doctorSpoc said:myth... weight loss yes.. because of cancer no... at least according to Ed Coyle.. the pysiologist that Lance allowed to follow his progression though the years...
"...During Coyle's study, Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Remarkably, Armstrong showed no ill effects from the cancer upon his recovery. It has been suggested that Armstrong lost weight from the cancer, making him a leaner (and better) cyclist. But Armstrong's weight eight months after his chemotherapy was the same as before his cancer treatment, according to Coyle.
However, surviving cancer almost certainly made Armstrong a stronger athlete mentally. Sports scientists agree that Armstrong is one of the most disciplined and focused athletes in the world..."
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0722_050722_armstrong_2.html
Well I think that there was certainly muscle wasting from whatever sources during his treatment--calorie loss, lack of use, and chemo. Chemo breaks down any cell thats replicating and certainly can have lasting effects of direct toxicity.. Little known fact, Lance certainly lost 10-25 % of his renal function as a side effect of the chemo,. Known fact. If it can do that to kidenys it can do that to muscle...there just isnt much evidence with high level athletes of performance studies pre and post chemo...right??
Since his tri days which involved a lot of upper body work, he certainly lost that bulk aftyer cnacer as any picture will show. He also may have lost a fair amount of muscle mass, gained weight back after treatment but regardless of absolute weight, the real question is percentage body fat v muscle mass lost post cancer. WHatever. He came back a slimmer rider.
He also became disciplined and with the knowledge that with a strict diet he could maintain a weight that with his power output could keep him with the top climbers, it was AFTER the Vuelta 98 that he really slimmed down as the pictures will show. The Vuelta showed him somewhat thinner to be sure, but also that with loss of maybe 10 pounds more he could stay with the best climbers. What no one really knew including Lance and Bruyneel was that when at peak training he would DROP their asses like Sestriere.
But to quote him they must have known something because after the initial ITT in 1999, he said that his coaches and team and advisors thought his real strength would be his climbing not his TT so that "maybe" be could try and hold on to the jersey in the mountains. Funny eh?
The other issue with his high cadence is from Indurain that it does less danage and stress on muscles compared to mashing larger gears uphill and the muscles recover better allowing repeated high level performances. Before Lance powered uphill. Because of his very high VO2Max and low lactate produced this new pedalling aloowed him to limit muscle fatigue and stress. Before he would destroy himself in a one day race and not be able to sustain over and over in stage races as he did later.
