Some people within the sport would argue that the airbrushing of Lance Armstrong from the history of the Tour de France appears to be complete.
When Bradley Wiggins rode to victory in the 2012 Tour, Armstrong was still a prominent figure, even if he wasn’t actually there in person. In the Village Départ, which is set up in the start town each morning, there were large cut-outs of a selection of Tour legends, including the quintet of five-time winners. Armstrong was there alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
But when USADA’s reasoned decision emerged a few weeks later, everything changed. The following July, as the 2013 edition got underway, while the cut-outs of the greats remained in the Village Départ, the one of Armstrong had magically…