Lance Armstrong's War is about Armstrong, the world's second-most-famous Texan, but it is also about road-racing. As such, it is a useful corrective to the usual myth-making about Armstrong. The myth how a promising young cyclist battled testicular cancer and came back to dominate his sport, establishing a wildly successful charity along the way ?has won Armstrong millions of fans and caused cycling's popularity in America to explode.
But because Armstrong retains an extraordinary degree of control over his image (Outdoor Life Network, the cable station that broadcasts the Tour de France, is an official sponsor of Armstrong's team), Americans are often shielded from the grimy reality of professional cycling.
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