F E A T U R E S

TOUR DE FRANCE 2005
EXCLUSIVE:
BREAKING AWAY
Call it Astounding Athletic Greatness 101: In our tribute to, and conversation with, Lance Armstrong, the emphasis is on endurance, commitment, discipline, and the most incredible stretch of dominance in cycling history.
By Hal Espen

STREET FIGHTING MAN
What was it like to be Lance in the 2004 Tour as he flattened foes, got spat on by crowds, turbocharged his way up killer mountain stages—and flashed his "Dead Elvis Grin"? In this excerpt from the riveting new book Lance Armstrong's War, you're placed right in the saddle with the best rider we'll ever see.
By Daniel Coyle

COMING ATTRACTION
Craig Lewis, a 20-year-old dynamo from Spartanburg, South Carolina, has the raw talent and physical gifts to be a Tour champ. All he needs is experience, nonstop coaching, and about seven more years of pain.
By Andrew Vontz
PLUS: The inside word on this year's TOUGHEST RIDERS AND TEAMS ; a family tree of U.S. POSTAL ALUMS ; and the all-time MIGHTIEST MOMENTS in the history of the Tour

THE AWFUL TRUTH ABOUT DRUGS IN SPORTS
UCLA's Dr. Don Catlin, a top scientist in the escalating war between drug testers and athletes who cheat, has some jaw-dropping news: The bad guys will always win. Now he's masterminded a revolutionary new anti-doping system. Can he make it fly?
By Brian Alexander

BALKAN SURPRISE
Croatia is the go-to destination of the new Europe, thanks to sun-soaked islands, sailing action, adventure ops, celeb-filled hangouts—and a dawning era of peace eclipsing years of war. You'll be booking a return before you can say "Odlicno!"
By Tim Sohn

D E P A R T M E N T S

DISPATCHES
» After completing his sixth BBC travelogue, Monty Python's MICHAEL PALIN has a telling tea with Outside correspondent David Rakoff