 1999 in the form of Tour de
France.

He won this competition successively for the
next six years after which he retired.
The Metamorphosis

Emotional:
After cancer treatment, he became more humane
and patient.
“ I was no longer the angry and unsettled young
rider I had been. My racing was still intense , but it
had become subtler in style and technique.”


Physical:
He lost weight and his body became more apt for
biking
” I was leaner in body and balanced in spirit.”

Style of Autobiography

Throughout the autobiography, he uses
simple language

It appears as if he is having a heart-to-heart
talk with the reader.
Reasons for writing the
autobiography

To provide inspiration to other cancer patients
from his survival story

To provide awareness of cancer and its
treatment

To demonstrate how patience and good
sportsmanship can go a long way in making a
successful athlete
Critical Analysis

In the autobiography, he minces no words
while describing his encounter with people /
organisations whom he was not particularly
fond of

It is observed that he is very attached to his
mother and constantly acknowledges the
impact she has had on his life
Comments by reputed Dailies

“Having nearly lost his life, Lance Armstrong serves
up his story for the rest of the world to wonder at,
shudder at and learn from” - Guardian

“An inspiring Story”
- Daily Telegraph

“Unflinchingly documents
a remarkable journey”
- The Times
“Pure inspiration”
- Scotsman

Thank You