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10/22/2012 03:18 PM

Local cyclists not concerned about Armstrong fallout

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The world of cycling is still reeling from the recent news surrounding local cycling champion Lance Armstrong.

Just days after stepping down from the top position at the Livestrong Foundation and losing his Nike sponsorship, Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the International Cycling Union on Monday.

"I think Lance was a personification because his story was just so epic," Stanton Truxillo with the Austin Cycling Association said.

But Austin’s local cycling community doesn’t believe the fallout surrounding Armstrong will fundamentally shake them.

"How many people that were little league baseball players were turned away by the Barry bonds scandal? Probably none,” Truxillo said. “Probably the same here. Austin is becoming a bike-friendly community because of a bunch of things happening."

Businesses aren't worrying about cleaning up the sport either. Eric Odenwale at ATX bikes says the professional world is so far removed from what they do on a daily basis.

"There's just not that direct tie,” he said. “We are a family shop and we are doing so much that doesn't have anything to do with the racing scene."

The overriding sentiment? Cycling doesn't need Lance.

"Okay, well maybe it was a little too good to be true, but he is not the face of cycling for most of us. Most of us ride a bike because we like to ride a bike."

Austin still has a number of cycling projects in the works including the Lance Armstrong Bikeway which would stretch across Central Austin.