Brave, Braver, Bravo - Lance Armstrong

In the face of massive handicaps, some stars have overcome incredible odds. Their stories have inspired millions and continue to do so. This time, we look at the story of Lance Armstrong.

Triumph Of Hope

Having won the US amateur championship in 1991 and finishing in 14th place at the Barcelona Olympics road race, cyclist Lance Armstrong turned pro in 1992. A year later he strolled to victory in cycling's World Road Championships in Oslo, Norway. His victory in Oslo was so decisive that he even had time to blow kisses to his mother while he zoomed down the final straight. Fit, healthy and successful, Lance Armtrong's future was a blank cheque.

Then his world fell apart. In October 1996 Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer had already spread to his lungs and brain, and doctors told him he had a 50% chance of survival. Standard chemotherapy would have damaged his lungs, ending any hopes of a return to cycling. Armstrong chose a severe course of chemo, coupled with invasive brain surgery. 

Miraculously, he recovered. 

While he was in remission he was dumped by his pro cycling team, and joined the newly formed US Postal Service team. He resumed training and returned to competitive cycling in 1998. A year later he crowned his fairy tale comeback by winning his first Tour de France. 

Armstrong's amazing comeback didn't end there, though: he went on to win the Tour a record six consecutive times, prompting some hacks to nickname the renowned race "Tour de Lance." 

Recovering from cancer is a triumph on its own. Doing so and then winning the Tour de France once - let alone six times in a row - is simply a super human feat. 

The full magnitude of Armstrong's triumphant return was revealed after his recovery, when one of his doctors admitted that his actual odds of survival were far smaller than the given 50%. It was somewhere closer to 3%. 

Armstrong's doctors said they'd given him the original 50% estimate to keep his hopes alive.