Lance Armstrong on Oprah Live Stream

January 18, 2013

If you're like every other cycling fan in the world you'll be watching Lance Armstrong on Oprah Winfrey this afternoon at 1pm (AEST). It's being streamed live on a number of places, so if you're looking for a place to discuss the interview with the CyclingTips community, feel free to use the comments section below.

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http://www.facebook.com/norm.gray Norm Gray

I’ll be interested to see what he has to say to Oprah. I’m fully aware that Oprah has most likely paid mega-dollars for this interview in an effort to save her struggling network, and I’m absolutely certain she would have ‘bought’ quite a lot of sensationalism from Armstrong. Of course he also needs the money, given the claw-back from the many who made substantial gains off the back of Armstrong, but are keen to join the feeding frenzy circus based, to this date, on NOTHING more than conjecture & hearsay. And let’s assume, just for a moment, that he is guilty of using EPOs; he still beat ALL of the other drug cheats, he has done more for cycling than ANY other cyclist in the past decade or more, and he has done more for cancer research and the morale of cancer suffers, at his own expense, than ANY other high profile sportsperson.
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  From what the show’s spokesperson says, the interview is not paid. But there’s a fortune to be made for OWN and Discovery in advertising. As you can see, the show as been broken into two parts now – one today, and one on Saturday. I don’t anticipate that the confession itself will come out today.
  - http://www.facebook.com/norm.gray Norm Gray
    
    That’s correct. Before someone suggests I’m defending drug cheating in sports, allow me to preemptively refute that suggestion. There are 2 issues that drive me on this; the first being that Western Law requires a person to be presumed innocent until proven guilty ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’, and that hasn’t happened in this case. And secondly, that Lance Armstrong is being singled out for the sins of many, and that is simply wrong. Apart from the positives in Armstrong’s favour in my initial post, the upside of this is that he may be the very catalyst needed to clean-up the sport. If he cheated, then retrieving his wins is in order, but we shouldn’t let it overshadow the good that he has done.
    - mattb
      
      pretty confident that the 1000 page report puts it beyond “reasonable doubt”.not getting caught (read: failing a test) does not make you innocent. I never got caught cheating on a girlfriend…. doesn’t mean I wasn’t guilty of it, and just because other douchebags have done it too, doesn’t make it ok
      - Andrew
        
        I tried the ” Sweetie I never had sex with that lady, we were just good friends, oral sex does not count ( thanks Bill Clinton) and I never failed a STD test or paternity test too. Did not stop her trashing my car …… Perhaps I am not as innocent looking as Lance
      - Good Grief
        
        Touche!
    - Cam
      
      Are you serious? Yes he was a talented athlete, sure nearly everyone else cheated but that doesnt make a level playing field. He on the team with the most money still cheats better and ‘faster’ than the poorer riders.
      
      Armstrong brought the media exposure of the tour up among non riders but whats he done for the reputation of the sport? Hes the most high profile rider from his era and hes cemented the idea in the general populations mind that all cyclists are drug cheats and the sports a joke. Hes systematically destroyed and belittled anyone who got in his way and has consistently looked out for himself before anything or anyone.
      
      What do your non cycling friends ask you about, is it the latest tour, the exciting up and coming riders or do they ask you if all the cyclists are on drugs? Lance has helped here how exactly?
      - jules
        
        more money = better resources isn’t exclusive to drugs. there are lots of other advantages taken by teams with bigger budgets. a level playing field doesn’t mean the score will be tied, it just means everyone has the same opportunity.
        
        Lance didn’t invent the Omerta – his persecution of Simeoni and Bassons was widely supported by others in the peloton.
        
        if Lance never existed, someone else would have cheated, won and eventually been disqualified. as Matt Keenan said on TV, “Lance was a symptom of a broken system”.
        
        i’m not defending Lance, but he’s not the root cause of the problem with pro cycling. singling him out is just setting the sport up for further disgraces.
        
        Cam
        
        But if you have better drugs and better doctors because you have money isnt that a huge advantage? We arent talking more money on frames and components here, we’re talking building better ‘engines’ through pharmaceutical assistance.
        
        Im not suggesting Lance is the cause or root of the problem but as a powerful figure head from what is arguably road cycling darkest period he needs to fall and fall hard. Theres no point running the argument that someone else would have cheated and won if Armstrong didnt, the fact is Armstrong did and made hundreds of millions of dollars doing so, he needs to answer for that.
        
        I would like to think that the demise of Armstrong is a starting point not a full stop, of course we shall have to wait and see what happens next.
        
        Personally I think anyone involved in the top levels of the UCI from that period needs to be retired and the pros from the era moved out of cycling, I dont want to see guys like Vino coaching the next generation.
        
        jules
        
        i’m not saying Lance should be let off the hook. just that those responsible for overseeing the system which fostered him should be the primary target. many of us suspect who they are – the UCI. this may be a very interesting interview…
        
        dan
        
        well said jules. too many people think lance is the cause of drugs in cycling. he’s just a victim. the are plenty of winners of TDF for example BEFORE lance on drugs, and A COUPLE AFTER.. now who would those 2 be!? and 1 claims to be “squeaky” clean, the other cries a lot.
    - echidna_sg
      
      I thought anyone/everyone had moved beyond this. He simply took drugs and used techniques that nobody was testing for at the time he used them – they were still illegal and immoral at the time. So he wasn’t alone in that, big deal, he is the figurehead that made the most cash, that sued (and won) against people, newspapers, insurance companies and the like, bullied others out of their cherished and loved profession, duped millions and it was all a house of cards.
      
      As for the cancer research line, Livestrong is a marketing machine and has funded ZERO cancer research for more than 10 years now. Collecting money to market the need for more money is not, and never will be doing anything to actually find a solution to cancer, its just a pyramid scheme where the reputation of one man is built up on the donations of others.
      
      do some research mate, you simply come off as a troll otherwise.
      - http://www.facebook.com/norm.gray Norm Gray
        
        A person making those sorts of blatant statements should be the last to use the word “troll”. It’s apparent you know little or nothing about cycling, and even less about cancer, or more specifically, what Livestrong have been doing. Perhaps you’re also not aware that Lance Armstrong has stepped aside (resigned) from Livestrong to allow them to continue their work without the stigma that has been attached to him? Unfortunate.
      - Anonymous
        
        Maybe read the following articles that for me outline what Livestrong do for the Cancer Community
        
        http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/athletes/lance-armstrong/Its-Not-About-the-Lab-Rats.html
        http://www.fatcyclist.com/2012/01/12/do-something-good/
        You may be educated a bit more about why the world actually needs Livestrong now. Don’t get me wrong, I do not condone the way the foundation came about (on the back of 7 tour titles for cheating) nor do I condone Lance for his actions, but there are a LOT of great people working for Livestrong, doing something that they feel passionate about, helping people with Cancer to navigate the system of treatments and rehab. Their Marketing is just off centre.
        
        Good Grief
        
        At the risk of being seen as a cynic “helping people with Cancer to navigate the system of treatments and rehab” is, in my understanding of the foundation helping people who have SURVIVED cancer. The foundation doesn’t waste money on cancer research – dead people make poor brand advocates.
- Good Grief
  
  Seriously? This type of response is a cut and paste from years of ‘fan-boy’ blind allegiance. It has no relevance in the current conversation. Please do some reading of the facts instead of the bedtime stories (PR from LA camp).
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

For those of you who haven’t seen this, it’s gold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vOxQ6aEWNJU
jules

correct me here, but 1pm AEST = 12.30 ADST?
Qld on AEST, Vic, NSW on ADST
i managed to mess up a teleconference by confusing myself with these recently
- JBS
  
  1 pm AEST = 2 pm ADST (1 hour ahead)
MW

what time is this GMT UK time?
http://www.facebook.com/aggiodavo Dave Coultas

Does anyone know if it must me watched live or will it be available for viewing later?
- mattb
  
  Its being replayed on Discovery channel ad-nauseum for the next couple of days. I read somewhere that you can watch it later on her website also
Pete

I wish someone was taking bets on when Oprah’s servers are going to go down with all of the traffic….
Fitzroyalty

Any free links to the questions David Walsh wants to be asked of Armstrong ?
http://twitter.com/chickasmith chickasmith

Thank you CT
http://www.facebook.com/pmark1bike pmark1bike

Dont ask Cav about Lance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-PGsHoVYTk
http://www.facebook.com/pmark1bike pmark1bike

Dont ask Cav about Lance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-PGsHoVYTk
- JC
  
  Mark “Karl Pilkington” Cav
- JC
  
  Mark “Karl Pilkington” Cav
http://www.facebook.com/pmark1bike pmark1bike

Dont ask Cav about Lance! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-PGsHoVYTk
Warwick Absolon

I can’t wait for the first show to end on a cliff hanger! Oprah “Lance, have you taken drugs?” Camera pulls slowly to Lance, Lance pouts, open his mouth and…and… Voice over “Next on ‘Lance Tells’, what will the answer be? Will Lance confess? Is this just another lie? Return tomorrow to hear more” and then the sponsor’s adverts come on!
http://www.facebook.com/adriano.nast Adriano Nast

The voice over is awesome
http://twitter.com/BPriestie Brad Priest

BRILLIANT, THANKS WADE!

Any chance of an appearance on #BikeLane Episode 4?
Idris

As much as Hamilton is a cheat too, The truth looks to be setting Lance free, as much as i did not want to admit it.
http://twitter.com/JamesFifield James Fifield

“Are we talking semantics here?” Well played by Oprah on this one. Shame they’ve cut to the break immediately after though…
Kyle

Straight to the point. At least she is asking some hard questions that he is obviously uncomfortable with.
jules

Bingostrong – hard childhood!
Kyle

Note that he says “Absolutely not” when he is lying…”Did you require your team mates to dope?” LA: “ABSOLUTELY not” hmmm
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Notice than Lance is separating himself from the “man he was” compared to the changed man he is today. Nice way to start the comeback. Tear it down and start again.
- jules
  
  i’d be interested to learn more about the evidence of his doping in 2009/10. if that is substantive, then for me, all bets are off. i suspect he’s telling a mixture of truths and lies here. that won’t bring closure or forgiveness.
- http://twitter.com/ian_pick Ian Pickering
  
  absolutely – like the proverbial phoenix, shiny new Lance emerges from the flames…
  - Anonymous
    
    As Nicole Cooke said in her excellent retirement statement http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/14/nicole-cooke-retirement-statement “the cheats win on the way up and the way down”
lefthandside

Anyone watching the tennis?
http://twitter.com/leeburns82 Lee Burns

This is crazy!
Pete

did he seriously just make that “fat”comment? What a total douche…
- lefthandside
  
  This is excruciating.
- Kyle
  
  May have destroyed them financially, mentally and professionally but at least he didn’t call her fat!! ha ha ha
http://www.happyfamilies.com.au/ Justin Coulson

It seems that, with just a handful of exceptions, Lance is reaching every time he has to answer a question. Not a good look. Arguing about whether Betsy is fat. Not recalling whether O’Reilly was sued, etc, etc. He’s not looking credible at all.
echidna_sg

well so far she comes across as far more educated on the subject than I gave her any credit to being… good work by the researchers!

and now we move onto the landis bit… buckle up!
http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips

Interesting that Lance is no fan of the UCI, but had no problem giving the UCI $100k just because he had it laying around.
- Notso Swift
  
  And they asked for it LOL
- Notso Swift
  
  And they asked for it LOL
  - Boes
    
    And with no strings attached he gave it to them. Interesting…
  - jules
    
    i missed that bit – i assume she has kept Lausanne-gate for episode 2?
- Pete
  
  He’s definitely not telling the truth about that issue…
dcaspira

Lance regrets his comeback. Bang – there’s the window to the truth.
- jules
  
  i’d cut him some slack there – difference between regretting the house of lies you’ve built up over years and wanting to be caught. i don’t find it remarkable that he would have preferred to get away with it – it’s not the same as having no regrets.
  - Cycling Tragic
    
    I found Lance’s comments confusing in this section of the interview, as he claimed that current events would not be happening if he didn’t have the 2009/10 comeback, but also said that it was Floyd Landis’ revelations that became the tipping point which resulted in these current events. I am not sure that Floyd would have gone public without his 2006 tour result and subsequent issues. Therefore, Lance’s comeback therefore isn’t relevant to what is happening now. Or have I misunderstood this?
  - Cycling Tragic
    
    I found Lance’s comments confusing in this section of the interview, as he claimed that current events would not be happening if he didn’t have the 2009/10 comeback, but also said that it was Floyd Landis’ revelations that became the tipping point which resulted in these current events. I am not sure that Floyd would have gone public without his 2006 tour result and subsequent issues. Therefore, Lance’s comeback therefore isn’t relevant to what is happening now. Or have I misunderstood this?
http://www.happyfamilies.com.au/ Justin Coulson

A moment of contrition… that was one of the first believable bits of this interview. Call me soft, but underneath all the conniving I see a guy who is in deep, who knows it, and who wishes he hadn’t hurt the people closest to him. That was a good moment. One of very few, but I liked that moment.
jono

Lance Armstrong is a psychopath, he can’t empathize with other people and he can’t answer any questions about how he feels because he has shallow emotions. He has no credibility left in my eyes and he’s still lying, he should go to jail.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=574616633 David Ellis

Thanks for sharing the link Wade.
Simon

Pretty predictable responses from Lance. Part 1 – the lying, cheating story. Part 2 – the sob story and road to redemption.
Paul

any idea’s where I might be able to watch it re-live, as I missed it. Have to work and stuff
http://www.facebook.com/aggiodavo Dave Coultas

Could it be that Lance was clean all along and he’s only now lying to Oprah?
- lefthandside
  
  Good question. Here’s another one: is Oprah clean?
  - http://www.facebook.com/aggiodavo Dave Coultas
    
    You’d have to ask Stedman Graham
Matt

#doprah
Anonymous

Wade, your post begins, “If you’re like every other cycling fan in the world you’ll be watching Lance Armstrong on Oprah Winfrey this afternoon.” Nah. My guess is that most serious cyclists here in the States did not watch. Stopped caring about Lance a while ago.
- http://www.cyclingTipsBlog.com cyclingTips
  
  I agree that we’ve all stopped caring, but it’s like a train wreck – this is something that needs to be seen my most.
  - jules
    
    i had to step away for brief segments and may have missed – can anyone confirm if he fingered or let the UCI off the hook? that’s what i’m interested in.
    - Paolo
      
      …off the hook. Donation only because he’s a nice guy. Said he was retired, but i think donations were made while he was still riding. “I’m not a fan of the UCI” he said.
      - jules
        
        i guess it would be unwise to admit to bribery. i don’t believe him.
- Wish I was on the bike…
  
  I didn’t watch, and don’t intend to. A lot of the comments I’ve read tell me I should be happy with my decision. I feel confident of what happened, and my interest from here is the strategy which I will better understand mainly through reading the comments from others more informed on media, celebrity and personality.
  
  What I am yet to resolve is what I should want from here. To launch this strategy to reinvent himself in the public eye, LA has a strong view of what he wants, or what he thinks redemption looks like. I am not resoved on this. I like the sound of ‘Lance has no place in cycling’ but then remember he is a human being and has the right to have aspirations and goals. The most fair thing for me to do is resolve what I want, what will I need to see to think that he has ‘redeemed’himself to the point I would be comfortable to say, take up a role in the US federation or on a team, or as a competitor. I don’t need to tell LA or anyone else where this benchmark is, but I need to honor my own determnation if/when he reaches them. I am not sure he UCI, or the other existing or aspiring anti-doping/cycling bodies have done this yet – defined what they need to see to allow dopers back in any role. The knee-jerk sackings of White and Hodge were undignified. THe question to the OGE riders today ‘will you ever forgive LA?’ was as meaningless as the answers it received.
  
  Sorry about the rant. This is a very complex issue, no easy answers.
  
  Big, big congratulations to Nicole Cook on her career and wonderful retirement message!
Jim

There’s some sort of bike race on next week or so I heard has it be cancelled due to lack of interest ?

I’d like to say I don’t care about this train wreck but it’s pretty hard to look the other way….
Wagga Boy

Almost descended into a farce at the end. What a great chance to ask who it was that knew all when he said someone did know all. Oprah blew it. Was typical Oprah sofa talk for the last half. Very disappointed.

Lance Armstrong on Oprah Live Stream

January 18, 2013

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