Matt Damon favourite to play the big man himself

[Peter Abraham]

U.S. Cyclist Lance Armstrong is about to win his seventh straight Tour de France on Sunday before he retires from the sport. His story of an amazing comeback from cancer is certainly worthy of the big-screen treatment, and Armstrong tells Men's Journal he has a possible candidate in mind to play him in a biopic.

 

"I've had the chance to get to know Matt Damon. He is a fan of cycling and has a connection to cancer. He has even expressed an interest in the role," Armstrong said in the magazine.

 

Armstrong easily retained his overall lead after stage 18 on Thursday, which was won by Spain's Marcos Serrano. Armstrong's lead over Ivan Basso, his closest challenger, remained unchanged at 2 minutes and 46 seconds.

 

Looking back, Lance entered 1996 as the No. 1 ranked cyclist in the world, competed as a member of the U.S. Cycling Team in the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games, and signed a contract with the French-based Cofidis racing team.

 

While seemingly at the top of his game, he was literally forced off his bike in excruciating pain. In early October, his doctor gave him the stunning news that he had cancer. And his life changed forever.

 

Tests revealed advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and his brain. Though his chances for his recovery were far less than 50-50, a frightened yet determined Lance began an aggressive form of chemotherapy.

 

With the advice of specialists, he tried a course of treatment that gave him a chance for a full recovery with less danger of losing lung capacity as a side effect. Remarkably, the chemotherapy began to work, and Lance gradually allowed his thoughts to return to racing.

 

After his miraculous recovery, Armstrong started the 1999 Tour de France on the United States Postal Service team and won the event. He went on to win five more consecutive years. This year his team is sponsored by the Discovery Channel.

 

In 1997, Lance also founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which provides the practical information and tools people living with cancer need to live strong (LiveStrong.org).

 

Should go down well in Scottish cinemas