Lance Armstrong may be racing in the Amgen Tour of California, but he kicked off his morning like many of us: drinking some coffee, checking some email and watching ESPN in the background. How do I know this? Because the guy's on Twitter and he told me so. Unfortunately, the quiet calm of his Sunday morning was soon interrupted: "Whoa!! They just came to my room and said our truck was broken into and someone stole my time trial bike! Wtf?!? APB out to the twitterati."
It's true -- the thieves not only swiped Armstrong's bike but also three belonging to his teammates. What the thieves may not have realized is that Armstrong's bike is one of a kind, a custom-made cycle easily recognized by cycling aficionados of the sport. Armstrong posted a picture of the bike on Twitter along with news of a reward, so it should be next to impossible for thieves to unload it without getting caught.
The only silver lining, I suppose, is that Armstrong completed the time trial portion of the race on Saturday, hours before the thieves took his bike. Cyclists generally use a more aerodynamic bike during time trials since they're not able to draft behind teammates, so when the first stage of the race (a 107-mile jaunt from Davis to Santa Rosa) kicked off this afternoon, Armstrong was back on his regular road bike.
Lance Armstrong
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Lance Armstrong of USA, riding for Astana, competes in the Prologue of the AMGEN Tour of California on February 14, 2009 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Armstrong
Getty Images
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Lance Armstrong of USA, riding for Astana, competes in the Prologue of the AMGEN Tour of California on February 14, 2009 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Armstrong
Getty Images
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Levi Leipheimer (L) of the USA and riding for Astana earned the Points Leader jersey with his second place finish takes the podium with teammate Lance Armstrong (R) of the USA who was awarded the Most Courageous Rider jersey after his 10th place finish in the Prologue of the AMGEN Tour of California on February 14, 2009 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Armstrong;Levi Leipheimer
Getty Images
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Lance Armstrong (R) of the USA and riding for Astana was awarded the Most Courageous Rider jersey and is congratulated by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger after his 10th place finish in the Prologue of the AMGEN Tour of California on February 14, 2009 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Armstrong;Arnold Schwarzenegger
Getty Images
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) and Astana cyclist Lance Armstrong smile at the prologue of the Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento, California February 14, 2009. Saxo Bank cyclist Fabian Cancellara won the prologue, and is the race leader of the 750-mile (1,207-km), nine-day stage race. REUTERS/Max Whittaker (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Lance Armstrong of team Asanta hits the first curve on Stage one of the Amgen Tour of California on Saturday, February 14, 2009, in Sacramento. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./Sacramento Bee/MCT)
MCT
Astana cyclist Lance Armstrong races the prologue of the Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento, California February 14, 2009. Saxo Bank cyclist Fabian Cancellara won the prologue, and is the race leader of the 750-mile (1,207-km), nine-day stage race. REUTERS/Max Whittaker (UNITED STATES)
Reuters
Lance Armstrong stands on the awards platform after being presented with an honorary jersey at the Amgen Tour of California prolouge cycle race in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009.(AP Photo/Steve Yeater)
AP
Lance Armstrong, right, is greeted onstage by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger after the Amgen Tour of California prolouge cycle race in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009.(AP Photo/Steve Yeater)
AP
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 14: Lance Armstrong of USA, riding for Astana, signs autographs for fans after competing in the Prologue of the AMGEN Tour of California on February 14, 2009 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lance Armstrong
Getty Images
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-15-2009 @ 9:06PM
vaquera said...
What an embarrassment for the city of Santa Rosa and for Sonoma County.
No wonder its called the "Redneck Empire"
Sorry Lance that it happened here.
Reply
2-15-2009 @ 8:53PM
mydnytrydr said...
The bike tested "positive" .....
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2-15-2009 @ 9:32PM
dskaalrud5 said...
I'll bet there's a secret compartment built into the frame.
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2-15-2009 @ 9:50PM
ROD SCOTT said...
My hart go,s out 2 you lance.They recently grabed my carbon handmade bianchi and it,s like loosing a tooth.Back to basics it,s all about u lance the bike is but a small role.No that,s not easy 4 me 2 say and good luck bro you,ll be fine.
Reply
2-15-2009 @ 11:42PM
rystlh said...
There were a bunch more bikes stolen. What a crappy set-up by the promoters.
Reply
2-16-2009 @ 12:50AM
yellowlab1002 said...
See if "W" took it. He got blamed for everything else for 8 years that didn't go right. Hussein didn't do it; it didn't have training wheels.
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2-16-2009 @ 5:49PM
jdcat22 said...
You have a fabulous awareness my man. You are a great American!! By the way I have a Black Lab and a Golden Retriever.
jdcat22@aol.com
jim
2-16-2009 @ 7:14AM
Dvdfrnzwbr said...
A millionaire's bicycle got stolen. How horrible. Booo Hooo
Reply
2-16-2009 @ 5:16PM
svrdhd said...
Check the basement of the Alamo.
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2-16-2009 @ 6:23PM
jamieinca said...
Vaquera-
Read the article again. The bike was stolen in Sacramento not Santa Rosa, but way to go with the insults.
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2-16-2009 @ 9:14PM
mojosmoothy said...
Lance should have had one of his girls from the harem watching his wheels for him
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2-16-2009 @ 11:08PM
fishonjohnson said...
Thats awesome someone stole his bike,I'd trash the shit out of it then put it back where he could find it,Lance is a punk bitch!
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2-16-2009 @ 11:25PM
Dan said...
Im guessing none of you are American.
Don't get your panties in a knot because an American won the Tour de France 7 times in a row.
Reply
2-17-2009 @ 12:55AM
Bob said...
People always complain that rich people have lost touch with the rest of us, but from the comments here, it obviously works the other way, too. This is still Lance's job (even though he does it because he loves it), and that bike was the "tool" needed to do his job. I'll bet you'd be pretty ticked if you woke up and your work truck was gone, or your tool shed was emptied out, or your bass boat disappeared right before the big tournament. That wasn't some rich man's toy, like a Ferrari, that was a racer's "racecar" stolen right at the "track".
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2-17-2009 @ 5:04AM
jjoekiker7 said...
I still have to say boo-hoo.... all Lance has to do is..........well nothing someone is already in the process of getting him another bike or 2 or 3.........now if this had been some homeless cripple that got his wheelchair stolen..... who cares....use lances bike ....f Lance anyhow the a-hole left his first wife the one that stayed with him thru thick and thin thru cancer gave him children what does he do to repay her after he becomes RICH.....bye bye baby.....c-yaaaaaa I is rich now dont need your scrawney ass anymore even thought your the one that stood by me day after boring day as you just kept riding and riding and riding she would have his dinner ready everynight....breaFAST.....RUB HIS ACHING CANCER INFESTED BALLS....... HIS THANKS C-YAAAA i HOPE HE GETS ALL OF HIS SHIT STOLEN AND COMES BEGGING BACK TO HER HIS FIRST TOSSED BY THE ROADSIDE wife..........KARMA is a bitch.....
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2-17-2009 @ 5:11AM
jjoekiker7 said...
and another thing shut up with all the sorry Lance you poor thang,,,,,,, its his tool how would you feel....... well since he is only racing for the fun of it.......SO F____ING WHAT he is almost a billionaire not millionaire...he could bye the bike factory......have another rebuilt on an airplane fling out to bring his bike.....good grief.....thats like saying oh deaR
Oprah got her mink coat stolen and she had to waer it on her show.......how mean of the crooks.........shut up before I have a fit like the lady that missed her Tokyo flight to San Francisco........flight....that was my wife by the way quit making fun of her you inbreeds........anyway....somebody stop me!!!
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2-17-2009 @ 5:14AM
jjoekiker7 said...
and furthermore Lance what is your first wife doing now yeah the one you got rid of after you became rich and famous..........I hate people that do that to the ones that stood by their sides while they were struggling...... thats the thianks they get....... dumped.....aint got time for that woman anymore I got me Cheryl Crows to amuse me.......I'm on to bigger aND better things....well God will remember......he took a vow to stay with her forever and he broke it.... God never forgets!!!!
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2-17-2009 @ 11:06AM
jsyland said...
hey someone stole my Raleigh ten speed. Maybe they can look for that as well.
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2-17-2009 @ 11:07AM
jsyland said...
I would hate it if someone stole my tool.
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2-17-2009 @ 12:49PM
Bob said...
jjoekiker, clueless and classless. Your jealousy of another man's success and wealth is pathetic. He earned his station in life with hard work and discipline, just like you earned your failures with your lack of effort or discipline, and your whining about everyone else. Let me guess, you were "victimized".
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