Lance Armstrong continues his amazing performance

This is getting to be a habit.
Each year about this time we are forced to express anew our admiration for Lance Armstrong.
Four years ago, Armstrong amazed the cycling world specifically and the world in general by celebrating his victory over cancer with a win in the Tour de France, unarguably the most grueling personal athletic event in sports.
This year, Armstrong became the second man in history to win the event five straight times. And this was, perhaps, his most dramatic victory.
Unlike recent years, Armstrong struggled at times, particularly through the middle of the race, before emerging in victory. But the tale of the tape would indicate that Armstrong hadn't lost his edge; his competition has gotten stronger. Over the 23-day, 2,125-mile event, his average speed was 25.38 mph, which broke the record he set when winning in 1999.
Uphill battle
That would be extraordinary in itself, but Armstrong had been ill before the race's start, a preparatory race he hoped to ride in was canceled, he suffered tendinitis caused by new shoes, a brake malfunctioned, causing drag on his rear wheel during a grueling mountain climb and he was involved in two accidents.
Armstrong's coach credits the second accident, a freak, with snapping Armstrong out of a funk. In a piece written for the Associated Press, Chris Carmichael, said Armstrong had fallen out of his normal Tour de France rhythm and was struggling late in the race.
On the road to Luz-Ardiden, a spectator's handbag snagged the handlebars on Armstrong's bike, sending him to the pavement. Carmichael wrote: "In that moment, the accumulated clutter of the previous two weeks fell away and Lance saw exactly what had to happen. He had to get up, get back on his bike, and win the Tour de France on that climb. There was no decision to be made, no strategy to be discussed; it was time to go and put an end to the idea that anyone was going to take his yellow jersey."
Six days later, Armstrong rode into Paris triumphant, registering a 61-second margin of victory over his perennial rival, Jan Urlich, who has won the race once, in 1997, and has finished second five times.
They'll be back
Urlich says he will be back next year. So will Armstrong.
Armstrong won in record time, joined Miguel Indurain as the only rider to win five straight Tours, overcame physical and mechanical challenges, and yet someone had the gall to describe his performance as not acceptable. And who was that someone? Armstrong.
"I love cycling, I love my job and I will be back," Armstrong said. "In many ways, I'm coming back to hopefully return to a level that I had for the first four because this year was not acceptable."
As tough as it might be to cover almost 100 miles a day on a bicycle over a grueling course, Armstrong still manages to be tougher on himself than any race could be.
That trait is just one of the things that makes him an inspirational champion.