If you are a fan of cycling, you might have wondered if Kristin Armstrong and Lance Armstrong are related. After all, they share the same last name and both have achieved remarkable success in the sport. Kristin Armstrong is a three-time Olympic gold medalist in the women’s individual time trial, while Lance Armstrong is a former seven-time Tour de France winner who was later stripped of his titles for doping. However, despite the similarities in their names and careers, the two cyclists are not related by blood or marriage.
Who is Kristin Armstrong?
Kristin Armstrong was born on August 11, 1973, in Memphis, Tennessee. She grew up in Boise, Idaho, where she excelled in swimming, running, and triathlon. She graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in sports physiology and worked as an aquatic director at the YMCA. She was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both hips in 2001, which ended her triathlon career and led her to focus on cycling.
She turned professional in 2002 and joined the T-Mobile Women team. She won her first national title in the road race in 2004 and her first world title in the time trial in 2006. She also won the Olympic gold medal in the time trial in 2008, 2012, and 2016, becoming the oldest female cycling gold medalist at age 42. She retired from cycling after the 2016 Olympics.
Kristin Armstrong was married to Joe Savola, a software engineer, from 2007 to 2012. They have a son named Lucas, who was born in 2010. She is currently working as a community health director at St. Luke’s Health System in Boise.
Who is Lance Armstrong?
Lance Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971, in Plano, Texas. He was raised by his single mother Linda, who remarried when he was three. He started competing in triathlon at age 16 and became a national champion in 1989 and 1990. He switched to cycling in 1992 and joined the Motorola team. He won his first Tour de France stage in 1993 and his first world title in the road race that same year.
In 1996, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain. He underwent surgery and chemotherapy and founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now Livestrong) to support other cancer survivors. He returned to cycling in 1998 and joined the U.S. Postal Service team. He won his first Tour de France in 1999 and went on to win six more consecutive titles until 2005, setting a record for the most wins in the event.
Lance Armstrong was married to Kristin Richard, a public relations executive, from 1998 to 2003. They have three children: Luke, born in 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born in 2001. The children were conceived through in vitro fertilization using sperm that Armstrong had banked before his cancer treatment. He later dated singer Sheryl Crow from 2003 to 2006 and had a brief engagement with her. He also had relationships with fashion designer Tory Burch, actress Kate Hudson, and Anna Hansen, a former program manager for Livestrong. He has two children with Hansen: Max, born in 2009, and Olivia, born in 2010.
In 2012, he was accused of doping by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which claimed that he had used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career and led a sophisticated doping scheme with his teammates and staff. He was stripped of all his titles and banned for life from all sanctioned cycling events. He initially denied the allegations but later admitted to doping in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2013. He also faced several lawsuits from former sponsors, teammates, and organizations that sought to recover money from him.
He is currently living in Aspen, Colorado, where he runs a podcast called The Move and a bike shop called WEDU. He is also involved in various charitable causes and events related to cancer awareness and research.
Conclusion
Kristin Armstrong and Lance Armstrong are two of the most accomplished cyclists in history, but they are not related to each other. They have different backgrounds, families, and personal lives. They also have different reputations: Kristin Armstrong is admired for her perseverance and integrity, while Lance Armstrong is disgraced for his cheating and lying.
