Athletes of the Decade-#3 Lance Armstrong

Take yourself back to, oh, let's say 1999. Now, envision the greatest athletes of the next decade. Would you have imagined the 3rd best athlete of the decade would be a cyclist? Even more, would you imagine that cyclist would have just been diagnosed with cancer? Such is the remarkable journey of the next athlete in our countdown, Lance Armstrong.

Resume

-Winner of 7 straight Tour de France (1999-2005)

-Finished 3rd in 2009 Tour de France after 3 year retirement

-SI's Sportsman of the Year in 2002.

Facts

-Was diagnosed with Stage 3 testicular cancer in 1996. Given only a 40% chance of survival.

-Has consistently dodged doping allegations from French and European media and authorities.

-His Lance Armstrong Foundation has sold more than 70 million Livestrong bracelets (right) to raise awareness and money for fighting cancer.

Why He's Here

-You've heard all of the arguments before, cycling isn't really a sport, anybody can ride a bicycle, who cares about a French sport? What those who don't appreciate Lance Armstrong's athletic accomplishments don't understand is how truly difficult the Tour de France is. How many people can ride over 2000 miles in only 3 weeks through grueling mountains and win, not just once, but seven consecutive times! Based on that level of dominance, it would be easy to argue that Lance Armstrong is on a different athletic playing field than 99% of all major professional athletes in the United States or the world. But, that's only half of why Lance Armstrong belongs on this list.

Lasting Impact

It's a story so familiar, perhaps it has lost its impact in today's sporting culture. In 1996, Lance Armstrong was told there was a 60% chance he would die from advanced cancer. Not only did he beat those odds just to live, he made a comeback to cycling. For him to even return to competitive cycling would have seen him make this list easily. But, Lance Armstrong didn't stop there. Suddenly, the gritty Texan became the most dominant rider in the history of the prestigious Tour de France. Every year, when the rest of the riders wilted climbing the Alps, Armstrong would surge to claim the maillot jaune. But, with this meteoric rise to the top of the cycling world, came a cloud of suspicion which continues to cloud Armstrong's accomplishments in the rest of the world.

Perhaps no athlete, not even Barry Bonds, has had to battle more suspicion than Lance Armstrong. Journalists and newspapers throughout France and the rest of Europe, especially the "fine folks" at Le Monde and L'Equipe have repeatedly posted allegations from other riders, former riders, former personal assistants, and many others to attempt to prove Lance Armstrong is a cheater. Why wouldn't they be suspicious, especially in a sport with such a rich doping history? Why would they be proud of an American cancer survivor to claim their event a record seven times after only winning two previous Tour stages. Try as they might, Armstrong has never failed a test for performance enhancing drugs. However, some of his own abrasive behavior, and the continued smoke clouds that surround him, may in the long run take some prestige away from his athletic feats. In this steroids era, even our loftiest of heroes must face that hint of doubt which lingers in the minds of his admirers.

Outside of athletics though, Armstrong has managed to be a transcendent figure in the sports world. As a cyclist, he has managed to become one of the top 5 most recognizable athletes in America. Even Armstrong found himself on celebrity tabloids when he briefly dated Sheryl Crow in the middle of the decade. Not only has Armstrong crashed through the barrier to become a household name, he has had perhaps the most positive impact on society as any other athlete this generation. Using his own battle against cancer to inspire others, Armstrong has raised millions to fight the disease and his will to raise awareness has proven priceless. This is Armstrong's lasting legacy, even if he never captures another yellow jersey. He is the rarest of all athletes, the one who will be remembered as a pivotal member of society first, and an inspiring athlete second.

Join us next time as we reveal the #2 Athlete of the Decade. By now every true sports fan should know who the final two are. The two most dominant athletes of this, or perhaps any generation. Who will take #1 and who will be the runner-up? Find out here at your home for the Decade Series, Randall Simon's Sausages!