Eurosport commentator slams former Tour de France winner -“Who is Lance Armstrong to give moral lessons? He stole cycling, he drove a lot of people away from cycling”

  “Who is Lance Armstrong to Give Moral Lessons? He Stole Cycling and Drove People Away from the Sport” – Eurosport Commentator Criticizes the Former Champion

Lance Armstrong remains a polarizing figure in the world of professional cycling. Once celebrated as a cancer survivor who rose to become a record-breaking Tour de France winner, his legacy was irreparably tarnished by revelations of a systematic doping program that supported his victories. Despite the fallout, Armstrong remains an outspoken voice in the sport, primarily through his podcast *The Move*. However, his continued presence does not sit well with everyone, including Portuguese Eurosport commentator Olivier Bonamici.

During an episode of the podcast *Ontem Já Era Tarde*, the Monaco-born journalist shared his candid views on Armstrong and cycling in general. “I don’t have a favorite cyclist. I like some, but not all. In cycling, there are no clubs, no ‘clubitis,’” Bonamici explained, referring to the divided loyalties among fans. He mentioned the polarizing opinions surrounding cyclists like João Almeida, Remco Evenepoel, Tadej Pogačar, and Jonas Vingegaard.

“Who Is Lance Armstrong to Give Moral Lessons?”
The conversation eventually turned to Armstrong, a figure Bonamici has no interest in engaging with. *“Maradona took drugs, but he didn’t give moral lessons. He cheated in football. Who is Lance Armstrong to give moral lessons? He stole cycling and drove people away from it,”* he said emphatically.

Armstrong and the doping scandal surrounding the US Postal Service team cast a long shadow over cycling, particularly in Portugal, where the sport’s reputation suffered greatly. To this day, Armstrong remains one of the most talked-about and controversial figures in cycling history.

At the height of Armstrong’s career, he was idolized by many, with some defending his actions by claiming that doping was widespread. *“But you have to prove if others were doing it too,”* Bonamici countered. He also praised the journalist who exposed Armstrong’s fraud, calling it a *“terrible fight against an entire system,”* one that came at great personal cost to the whistleblower’s career.

  “Armstrong Stole Cycling”
Bonamici acknowledged that *“anyone can make mistakes,”* but he firmly believes Armstrong’s actions went beyond individual errors. *“He stole cycling. I don’t understand how this man has the nerve to comment on the sport again,”* he concluded.

For Bonamici and many others, Armstrong’s legacy is a cautionary tale of how one man’s ambition and deceit nearly destroyed the integrity of an entire sport.