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Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong
The definitive account of Lance Armstrong's spectacular rise and fall.
In June 2013, when Lance Armstrong fled his palatial home in Texas, downsizing in the face of multimillion-dollar lawsuits, Juliet Macur was there—talking to his girlfriend and children and listening to Armstrong's version of the truth. She was one of the few media members aside from Oprah Winfrey to be granted extended one-on-one access to the most famous pariah in sports.
At the center of Cycle of Lies is Armstrong himself, revealed through face-to-face interviews.
But this unfolding narrative is given depth and breadth by the firsthand accounts of more than one hundred witnesses, including family members whom Armstrong had long since turned his back on—the adoptive father who gave him the Armstrong name, a grandmother, an aunt. Perhaps most damning of all is the taped testimony of the late J.T. Neal, the most influential of Armstrong's many father figures, recorded in the final years of Neal's life as he lost his battle with cancer just as Armstrong gained fame for surviving the disease.
In the end, it was Armstrong's former friends, those who had once occupied the precious space of his inner circle, who betrayed him. They were the ones who dealt Armstrong his fatal blow by breaking the code of silence that shielded the public from the grim truth about the sport of cycling—and the grim truth about its golden boy, Armstrong.
Threading together the vivid and disparate voices of those with intimate knowledge of the private and public Armstrong, Macur weaves a comprehensive and unforgettably rich tapestry of one man's astonishing rise to global fame and fortune and his devastating fall from grace.
In June 2013, when Lance Armstrong fled his palatial home in Texas, downsizing in the face of multimillion-dollar lawsuits, Juliet Macur was there—talking to his girlfriend and children and listening to Armstrong's version of the truth. She was one of the few media members aside from Oprah Winfrey to be granted extended one-on-one access to the most famous pariah in sports.
At the center of Cycle of Lies is Armstrong himself, revealed through face-to-face interviews.
But this unfolding narrative is given depth and breadth by the firsthand accounts of more than one hundred witnesses, including family members whom Armstrong had long since turned his back on—the adoptive father who gave him the Armstrong name, a grandmother, an aunt. Perhaps most damning of all is the taped testimony of the late J.T. Neal, the most influential of Armstrong's many father figures, recorded in the final years of Neal's life as he lost his battle with cancer just as Armstrong gained fame for surviving the disease.
In the end, it was Armstrong's former friends, those who had once occupied the precious space of his inner circle, who betrayed him. They were the ones who dealt Armstrong his fatal blow by breaking the code of silence that shielded the public from the grim truth about the sport of cycling—and the grim truth about its golden boy, Armstrong.
Threading together the vivid and disparate voices of those with intimate knowledge of the private and public Armstrong, Macur weaves a comprehensive and unforgettably rich tapestry of one man's astonishing rise to global fame and fortune and his devastating fall from grace.
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First published June 18, 2013
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January 24, 2022
I read Armstrong's book, "It's Not About the Bike" when it came out in 2000. I went into the book open to the story and at the end slapped it shut and said: "no way! He almost dies from cancer, but he not 0nly competes in the Tour de France but wins it?
But it would be 10 years before one of his teammates, Floyd Landis, ratted him out. And another two years before the investigation was completed and he was defrocked.
Some new reveals for me in this book. First his mother's phony Oprah-like story about how, as a struggling teen Mom, she raised Lance all by herself. The fact is that Armstrong had three different dads. His namesake was part of Lance's life for about a dozen years, coaching all of his sports teams and pushing him relentlessly. Meanwhile, the mom spousified her son, which puts a lot of emotional pressure on the child. I've seen instances of it in my own family and elsewhere. (See link below for definition)
The other reveal is that competitive cycling has been subject to chemical manipulation and doping for more than a hundred years. It was quite open in cycling circles, although the cycling association did everything to hide it until the pressure mounted to test, like the doping era in baseball.
Essentially both Armstrong and the sport are a sham, but people just gotta believe.
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https://www.divorcemag.com/blog/effec...
---------------------------------
Still a brooding sociopath.....
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/202...
But it would be 10 years before one of his teammates, Floyd Landis, ratted him out. And another two years before the investigation was completed and he was defrocked.
Some new reveals for me in this book. First his mother's phony Oprah-like story about how, as a struggling teen Mom, she raised Lance all by herself. The fact is that Armstrong had three different dads. His namesake was part of Lance's life for about a dozen years, coaching all of his sports teams and pushing him relentlessly. Meanwhile, the mom spousified her son, which puts a lot of emotional pressure on the child. I've seen instances of it in my own family and elsewhere. (See link below for definition)
The other reveal is that competitive cycling has been subject to chemical manipulation and doping for more than a hundred years. It was quite open in cycling circles, although the cycling association did everything to hide it until the pressure mounted to test, like the doping era in baseball.
Essentially both Armstrong and the sport are a sham, but people just gotta believe.
======
https://www.divorcemag.com/blog/effec...
---------------------------------
Still a brooding sociopath.....
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/202...
March 30, 2014
First of all, bravo to Macur, not only for her excellent job of journalism here, but for having the balls to stand up to Armstrong's cocky insistence, "You can write what you want, but your book is called Cycle of Lies? That has to change!" Evidently, the fallen, self-aggrandizing demigod is still juiced up on a cocktail of arrogance, bullying, moral relativism, and egotism. I'm more fascinated than disgusted -- as long as I don't have a full stomach. I'm also fascinated by Pete Rose, Bernie Madoff, the Emperor's new parade outfit, Presidents that scrutinize what the meaning of the word 'is' is, and anyone that has to have Oprah Winfrey clarify the word *cheater*.
Oprah: You did not feel that you were cheating taking banned drugs?
Armstrong: I went in and just looked up the definition of cheat. And the definition of cheat is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe that they don't have. I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field.
Almost everything that has come out of this guy's mouth since he was finally cornered and force fed the irrefutable evidence, is a toxic sound bite arguing the case against there being even a miniscule glimmer of remorse, enlightenment, or humility within.
Cycle of Lies (nee-ner-nee-ner-nee-ner) is a *fascinating* and wonderfully researched book that rises above previous points of view and factoid pieces of work, setting some records straight, and obliterating others. Macur's one on one journalistic relationship with Armstrong (often more like a sparring partnership), and hours of conversations with insiders that have never spoken before about their knowledge of Armstrong, due to a doping *Omertà* among the cyclists, reveal whole new levels of ugliness to the grand deception. Called "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen," by the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). [Omertà implies "the categorical prohibition of cooperation with state authorities or reliance on its services, even when one has been victim of a crime"; a term used by the Mafia; or the equivalent of a pinkie-swear among cycling dopers.]
Probably the most revealing and damning information comes from Macur's exclusive access to 26 hrs. of taped testimony from Armstrong's mentor and surrogate father, J.T. Neal. Beyond the doping facts, Neal gives a clear picture of a boy that was ruthlessly mean, self-centered, and uncaring, who grew up to be a man that magnified those traits, determined to win at all costs. There is nary a kind word spoken of the champion (that actually never was, according to information contained in Cycle of Lies). Which shouldn't be so surprising dealing with a man that "used cancer as his shield many times," [The Armstrong Lie; Alex Gibney] and discarded people like used up garbage. Just when you begin to wonder if Macur had a wee bit of a get-back fantasy, a secret desire to dish out crow -- surely there has to be some tenderness, some softness somewhere, some pleasant testimony powerful enough to redeem the self-justification and destruction -- Armstrong opens his mouth and spits out another arrogant comment, demanding pity for money problems that ensued after sponsor's jumped ship, or thanks from corporations that owe their success singularly to him. He just doesn't get it.
Before even listening to this book,(an audio version) I read Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever, by Reed Albergotti, and wrote down this quote: “...Lance is the inevitable product of our celebrity-worshipping culture and the whole money-mad world of sports gone amok. This is the Golden Age of fraud, an era of general willingness to ignore and justify the wrongdoings of the rich and powerful, which makes every lie bigger and widens its destructive path.” I think Macur eloquently makes the point that Lance is the product of Lance, and in the end, for any of us and our choices, the responsibility is ours alone.
If you are still hanging onto one of those rubber yellow wristbands, you're probably not going to appreciate a great job by author Juliet Macur. A cyclist myself, I found the book engrossing, with each mind-boggling revelation leading into another, more absurd than the previous. I tossed my Live Strong band, unworn, years ago. It's not my job to judge or forgive; I just remain fascinated, and in the saddle.
Oprah: You did not feel that you were cheating taking banned drugs?
Armstrong: I went in and just looked up the definition of cheat. And the definition of cheat is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe that they don't have. I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field.
Almost everything that has come out of this guy's mouth since he was finally cornered and force fed the irrefutable evidence, is a toxic sound bite arguing the case against there being even a miniscule glimmer of remorse, enlightenment, or humility within.
Cycle of Lies (nee-ner-nee-ner-nee-ner) is a *fascinating* and wonderfully researched book that rises above previous points of view and factoid pieces of work, setting some records straight, and obliterating others. Macur's one on one journalistic relationship with Armstrong (often more like a sparring partnership), and hours of conversations with insiders that have never spoken before about their knowledge of Armstrong, due to a doping *Omertà* among the cyclists, reveal whole new levels of ugliness to the grand deception. Called "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen," by the Union Cycliste International (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). [Omertà implies "the categorical prohibition of cooperation with state authorities or reliance on its services, even when one has been victim of a crime"; a term used by the Mafia; or the equivalent of a pinkie-swear among cycling dopers.]
Probably the most revealing and damning information comes from Macur's exclusive access to 26 hrs. of taped testimony from Armstrong's mentor and surrogate father, J.T. Neal. Beyond the doping facts, Neal gives a clear picture of a boy that was ruthlessly mean, self-centered, and uncaring, who grew up to be a man that magnified those traits, determined to win at all costs. There is nary a kind word spoken of the champion (that actually never was, according to information contained in Cycle of Lies). Which shouldn't be so surprising dealing with a man that "used cancer as his shield many times," [The Armstrong Lie; Alex Gibney] and discarded people like used up garbage. Just when you begin to wonder if Macur had a wee bit of a get-back fantasy, a secret desire to dish out crow -- surely there has to be some tenderness, some softness somewhere, some pleasant testimony powerful enough to redeem the self-justification and destruction -- Armstrong opens his mouth and spits out another arrogant comment, demanding pity for money problems that ensued after sponsor's jumped ship, or thanks from corporations that owe their success singularly to him. He just doesn't get it.
Before even listening to this book,(an audio version) I read Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever, by Reed Albergotti, and wrote down this quote: “...Lance is the inevitable product of our celebrity-worshipping culture and the whole money-mad world of sports gone amok. This is the Golden Age of fraud, an era of general willingness to ignore and justify the wrongdoings of the rich and powerful, which makes every lie bigger and widens its destructive path.” I think Macur eloquently makes the point that Lance is the product of Lance, and in the end, for any of us and our choices, the responsibility is ours alone.
If you are still hanging onto one of those rubber yellow wristbands, you're probably not going to appreciate a great job by author Juliet Macur. A cyclist myself, I found the book engrossing, with each mind-boggling revelation leading into another, more absurd than the previous. I tossed my Live Strong band, unworn, years ago. It's not my job to judge or forgive; I just remain fascinated, and in the saddle.
October 25, 2014
A gripping and extensively researched documentation of one of sporting's greatest scandals. Macur goes back to the very beginning and is merciless in her takedown of Lance Armstrong's exhaustively detailed narrative, one that positioned him not only as a winner but a hero and inspiration to cancer survivors the world over. He lied, he cheated, he bullied and he ruined lives, and Macur wants everyone to know that. There's a touch of the "dancing on his grave" about the book, which may sit uncomfortably with some, but if like me you are utterly fascinated with Armstrong's downfall you'll enjoy every moment. I would have liked more focus on the wider picture surrounding Armstrong - the sponsors who undoubtedly shielded him, the cycling authorities who turned a blind eye in order to keep their sport's idol in place - because they helped keep him clean from scandal for far longer than he could have been in order to save their own skins. Still, if you want an insight into just how dirty Armstrong got, this is your book.
Full review here:
http://bibliodaze.com/2014/10/review-...
Full review here:
http://bibliodaze.com/2014/10/review-...
January 13, 2016
This is a riveting account of Lance Armstrong’s meteoric rise and even faster fall, exploring the intersection of physicality, ambition, and deception. A must-read for all sports fan.
December 31, 2014
I read this book from the perspective of a long time cycling fan. I was generally ambivalent about Armstrong as a rider (too boring), but I've never been bothered by the doping. It's always been part of the sport at the professional level and it always will be.
From that perspective, this book is OK despite it's questionable premise that Armstrong was uniquely malevolent. It opens weakly, with a section about Armstrong's childhood and mother that is spiteful and uninteresting. The book continues to be spiteful, but once the focus shifts to pro racing the story improves. The sections on US Postal fill in some details of well-known events as recounted by primaries like Vaughters, Lim, and Tygart. Having watched that era unfold, it's always fun for me to learn what was happening behind the curtain; guessing who might be clean was always an essential part of watching the Tour and other bike races. There isn't much new here, but Macur has enough interview sources to make it worthwhile. Most of the details are filtered through invested parties like Allen Lim, so I took it all with a grain of salt. Macur is also not above exaggeration and selective repetition for dramatic effect (e.g. I laughed when I read Hincapie was "the favorite" to win Paris-Roubaix in 2008, but only finished ninth because of distressing doping allegations). But overall it's a pretty good telling of a widely known story.
My main problem with this book is a common one for contemporary cycling books: the story is anchored in the author's moral judgements and enthusiastic myth busting. People in the book tend to be classified as a villain, hero, or victim up front with little deviation from type thereafter. Events that don't align with the author's case are ignored or downplayed. Books like this tend to tell me more about the author's opinions than the actual subject.
This treatment leads Macur to the conventional wisdom that although all the successful teams were doping, Lance's doping was more extensive and therefore especially pernicious. Given the era, that seems questionable. I would love to see a curious outsider like Michael Lewis write a book that also delves into the practices of contemporary teams like ONCE, Kelme, CSC, and T-Mobile, rather than merely comparing Postal with the third-rate, relatively clean French teams (invariably sourced by Jonathan Vaughters). I understand this is a Lance Armstrong book, but assessing him without a wider view of bike racing is unfair and often uninteresting. However, if you're only interested in Lance and his team, this isn't a bad place to start.
From that perspective, this book is OK despite it's questionable premise that Armstrong was uniquely malevolent. It opens weakly, with a section about Armstrong's childhood and mother that is spiteful and uninteresting. The book continues to be spiteful, but once the focus shifts to pro racing the story improves. The sections on US Postal fill in some details of well-known events as recounted by primaries like Vaughters, Lim, and Tygart. Having watched that era unfold, it's always fun for me to learn what was happening behind the curtain; guessing who might be clean was always an essential part of watching the Tour and other bike races. There isn't much new here, but Macur has enough interview sources to make it worthwhile. Most of the details are filtered through invested parties like Allen Lim, so I took it all with a grain of salt. Macur is also not above exaggeration and selective repetition for dramatic effect (e.g. I laughed when I read Hincapie was "the favorite" to win Paris-Roubaix in 2008, but only finished ninth because of distressing doping allegations). But overall it's a pretty good telling of a widely known story.
My main problem with this book is a common one for contemporary cycling books: the story is anchored in the author's moral judgements and enthusiastic myth busting. People in the book tend to be classified as a villain, hero, or victim up front with little deviation from type thereafter. Events that don't align with the author's case are ignored or downplayed. Books like this tend to tell me more about the author's opinions than the actual subject.
This treatment leads Macur to the conventional wisdom that although all the successful teams were doping, Lance's doping was more extensive and therefore especially pernicious. Given the era, that seems questionable. I would love to see a curious outsider like Michael Lewis write a book that also delves into the practices of contemporary teams like ONCE, Kelme, CSC, and T-Mobile, rather than merely comparing Postal with the third-rate, relatively clean French teams (invariably sourced by Jonathan Vaughters). I understand this is a Lance Armstrong book, but assessing him without a wider view of bike racing is unfair and often uninteresting. However, if you're only interested in Lance and his team, this isn't a bad place to start.
March 9, 2014
Cycle of Lies is an amazing account of just how far back the deception in the Armstrong myth goes (childhood it would seem). It’s just one jaw-dropper after another.
Big props to Macur for not letting go of this epic tale and for managing the divergent stories. We’d all still be clueless about Lance if not for journalists like her. Thanks also go to a long line of embittered people betrayed over the years—it’s a tragicomedy in that sense. I can’t imagine where the screenwriters will begin, there’s almost too much material.
Macur’s disdain for Atheism is clear; Christians are the good guys and non-believers the baddies, suggesting that because Lance didn’t believe in an afterlife he was free to misbehave in the here and now. But of course the vast majority of agnostics out there aren’t sociopaths. We’re simply going about our lives best we can for the exact reason that this might be all the life we get. Ironically this whole sordid tale reveals the blindness of belief and humanity’s illogical tendency to follow its messiahs without question. A little agnosticism would have served fans well.
As a cyclist and amateur competitor I couldn’t find a place in the narrative that really captured the pure joy of cycling. But perhaps only a bike and some open road can do that. It does however delve deeply into cycling as an escape for boys whose upbringings were rough. The Zabriskie story in particular is heart-breaking.
Bottom line? If you are at all interested in Lance, the politics of professional sports or our American hero-making machinery, you gotta read Cycle of Lies.
Big props to Macur for not letting go of this epic tale and for managing the divergent stories. We’d all still be clueless about Lance if not for journalists like her. Thanks also go to a long line of embittered people betrayed over the years—it’s a tragicomedy in that sense. I can’t imagine where the screenwriters will begin, there’s almost too much material.
Macur’s disdain for Atheism is clear; Christians are the good guys and non-believers the baddies, suggesting that because Lance didn’t believe in an afterlife he was free to misbehave in the here and now. But of course the vast majority of agnostics out there aren’t sociopaths. We’re simply going about our lives best we can for the exact reason that this might be all the life we get. Ironically this whole sordid tale reveals the blindness of belief and humanity’s illogical tendency to follow its messiahs without question. A little agnosticism would have served fans well.
As a cyclist and amateur competitor I couldn’t find a place in the narrative that really captured the pure joy of cycling. But perhaps only a bike and some open road can do that. It does however delve deeply into cycling as an escape for boys whose upbringings were rough. The Zabriskie story in particular is heart-breaking.
Bottom line? If you are at all interested in Lance, the politics of professional sports or our American hero-making machinery, you gotta read Cycle of Lies.
April 7, 2015
When Lance Armstrong publicly admitted to doping, I thought, wow, this is big. It wasn't until I read this book, that I realized what a first, class, self-centered jerk Mr. Armstrong was and still is. If his so fans knew the real person, they would not be sadden, he wasn't and isn't the hero every thought he was. I loved the book and would highly recommend it.
March 23, 2016
A little background on me ~ I'm a fan of bike racing and I've been a fan at least 10 years before anyone had ever heard of Lance Armstrong, grew up watching Greg Lemond (the 1989 time trials with Lemond and Fignon - if there's a more exciting 15 minutes of sports I don't know what it is). I've always known Lance was a bad guy, what he did to Lemond was reprehensible and the list only starts there, but a part of me has always looked up to him for what he overcame and what he did for people living and battling cancer.
Are there no heroes left in the world?
This book is about the fall of Lance Armstrong. It's not a biography and not a single good thing he ever did is reported here. It's an entire book of all the shitty things he ever did, all the people he destroyed, all the rules he broke and all the drugs he took.
I'm giving the book 4 stars because I really couldn't stop reading and turning those pages. Was I turning the pages because it was a great book written by a great author (doubtful) or because I was really interested in the subject matter (probably)?
I enjoyed it.
Wish the contents of the book were not true.
But still enjoyed it.
Are there no heroes left in the world?
This book is about the fall of Lance Armstrong. It's not a biography and not a single good thing he ever did is reported here. It's an entire book of all the shitty things he ever did, all the people he destroyed, all the rules he broke and all the drugs he took.
I'm giving the book 4 stars because I really couldn't stop reading and turning those pages. Was I turning the pages because it was a great book written by a great author (doubtful) or because I was really interested in the subject matter (probably)?
I enjoyed it.
Wish the contents of the book were not true.
But still enjoyed it.
March 25, 2014
There's not much more that can be said in addition to what the public already knows about the lack of character and vicious, vengeful personality of Lance Armstrong.
As to the book itself, Macur doesn't really provide any new insight into the fall from grace of Lance Armstrong that David Walsh didn't already cover in greater detail with his books "From Lance to Landis" and "Seven Deadly Sins".
The only new or unexplored topics I gathered from this book are a more in-depth look into his childhood and upbringing as well as his relationship with JT Neal. Also, her one on one interview with Armstrong this past summer (2013) is an additional facet, but one that doesn't get nearly enough pages as the reader might hope.
Overall, I'd be more inclined to recommend both of Walsh's books (as well as Tyler Hamilton's "The Secret Race") to anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of Armstrong's doping scandal and the inevitable fallout.
Still, Macur's book is a good wrap-up to tack on.
As to the book itself, Macur doesn't really provide any new insight into the fall from grace of Lance Armstrong that David Walsh didn't already cover in greater detail with his books "From Lance to Landis" and "Seven Deadly Sins".
The only new or unexplored topics I gathered from this book are a more in-depth look into his childhood and upbringing as well as his relationship with JT Neal. Also, her one on one interview with Armstrong this past summer (2013) is an additional facet, but one that doesn't get nearly enough pages as the reader might hope.
Overall, I'd be more inclined to recommend both of Walsh's books (as well as Tyler Hamilton's "The Secret Race") to anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of Armstrong's doping scandal and the inevitable fallout.
Still, Macur's book is a good wrap-up to tack on.
January 29, 2019
An excellent telling of his story which is a true tragedy because he brought the end on himself by not stopping while he was still conning us all.
A malignant narcissist destroys those around them, yet they can constantly find new souls to feed on. And each new person thinks: he won't do this to me.
But then he does.
Years ago I once mentioned on social media that he was a cheater and was viciously attacked. Most people cited his cancer charity and my point was that if he was honest about the drugs he was taking, it would help cancer researchers as much as his money. Since the money was a byproduct of the cheating as well as the cancer.
It often takes many years before people like this fall; and in that time they wreak a path of destruction to everything they touch.
A malignant narcissist destroys those around them, yet they can constantly find new souls to feed on. And each new person thinks: he won't do this to me.
But then he does.
Years ago I once mentioned on social media that he was a cheater and was viciously attacked. Most people cited his cancer charity and my point was that if he was honest about the drugs he was taking, it would help cancer researchers as much as his money. Since the money was a byproduct of the cheating as well as the cancer.
It often takes many years before people like this fall; and in that time they wreak a path of destruction to everything they touch.
July 15, 2018
The story of Lance Armstrong is a perfect storm of bad incentives mixed with a certain type of person, in a certain social sphere of willing or complacent others, at a certain time in history. It's incredible to imagine, nevermind witness, how small misbehaviour can gradually pile up over time and become exacerbated when new incentives to maintain status, fame, and credibility intensify what would (and did) happen if those misbehaviours are discovered. You can tell the perspective offered in this book is still raw from the betrayal. As much as the author did try to maintain some objectivity, there is a lens of hurt over the story, and rightfully so. But what I wonder now is, what's next? Can even the worst villains of circumstance be forgiven?
Want to read
January 17, 2019!!
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Indexed by Susan Rescigno https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8...
See other 37 titles done: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
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April 23, 2021Забележителна книга!
Ланс Армстронг е може би най-противоречивата личност в света на спорта.
На 25-годишна възраст се преборва с рака, след което 7 пъти печели най-престижното и най-тежко състезание в колоезденето „Тур дьо Франс“. 7 пъти!
Става национален герой и идол на милиони хора по света.
Освен голям състезател Армстронг е и човек с огромно сърце. Основава Livestrong Foundation – организация, която помага на болни от рак. Заради харизмата на шампиона в тази фондация са събрани над 500 милиона долара, стотици хиляди хора са излекувани.
Но през 2012 година Армстронг е уличен в употребата на допинг (и то по свидетелства на негови съотборници!)
Всичките му титли са отнети. Обявен е за престъпник, долен лъжец, човек, опорочил спорта. Медиите го обругават. Изгонен е от фондацията, която е основал, защото петни доброто й име. Докарват го до фалит, принуден е да разпродаде имуществото си, включително мебелите от къщата си.
Телефонът му спира да звъни.
Няколко години по-късно и самата фондация фалира. Никой вече не желае да дарява в нея. Болните от рак вече не могат да разчитат на тези средства.
Чета тази книга и си мисля: Да, този човек е сгрешил. Играл е нечестно. Но от друга страна с парите, които е спечелил от нечестната си игра, е спасил от смърт стотици хиляди хора.
Хайде да сложим на везните неговите грехове и неговите добрини и честно да ги претеглим.
Кое ще натежи повече?
Лъжите му, или спасените хора?
Престъпник ли е, или герой?
Ланс Армстронг е може би най-противоречивата личност в света на спорта.
На 25-годишна възраст се преборва с рака, след което 7 пъти печели най-престижното и най-тежко състезание в колоезденето „Тур дьо Франс“. 7 пъти!
Става национален герой и идол на милиони хора по света.
Освен голям състезател Армстронг е и човек с огромно сърце. Основава Livestrong Foundation – организация, която помага на болни от рак. Заради харизмата на шампиона в тази фондация са събрани над 500 милиона долара, стотици хиляди хора са излекувани.
Но през 2012 година Армстронг е уличен в употребата на допинг (и то по свидетелства на негови съотборници!)
Всичките му титли са отнети. Обявен е за престъпник, долен лъжец, човек, опорочил спорта. Медиите го обругават. Изгонен е от фондацията, която е основал, защото петни доброто й име. Докарват го до фалит, принуден е да разпродаде имуществото си, включително мебелите от къщата си.
Телефонът му спира да звъни.
Няколко години по-късно и самата фондация фалира. Никой вече не желае да дарява в нея. Болните от рак вече не могат да разчитат на тези средства.
Чета тази книга и си мисля: Да, този човек е сгрешил. Играл е нечестно. Но от друга страна с парите, които е спечелил от нечестната си игра, е спасил от смърт стотици хиляди хора.
Хайде да сложим на везните неговите грехове и неговите добрини и честно да ги претеглим.
Кое ще натежи повече?
Лъжите му, или спасените хора?
Престъпник ли е, или герой?
April 16, 2014
Lance needs help. He has some sort of social disorder/Munchhausen's syndrome. I cannot say enough negative things about him. What I can say though, is unlike most of America, I considered him a jerk all along hiding behind his cancer survivor label. Macur details, and pulls no punches of his bullying of his teammates, his bribes of officials, his threats to sponsors, and the greed of retailers who let it go on for so long because he was profitable.
March 10, 2014
For those who have followed this story closely, there is not much new here, but if you'd like a good overview this is a great place to start. My only complaint is that there did not seem to be much of her hours of interviews with Armstrong himself.
May 7, 2017
Reading this made me want to take a shower every other page.
April 21, 2014
Cycle of Lies, by Juliet Macur, is one in an ever-growing series of books concerning post-confession Lance Armstrong, famous cyclist, cancer survivor, philan-…oh, you know all this? Well, let’s just get to the meaty stuff, then, shall we? If the public keeps buying books belonging to this burgeoning one-man sports fraud revelation industry, he keeps getting enough money to keep paying his very remarkably wealthy lawyers (who have done well regardless of Lance’s lost revenue, fled sponsors, and hemorrhaging proceeds).
Juliet Macur covers previously well-travelled ground with two distinct differences. Juliet isn’t lobbing soft balls at Armstrong, and she offers the most realistic description of what's really happening in the sport of professional cycling. No only are there no soft balls here, but Macur is firing speedballs of 100mph straight at Lance's delusional mythos. She recounts the life of Lance Armstrong from his parentage and birth, wiping out a fable (something nearly all fame-hungry athletic stars create) that Lance and his mother formulated of his life. It made a great story, one that inspired so many people, gave hope to those who needed it, and provided a certain “warm fuzzy” for the rest of us.
Allow me an important preamble to this book review in order to provide context for my perspective on Lance and cycling. I:
- am a recent recreational triathlete and cycling enthusiast, who formerly was a long-time natural amateur bodybuilder (but one who was very aware of the strong drug culture around me, and left me deeply cynical)
- first learned of Lance Armstrong from my husband, a Tour de France fan, in 2005
- couldn’t care less about Lance’s deception with regard to drug use simply because I thoroughly believe that any sport that has that much money on the line will be swimming in performance-enhancing drugs and still is
- think Lance is a world-class p***** for his behaviour, which includes using up and spitting out his “friends,” unless they have a higher Q score than he formerly had (e.g. Mathew McConnaughey and Robin Williams, but excepting Sheryl Crow), and employing legal, athletic and personal intimidation to embarrass, discredit or destroy the lives of people who challenged him, but who probably at one time were not really a threat
If you still have some respect or liking for Lance Armstrong and want to keep it, don’t read this book! It takes only a few paragraphs to realize that Juliet is taking a very hard line, and I fervently hope that other reviewers of her book do not fall back on ugly timeworn descriptors such as “shrill” or “shrewish,” simply because she isn’t being “nice.” That said, I did feel that there was a certain amount of vitriol that felt a little personal, if not undeserved (it was). Now, for more some disclosure on my part…most of what Juliet wrote here was not only not a surprise, as I have read a lot about Lance Armstrong over the years both laudatory and critical (mostly laudatory), but some hypotheses I had related to my husband and others turned out to be confirmed. None of these are spoilers and include the notions that:
- Lance couldn’t compete against other admitted or caught drug users, win and not be using
- he was arrogant, vengeful and petty; and that he should have kept his head down after his first retirement or it would cost him dearly
- he should never have pushed people so far that they would have nothing left to lose including having either paid Floyd Landis off or “found” him a job after he was accused of doping, but yet tried to continue on in the sport
The book was very well researched, and covers a great deal of history. It includes new tidbits that I will not spoil here. Macur was honest and forthcoming about her persecution by Lance, but did not delve much into how that motivated her in writing the book; however, a look at the acknowledgements explain what led her to writing about cycling participants and her New York Times bio explains her connection with journalism and sport. Her feelings about Lance and his actions are really only revealed in her personal interviews with him, and the reader is left in no doubt of her contempt. The rest of the book is investigative detail or takes on the voice of the person who is narrating their part in the story. At times, this is a little disconcerting and confusing, as I questioned her naiveté of a statement about cleaning up the sport, until I realized she was speaking as the voice of someone else.
As stated before, if you want to believe in wonderful fairytales of people who can succeed in any professional sport against the odds, rising from the ashes of a ragged, disappointing childhood (that may or may not be real) or some egregious devastating circumstance (and Lance’s cancer was devastating; his recovery remarkable) to become pre-eminent in a sport with millions or billions of dollars of endorsement and profit, then don’t read this, as it will lead you to a cynicism at which others have already arrived. If you want to understand the motivations, pressures, and truths of professional sports and no longer be “snowed” by the publicity or the less gentlemanly sportsmen and women, then by all means, lift the cover. It’s an enthralling read that, should you have any interest in the sport of cycling, you will likely not put down.
Juliet Macur covers previously well-travelled ground with two distinct differences. Juliet isn’t lobbing soft balls at Armstrong, and she offers the most realistic description of what's really happening in the sport of professional cycling. No only are there no soft balls here, but Macur is firing speedballs of 100mph straight at Lance's delusional mythos. She recounts the life of Lance Armstrong from his parentage and birth, wiping out a fable (something nearly all fame-hungry athletic stars create) that Lance and his mother formulated of his life. It made a great story, one that inspired so many people, gave hope to those who needed it, and provided a certain “warm fuzzy” for the rest of us.
Allow me an important preamble to this book review in order to provide context for my perspective on Lance and cycling. I:
- am a recent recreational triathlete and cycling enthusiast, who formerly was a long-time natural amateur bodybuilder (but one who was very aware of the strong drug culture around me, and left me deeply cynical)
- first learned of Lance Armstrong from my husband, a Tour de France fan, in 2005
- couldn’t care less about Lance’s deception with regard to drug use simply because I thoroughly believe that any sport that has that much money on the line will be swimming in performance-enhancing drugs and still is
- think Lance is a world-class p***** for his behaviour, which includes using up and spitting out his “friends,” unless they have a higher Q score than he formerly had (e.g. Mathew McConnaughey and Robin Williams, but excepting Sheryl Crow), and employing legal, athletic and personal intimidation to embarrass, discredit or destroy the lives of people who challenged him, but who probably at one time were not really a threat
If you still have some respect or liking for Lance Armstrong and want to keep it, don’t read this book! It takes only a few paragraphs to realize that Juliet is taking a very hard line, and I fervently hope that other reviewers of her book do not fall back on ugly timeworn descriptors such as “shrill” or “shrewish,” simply because she isn’t being “nice.” That said, I did feel that there was a certain amount of vitriol that felt a little personal, if not undeserved (it was). Now, for more some disclosure on my part…most of what Juliet wrote here was not only not a surprise, as I have read a lot about Lance Armstrong over the years both laudatory and critical (mostly laudatory), but some hypotheses I had related to my husband and others turned out to be confirmed. None of these are spoilers and include the notions that:
- Lance couldn’t compete against other admitted or caught drug users, win and not be using
- he was arrogant, vengeful and petty; and that he should have kept his head down after his first retirement or it would cost him dearly
- he should never have pushed people so far that they would have nothing left to lose including having either paid Floyd Landis off or “found” him a job after he was accused of doping, but yet tried to continue on in the sport
The book was very well researched, and covers a great deal of history. It includes new tidbits that I will not spoil here. Macur was honest and forthcoming about her persecution by Lance, but did not delve much into how that motivated her in writing the book; however, a look at the acknowledgements explain what led her to writing about cycling participants and her New York Times bio explains her connection with journalism and sport. Her feelings about Lance and his actions are really only revealed in her personal interviews with him, and the reader is left in no doubt of her contempt. The rest of the book is investigative detail or takes on the voice of the person who is narrating their part in the story. At times, this is a little disconcerting and confusing, as I questioned her naiveté of a statement about cleaning up the sport, until I realized she was speaking as the voice of someone else.
As stated before, if you want to believe in wonderful fairytales of people who can succeed in any professional sport against the odds, rising from the ashes of a ragged, disappointing childhood (that may or may not be real) or some egregious devastating circumstance (and Lance’s cancer was devastating; his recovery remarkable) to become pre-eminent in a sport with millions or billions of dollars of endorsement and profit, then don’t read this, as it will lead you to a cynicism at which others have already arrived. If you want to understand the motivations, pressures, and truths of professional sports and no longer be “snowed” by the publicity or the less gentlemanly sportsmen and women, then by all means, lift the cover. It’s an enthralling read that, should you have any interest in the sport of cycling, you will likely not put down.
February 7, 2020
A page turner for sure. For me, the biggest question at the end is not did he do it, but did he get targeted? Was he used to set an example and was that easy because he was the face of the sport and, by his own admission, guilty. I don't know. The book delivers alot of facts but it also gives the feel that it is wrapped a bit in its own bias. I will definitely be doing some more research!
April 2, 2019
3.5 stars
April 12, 2020
Informative, pretty evident the author doesn’t like lance though. I like lance.
May 11, 2023
Reportaż dobry, ale ja się wynudziłam okrutnie :/
December 27, 2018
IF LIFETIME MAKES A MOVIE ABOUT WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT LANCE ARMSTRONG IS CAST ME AS BETSY ANDREU
March 19, 2023
Read for my audit class lol, it was pretty good, my first exposure to the whole Armstrong thing since I was too young to understand what was going on when it was actually going on. Obviously a little biased in portraying him but definitely some cool behind the scenes information.
January 22, 2016
You might have thought that public opinion of Lance Armstrong could not get any more scornful or derisive than after the exposure of his systematic cheating and intimidation. The journalist Juliet Macur, however, sets out in “Cycle of Lies: the fall of Lance Armstrong” to discover what motivated the disgraced ex-cyclist in his decades of cheating and what made him so terrifyingly single-minded in his pursuit of Tour de France glory.
Unsurprisingly, “Cycle of Lies” covers a lot of same ground as David Walsh’s “Seven Deadly Sins”, “Wheelmen” by Albergotti and O’Connell, and the superb “Secret Race” by Daniel Coyle and Tyler Hamilton. One would have thought that with the glut of Armstrong-related books over the last 5 years that this would be a well-worn topic, but Macur manages to uncover some revelations that even hardcore cycling fanatics might not know. For example, Armstrong was first introduced to the notorious doping doctor Michel Ferrari by none other than Eddy Merckx - the most venerated and respected cyclist in the history of the sport. Furthermore, Armstong initially agreed to give 10% of his salary to Ferrari in return for the disgraced doctor’s assistance in beating the drug testers. And when one of Armstrong’s teammates, Fabio Casartelli, died in a horrific crash at the 1995 Tour de France, Armstrong’s team persuaded the authorities not to conduct an autopsy on the deceased rider for fear it would reveal evidence of doping.
Macur is excellent on Lance’s Texas childhood, showing the adolescent Armstrong to be a brash, obnoxious bully with an upbringing far more pampered than the poverty-stricken background depicted in his numerous autobiographies. “Cycle of Lies” shows how Armstrong’s record of using performance-enhancing drugs stretches back to the very start of his professional career (and that the young Armstrong didn’t need much convincing to go down the path of doping). Macur is also very insightful on how the wives and girlfriends of professional cyclists coped with the doping culture and the lies and hypocrisies this culture forced on them. Indeed, the great strength of “Cycle of Lies” are the hugely detailed interviews that Macur has carried out with the fringe characters who assisted Armstrong in his deceitful successes – and who ultimately felt Armstrong turn on them as his world began to crumble.
“Cycle of Lies” reads like an unmerciful, unrelenting kicking to the last shreds of Lance Armstrong’s reputation. Even his charitable works with the Livestrong foundation are viewed by Macur as merely part of a cynical strategy – “Lance’s Cancer shield” – to curry favour with the public and distract from the truth behind his achievements. For a reader like myself (who had considered Armstrong to be a cheating, conniving sociopath long before his public fall from grace), I was left wondering: could Macur not find any redeeming qualities in the guy? But, maybe the conclusion to take from Macur’s meticulously-researched, superby-written book is that Lance Armstrong really is that much of an arrogant, irredeemable bastard. Recommended, both for cycling fans, and for those who long to see monumental hubris get its comeuppance.
Unsurprisingly, “Cycle of Lies” covers a lot of same ground as David Walsh’s “Seven Deadly Sins”, “Wheelmen” by Albergotti and O’Connell, and the superb “Secret Race” by Daniel Coyle and Tyler Hamilton. One would have thought that with the glut of Armstrong-related books over the last 5 years that this would be a well-worn topic, but Macur manages to uncover some revelations that even hardcore cycling fanatics might not know. For example, Armstrong was first introduced to the notorious doping doctor Michel Ferrari by none other than Eddy Merckx - the most venerated and respected cyclist in the history of the sport. Furthermore, Armstong initially agreed to give 10% of his salary to Ferrari in return for the disgraced doctor’s assistance in beating the drug testers. And when one of Armstrong’s teammates, Fabio Casartelli, died in a horrific crash at the 1995 Tour de France, Armstrong’s team persuaded the authorities not to conduct an autopsy on the deceased rider for fear it would reveal evidence of doping.
Macur is excellent on Lance’s Texas childhood, showing the adolescent Armstrong to be a brash, obnoxious bully with an upbringing far more pampered than the poverty-stricken background depicted in his numerous autobiographies. “Cycle of Lies” shows how Armstrong’s record of using performance-enhancing drugs stretches back to the very start of his professional career (and that the young Armstrong didn’t need much convincing to go down the path of doping). Macur is also very insightful on how the wives and girlfriends of professional cyclists coped with the doping culture and the lies and hypocrisies this culture forced on them. Indeed, the great strength of “Cycle of Lies” are the hugely detailed interviews that Macur has carried out with the fringe characters who assisted Armstrong in his deceitful successes – and who ultimately felt Armstrong turn on them as his world began to crumble.
“Cycle of Lies” reads like an unmerciful, unrelenting kicking to the last shreds of Lance Armstrong’s reputation. Even his charitable works with the Livestrong foundation are viewed by Macur as merely part of a cynical strategy – “Lance’s Cancer shield” – to curry favour with the public and distract from the truth behind his achievements. For a reader like myself (who had considered Armstrong to be a cheating, conniving sociopath long before his public fall from grace), I was left wondering: could Macur not find any redeeming qualities in the guy? But, maybe the conclusion to take from Macur’s meticulously-researched, superby-written book is that Lance Armstrong really is that much of an arrogant, irredeemable bastard. Recommended, both for cycling fans, and for those who long to see monumental hubris get its comeuppance.
January 29, 2019
I'm not a fan of Armstrong. Never was particularly, not for any reason and I didn't dislike him either as an athlete. Of course I don't know him personally. It's just that I always found cycling to be so obviously and hopelessly tainted by drugs that I never found the protagonists in the frame of the Tour de France to be particularly worthy of attention. Arrogant of me I accept.
This book paints Armstrong in a very unflattering light: arrogant, self absorbed, bullying, cheating etc. Most of this has become apparent since his fall from grace and therefore isn't a surprise to the reader. It is interesting though, that his dominance of the team, and his desire to by the champion was indeed all consuming and if you stood in his way, look out.
I enjoyed the book and it seems very well researched. LA seems to be as unlikable as they come. I wonder though, if his personality isn't simply true of all these hyper competitive athletes? Was Michael Jordan the same? Maybe there is something particularly loathsome about LA (as loathsome he undoubtedly is, according to this account) but this wasn't addressed and is probably outside the scope of this book anyway. It is a naturally biased account but there is some attempt at balance. Is it cheating if everyone's doing it? This seems to be LA's argument when he finally admits it but is not really developed as far as I would have liked in the narrative.
In my view it is cheating and I hate the fact that so much top level sport is ruined by PEDs. Casual acceptance that it's ok if everyone does it is cheating the true fans of he sport who deserve much better than that, and deserve much better than Armstrong in my opinion. I accept this is a difficult one - how many of us would have said no to taking drugs if that was perceived as being the only way? I'd like to think I would but I suspect not. So, as bad as this story seems, there is an organizational element that can't be ignored that allowed Armstrong's cheating to survive and thrive.
A good book even for the non-cyclists among us. Detailed and well written with lots of personal conversations and well structured timelines.
This book paints Armstrong in a very unflattering light: arrogant, self absorbed, bullying, cheating etc. Most of this has become apparent since his fall from grace and therefore isn't a surprise to the reader. It is interesting though, that his dominance of the team, and his desire to by the champion was indeed all consuming and if you stood in his way, look out.
I enjoyed the book and it seems very well researched. LA seems to be as unlikable as they come. I wonder though, if his personality isn't simply true of all these hyper competitive athletes? Was Michael Jordan the same? Maybe there is something particularly loathsome about LA (as loathsome he undoubtedly is, according to this account) but this wasn't addressed and is probably outside the scope of this book anyway. It is a naturally biased account but there is some attempt at balance. Is it cheating if everyone's doing it? This seems to be LA's argument when he finally admits it but is not really developed as far as I would have liked in the narrative.
In my view it is cheating and I hate the fact that so much top level sport is ruined by PEDs. Casual acceptance that it's ok if everyone does it is cheating the true fans of he sport who deserve much better than that, and deserve much better than Armstrong in my opinion. I accept this is a difficult one - how many of us would have said no to taking drugs if that was perceived as being the only way? I'd like to think I would but I suspect not. So, as bad as this story seems, there is an organizational element that can't be ignored that allowed Armstrong's cheating to survive and thrive.
A good book even for the non-cyclists among us. Detailed and well written with lots of personal conversations and well structured timelines.
April 25, 2016
I listened to the audiobook and, wow. This is a truly scathing portrait of Armstrong and all he did to cover his drug use during his career. It would be hard for anyone to convince me that the author didn't take some measure of pride in being able to expose who Armstrong really was. Despite that obvious slant, it never came across as withholding of any truth that might make the reader feel sympathetic toward him.
My impressions were: 1) What's the moral/ethical foundation for government agencies banning doping in cycling if, in fact, everyone really is already doing it? If the issue is a level playing field then why not just allow and regulate PEDs? In that regard, I can understand Lance's argument that it isn't cheating if everyone is doing it. I don't condone it, but I understand that mentality; 2) Lance was the fall guy for a whole system of dopers because his hubris never allowed him to stop being a jerk and just tell the truth. He's a real-life Icarus, who met a similarly unsavory end.
My impressions were: 1) What's the moral/ethical foundation for government agencies banning doping in cycling if, in fact, everyone really is already doing it? If the issue is a level playing field then why not just allow and regulate PEDs? In that regard, I can understand Lance's argument that it isn't cheating if everyone is doing it. I don't condone it, but I understand that mentality; 2) Lance was the fall guy for a whole system of dopers because his hubris never allowed him to stop being a jerk and just tell the truth. He's a real-life Icarus, who met a similarly unsavory end.
May 9, 2014
"Cycling is a drug sport, that's it. It will always be a drug sport."
This Juan Pelota was a pathological liar who used all his money and power and had no qualms about crushing those who disagreed with him; an arrogant bully who turned his back on those he had no use for anymore. He took the hit for all the sport's sins because he was in the public eye, but he still would not let himself be humbled. He used Livestrong and his cancer survivor story as both shield and weapon even when the American public couldn't find the heart to chase down its sports hero.
A most fascinating read about the Fall of Icarus. Highly recommended.
This Juan Pelota was a pathological liar who used all his money and power and had no qualms about crushing those who disagreed with him; an arrogant bully who turned his back on those he had no use for anymore. He took the hit for all the sport's sins because he was in the public eye, but he still would not let himself be humbled. He used Livestrong and his cancer survivor story as both shield and weapon even when the American public couldn't find the heart to chase down its sports hero.
A most fascinating read about the Fall of Icarus. Highly recommended.
April 14, 2024
Raamatut alustades ei teadnud ma midagi ei Armstrongist, ega tema dopinguskandaalist, ning just see tegi lugemise erit põnevaks. Tema elulugu on ikka hullumeelne. Sest imagine, oled megaandekas, kuid mitte piisavalt, niiet hakkad võtma dopingut. Saad kuulsaks triatleediks ja ratturiks tänu sellele. Jääd liigse dopingutarvitamise pärast raskesse vähki. Saad mingi ime läbi vähist terveks, kuid otsustad edasi veel rohkem EPOt ja veredopingut võtta, et sporti tagasi tulla. Võidad 7 Tour de France hiilides dopingutestidest ja süüdistustest kõrvale ning eitades kõike. Oled maailma kuulsaim sportlane. Kui kõik see ükskord avalikuks tuleb. Crazy lugu ja raske oli raamatut käest panna.
June 7, 2015
Wow, you will not believe nd dangerous sport of cycling. This book covers the culture of professional cycling, from the 1960's to the present. Through the years, cyclists have gone to bizarre and dangerous extremes - using every kind of drug imaginable and intricate doping schemes (to get around mandatory testing) - to win.
Lance Armstrong took for granted the cheating and doping as part of the sport and the path to victory.
I always thought it highly unlikely for one person to win the Tour de France three! Four!!! Five!!! Times.. it was done with an almost sci fi. level of cheating.
Lance Armstrong took for granted the cheating and doping as part of the sport and the path to victory.
I always thought it highly unlikely for one person to win the Tour de France three! Four!!! Five!!! Times.. it was done with an almost sci fi. level of cheating.
March 31, 2014
Cycle of Lies is a well-reported chronicle of PED use in the fraternity of competitive cycling. Lance Armstrong comes off as a narcissistic bully--the strongest cyclist by far in a sport wracked by cheating and fraud. Juliet Macur writes well, but the book's subject matter was distasteful. The fictional Lance Armstrong was a superhero. The real Lance Armstrong is a sad, altogether flawed man now suffering the consequences of a career based on lies.
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