ChipRGW

Maybe they'll work it out?

the text...


Armstrong's wife says couple reconciling marriage


April 14, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Lance Armstrong's wife says she and the four-time Tour de France champion are working at reconciling their marriage, and that the family plans to be together this summer when he chases his fifth consecutive title.

In an interview with Outside magazine, scheduled to arrive on newsstands May 13, Kristin Armstrong said the couple spent several days in Nice, France, in late March.

``When we were together,'' she said, ``it was great.''
She said several events had strained their 4 1/2 -year marriage.

``We've had six homes, three languages, two countries, one cancer comeback, three children, four Tour de France wins and one rise to celebrity,'' she said. ``You're not supposed to cram such a huge amount of events into such a small period of time.''

Lance Armstrong overcame cancer on his way to four Tour wins. A fifth straight victory would tie the record of Spain's Miguel Indurain, who won from 1991 to 1995.

Kristin Armstrong said she'll take the children to the family's home in Girona, Spain, and will stay in Europe through the Tour de France.

After the race, she said ``We're going to take the month of August and play, spend some time alone. Have some fun. I think it's going to be OK.''

Telephone messages left for Armstrong's agent, Bill Stapleton, were not immediately returned Monday.

The couple announced their separation in February in an e-mail to the Austin American-Statesman

fubar5

Yeah!!! My Lance Armstrong posters go back up!!!

a2psyklnut

I know my wife and I had a "rough go at it" last year, and we're only dealing with "normal" pressures. What it all boiled down to was, "for better of for worse", and we committed to that and still are.

I'm glad to hear that they're working things out! Divorce is not always the "best" answer. (There are valid reasons, but I think it's gotten out of hand)

I wish them the best and hope he kicks some Euro butt this year as well!

L8R

Guest

Same here-

I was feeling disappointed when I heard about it. Well, I get disappointed when I hear people get divorced after so little time married, especially when it looks like they didn't even try to seek counselling or whatever.

I sure hope they seek counselling and outside help. A simple frolic in the European sun will probably not be enough. I'll keep my fingers crossed for them though.

KB

ahuman

I would like to see them make it.. they had a hard go. with a lot of stuff that would tear apart anyone. if they dont make it.... I pray that they find peace of mind. they are a blessed couple and their story brought hope and strenght to a lot of people. In this time of bad news and war, we are looking for heros and the Armstrongs are true heros..... Well in my book anyway..
Wish them well...

caloso

I hope they make it.

John E

Spending some time together after the TdF is the smartest thing the Armstrongs can do. Professional pressures, even when coupled with high levels of success, can be very hard on personal relationships. I know a billionaire who just walked out of a top-level executive position at the telecommunications semicionductor company he co-founded, to try to save his marriage.

The best advice I ever heard was from a once-divorced department manager at TSC: "A new job is always easier to find than a new wife."

ohsfan

Ditto.

wabbit

The way she described it it simply sounds like they, or she was just overwhelmed. Who wouldn't be? That probably happens to people who survive a terrible illness. They want to cram everything into their life. You can't blame them but it doesn't make it easy for anyone else.

Guest

She sounded overwhelmed, but she also sounded like she wasn't getting much help from LA. It still sounds like she's overwhelmed, but there has to be a way for them to get some professional help because nothing's going to change- they're still going to have all the houses, the contstant moving, the tours, the languages, the kids, etc. Hoepfully, they'll be able to get to the root of the problem.

KB

Joe Gardner

So I take it le tour will be the last race of Lance's professional career? Glad to see them trying to work it out, I dont know if i could handle the pressure.

Guest

I don't think it's the end of his racing career- just taking some time off after the Tour to hang out in Spain, from the looks of it.

slotibartfast

I'm happy to hear the news. They're a great couple. I hope it all works out.

wabbit

Koffee, yeah, that's what it sounds like. He's probably never around and she's raising three really little kids by herself- she's frazzled! I remember LA in an interview saying, "gee, I have no idea how she does it." Why, because you're never around? It's some big mystery? It made him sound like kind of a shmuck! Maybe the whole thing woke him up and he stopped taking them for granted.

Guest

Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing. I always got the feeling that LA was a bit egocentric. I believe he probably wasn't giving much thought to what all this was doing to his wife. And she probably wasn't communicating her problems with him effectively enough. So they have problems. Maybe now they can address them and fix whatever is wrong, because it's just a shame to see a young couple not make it- at least without trying to fix the problems first!

Koffee

fubar5

Did you guys read in Bicycling what Lance said when the tempo of a training ride slowed down going up a slight hill?

"Start ****ing pedalling!!!"

LOL..Someone needs anger management..Hee hee.

wabbit

Well, listen, it's a separation. At least he isn't an abusive jerk or hiring a hit man to kill his wife or having kids with 20 different women!

Guest

...yet....



K

Cadd

I haven't heard any news about Lance. So what DID happen between him and his wife?

bikerTeen

See this thread:
https://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21911
(started by me, I might ever-so-humbly add.)

orguasch

I first read the news, and my immediate reaction was tell my wife and I said Lance Armstrong will get his Fifth Tour De France Yellow jersey, and my wife asked me why, I answered that Lance and his wife Kristin were trying to save their marrieds, so with this in the horizon, there,s in Longer a psychological barrier from getting his Fifth title

Arsbars

Thou I'm in love with Lance, and would love a chance to ... *cough* I think they are the cutest couple

Lightyear

I finished LA's autobiography, "It's Not About The Bike", just last week. It wasn't until I finished it that a friend told me that he and his wife were separating. I was devistated. It was so easy to forget that the book was written 4.5 years ago. I still had the image of her as the perfect wife in my mind.

The truth is that their life together was all about HIS life. That is the nature of being married to an international superstar athelete. She was in a difficult situation. At one part in the book, LA wrote that his wife approached him and said "did you ever wonder what I do all day? Did you ever think to ask how I feel?"

After being dragged around for 4+ years, I guess she had enough.

LA does have a big ego. It's the necessity of his chosen profession. Without it, he could not have the winning, take no prisoners, mindset that's necessary to win the Tour de F. His killer focus, and iron wil,l leave no room to worry about little things like family. This is what she signed up for -- even if he wasn't cycling when they met.


P.S.: It IS about the bike!

wabbit

I think all athletes are probably like that to some extent, and cyclists are really high maintenance, and Lance is no ordinary cyclist. SO multiply all that by about a million- yep, being married to a guy like that can't be easy.

I also think they probably don't have a lot in common. SHe barely even rides a bike. Maybe she got sick of being 'supportive athlete wife' and being alone with three kids all day. WHo wouldn't go nuts?

Bokkie

Hey a2p - thanks for sharing that with us buddy. I hope it stays well with you both.