Local Cyclists Respond To Lance Armstrong's Doping Admission
By: Matthew Farrell
Updated: January 15, 2013
MIDLAND -- Ed Nix has been a cyclist since his retirement in 2003.
He has always been a big supporter of Lance Armstrong.
"He was my hero," Nix said.
He even saw Armstrong as an inspiration during his wife's fight with cancer.
"My wife had cancer when i started riding. I read all his books and it motivated me to get in shape so i could take care of her," Nix continued.
Even with Armstrong's recent admission to using performance enhancing substances during his Tour de France tour de force, Nix says he still appreciates Armstrong's work, not only on the track, but also with the Livestrong Foundation.
"I still think he was a great cyclist and his fight for cancer has been very very good," Nix said.
David Ham owns Peyton's Bike's in Midland, and as such he gets a first hand experience with Midland cyclists.
He says most cyclists around the area just want to move on.
"Seems like it's the majority of people are more of 'Hey, lets drop it and get on with things that are going on now and not things that happened 9 years ago,'" Ham said.
Everyone seems to agree that despite these latest developments, Armstrong has done great things for the sport of cycling in America.
"With him doing what he did, it brought the sport...made people appreciate it for what it is," Ham told Big 2.
They also hope that the Livestrong Foundation can survive beyond this scandal and continues to help people.
Ham said that the Livestrong organization should live on and that it will be a better legacy for Armstrong than cycling.
Everyone we talked to agreed that Lance Armstrong put cycling on the map in America and motivated cyclists in America to recognize it as a sport.
There was some disappointment due to Armstrong's denial of using PED's, but he is still a pioneer for the sport in America.
He has always been a big supporter of Lance Armstrong.
"He was my hero," Nix said.
He even saw Armstrong as an inspiration during his wife's fight with cancer.
"My wife had cancer when i started riding. I read all his books and it motivated me to get in shape so i could take care of her," Nix continued.
Even with Armstrong's recent admission to using performance enhancing substances during his Tour de France tour de force, Nix says he still appreciates Armstrong's work, not only on the track, but also with the Livestrong Foundation.
"I still think he was a great cyclist and his fight for cancer has been very very good," Nix said.
David Ham owns Peyton's Bike's in Midland, and as such he gets a first hand experience with Midland cyclists.
He says most cyclists around the area just want to move on.
"Seems like it's the majority of people are more of 'Hey, lets drop it and get on with things that are going on now and not things that happened 9 years ago,'" Ham said.
Everyone seems to agree that despite these latest developments, Armstrong has done great things for the sport of cycling in America.
"With him doing what he did, it brought the sport...made people appreciate it for what it is," Ham told Big 2.
They also hope that the Livestrong Foundation can survive beyond this scandal and continues to help people.
Ham said that the Livestrong organization should live on and that it will be a better legacy for Armstrong than cycling.
Everyone we talked to agreed that Lance Armstrong put cycling on the map in America and motivated cyclists in America to recognize it as a sport.
There was some disappointment due to Armstrong's denial of using PED's, but he is still a pioneer for the sport in America.
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