If scripted by Hollywood, the story would be dismissed as trite melodrama: A deadly disease strikes a promising athlete. Despite desperately thin odds, he manages not only to beat the affliction but also to return to the sport and win its top prize, not once but a record seven times. Unbelievable, except it's true.

But the story doesn't end on the finish line at the Tour de France. His experience made him a part of a cancer community, and motivated him to unleash the same passion and drive he does in bike races to the fight against cancer. Since he made history in 1999, he has won the tour six more times, and has become one of the most recognizable and admired people of this era.

Lance's sporting career began in Plano, Texas, where his mother Linda supported his competitive urges from the beginning. He displayed a gift early on when he won the Iron Kids Triathlon at 13 and became a professional when he was only 16 years old. At the near-cost of his high school diploma, he trained with the U.S. Olympic cycling developmental team in Colorado Springs, Colorado, during his senior year. That sealed his destiny and Lance embarked on a career as a bike racer.

His rise in the amateur ranks appeared effortless, and Lance qualified for the junior world championships in Moscow in 1989. By 1991 he was the U.S. National Amateur Champion and soon after turned professional.

Once in the pro ranks, he quickly proved himself with a USPRO Championship title, stage victories in the Tour de France, a World Championship, multiple victories at the Tour du Pont, a No. 1 world ranking, and a spot on the U.S. Cycling Team in the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, and signed a contract with the French-based Cofidis racing team.

While seemingly at the top of his game, he was literally forced off his bike in excruciating pain. In early October, his doctor gave him the stunning news that he had cancer. And his life changed forever.

Tests revealed advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and his brain. Though his chances for his recovery were far less than 50-50, a frightened yet determined Lance began an aggressive form of chemotherapy. With the advice of specialists, he tried a course of treatment that gave him a chance for full recovery with less danger of losing lung capacity as a side effect. Remarkably, the chemotherapy began to work, and Lance gradually allowed his thoughts to return to racing.

Cancer left him scarred physically and emotionally, but he now maintains it was "...the best thing that ever happened to me," This new perspective allowed him to think beyond cycling and focus on his debt to the cancer community. He formed the Lance Armstrong Foundation within months of his diagnosis to help others with their cancer struggles.

Lance's complete recovery from cancer seemed miraculous, but actually returning to racing felt unfathomable. Having departed from Cofidis, Lance found himself teamless until the United States Postal Service took a leap of faith and signed him. If he never turned another pedal, the story would be an inspirational one. But it wasn't enough for Lance. He needed to prove himself in the ranks of the professional elite. His professional comeback, however, got off to a rocky start. Early season racing in 1998 nearly ended his career again when, in a cold and miserable Paris-Nice race, he pulled to the side of the road and quit. Many thought that was the last day on the bike for Lance Armstrong.

Lance later admitted that he wasn't ready to return to racing - he was just learning how to live again, let alone race a bicycle. He retreated to Boone, North Carolina, with friend and long time coach Chris Carmichael for a week of stress-free riding. It was there that he learned to love the bike again and build up the courage to try again. His first race back on the bike was a reason for celebration as he, appropriately, won the Lance Armstrong Foundation Downtown Criterium in his hometown of Austin, Texas. His new focus on life and training paid off in the form of top-five finishes in the Tour of Spain and the World Championships.

1999 came with a specific goal - the Tour de France. When Lance went to the line at the prologue of the Tour, it was already a victory - both for him and cancer survivors everywhere. But showing up wasn't enough. He won the prologue stage and rode on to win his first Tour vicotry with a stunning mixture of power, aggressiveness, and team strategy. It was now official; Lance was an international hero.

Lance didn't stop there. He has added six more Tour de France titles to his list, has been awarded virtually every sports honor there is, and has become a symbol of hope and inspiration.

Lance has officially retired, but his work is far from over. The battle against cancer has only just begun and Lance plans to lead this fight. In 2004, through a partnership with Nike, the LIVESTRONG yellow wristband was introduced and a brand was born. Now, with more than 60 million bands sold worldwide, and partnerships such as the Nike LIVESTRONG Collection and the American Century LIVESTRONG Portfolios, LIVESTRONG has become a global movement about hope, empowerment and taking control of your life and your health.

In June of 2008, Lance and the Lance Armstrong Foundation entered into a partnership with new media powerhouse Demand Media to launch a new health, fitness and lifestyle website called LIVESTRONG.COM. This new online destination is designed to inspire people to change their lives, help themselves and help others by offering online tools and relevant content from both experts and the community. The websites goal is to encourage individuals to have a daily conversation about their health, fitness and lifestyle. Find out more at www.livestrong.com.

Through partnerships such as these, the LIVESTRONG brand continues to grow and gain momentum as a worldwide movement for healthy living and individual empowerment.

On September 24, 2008 at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City, Lance announced to the world that he would return to professional cycling to help promote the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign. Reuniting with former teammates and close friend Johan Bruyneel, Lance will ride for Team Astana in 2009, with a goal to take the LIVESTRONG message around the world.

The LIVESTRONG Global Campaign traveled from Mexico to Australia to Italy and France, as Lance raced in some of the sports most-renowned professional races. As Lance and LIVESTRONG work to make cancer a global priority, they have inspired support and enthusiasm from world leaders to educators and researchers to individual cancer survivors and their families.

During the 2009 Tour de France, Lance placed third overall and announced a $130,000 donation from LIVESTRONG wristband sales at the race to the fight against cancer in France.

The 2009 campaign culminated following the Tour of Ireland at the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit, as 350 delegates from 67 countries congregated in Dublin, Ireland. Lance served as a keynote speaker during the three-day summit that addressed the global cancer burden and introduced new commitments for cancer control around the world.

For information about joining LIVESTRONG in the fight against cancer or to receive cancer support, please visit the LIVESTRONG website: www.livestrong.org.

For speaking engagements, endorsements or other related inquiries:
Capital Sports & Entertainment
98 San Jacinto Boulevard
Suite 430
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 370-1919

To find out more about fees, availability or to see highlights of Lance speaking, email:
info@planetcse.com

Please do not send items to be autographed. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of correspondence we receive, we cannot be responsible for items sent in the mail. We will do our best to return anything sent, however it will be unsigned.

For questions regarding Lance's foundation or for cancer support:
Lance Armstrong Foundation
P.O. Box 161150
Austin, Texas 78716-1150
(512) 236-8820
www.livestrong.org

For cancer support, please contact the LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare program at (866) 467-7205. Through this program, the LAF helps cancer survivors get counseling and referrals to local resources, address financial and insurance issues and connect to new treatments in development.

To find out ways to get involved with the LIVESTRONG movement:
www.livestrong.org/getinvolved