Originally Posted by
rankin116
He needs to get cancer or some other horrible disease, beat it, then win more than 1 Tour.
Sadly, I agree that "just" winning the race would probably only be a fleeting blip on the radar of the average American sports fan's interest. In that respect, Armstrong had been a double-edged sword. He generated tremendous amounts of interest because he had such a compelling story, but he has set the bar very high for what will get Joe Six Pack's attention. Even Floyd was unusual because of his Mennonite background, and winning* with a deteriorating hip. When LeMond won in '86, he created some interest by being the first American to win the Tour. However he didn't become the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year until 1989, after battling back from his hunting accident. Americans love underdogs who come from behind despite major challenges. Think of it as "the Rocky syndrome". If Christian were to simply win the Tour, after overcoming being forced to wear argyle, it would not be enough to make a significant impact on the casual viewer.