H.C.R. No. 14 





HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lance Armstrong concluded his professional cycling career in grand style, capturing his seventh consecutive Tour de France victory in front of 500,000 spectators on the Champs-Elysees; and WHEREAS, Relying on the invaluable assistance of his teammates, the strategic and tactical mastery of team director Johan Bruyneel, and his own single-minded determination and will to win, Mr. Armstrong wore the yellow jersey for 17 of the Tour's 21 grueling stages; overall, he wore the jersey for 82 stages during his brilliant Tour career, second only to the great Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx, one of his personal heroes and biggest supporters; and WHEREAS, Mr. Armstrong's climb to cycling's precipitous heights has been well documented since his recovery from advanced testicular cancer in the late 1990s, and his incredible success in the world's most demanding sporting event has helped to bring needed attention to the plight of cancer victims and survivors; through the Lance Armstrong Foundation, millions of dollars have been raised to help meet the needs of these individuals and their families, and the establishment of the foundation is a significant part of his legacy; and WHEREAS, This year's Tour victory has put an indelible stamp on what was already the greatest and most inspirational career in professional cycling; after winning the 2004 Tour with yet another superhuman effort, and surpassing five-time winners Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, and Merckx, the Texan dominated the 2005 event with the help of his Discovery Channel teammates; and WHEREAS, Opening the race with a second-place finish in the prologue, an individual time trial, Mr. Armstrong stepped to the podium two stages later as the general classification leader following his team's win in the Stage 3 team time trial; over the next two weeks, he staved off attacks from several challengers in the demanding mountain stages and proudly watched as team members George Hincapie and Paolo Salvodelli boosted the team's overall ranking with stage victories of their own; and WHEREAS, Mr. Armstrong sealed his seventh title with a dominating performance in Stage 20, a highly technical individual time trial that allowed him to demonstrate the breadth of his abilities and enabled him to extend his already imposing lead over his challengers; his victory left no doubt in the minds of his rivals, who could only praise him for his superlative physical ability and unparalleled mental toughness, as they look forward to next year, when the Tour de France will have a new victor; and WHEREAS, With his final win in the 2005 Tour de France, Mr. Armstrong has distanced himself from the field, establishing a record that will likely never be broken or equaled, and this accomplishment, as well as his continuing efforts in support of cancer victims and survivors, has made him a hero to countless fans throughout the world; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas, 2nd Called Session, hereby congratulate Lance Armstrong on his unprecedented seventh consecutive victory in the Tour de France and honor him on his remarkable career in professional cycling; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Armstrong as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Strama Merritt ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 14 was adopted by the House on August 4, 2005, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 14 was adopted by the Senate on August 4, 2005, by a viva-voce vote. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________ Date __________________ Governor