Former United States professional road cyclist, Lance Armstrong celebrates his 49th birthday on September 18, 2020 (Friday). He is celebrated as a sporting icon for his seven consecutive Tour de France wins between 1999 and 2005. Armstrong’s seven consecutive Tour de France title wins is a record in the sport’s history. His reputation was, however, tarnished by a doping scandal and Armstrong admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs in 2013 and was stripped of all the titles he had won since 1998 including the seven Tour de France. As he celebrates his 49th birthday, take a look at some interesting facts about Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong started his sporting career as a swimmer at the age of 12 and then moved to triathlon at the age of 16. He was a national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990. Two years later, Armstrong began his professional cycling career with the Motorola team. On his birthday, take a look at some lesser-known facts about Lance Armstrong.

  • Lance Armstrong was born Eddie Charles Gunderson and Linda Gayle in Richardson, Texas on September 18, 1971

  • He is named after Lance Rentzel, a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver

  • Armstrong’s full name is Lance Edward Gunderson. He received the Armstrong surname after his mother remarried following the death of his father. He mother’s second husband was Terry Keith Armstrong

  • He started his sporting career at the age of 12 as a swimmer and participated in City of Plano Swim Club and he finished fourth in the 1,500-metre freestyle

  • At the age of 13, Armstrong won the Iron Kids Triathlon which was his first triathlon win

  • Armstrong became a professional cyclist at the age of 16 and joined the Motorola team

  • In 1992, Armstrong won the Tour de France and UNI Road World Championship

  • He was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer in 1996

  • Armstrong fought cancer and went through chemotherapy and even had an orchiectomy. He was declared cancer-free in 1997

  • Lance Armstrong was seven consecutive Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005

  • In 2012, Lance Armstrong was stripped of all of his titles and banned for life and being found guilty of taking performance-enhanced drugs throughout his career

Armstrong also clinched a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. He retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France which was also his last title. Armstrong, however, returned to competitive cycling with the Astana team in January 2009 and finished third in that year’s Tour de France event before calling it quits again in 2011.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 18, 2020 08:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).