Why Lance Armstrong Needs Help?

Lucky 7 for Lance! Once again, against the odds, Lance has proven his ability to rise to the occasion and perform at an amazing level.

A good friend of mine is a biking fanatic. Between him educating me on the aspects of the Tour de France and the general media buzz around Lance's journey, I learned quite a lot about the world of cycling and the high performance athlete. One comment sticks out in my mind, the day Lance said he had a "no-chain day, he rode with such form that it felt effortless". I think this was around day 15, the equivalent of riding 15 marathons in a row, and Lance felt better than he had all the way through.

There are many keys to Lance's success; however, there is one that I think stands apart. Lance had help. He had 8 other riders on his team that won the race with him. Some of his teammates were hill specialists, while some were speed oriented. There was even one member of the team who was the "mule". His job was essentially to bring fuel (drinks & food) to the other members.

Lance's teammates have come and gone over the years. I believe there is only one member who consistently remained part of the team throughout all 7 races. This constant turnover even included the team manager and all other support personnel - more than 30 in all. Lance knows what he knows, and before each race, he would select the right group of people to compliment him.

As Lance moves on to other things, he will need a new team. This new group of people will have a different set of skills and talents as his role moves from athlete to more of a managerial position. His next set of successes will be proportional to the type of team he surrounds himself with.

So the question is, if Lance needs help, why wouldn't you? The principles are the same whether you are racing the Tour de France or running a pharmacy. Surround yourself with great people, seek out help, and get on the bike.

We can help you. Don't try and do it on your own. Lance didn't, and neither should you.

Along the road with you...