Lance visits Iowa

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Now THIS is a tour
By MEGAN HAWKINS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

July 27, 2006

Newton, Ia. - Lance Armstrong will dip his famous bicycle tires on both
sides of Iowa next year, he pledged to an ecstatic RAGBRAI crowd of
thousands Wednesday night.

"So this is RAGBRAI. I wasted all those Julys in France," Armstrong
began, humoring the throngs of riders, residents and fans.

"This is my commitment," he said. "Next year, my rear tire is starting
in the west and my front tire's ending on the east."

Armstrong spoke in Newton as the fourth day of the Register's Annual
Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa wound down. People crowded into the town
square, some even sitting above in windows or on top of buildings.

He spoke about cycling and his battle against cancer.

"This is the 10-year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis," Armstrong
explained. "I feel really blessed to be here 10 years out."

Armstrong urged listeners to be agents of change and to fight for more
money for cancer research.

"The number one killer in this country deserves some attention," he
said.

"Nobody in this audience can say they haven't been affected by cancer.
This is the time to end the fight, this disease we know as cancer."

Joe Strief, 28, of Bettendorf said Armstrong's 10-minute speech, while
brief, was inspiring. Strief's 3-year-old nephew has bone cancer and
has already had 18 blood transfusions, he said.

"(Armstrong) used humor and then got very serious and quiet. And he
talked about how the difference is really up to you and me," said
Strief, who has ridden RAGBRAI for seven years.

Armstrong created mania on the ride earlier in the day, when he joined
about halfway through.

Roars would be heard in towns or among crowds of riders just before
Armstrong flew through them, almost too fast for most people to catch a
glimpse.

Everyone had a different way to describe the sound.

"A roar went through town, like the wave at a football game," said
Jerome Vittetoe, 49, of Washington, Ia., who saw Armstrong tear through
Mitchellville.

"It was an adrenaline rush just to see him go by. Everybody was
grabbing their phones and calling people."

About six miles before reaching Mitchellville, Jim Restall, 53, of
Thunder Bay, Ontario, became one of the lucky few who rode beside the
famed athlete for a minute or so. He even had time to grab his camera
and get a couple of quick shots of Armstrong.

"It's so hot today, and it made me shiver with goose bumps for about 10
minutes after," Restall said. "It was such a buzz.

"The guys behind me said Lance was coming up. Then I cycled up behind
him and he looked over. I told him my son wants to be a pediatric
oncologist and he said, 'Well, tell him to find another area, because
we're not going to need him soon.' That was awesome."

Restall said Armstrong was friendly for the moment they talked, before
he sped off into the Iowa landscape.

"He was easy to talk to, very personable," Restall said.

Armstrong rode through quickly but did stop to enjoy a bit of Iowa
hospitality. He sat down and had a beer with Tom Davis at the home of
his sister-in law, Phyllis Franzen, in Lambs Grove.

People will see more of Armstrong today when he rides the full day of
RAGBRAI from Newton to Marengo. In fact, hundreds of riders have
purchased T-shirts that read "I rode with Lance from Newton to
Marengo."

Many will be wearing yellow in honor of his Livestrong organization,
and Gov. Tom Vilsack even proclaimed today Livestrong Iowa Day,
Christie Vilsack told the crowd Wednesday night.

Armstrong said RAGBRAI had been a great experience so far.

"You hear about all the people, the communities, the pies, the miles
and miles of cyclists," Armstrong said. "The reception on the ride, in
towns, the hospitality of people, the hospitality of The Des Moines
Register organization, has just been amazing.

"It's been an amazing day."