A Thorn In Their Side

Lance Armstrong was once so revered by the Industry and Press that even his shades were worth $4.5K!

So, the "Tour" is going on now. A bike race so famous that every cyclist and many non-cyclists know it by that name only. The "most famous cycling race in the World", and that's not hyperbole. No other racing event on human powered, two wheeled vehicles is as well known. This is a point which needs to be made up front here. The Tour has "pull". Non-endemic media knows this. They want to capitalize upon this fact.

Now I've seen the outrage on social media from several in the endemic cycling media in regard to Lance Armstrong having been invited on NBC's broadcast covering the Tour this year. They point and say, "Bad Guy should not be anywhere near this event he has disgraced!" They have a valid point. But they are in the vast minority. One of the points I try to remind myself of when speaking about cycling is that I am a weirdo when it comes to this sport I enjoy. I am a "one in a million" socially. Most folks think I should die because I take up "their space on the road", and those not so inclined to violence just think I am an oddball. Guess what? That's what most people think about most avid cyclists too. The "populace at large" really don't care what we think about Lance.

All they know is that the Tour de France race was won by him and some arcane rule about drugs, (which everybody knows they all were on) forced him to fall from Grace. Time has marched on, but Lance, the anti-Hero, is still remembered by the Average Guy & Gal as that Texan that spanked the World in its Biggest Event. So he got disqualified, yada,yada,yada.... He still knows a thing or three about how to ride in this event.

And you can go see the comments on most any story or video posted about his commentary on this year's Tour. There are a LOT of supporters. In my opinion, Lance is a ho-hum media presence. His persona, on camera at least, leaves me flat, but .......he does have some insight. NBC knows this. They know Lance has a lot of fans amongst the non-cycling public, and they really don't care if the small, vocal minority of cycling freaks are screaming for Lance to "get off their lawn." Apparently neither does "Outside Online", since they are also featuring Lance's commentary.

Back in the 00's, there was this thing in the cycling industry called "The Lance Effect". Armstrong was credited with bumping up the cycling industry's sales of road racing bikes, and no doubt he generated tons of dollars for the cycling media. Both entities have since washed their hands of the man, declaring him a pariah on the sport, and specifically upon the event he so "tarnished". Now the the "Lance Effect" represents clicks and viewership for the non-endemic media, and it isn't going over well with those who formerly benefited from the man.

Lance remains a thorn in their side. Maybe its time to just let it go.