Lance Armstrong, the renowned cyclist, has finally divulged the details of how he managed to cheat the system for so long without getting caught.
Despite being tested 500 times, Armstrong never failed a drug test during his career.
So, how did he do it?
In a recent interview with comedian Bill Maher on his Club Random podcast, Armstrong shed light on his methods.
He admitted that there was no way around the tests, but he found a way to beat them.
Armstrong explained that certain substances, particularly erythropoietin (EPO), which boosts red blood cells and enhances oxygen transportation in the body, have a short half-life of four hours.
This means that by the time Armstrong finished a stage of a race and could be tested, the EPO in his system had already left his body, making it undetectable.
Armstrong compared this to substances like cannabis, which have much longer half-lives.
He explained that if one were to smoke a joint, they could still test positive up to two weeks later due to the extended half-life.
However, with EPO, the short half-life allowed him to calculate the timing perfectly, ensuring that his system was clean by the time he faced testing.
The revelations come after years of speculation and denial by Armstrong.
In a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he finally admitted to cheating, leading to severe consequences.
His seven Tour de France victories were stripped from him, and he received a lifetime ban from competitive cycling by the UCI.
Additionally, he had to return his Olympic medal and pay a $5 million settlement to the United States government.
Armstrong also suffered significant financial losses due to lost endorsement deals.
After spending some time out of the limelight, Armstrong has been gradually making a comeback.
He now hosts a popular cycling podcast with former teammate George Hincapie, their former manager Johan Bruyneel, and JB Hager.
Armstrong has also appeared on a reality TV show and recently partnered with the direct-to-consumer brand Ventum as one of their endorsers.
While Armstrong's interview with Maher covers more than just his EPO usage, it provides valuable insights into his mindset and tactics during his cycling career.
Whether you still support Armstrong or have grown ambivalent towards him, the podcast offers an intriguing perspective.
However, if you still harbor resentment towards the once-beloved cyclist, you may want to skip this conversation.
