Heart of Texas

Armstrong's mother kept distant vigil

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Posted: Friday July 23, 1999 09:41 AM

Lance Armstrong never rides alone -- even when there is no one around him. Doug Pensinger /Allsport

By Josie Karp, CNN/SI

DALLAS, Texas -- Every year, the Tour de France course is modified. This year, it's running through a living room in Texas. A part of Linda Armstrong rides along with Lance, a part of her only son is still at home with her.

"There's words I can't even explain," she says from her living room as she sits in front of the TV scanning the channels for any piece of news on the race. "We have this fighting karma. And I'm saying, 'Lance I'm sending you this fighting karma.'"

Only 17 years separate mother and son, who forged a bond so close when she talks, it's rarely "I" or "he" but "we."

"Sometimes we've been known to pick up the phone at the same time and dial each other," she says. "There's no words. I can't explain it. He knows I'm with him. I'm there with him in spirit."

Linda Armstrong and her son Lance have been close for a very long time.

But she's not there, she thousands of miles away and has to watch What's going on instead of being there with her son. How tough has that been?

"It's difficult to be here while he is of course in these mountains and racing every day and I have to say it's difficult to keep my mind on anything but that's simply because of the danger I've seen in some of these races."

On Thursday Linda Armstrong flew to France so she could be in person for the final stages of the Tour de France. Up until that point, Armstrong had come to rely on newspaper photographs, the Internet and daily phone calls to help to bridge the distance.

"I just got to see him," she says. "I can look into his eyes and tell and that makes me feel much better."

Her maternal instincts also tells her that Lance has never looked better as a competitor.

Linda Armstrong talks with CNNSI about what it is like trying to cheer for her son thousands of miles away. CNN/SI

"Lance probably looks better than I've ever seen him on a bike. I've mentioned this to my daughter-in-law. I've said, 'Kristen, I've never seen him ride like this before ever. His form is different. His look is different. His strategy is different.'"

It's the physical manifestation of a different outlook. It's the result of his getting married and impending fatherhood. And its also the result of battling and beating cancer.

"Just the fact that he had something to prove out there to those cancer survivors and the cancer victims we have today probably has a lot to do with the spirit and drive to continue in the sport," Linda added.

So, what goes through her mind as the race winds down and she has seen her son overcome not only his battle with cancer, but compete in a world-class race?

"There's no words," she confides. "I can't imagine. Sitting on the Champs and watching Lance come through, even if he's not in the yellow jersey is a huge milestone in our life."

And what if her son holds on to his lead and wins the Tour de France?

"I would be the most proud person in this world as I am today to just see that we had another victory. Every day is a victory for us but this would be special."

 

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