Armstrong’s footprint

Published in Catalonia Today magazine - November 2012

Girona, October 2012 - Photo: Oriol Mas

In this lovely street in the old quarter of Girona, built over the ancient Roman road of Via Augusta, Lance Armstrong bought a house to live in while training a few years ago. Since then, several cyclist from different teams have decided to settle in the beautiful city of Girona, with its great weather and good roads with mountains nearby that are perfect for preparing for big races, such as the Tour de France or the Giro d’Italia. Girona quickly became one of the hubs of professional cycling in Southern Europe, and Armstrong was praised as a hero. When he was stripped of his titles by the US Anti-Doping Agency, the reaction here was one of incredulity. People in Girona simply could not believe it. They didn’t want to. At the end of the day, the International Cycling Union confirmed the accusations and banned Armstrong for life, erasing from the book of records his seven Tour de France titles. Girona

– and Catalonia – is in shock. Armstrong is no longer a hero, but his legacy is still alive in the city through the many professional cyclists who have settled in the town.