DOVER, Del. (AP/WBOC)- The list of Tour de France champions from 1999-2005 will be left vacant after the International Cycling Union on Monday announced it has formally stripped Lance Armstrong of those seven titles and given him a lifetime ban for doping.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme said there will be no winner listed for that period, and he also wants Armstrong to pay back prize money from those victories. Armstrong's fiercely defended reputation as a clean athlete was shattered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency two weeks ago, when it detailed evidence of drug use and trafficking by his Tour-winning teams.
Dave Moses is the owner of Dave's Road Bikes in Dover. He is an avid cyclist who said he has followed Lance Armstrong's career from the very beginning.
"I think that Lance Armstrong will always be, in my book, one of the greatest cyclists that ever lived," said Moses.
Others, like Jess Manning, owner of Bricks MultiSport in Dover, said the news of Armstrong being stripped of his medals is just "sad."
"It's sort of always sad when heroes fall," Manning said.
Armstrong was a hero to Manning and Moses particularly because of the work he has done to help raise money to fight cancer.
"My biggest concern is this effect on the LiveStrong Foundation, which has pioneered the movement in cancer research," Manning said.
"With him being able to give back through that foundation close to a half a billion dollars to those who are suffering from a disease that almost killed him twice, that's why he's more of a hero to me," Moses said.
The question remains - did or didn't Armstrong used performance enhancing drugs?
"I think if you don't have proof that he was taking steroids, that should be the end of it. You should let it drop. No one should be accused of something without some type of evidence," said Catherine Gibson of Dover.
"It is a disappointment for someone to do that much for the sport of cycling and to have it stripped away basically without a defense for him. I'm sorry to see it happen, but if it's accurate then it's deserved," said Cathy Simpson of Dover.
Simpson and others say we may never know the truth.
Armstrong supporters are standing behind him.
"My admiration for him was about fighting for him a disease that's affected my family personally, and our country and our world, so that doesn't go away regardless of what he did or what he didn't do," Manning said.
Manning and Moses both say Armstrong should be remembered for the good that he's done for society and not for doping accusations.
