Armstrong to receive $1 million appearance fee?

8 comments
By Greg Johnson, Cyclingnews.com | Wednesday, Jan 14, 2009 10.15am

The office of South Australian Premier Mike Rann would neither confirm nor deny reports that Lance Armstrong will be paid US$1 million for his appearance at next week’s Tour Down Under.

Instead Lachlan Parker, from the Premier’s media department, said any monies paid to the seven-time Tour de France winner would go to the Livestrong charity.

“All teams that take part are paid a fee to do so,” Parker told Cyclingnews.com. “Any fee which may have been paid to Lance will go to his charity. No further information has been divulged."

The comments come after Australian news website Crikey.com.au reported Armstrong received a US$500,000 (£340,000) down payment, with the balance to be paid following the event.

Armstrong will attend a Cancer Council fundraising dinner at Adelaide Town Hall on Friday evening, before starting the Cancer Council Criterium on Sunday evening and the Tour Down Under next Tuesday. The Texan announced his return to professional racing last September, with the aim of raising funds and awareness for cancer.

The 37-year-old was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996. The disease had already spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain, prompting him to undergo surgery to remove his brain tumour and the affected testicle.

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User Comments

There are 8 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 comments

  • I'm sure a million could be far better spent promoting cycling in Oz then giving it to one bloke..even if it goes to charity

  • Since he arrived in Oz he seems to be doing an awlful lot of non-cycling activity: visiting dignitaries, hospitals, gala dinners ... while all the while the other 200 guys in the race are training serenly and chilling out in the team hotel.

    If he carries on like this for the rest of the season he'll be exhausted before the Giro even starts.

  • "Feel the Loooove..."

  • That's what I love about forums - the constant incessant flow of negativity is so up lifting!!!

  • Good on Lance, I can't think of anything bad to say about this story.

  • Lets face it it's the tour down under - the start of the season & hardly the highlight of the cycling calendar! 1-0 tour organiser & their marketing department - they spent $1m on a 7 times Tour winner & in doing so bought the attention of the worlds media.

    Then Lance gives the money to charity & promotes the fight against cancer further.

    The return of Lance should be a positive & even if he wins nothing but media attention it should be treated as such.

  • money well worth spent, it gives all the sponsors joy, as the worlds press is looking at them, it gives tourism a boost, and it gives a charity some more money to help a worthwhile cause. I can't see anything wrong with it all.

  • Last year's Mutual Community Challenge which is open to the public had 800 riders. This year the interest has been so intense they've had to remove the 5000 entrant cap. http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/2009/?q=node/216

    Enough said.

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