Lance Armstrong
Author isn't what comes first to mind when you hear the name Lance Armstrong. Instead, most people summon up the image of the superstar cyclist who has been a cycling champion, climbed the Alps, and defeated cancer.
Born in 1971, Armstrong competed in the Barcelona Olympics and competed on the Motorola Cycling team, winning the World Championship in 1993. In 1996 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that rapidly spread. He fought it through surgery and chemotherapy despite being given only a 40% chance at survival. Within a year, he was cancer free and went on to compete in the Tour de France. He also wrote his biography, It's Not About the Bike.
Armstrong won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 and was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2002. He was four times named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Armstrong retired from racing on July 24, 2005.
