I seem to recall that he dose have a unique physiology which makes him well suited to racing.

Could be some mental edge all physical things being equal. He did survive cancer perhaps he races as if it's his last.

He does have a unique physiology. He was tested in a lab and his VO2 capacity is beyond most normal men - in layman's terms it's basically his lung's capacity to use oxygen

It seems to me that the first reply to this particular thread is referring to the specific type of cancer that Lance had giving him the 'unique physiology' for biking. If you're a male, you'll understand. That person is making a pun.... Maybe not in the best of taste, either, IMO....

Check out this link for some insight into Lance Armstrong's "unique physiology".

Hope you find this of interest!

Lance HAS been kept in a lab and tested. There are several genetic and circumstantial factors which have contributed to his domination:

1. Unusually high VO2 capacity - in other words, great lungs.

2. Unusually low levels of lactic acid which allow him to perform harder & longer.

3. Unique body shape/size/BMI partially due to his bout with cancer makes him an ideal body type for the TDF.

Finally, during Lance's seven years of domination, he showed he was willing to work and train harder than anyone else - prior to Lance, nobody had focused exclusively on the TDF, and noone had trained so hard during the off-season. His will to win and capacity to suffer during stages sets him apart psychologically in addition to his physical prowess.

Too many folks simply think that because someone is 'great' at something, they have to be on some type of drugs. While the physical side of the requirement to win the Tour is high, the mental edge is what pushes the truly great over the top.

And I wish that people would quit trying to compare Armstrong, Jordan and other multilple time winners to Bret Favre. Farve won 'one time' and one time only. Not a great, but certainly very good.

That person is making a pun...

Nope. Not a pun. And not about that at all - rather his lung capacity and whatnot, as has been widely reported.

LOL he does not have a unique physiology........he is no superman.....every athlete that was thought to be has been chemically enchanced....he is no exception.....just good at cheating.......where there is smoke there is fire.....several people who he used to be around have all said he has used drugs. his trainer was in trouble for giving drugs to people he trained

In elite athletes stamina doesn't fall off with age that much, just look at marathon runners. A few elites in their 20's, and then many in their 30's. And that's running, certainly on a bike with the reduced joint stresses a man in his 30's could still dominate and not necessarily have to be on some sneaky drugs to do it. Though, now that I think about it, did he get radiation therapy as part of his cancer treatments? Radiation has been known to cause super abilities. Perhaps a hyena (huge stamina) was in the room when the radiation treatments occurred, making Lance super human.

Can the French test for super powers?

Greatness!!!

Contador doesn't seem so much like a "good guy" anymore. That was a bush league, selfish move, just to make a point that didn't need to be made. I felt a little bad for him that he had to compete with Lance, but now I've changed my mind. I hope his teammates teach him a collective lesson, and I hope Lance beats him soundly.

Lance did not appear to be thinking of his teammates when he moved up to the front of the peleton on Stage 3 before the split occurred. If Lance was concerned about the wind and the possibility of a split in the peleton and he was thinking about his team, why didn't he advise or tip off Levi, Andreas or Alberto? Instead, Lance moved up with two helpers but without his three GC contending teammates, who were all ahead of him on the GC.

More telling, once in the Break, Lance had his teammates drive the Break to create more time and distance between him and his three Astana teammates. Maybe Lance's move and work in the Break helped Astana in the overall planning for the GC, but I can't believe that Lance was thinking primarily of his team or Alberto, Levi or Andreas when he was asking his domestiques to drive the Break on Stage 3.

On Stage 3, Lance thought primarily of himself and his own GC hopes. He leapfrogged over Andreas, Levi and Alberto in the GC standings. And that's okay. Alberto, Levi and Andreas could not expect Lance to sacrifice his GC hopes to assist them at that stage of the Tour.

On Stage 7, Alberto thought primarily of himself and his GC hopes. He got to show everyone (teammates and all other GC contenders) how strong he is in the mountains. Alberto's unscripted surge did not hurt Astana's overall GC strategy. Alberto simply leapfrogged over Lance in the GC standings. And that's okay, also.

Lance cannot expect Alberto or Levi or Andreas, all of them tremendous cyclists in their own right, to sacrifice their own GC hopes to assist Lance at this stage of the Tour while all of them are very close together in the GC.

When the Tour reaches the Alps, it will be much clearer who is the strongest Astana cyclist and then it may be much fairer to expect some of the other Astana GC contenders to sacrifice their own ambitions and protect and assist the strongest Astana rider win the GC.

It certainly has been exciting to watch. The strongest rider will win.

First off, I'm not a fan - He is an incredible story, but I am skeptical.

However, Stage 3 was classic stage racing philosophy at work. He was near the front because he knew the wind would be coming off the Med and would cause echelons, which typically result in huge gaps. He was in the right place at the right time. He and his teammates pulled because all of the GC favorites were in the second group -- the Schlecks, Evans, Sastre, Garmin-Slipstream -- and it shows his experience in racing the Tour. He's an arrogant prick, but it was a brilliant move on his part.

I'm not a fan of Armstrong. There are more races than just the Tour de France, and he pretty much ignores all of those, so, to me, he's not the greatest cyclist ever. I think Indurain was great (and a better all around cyclist). And I'll always love Lamond! I've read so many negative things about Armstrong, that I can't really root for him. I give him his propers for being a great cyclist. He's ten years or so older than Contador and most of the other riders, but he's in second place. He's phenomenal, I just don't root for him to win.

You just contradicted yourself, Indurain focused on the Tour and not much anything else either. Before you make a statement like that, do some research 1st. Indurain was a classy guy and worked hard as a Domestique prior to winning the tour. Contador is a different breed of selfish Spaniard, go Lance!

....Indurain focused on the Tour and not much, Giro 92 93 94 TDF 91 92 93 94 95 do some research.

I'm with you.

Clearly, you have never been a competitor in any sport... You compete to win, or don't compete.

He sure is a sore loser. Would do anything to win...would he not?

Old? Probably? Cup of tea? Erm. Ok. I'm convinced.

Chasing, don't doubt Sandi Sandi, sounds like he/she has an inside contact to have "heard many times, he is not the best to deal with." Or maybe it is just the "cup of tea" thing. Personally I don't dig tea all the that much in the first place. Then again I've never thought of Lance as tea before. I like that Lance is referred to as "over the hill (chuckle)" because he's in 2nd place in the Tour de France. Yup, Lance, message to you--you suck and are finished with bike racing if you don't win the Tour de France. Certainly coming off a 3.5 year gap to finish in the top 10 of a premier cycling event would be a total failure...

Haters (chuckle.)

Your enthusiasm over the LANCE comeback is leading you into rash statements. He's a great cyclist, no doubt, but Belgium's Eddy Merckx, who won virtually everything in sight from 1968 through 1976, is almost universally regarded as the greatest cyclist ever.

Shut up with Eddy Merckx already, no one has bear Armstrong in the seven conseccutive tour that he won, no one, not one, not Merckx, not Hinault, not Indurain. Have you asked yourself with all the scrutiny, maybe Indurain was doping? Give me a break please. Lance is so far the greatest Tour rider of all time, and Tour win is the most sought after than any other race by far. Go Lance!!!

Interesting fantasy, but unlikely. Contador has won the last three grand tours he started (the Tour de France in 2007 and the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana in 2008). Armstrong may have a slight tactical edge, but Contador is the best time trialler in the Tour next to Cancellara, who isn't a contender for the overall win, and easily the best climber on the planet. Nonetheless, Armstrong's will to win may prevail despite Contador's disadvantages.

Seeing Contador just take off at the end of that last hill climb does seem to indicate he's got the goods to take it all. Tricky thing is whether or not Lance can press the issue and still be a team player. Just like the others on the team, sometimes you're just going to end up in a support position. MY fantasy is for him to hammer out there, push the hell out of Contador, but have Contador win and have both of them minutes faster than the competition.

F*** the Spaniard, Lance Armstrong will teach the immature Spaniard a lesson, get ready. Go Lance!!