“Like Having a Part of Your Life Amputated”: 90s Pop Legend Felt at Peace After Ending Troublesome Engagement With Lance Armstrong Once

Lance Armstrong was a once revered athlete. The massively popular cycling star began dating an equally famous musician, Sheryl Crow, in 2003. The couple became the talk of the town and was spotted together at events. Crow traveled to France to see Lance race at the Tour de France. The couple even got engaged.

However, five months after their engagement, Lance and Sheryl parted ways. The couple shocked their fans with the news. Years later, in an interview with Good Morning America, the country singer opened up about her breakup with Lance.

Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow: A painful departure

Sheryl Crow once appeared on Good Morning America and spoke about her breakup with the Tour de France winner. “There’s definitely, you know, a fissure. It is like a death, you know. In many ways, it’s like having a part of your life amputated,” said the 90s pop star. She also said not having Lance around initially felt like having a “phantom itch.”

However, Sheryl didn’t have any harsh words for the cycling legend. She said it came down to each of them wanting something different after marriage. “I can’t be angry at Lance for being who he is. You know, he’s a great person, and it’s his life too,” said Crow.

“We really love each other a lot.” said the singer-songwriter. In his 2009 book, “Lance”, the cycling legend revealed why their engagement became troublesome, and they parted ways. “She wanted marriage, she wanted children,” said Armstrong. While Lance also wanted to settle down, he wasn’t ready in 2006 because he had ended his marriage with Kristin Richard.

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“Yet we’re up against her biological clock — that pressure is what cracked it (the engagement)” explained Armstrong. Armstrong and Crow had a nine-year age difference between them. When the two got engaged, Sheryl was in her mid-forties and didn’t want to wait too long to have kids.

Armstrong remembers Sheryl affectionately

In an interview with Howard Stern of Sirius Mx. radio, Lance affectionately recalled his ex in 2017. “It was a good ride. She’s a great lady,” said the seven-time Tour de France winner. “To her credit, she was a stay-at-home — one of the biggest rock stars — but she was a great partner.” he also said.

However, Lance also recalled how maintaining a high-profile relationship wasn’t easy. However, Lance and Sheryl made it work for three years before their ill-fated engagement. 

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While things didn’t work out between them, the couple parted ways peacefully without souring the good memories.