The latest doping revelations by the United States Anti-doping Agency (USADA), upheld by the International Cycling Union (UCI), have seen Lance Armstrong strong-armed out of the history books of cycling. But will his legacy necessarily disappear as well?
For years, the strong-minded Texan was revered for his determination to beat cancer and the hills of the Tour de France race.
Now, he is referred to as a cheat, a liar and a bully.
Hundreds of pages of evidence from witness testimonies, email correspondence, financial records and laboratory analyses that depict Armstrong as the enforcer with regards to the drug and doping regime expected of his team will do that to a reputation.
It appears his dominating approach to winning on the bike also spilled over in the shady hotel rooms where blood and "oil" transfusions took place among team-mates, with managers and doctors cheering them on.
Is there any doubt that he took part in this regime during his domination of the road cycling world?
Not in my mind.
Like Tiger Woods' huge fall from grace after revelations of his less than wholesome lifestyle, sponsors are now dropping Armstrong quicker than I drop gears when the going gets tough in a spin class.
I don't feel sorry for him at all because the brand that he made millions from was premised on a lie, one that he vehemently upheld during years of accusations.
I do feel that he has done the honourable thing by distancing himself from his charity. Why should those with cancer suffer any more?
I do wonder, however, if he has become the scapegoat for a sport and a system that is corrupt. In other words, by eliminating Armstrong from cycling's history books, will the problem of doping in the sport disappear?
Unlikely, but it will make others think twice about placing themselves above the law and thinking they're invincible.
Did Armstrong really think his influence over others due to his personality and his pennies would be sustained throughout his life and perhaps forever?
Can anyone be that narcissistic or delusional?
The vendetta to reveal Armstrong's role in this could be likened to a witch hunt, but if you want to make an impact with regards to sending a signal about zero tolerance towards drugs and doping, going for the head honcho is the best strategy.
If the FBI or CIA were trying to send a message to the most powerful crime rings that crime (in the long term) doesn't pay, they wouldn't waste their time going for the minnows; they'd aim for the great white shark and leave a strong message for others to fear.
The explicit message is that "we will catch you (eventually) and your life will never be the same again".
The implicit message that may be harder to eradicate, however, is that Armstrong, despite using drugs and doping techniques to win seven Tour de France titles, was still the best of the drug cheats.
If everyone was using EPO, blood transfusions and testosterone, then he was still the king of this doped-up mountain.
In the cult world of elite sport, athletes are susceptible to socialising (also known as brainwashing and grooming), and the Messiah for so many years in the USPS team and in road cycling in general was Lance Armstrong.
Like the philanthropic mafia boss who donates to his local community, demonstrates discipline and determination, and expects loyalty from his followers, Armstrong was one of a kind and people may have been willing to turn a blind eye to his methods of achieving what he did because they admired what he achieved. By banishing his name from the record books, he may become a martyr.
The organisations involved in this mission to reveal the extent of the doping culture, of which Armstrong was such an integral part, still have a long way to go to clean up the sport of road cycling.
The old habits, songs, rituals, rites, stories, heroes, villains, symbols and core values need to be replaced. Unfortunately, this isn't as easy a process as a blood transfusion. It is going to be a long and arduous task for UCI and professional road cycling to complete this process.
A bit like climbing one of those exhausting hills during the Tour de France. The Armstrong saga has added a boost, but the ascent to a drug-free sport will continue to be painful, and perhaps idealistic rather than realistic.
