Having won several accolades over the years, Lance Armstrong has established himself as one of the most popular athletes in the world. Born in 1971 in Richardson, Texas, Armstrong started his professional cycling career in 1992 and won several titles. However, in 1996, he took a break from cycling after being diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. Two years later, Armstrong returned to the world of cycling after defeating cancer and won seven consecutive Tour De France titles between 1998 and 2005. That year, he also took retirement after winning his seventh title.
However, things went downhill for the professional cyclist as the doping agency found EPO, a hormone used by athletes to boost red-cell production to improve performance, in his blood. According to The Guardian, Lance Armstrong denied the accusations and returned to professional cycling in 2009. Four years later, in 2013, Armstrong finally admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. As a result, he was stripped of his titles after an investigation and received a lifetime ban from cycling.
There have been several documentaries on Armstrong that explore his rise and downfall. Here are some of the top Lance Armstrong documentaries to watch online.
The Armstrong Lie
Released in 2013, The Armstrong Lie provides startling insights into the cyclist’s career. It also focuses on how doping allegations marred his career despite being an icon. The documentary features in-depth interviews with Armstrong, doctors, and journalists involved in the doping controversy. Additionally, there are several sequences of Armstrong’s performance during races and behind-the-scenes footage from his training sessions.
The documentary had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in 2013 and was released in October of that year. The Armstrong Lie is a solid watch for those who want to learn about doping and how Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs for so many years. It is available for streaming on Prime Video and YouTube.
Lance
Directed by Marina Zenovich, Lance is one of the only documentaries where Armstrong opened up about his career and doping allegations in detail. The documentary also sees him talking about his childhood and how his father used to beat him. One of the film’s most striking aspects is how he candidly talks about some of his mistakes. For example, Lance Armstrong revealed how he forged his birth certificate to participate in his first triathlon. However, a lot of people believe that the documentary did very little to improve his image.
Nevertheless, LANCE received positive reviews from critics and currently holds a rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. The documentary is streaming exclusively on Disney+.
Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story
Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story is one of the few documentaries told through the eyes of his team members. Here, several of his team members noted how he destroyed their careers by constantly cheating. Additionally, it showcases how his former friends became his enemies and played a significant role in exposing him. The in-depth interviews make this documentary a brilliant watch.
Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story is available to stream on Prime Video.
