bikerTeen

https://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/5235765.htm

Lance Armstrong separating after four years of marriage
Associated Press

AUSTIN - Four-time defending Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and his wife, Kristin, have separated after four years of marriage, the couple said in a statement Friday.

In a statement e-mailed to the Austin American-Statesman, the Armstrongs, both 31, said they were having unspecified difficulties in their marriage.

"We are working through these sensitive issues in the same way we have met other challenges in our life together with determination and dedication," the statement read. "We may experience a period of time apart from each other as we reflect on our relationship and work to preserve and protect the interests of our family and children."

Armstrong lives in Austin but departs for Spain on Monday to prepare for the European cycling season. Kristin Armstrong and the couple's three children will stay in Austin.

"We are like any other couple, except that we live in the spotlight of constant media attention, which makes working through this situation even more difficult. So, we particularly respect and appreciate any and all considerations for our privacy as we work through this difficult period in the months ahead," they said in the statement.

Armstrong overcame cancer on his way to four Tour wins. He'll bid for his fifth straight Tour victory this summer. Armstrong, who was named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year in 2002, hopes to tie the record of Spain's Miguel Indurain, who won from 1991-95.

oxologic

Oh my gosh. I thought they were a great couple, read Lance's book "It's Not About The Bike" and personally felt they had something good going on in their relationship. I never thought this would happen, three children already and it should be going good. Sometimes life is so unpredictable, especially difficult under media attention ........

I do hope they get back together. Lance Armstrong is a great guy, Kristin is a great lady, they are more than a match made in heaven. I guess I'll never know what exactly happened but I wish them best, whether separated or together. God bless them and their family.

shokhead

SO!It happens.

Rich Clark

After 32 years of marriage, I know this much: Keeping a relationship healthy takes at least as much training, commitment, and discipline as does success as an athlete or anything else.

Yet most people get no training. They don't read about human behavior, they don't do counseling, they don't take advantage of support groups. Most of us have this incredibly naive view that the ability to maintain a relationship just comes naturally.

Most people don't seem to understand or believe that committment means that you don't get to opt out. You just don't.

And most people in relationships are perfectly aware of the behaviors that will damage it and the behaviors that will help it heal and thrive. Yet they lack to discipline to avoid the destructive behaviors.

I hope the Armstrongs figure this out. It will be especially difficult if they have to do it in public, but c'mon. They're not THAT famous.

RichC

Gojohnnygo.

With Lance being on the road all of the time it has to be hard on them.I hope it works out for them and the kids.

shokhead

27 years of marriage with no training,i'm just married.No classes,advice,nothing.How ya figure!

wabbit

It's probably just the strain of fame. She met him before he was famous- he was well known but he wasn't LANCE ARMSTRONG. Often, when one person in marriage becomes famous it puts a lot of strain on things. Plus, she's probably alone with three little kids half the year and he's out on his bike all the time training. When they got married she probably assumed he'd be home more. ANd let's face it, cyclists are really high maintenance and self-absorbed. I remember reading Jonathan Vaughter's column and all those reasons are exactly why he quit racing in europe- he got sick of being away from his family, but like he said, "I'm not lance armstrong."

orguasch

I fell sorry for 5 beautiful people, Lance, Kristin, Luke and the twins, I feel sad,

SamDaBikinMan

It could be the difference in winning number five if the mental stress is too great. I hope they get things worked out, if not USPS should put Heras in the captains seat.

Pete Clark

The career is important. The family is more important, though.

easyrider

Yes, I would say that suggesting that the UNITED STATES Postal Service put FOUR TIME TdF champion Lance Armstrong on ice to turn the team over to Roberto Heras fits the bill for a "Forum radical and professional instigator."

danr

Hmmm. Could this be the end of Lance's professional cycling career? Will he possibly retire after this year in order to spend more time with family?

The drama awaits!

SamDaBikinMan

I thought that would raise some eyebrows

Merriwether

Sorry to hear this. I hope they work it out.

This doesn't have anything to do with the split, but has anyone else ever noticed that Lance's wife looks an awful lot like his mom? I saw a bio on Lance on cable, and even though I'm not any more enthusiastic about psychoanalysis than the average guy on the street, even I started and said, "wow".

Arsbars

There's hope for us!!!

Seriously, if they work at it nearly as much as how hard Lance has worked at his career and life... they will get through it.

SamDaBikinMan

The problems are probably a result of how hard he has worked at his career. Unfortunately if he intends to persue #5 then he will have no choice but to put career over family. I can't be sure what I would do in his shoes. I would like to think I could put away the bike and spend the rest of my life stregnthening my family bonds.

greywolf

We all have to make decisions in life, sometimes we think we have made a wrong decision but later ,sometimes much later our "wrong" decisions proves to be right. Lets hope Lance & his lady make the right choice !

trmcgeehan

Marriage is a business. You gotta constantly work at it and nurture it, or it can go down the tubes just like any business that suffers from apathy and neglect. Hope Lance and his wife make it. They've been through a lot.

Chris L

I think we have to remember that virtually all relationships (even ones that survive for ever) go through difficult periods. I wouldn't say it's all over just yet. Maybe they just need a little time apart to work on some issues.

RiPHRaPH

they are fine. lance's fame is fleeting. he will soon (weather it is 6 months, 1 year or a few years) be done and she will be begging for him to get out of the house. there has to be something else, but when i've got my own marriage figured out i'll move on to other people's.

it will get fixed sooner rather than later....

you don't go through what they had to go through with health and fertility issues to throw it away.

cyclezealot

I can relate to this topic. At one time I was so obsessed with my plant, I ignored a marriage.. In this case, Lance's success made the family.. The family can go on Lance's tour and with their money- get the nanny's or whatever to make the rest of Lance's cycling tour work for all...
Guess, this was the reason Kevin Livingston retired from Cycling.. Maybe Lance Armstrong's ( the American obsession with elevating movie stars and athletes to royalty) family could endure one/two more years of Lance's cycling career, since it will secure the family financially for the rest of all their lives?
Who are we to say.? Just the public persona of Lance as the pinicle of being the great all around guy is a shock and a surprise to us all... Can't understand why this could happen towards the end of Lance's career?
Oddity of a movie we saw last night.. "The Life of David Gayle." Which I liked very much.. A line of dialogue that caught my attention:Something like, ' A legal Separation... a conflict of terms working to further the definition of the word -seperate.. Anyone seen a separation bring the couple back together?

Dahon.Steve

I can almost assure you there is probably another woman involved in this somewhere. If there isn't one now, there will be one real soon.

Greg

Sad.
It's gotta be a bit stressful to be that couple.
She knew he was a handful going in but there was no way to know of his ultimate come back.

She may have lost in marriage but she has won the lottery.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
you don't go through what they had to go through with health and fertility issues to throw it away.[QUOTE]
I hope he kept some of the multi million dollar baby batter for the next gal.

shokhead

Maybe he's not using a penis friendly saddle.

RacerX

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Greg
Sad.
It's gotta be a bit stressful to be that couple.
She knew he was a handful going in but there was no way to know of his ultimate come back.

She may have lost in marriage but she has won the lottery.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by RiPHRaPH
you don't go through what they had to go through with health and fertility issues to throw it away.

Quote:

I hope he kept some of the multi million dollar baby batter for the next gal.

Those are pretty frickin' cynical comments. I don't even particularly like Lance as a rider and I would never say such things.

You know why they are having problems
1. He trains and is gone every waking hour with speaking, endorsements and more training.
2. She is very religious and he is not.