Dearly beloved , we are gathered here today , to bid our final farewell to one who has sacrificed so much, even literally "giving his left nut", in the name of sports entertainment . He has been a beacon of light and strength for those who were in desperate times , a vanquisher of evil foes , a climber of great heights , and a man who time never seemed to catch up with .
Uh , until today . Hereafter known as Little Tex , today showed that this was one tour too far . If you were hoping for flashes of his old brilliance , you were only fooling yourself . Coming into this tour as a supposed favorite , he never truly had the pace of the other top riders . He lost time on the bricks , lost time in the hills on stages he would have mopped the floor with his enemies in the past , and started drifting off the back as soon as the riding got vertical . You all thought he was just gapping himself so that when he finally chose to attack , he would be no bother to the contenders .
And today was the day . Long day in the mountains , final climb too far from the end to really stir the GC . Main contenders biding their time before thursdays showdown ... away he goes .
But he wasn't looking all that good . Couldn't follow the accelerations like the old days . Didn't have the fluid high cadence that used to light up the forbidding high peaks . Just not the same rider . But he did come down to the finish with a small group .
Was this his chance we wondered ? Could the old warrior prevail one more time ? Would his swansong to the tour be one of glory or final , unrequited defeat ?
He crossed the line in an inconsequential position . No one truly remembers where you are if you don't win . Shoulders slumped , a mere shadow of the once great champion , his end was one of ultimate defeat . Never again to make the pedals cry in anger and rage , he was once and forever done .
Rest In Peace Lance Armstrong .
Should have quit while you were ahead .
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