What can mental toughness lessons can athletes gain from Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France? The tour offers so many lessons for athletes. Here’s my take on the mental and physical learning that you can use in your day-to-day training.

QUOTE #1: In the first stage of this year’s tour, Lance predicted:
“For the Tour de France, it’s not only the strongest team, but it’s the smartest team that will win.”

LESSON for ATHLETES: You can’t ignore the mental side of your training. You need to be strong and also smart about your training and racing.

I watched this year’s tour and saw Lance on the podium. As I watch him ride and hear his interviews, I reflect on my own interview I had with Lance.

Prior to this year’s Tour de France, I had the opportunity to interview Lance Armstrong when he competed in the San Francisco Grand Prix Bike Race.

Lance Armstrong knows about life’s setbacks; he’s a master at turning them into comebacks. In my interview Lance said: “I owe all my victories to the cancer; this illness enabled me to win The Tour. Had I gotten just an early stage illness, I wouldn’t be the same now. I would not have won the Tour de France. If I had not been through hell, I couldn’t be here now.”

Stay tuned for more of my insights about Lance and the Tour de France and mental toughness lessons for athletes.