Lance Armstrong: Man, Myth, Legend

July 25, 2005— -- After a grueling 2,237-mile race, Lance Armstrong pedaled down the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, reaching the Arc De Triomphe wearing the yellow jersey for an unprecedented seventh straight year.

"I felt as if I could have done another week, not that I wanted to," Armstrong told "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts.

Armstrong stood atop the podium and held his hand over his heart as the "The Star-Spangled Banner" played for him one final time. His mother, his rocker girlfriend -- a teary Sheryl Crow -- and his three children looked on, while millions of fans, including cancer survivors who have been inspired by his success, cheered from home.

"You have to cherish that moment because it won't ever happen again," Armstrong said.

Armstrong is calling it quits, retiring from professional cycling at 33. He has raced 11 Tours, pedaled over 20,000 miles and worn the leader's jersey more than 80 times. After beating testicular cancer before his Tour-winning streak began, Armstrong became an international icon and an inspiration to cancer survivors everywhere.

Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain in 1996, shortly after his 25th birthday. Doctors said he had less than a 40 percent chance of survival.

After four rounds of chemotherapy over two years, Armstrong returned to cycling in 1998 cancer-free and more focused than ever. Many teams passed on him, but the U.S. Postal Service team (now sponsored The Discovery Channel) gave him a shot.

In July 1999, 33 months after being diagnosed with cancer, Armstrong staged one of the greatest comebacks in history by winning the Tour de France.

Armstrong credits the battle with his illness for preparing him for that first win, as well as the next six. Before cancer, he said he was undisciplined and completely scrapped his training regimen once he reclaimed his health.

He said without experiencing cancer, he "never would have taken that risk."