“It Was an Eye Opening Experience”: Lance Armstrong Recalls His First Ever Trip Down the PED Lane

Lance Armstrong is a name that doesn’t go well with his sporting history. The American cyclist who had won seven Tour de France titles was later found to be accused of doping, for which he lost all the titles. He even accepted that he did use performance-enhancing drugs, or PEDs, during his career. Just a decade ago, he was banned from every competitive sport.

In a recent podcast with Paul Kimmage, Lance Armstrong revealed his first PED experience. Somehow, even after getting all his titles taken away from him, he has no regret for using PEDs. Journalist Paul Kimmage also played a vital role in exposing the disgraced cyclist.

Hands-on review by Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. He recovered and returned to cycling in 1999. Since then, he has kept on dominating the tracks. But who knew what was hidden behind his achievements?

“Because I understood the power of performance-enhancing drugs,” Lance said, and continued, “It was an eye-open experience.” He described his first time using PEDs, which, of course, gave him a leap in power. 

“So, I walked into that room feeling a bit low unsure of myself worried about how would I perform,” Lance said. This was just before he took the PEDs. In 1999, when he got back from a long hiatus, he wasn’t feeling great about the sport. He had trust issues with his skills, which eventually led him to consume PEDs. 

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“I could run through the wall, I was invincible,” Lance added, “So I understood how powerful the drugs were.” Just after consuming PEDs, he wasn’t himself anymore. The amount of power he felt running through his veins wasn’t normal, even for him. No wonder he went on a winning streak in the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005. 

Punishment for the notorious act

Lance Armstrong retired from cycling in 2011. His former teammate Floyd Landis mailed USA Cycling officials about him and his teammates, including Lance, being involved in doping.

Later in 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) revealed that Lance’s doctors, managers, and trainers were involved in his doping conspiracy. Lance tried to prove his innocence but was unable to do so. In the end, Lance’s awards were taken from him.

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