Armstrong Gear Goes on Closeout After Doping Confession
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Bloomberg) John Wilcockson, who has been to 44 consecutive Tours de France and wrote six books about Lance Armstrongs victories, counts himself among those taken in by the confessed doping cheat.
His work culminated in the 2010 best seller, Lance: The Making of the Worlds Greatest Champion. In it, Wilcockson recounted Armstrongs life story, juxtaposing a tale of grit and perseverance with the doping allegations that had been swirling around the cyclist for a decade. The conclusion: Armstrongs life was a triumph of training, strength and will.
Now Wilcockson, 69, and others in the far-flung world of Lance Inc. have to rebrand and retool, while reassessing a confessed serial cheater who helped them make a lot of money. From Armstrong-linked sportswear by Nike Inc. (NKE) to Armstrong- endorsed energy drinks and Armstrong-inspired private cycling trips to the Tour de France, purveyors of the shattered myth of Lance Armstrong are facing a reckoning of their own.
Ive been pretty depressed, having written such positive things, said Wilcockson, who has known the 41-year-old Armstrong since the cyclist was 16. Everyone accepted Lance was the champion. They didnt question him because they benefited from his success. Thats how the big lie was perpetuated. .................(more)
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-28/armstrong-gear-goes-on-closeout-after-doping-confession.html