Lance Armstrong needs no introduction. Or does he? Everyone knows Armstrong's heroic story of surviving what looked like terminal cancer and going on to win the Tour de France multiple times. He is an inspiration to millions. But few people know how this brash young man from small-town America worked his way to the top of a very un-American sport. How he brushed aside prejudices, ignored traditions and revolutionized training in his quest for sporting perfection. Ultimately, by winning an unprecedented seven Tours de France in seven years, Armstrong laid claim to the title of "world's greatest champion." There have been other incomparable athletes—Michael Jordan in basketball, Muhammad Ali in boxing, Pelé in soccer, Babe Ruth in baseball, Paavo Nurmi in long-distance running —but these world-renowned champions achieved perfection in a more conventional manner. Unlike Armstrong, all of them grew up with the sports in which they excelled. None of them were voted Athlete of the Year four years in a row by the Associated Press. And none of them were stricken with cancer before achieving their greatest feats.