And all the defenders of the faith come out of the woodwork.
The guy is a professional athlete. You'd think he'd feel obligated to race all of the races he could, especially these years. It's what the fans of the sport want. Without fans, pro athletes are nothing. Absolutely nothing. The only reason he is so successful is because of the fans. No fans = no sports, and Lance is just another guy that can ride his bike really far on the side of the road.
I'm sure his kids will understand later on down the road why daddy couldn't be with them for a few months. Don't forget that they benefit from his success as well.