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Friday, August 31, 2012

My Life With Lance Armstrong

I was Lance’s personal assistant for two years, during the height of his racing career. Do I think he cheated? Yep. But my real problem is something that diehard fans seem unable to grasp: the vengeful tactics he uses against people who tell the truth about him, on and off the bike.

By:
Mike Anderson in 2005, at his home in Austin, Texas. Photo: Thomas Terry/Associated Press

Sometimes I look back at my old decisions with regret. I’m still in the bike business, but until now I’ve been hesitant to let anyone know what my past contains—fully aware that, in the polarized world of cycling, doing so would earn me respect from some fans and hatred from others.

In the absence of any benefit from my time with Armstrong—the moral and ethical lessons notwithstanding—I’m in the same place as before. Geographically, of course, I’m as far removed from Lance Armstrong as possible. And that’s the one part of this story that feels pretty good.

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