Is this really Lance Armstrong?
Wed, November 10, 2010
Is this really Lance Armstrong in the above video or an LA look alike?
At first I said no, it is not the real deal; I couldn't help but notice Lance's name spelled wrong on the YouTube page.
Then there is a shot at the end that shows what appears to be the inside of Armstrong's home with all his TDF yellow jerseys on display. Of course this could be a bit of cleaver editing.
If this is Lance Armstrong, it begs the question why? Why would a person of LA's standing associate himself with a group of people who in my view represent in this video the worst possible kind of cycling behavior?
The clip shows a total disregard for safety and the rules of the road, and no consideration what-so-ever for other road users.
What do you think?
Reader Comments (32)
It's hard to tell. It sure does look like him. I'm interested to see if someone posts a reply with some inside details.
Darryl
Yes, it really is Lance Armstrong. You are a bit late to the party, it's from summer 2009. Here you can find the original video: http://mashsf.com/videos.php
Looks like him to me. He wasn't shown doing anything outrageous on the bike - just those other guys when he maybe wasn't riding with them.
Why on earth would a retired pro cyclist want to spend time with people who love to ride bikes and like a cold beer and a good joke or two just as much as the rest of us do?
I bet his life would be a bitch if he constantly had to wonder whether or not the things he do fits your perception of him. As much as I dislike Lance (for upholding the omerta) I must say that you are out of line here.
And BTW, you missed calling Lance out for riding without a helmet. Tsk tsk.
s,
Sorry I'm late, I didn't get the email.
stephen_mc,
The clip shows a group cutting off a motorist who lays on the horn, then LA (If it is him.) quips, "It's all in a day." Again could be in the editing, but by association, in my view it is not good.
Torben Putkonen,
I am all for guys having fun, (and a cold beer.) but this is the kind of behavior that paints all cyclists as idiots, and by associating LA with it wil re-enforce that opinion in some people's view.
BTW I don't call people out for not wearing a helmet; it is a personal choice.
Dave
Yes, it is Lance. The MASH (MashSF.com) guys went to Austin to ride with Lance. This video is a couple years old.
Here's a better quality:
http://vimeo.com/4503482
_j
I was pretty convinced it was him after watching his riding style in the TDF. Have you read his books? He definitley has a rogue side to him. He also loves to drive cars really fast, jump off cliffs into his private quarry-pond, and play baseball with flaming gasoline soaked tennis balls.
Now he's all over guys like Tony Kornheiser? I mean it doesn't jibe with me. Oh but wait there;s a great new bike shop in Austin , promoted in this video. (kid flips his hat)
I'm sure the kid riding one handed with the Heineken keg will stop in for a Phil Wood something-or-other. I wonder if Heineken was approached. They probably were.
Torben, media focus is what drives sales . And Lance is worth millions because of that. Yes, you are correct, sometimes I doubt he cares what I think.
But I organize a bike group, and have to deal with all the residual road rage from this. It's just bad Karma.
Here's another one, from the opposing side. Go on MSN.com and look for an ad from AT&T , shows a guy text messaging on a bike and running into pedestrians on the sidewalk as a result. It's probably also on your email homepage as well.
This, I beleive is AT&T's mockery of the new DOT' s "anti texting" campaign.
To answer your question, I say no, sometimes it's more about making sales than doing the right (or the nice) thing. . And we are fighting a war because of this.
Lance probably left this on You Tube just to rebel against everyone in a passive-agressive way. A new channel for his frustrations about being scrutinized for doping, While I beleive he is innocent of that, I beleive that sometimes anger comes out the side doors...
God Bless America!
I wonder if he passed his drug test after this ride.....
Jim, the funny thing is he very well may have been drug tested afterwards. He was still racing professionally at the time, or was that during his retirement phase?
I forget.
He wrote in his book, that the UCI follow you everywhere to demand an on-the spot test.
He once had to delay taking his wife in labor to the hospital to take a drug test. Tell me that won't make you want to rebel a little.
Actually, wait, it's from 2008. Here's the original video. There is more footage on this.
Dave I think you posted an edited one. Or maybe I posted that one to you by mistake.
Check out the kid on the blue and white bike whizzing by . Is that a Fuso???!!! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgHrfHGvzmw&feature=related
As for disregard for laws…
Suppose you’re waiting to turn left at a light; the intersection cycles through but you don’t get the green arrow. How many cycles would it take before you decide to run the red light?
What if there was a car in front of you, would you honk to prompt them, or go around them, or if no one was around would you turn sooner?
Now, is there a problem with the light or the law?
Careful how you answer cause you can justify breaking any law.
My point is, what are our expectations of laws?
The law doesn’t stop people, the light does. That’s because a civil society sees it as a good idea. Laws don’t represent those ideas, stop signs and lights do.
The light won’t stop someone intent (or unintentionally) running it. Neither does a law.
So if I ride through a stop sign it is only after determining that it’s fine to do so at that time.
And a group of cyclists should realize limitations on making such determinations.
The Stop Sign represents an idea, unlike a law, which is rigid.
Steve
These guys are jerks, including Lance, and do a disservice to the rest of us that want some respect from drivers.
Steve, I think Dave pointed out his views pretty clearly . If you watch this other MASH video, it obviuolsy promotes deviant riding behavoir. Watch the descent in the begginning, and the illegal left turn against traffic.
Oh wait, CLIF BAR sponsored this????
http://vimeo.com/4504619
You can get all philosophical about "laws vs. intent", and the " meaning" of a traffic control device, and attempt to convolute it all by going off on tangents, but to me this is the ramblings of Team Asperger. I think Rock Racing will hire some of your guys.
Google that name if you want to truly delve into absurdity.
As you grow older, the frontal lobe portion of your brain matures, and you start to think about the consequences of your actions, not just in terms of "can I get away with it:", but in terms of your role as a contributor to the new renaissance of sustainable transportation.
Like a fixed gear bike, some grizzly haired "old school" rifle shooters shoot a muzzle-loader. But they don't waltz down my alleyway with the thing blazing.
If you want to ride fixie, and be all "pure", like in the days of old, then do it respectably with motorists and you will get the respect back. Forester has been screaming this for years but nobody listens,
Why? because he's old....
Give it a rest you lot he's having fun on a bike....Say no more......
Seems like a few here miss the point that it's for "entrainment".
...tongue-in-cheek...
MASH makes and sells DVD's as entrainment.
Remember, during WWII some Japanese military thought that
Abbott and Costellos " Buck Privates" was a *real* US training
film.
Try not to feel so insecure about yourself image.
Mash does not represent myself as a cyclist anymore
then Lance does.
Lead by example.
So according to Robert Graves: people need laws to know what to do, and what not to do.
That is the kind of mentality that invented attorneys and the role of government controlling people.
And to the current state of affairs we live in: so many laws no one can possibly know them all…
Now people don’t have to earn respect, or develop intuition, or wisdom. Or exhibit such arcane traits as hard work, honesty and integrity. Or individuality. Just rote obedience.
Laws and empowered governments take responsibility away from people.
Read 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress'
Oh, “the new renaissance of sustainable transportation”? What the hell is that? Sounds liberal; must have concocted that after going into debt for a college degree.
Join Team Obama…
Steve
Steve;
What is "entrainment?" Is that a word, or did you mean "entertainment'?
You wrote: : " So according to Robert Graves: people need laws to know what to do, and what not to do"..
Yes, that's correct, son. But laws only direct people in basic ways so that people won't collide . History has shown that societies cannot survive without them. But yes, it's an imperfect universe, and yes, laws do get broken. But that doesn't mean we can ignore the basic rights we are born with.
You wrote:
'That is the kind of mentality that invented attorneys and the role of government controlling people.And to the current state of affairs we live in: so many laws no one can possibly know them all'…
-You don't have to know them all.
I don't understand why you think basic traffic laws are so complex and confusing. What is it that you don't understand? I think traffic laws are pretty simple. Yes, there are people hired to uphold and support the law, traffic or otherwise. what is your point with that?
You wrote:
"Now people don’t have to earn respect, or develop intuition, or wisdom. Or exhibit such arcane traits as hard work, honesty and integrity. Or individuality. Just rote obedience".
-No they can still do that. Be individuals, work hard... That is what makes our country great. Freedom, hard work, this isn't "rote obedience". We are simply talking about being able to travel from A to B without killing someone else.
"Laws and empowered governments take responsibility away from people".
OK so move to the Amazon jungle and practice self sufficiency.
You wrote:
Oh "the new era of sustainabl transportation? What the hell is that? Sounds liberal; must have concocted that after going into debt for a college degree.Join Team Obama
-I mentioned this because I hear this all the time from the young hipsters. "oh riding fixie is so much more natural , better workout etc."
They want to be all "pure" on fixed gears, but then they smoke pot and cigarettes. Oh yeah and ride down the street waving Heineken kegs.
I almost hit one head on last night, kid came around the corner dressed in all black/gothic, going the wrong way. If I had hit him you bet your ass I would call in the law , some lawyers.
Heineken kegs, very entraining, but wat the hell is that? I view the whole movement as more of an artsy-fartsy thing than a cycling advocacy movement. And the vehicle crushing you into raspberry preserves won't care what political side you're on.
The really sad thing here is you guys all want to take one of Dave's amazing frames and build it up all fixie. The entire hipster/fixie movement is a dysfunctionl perversion of a formidable racing machine from the heyday of cycling. But the men who worked hard, obeyed laws and were truly creative and then even raced those frames don't support you. I will let Dave's repeated posts on that speak for themselves.
If you were so "hard working" and "individualistic" don't you think they'd respect you?
Remember , his apprentice now builds high grade CF frames, but the kid paid his dues.
What do you have against people who have college degrees?
…
actually, I was the one who misspelt entertainment,
If you are going to go through the trouble to point
out my mistakes you should at least take the time to make sure
whom you are misquoting.
In my haste I also combined "yourself", instead of.. "your self-image".
now, let's get back to the sewing circle!
lol
Actually everybody's been very entertraining. Thank you
Dave
Local-only and Steve:
Apologies , yes I did misquote, I meant to start out " Locals wrote" Then next line Steve wrote".
I'm not harping on your spelling, I'm not into that. I thought "entrainment" might be a slang term I have not yet heard. .
I still feel that Lance making profits by taking on that media blitz image (and vice versa, the hipsters wanna race now all of a sudden, don't they? ) is just an uncool thing for those of us who have to deal with its negative doppler effect.
If you want to race, join a racing club. Don't race in city /pedestrian traffic. Come on, now.
I stopped reading the debate half way through the comments.
Dave, I believe that to be the real Lance Armstrong. It is Austin, Texas, for certain. For the record, the scofflaw cycling antics displayed in the video are a very mild representation of how haphazardly some cyclists in ATX behave. Some people are even proud to have a story about a crash with a car.
I guess it is that weird Texas attitude that romanticizes the libertarian cowboy: "Look at my scars, and watch me ignore authority! Aren't I cool?"
I personally do not live within the Austin city limits, but in a suburb. I prefer to train on rural roads. While I used to enjoy riding in the city, the heavy traffic and poor street maintenance keep me to the south.
I was thinking about this video earlier today. I'm 27 and I did get back into biking a few years ago because of the MASH style fixed gear messenger. . . thing (now I'm a Grant Petersen disciple, but that's neither here nor there). But I'm not writing this as an "at least kids are riding argument."
What I liked about this video, and still like about this video, is that it's the only time I've seen Lance Armstrong riding a bike for fun. He isn't in his body suit, and he isn't on a 16.2 pound bike. He's riding a bicycle the way I do.
Incidentally, BIkeSnob has written about the various MASH-type video's many times. Perhaps the best comment has been: "Any street is the most dangerous one in America if you ride it like a raging schmuck. Just wait until I "drop" my own "fixie" video, in which I ride up and down the tarmac at JFK while doing elephant trunk skids and almost get hit by a Scandinavian Airlines 747. "
It really has nothing to do with the street , city, or country. Yeah I'm sure Lance had fun , and I'm sure he has fun on his training rides. Sounds like you would have enjoyed being in that video if he rides like you do, as you say.
But having fun at other's expense is just not cool , especially when there are millions of dollars at stake in everything the guy does.
Here's another example: some douchebag hammnering down Alpe D'Huez with a derailleur bike. It gets the same rating as that Lance video, IMO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJoqtnizklA&feature=related
(I understand the term douchebag has been copywrited, permission obtained)
The video proves ONE thing he is STILL alive, you try what he does and see how long you last.
John, don't get me wrong, I love the guy, I have read his books, as well as his mom's book. I think what he does for cancer is outstanding. . I actually hold no resentments toward this great racer.
In response to your words of "you try to do what he does and see how long you last":
-To advocate the simple notion of riding safely in heavy traffic, I do not have to "be Lance Armstrong" or compete with him. I simply have to follow the laws like everybody else and try to be nice and respectful to others, whether they are motorists, pedestians or other riders. I do not have to race in the TDF.
Armstrong himself admits in his book that he can at times be a "brash Texan". Which is fine! If you read his book, he was almost killed twice, once hit broadside by a car at an intersection, another time on a mountain descent, he ran into a wall head on at 30 MPH with no helmet, suffering a severe concussion.
Oh, and then there was the time he was hit head on, on a training ride in the alps. He came around the corner on a mountainside and was hit by an oncoming car because he took a chance- that there would be no car in the opposing lane.
Yes the guy is fast and powerful, but I don't expect him to be perfect. All's I'm saying here is that cycling has gotten a lot of new media focus lately. And with Contadors' battle, more bad press.
Yes there is lots of money at stake , there always is.
Let's not muddy the water.
I've never seen this before. I didn't think it was Lance, until I clicked to the high res version on Vimeo. Yeah, it's him.
Politically correct? Hell no. Who cares? I thought it was cool to see Lance out with the fixie hipsters. He certainly doesn't need to do that - shows that he just plain digs bikes and a little fun.
Nothing wrong with that at all.
Dan O:
Who cares?
Umm, The owner of this blog that you so frequently visit for FREE information about bike frames, gained from a lifetime of hard work.
That's who.
Hey Robert Graves, how come Moses came down from the mountain with only 10 laws?
Were people that different back then?
And guess who came up with more?
Can you learn from history…or is it too "old"?
Actually we are in the old world; the world was much younger back then.
Steve,
If you have such deeply rooted existentialist issues with today's current traffic laws, then I suggest rounding up all your hipster friends and do down to the State Capitol and make your case. Be specific, for ex. why it's perfectly ok to ride against traffic at night dressed in black with no headlight. (Like the kid I almost hit the other night)
I myself am perfectly content with today's traffic laws. In general, for the masses, they work well.
If a cop pulls you over, however, I suggest being civil. If you launch into some wierd rant about the Ten Commandments he's gonna get pissed and take your Masi away.
Let the man do his job.
It sure look like him. But i do hope no other cyclists will follow his lead (Lance or whoever it is in this video).
That's definitely Armstrong. The last shot of him riding is within a mile of his house where the film ends. Not sure why he would want to do this since so many kids look up to him. I live in Austin and I've always wondered why drivers weren't more friendly to cyclists given that one of their favorite sons is/was the TdF champion. Well, if he acts like that then I can see why their behavior may seem justified in their minds.
Matt, I think the reason is he enjoys a good brawl. Again, keep in mind I love the guy for what he's done for cancer research, but I would probably clash with him on the road.
Being a great racer and being a good city traffic rider are two different things. In the TDF, you just have to not hit the flailing spectators, and all the vehicular traffic consists of motorcycles and SAG vans, but they are going the same direction as you are! So a racer would develop a different type of "fast twitch" awareness. It's like salmon swimming upstream...
I think the reason was to promote Mellow Johnny's. It's Lance in Mid-life crisis, and yeah, sure he's having fun. Of course.
Write to Livestrong and ask them diplomatically to pull the video. Yeah I know it's a free country and freedom of speech and blahblahblah, but this is advocating violence, which goes against Livestrong's core values. I wonder what Tony Kornheiser would say if he saw this video right before Lance ripped him?
I think Lance should also hear from the older guys, the baby boomers, after all they are the ones who have the money to promote events, buy (and develop) high end bikes, and spend their money in hotels and restaurants to watch the TDF.
BTW, I don't hate teenagers. Tonight, I am going to a candlelight vigil for a kid who was killed by a CT cop who was drunk and doing 75 in a 35. There was a cover-up. This case will be huge and national in scope. Defense Lawyers love to refer to videos like Lance's because they play on your emotions, and people often make decisions based on emotions, not logic, whether the are buying a product or riding.
The defense lawyer is trying to claim the kid ran a red light. He very well might have if he got hit by a vehicle travelling that fast. There were no skid marks, and the speed was verified by the onboard computer. They also have video of the cop drinking for 6 hours in the bar, but there was a cover up for a breathalyzer. The police cheif arrived on the scene in minutes. This one is sticky as hell.
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-windsor-locks-officer-arraignment-20101123,0,367920.story