Dear Lance,
I wish I could say, without question, that I believe you. I want to. So badly. But where there is smoke...
I do think you have been the victim of a witch hunt. The USADA is a seriously flawed organization and I think that Travis Tygart was definitely out to get you. Even a federal judge question the motives behind this investigation. And the list of witnesses are far from credible, since all of them have either admitted to doping or been caught by testing postive for performance enhancing drugs. Plus they have been promised immunity and allowed to continue to race so really they have nothing to lose by telling the USADA what they want to hear. Not to mention we're talking about races that were won over a decade ago. And I still have not seen proof of a failed drug test. But still. So many pointing fingers...
I'd never watched a cycling race in my life until you'd already won the Tour de France once. You sparked my attention, so I kept watching. Every pedal turn of the next 6 years. I learned the sport. I learned your story. I read your books. I shared them with friends that were fighting cancer as means of inspiration. I have yellow bands, yellow blankets, water bottles - all calling us to "Livestrong". I saw you has a fighter. A dad with an incredible story to pass on to his children. Someone to emulate. To admire. To point to as an example.
No one can deny that you can climb a mountain on your bike. Drugs or no drugs, you did that. I saw it. No one can deny that you helped and continue to help people fighing cancer, and work to find a cure. That legacy continues. I just can't help but wonder what happened to the guy who fought a cancer that gave him a 2% chance of survial and won? If you, as you say, have never doped - then why have you stopped fighting?
If you did this thing they said you did - if you doped your way to 7 Tour wins - I wish you'd just say so. Don't you understand that to continue to lie about it just makes you look worse? Makes the fall even harder? Makes it all even more disappointing for those of us who have believed in you all this time? Just tell the truth, do the penance, and move on. Instead, you've quit fighting the legal system. Nike turned their backs. And today, you stepped away from the people you wanted to inspire the most - your cancer family. What are you hiding from? Never mind. I'm pretty sure at this point I don't want to know.
The definition of a hero is a person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities. That's hard to come by these days. Until today, you were one of my heros. I don't think I can say that anymore. Not unless you prove these people wrong.
I don't know that stripping you of your titles and passing off the Yellow Jersey will matter. I mean, the riders behind you have all been caught or admitted doping themselves, so what's the point? Regardless of what happens next, the jersey, along with my waterbottles, blanket, and arm bands have been seriously tarnished.
I'm just so disappointed.
And very, very sad.
