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Lance's local cameo worthy of an audience
The Good News
I’m just like you. He’s just like me.
We don't want a few people and a couple of chickens at the finish line, we want 50,000 people cheering, and Durango would provide that.
- Lance Armstrong, pro cyclist
So, naturally, I did what you would have done when Lance Armstrong calls you at work on a Wednesday afternoon after screening a world movie premier in your hometown: I asked him about “Dodgeball.”
I mean, that picture was the impetus behind Armstrong’s second coming on celluloid, right?
“Really,” he said deadpan, “that was the pivotal moment in my life.”
Taking me off guard with such a serious response for such a silly movie, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps I ruined any chance for a follow-up question.
He quickly loosened up, though.
“Honestly, there’s not a day that goes by where someone doesn’t bring that up,” said Armstrong, whose brief cameo, in my opinion, actually was well-delivered.
Two weeks ago, I was trying to cure my boredom from a poor Sunday night football game by channel surfing. (I’m well aware of how ridiculous that sounds – trying to cure boredom from one thing on TV to the next.) What I settled on was “Dodgeball,” and as if to foreshadow my future encounter with the man, I was reacquainted with the scene between Armstrong and Vince Vaughn, aka Peter La Fleur.
I distinctly remember thinking how natural and on time Armstrong was in his 70 seconds.
“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Armstrong said, laughing. “That was the extent of my movie career.”
Armstrong, of course, was in town for a different kind of movie this week – a documentary featuring the two-wheeled exchange between the seven-time Tour de France champion (Armstrong) and the six-time Leadville 100 champion (Dave Wiens) last August.
While the legendary mountain bike race took place Aug. 15 in Leadville, the “Race Across the Sky” documentary made its world premier Tuesday at the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. There was a public forum before the screening with Armstrong, Wiens, Ken Chlouber – the Leadville 100 founder and president – and Durangoans Travis Brown and Matt Shriver, who both aided Armstrong’s assault on the record books.
“I think (the filmmakers) did a great job with it,” said Armstrong, who accomplished his goal – despite a flat tire on the lengthy downhill descent to the finish – with a course record and winning time of 6 hours, 28 minutes and 50.9 seconds. “I think it will be well-received, too – a lot of people were clapping and cheering for certain scenes, so that’s a good sign.”
The filmmakers fused the forum into the documentary then released the picture to a national audience Thursday, and the reedited version will show at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Smiley Building. Tickets, per availability, are $10 at Maria’s Bookshop at 960 Main. Ave.
But we all know Armstrong can act.
And we all know Armstrong can ride.
So, naturally, I did what you would have done when Lance Armstrong calls you at work on a Wednesday afternoon after screening a world movie premier in your hometown: I asked him about college football.
I asked him if his Texas Longhorns would be playing for a national championship this season.
“I hope the BCS falls in our favor,” the Texas native said. “Our season’s not done yet, though.”
Armstrong referred to Saturday night’s game against Missouri. He pointed to Oklahoma State. He even mentioned mediocre Texas A&M.
“They’re not very good, but that doesn’t seem to matter, they always play us tough,” he said.
“We gotta definitely work on a few things, but they’re tough,” said Armstrong, who ruled out a Rose Bowl appearance in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7 (he knew the date) should the Longhorns make a date for the big game. He’ll be training.
He’ll be training in Tucson, Ariz., come December.
He’ll be training in Spain come February.
He’ll be competing in California come May.
Armstrong and his newly formed Team RadioShack were approved by the International Cycling Union for its ProTour license next season, although its Tour de France invitation has yet to be mailed, which was news to Armstrong.
“We’ll be there,” he said, laughing at the trifle.
Make no mistake, as much as the French media would love to crucify the champ, the world’s most devoted cyclist will be there.
Still up for debate, however, is the maligned Tour of Colorado, for which Armstrong has been lobbying with Gov. Bill Ritter for reinstatement.
“We have all the logical things in place,” Armstrong said.
“I think if we can get the corporate support, at the national level and the international level, then we’ll get that day on the calendar.
“We’re making good progress,” he said.
Would that tour include
Durango?
“It’s hard to tell. It’s going to be hard to reach everything,” Armstrong said. “There’s so much history in Colorado, we’d have to race for three weeks to touch everything.”
Armstrong said the course likely would shift from year to year, so “hopefully” Durango would be one of the tour’s destinations.
“We gotta hit on those traditional places. We don’t want a few people and a couple of chickens at the finish line, we want 50,000 people cheering, and Durango would provide that,” he said.
And, finally …
Armstrong referenced the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, our signature race, and answered “one of these days” to that obligatory question, just not this year; he has another type of training in mind come Memorial Day weekend for his signature race.
aaron@durangoherald.com
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