I had long believed all the great athletes play the major team sports, i.e., football, hockey and basketball, but I have to give credit where it's due.

This past month Lance Armstrong captured his fourth consecutive Tour de France. The race, some say, is akin to running more than 20 consecutive marathons. Methinks it's probably harder, considering no marathons go up the side of mountains.

Four years ago Armstrong, rehabilitating from cancer, not only competed in the race but won it. Since that time, battling accusations of drug use, anti-American sentiment, and competing in relative obscurity, he's found a way to win it three more times.

Sure, Armstrong will never have the endorsements of Jordan or money of Alex Rodriguez, but he is deserving of American recognition.

Here in the U.S., we often overhype conquests in the major team sports, calling games "wars" and combatants "warriors." Well, no sport is war, but at least for me there is one real warrior in sports, and his name is Lance Armstrong.

Lanier Frush Holt

lholt@postbulletin.com