The Program

---

(wind blowing)

(man breathing heavily)

(Lance) It's the hardest

sporting event in the world.

One hundred and eighty riders,

20 stages,

and only one gets to wear

the Yellow Jersey.

This is the dream.

(trumpet fanfare)

To be on the team. To compete

with the best of the best in the world.

Now, when I'm out there physically,

I'm not more gifted than anybody else.

It's just this... desire...

this hunger.

My mam didn't raise a quitter

and I would never quit.

And that's heart, man,

that's not physical.

(race commentary)

It's not legs.

It's not lungs. That's heart.

That's soul.

That's just guts.

(commentator) That was

a disaster on the line there.

(commentator) The most incredible

sporting event in the world

at any time.

Oh! Now you just gotta want

my autograph.

(laughs) Maybe I do.

So, it's your first Tour.

You're 21 years old.

You're the youngest rider in the race.

- What are you hoping to accomplish?

- I wanna finish.

A stage win or two.

That would be awesome.

(grunts)

A lot of the riders,

they describe the Tour as a journey,

an odyssey into pain

and suffering and endurance,

an almost religious experience.

Eventually you arrive at a point

of enhanced self-awareness.

And I was wondering,

do you think about that?

Well, I just love to ride my bike.

(laughs) Aw, shoot.

- Oh, no, really?

- Oh, yeah.

- I was...

- We had a bet.

- I was joking.

- I beat you fair and square.

- Shave the beard.

- Absolutely not.

I had my interview with Armstrong today.

Interesting guy.

I mean, not lacking in confidence.

But it was good. I liked him.

- Is he a contender, you reckon?

- No.

Really good day racer, though.

Really good. Strong legs.

He's built for a one-day event,

not a three-week tour.

Hey, you're the American.

Lance, right?

You're supposed to be good. You

won all those races in America, right?

Big shot, yeah. (Chuckles)

But you don't win here.

No'? (Chuckles)

See that guy over there?

That guy. And probably that guy.

They've got more red cells

in their blood, more oxygen.

You can't win.

(man) Trois, deux, un!

(airhorn blares)

(cheering)

Go, f***ing go!

(Lance) Go, go, go!

(crowd shouts encouragement)

(breathes heavily)

So what you wanna do?

I'm not doping.

Lance, it's a big step to take.

I know, but first, second, third place,

same team, that's not normal.

(reporter) The top three places

for one team

is a remarkable achievement

in this race.

How would you characterize

your contribution to the success

- of the team today?

- As a doctor,

I believe I bring an expertise

in physical conditioning.

Do your riders use Epo?

If a rider does use Epo,

doesn't scandalize me.

One can buy Epo in Switzerland,

for example, without a prescription.

But Epo is dangerous.

Epo is not dangerous.

It's abuse that is.

- Dr Ferrari?

- Si.

I'm Lance...

- "Armstrong."

- I know who you are.

I wanna be like one of your guys.

I wanna be on

the program they're on.

Program?

You know what I'm talking about.

You just tell me what to do, I'll do it.

I'll work hard.

Come in.

(Ferrari) Remove your shirt, please.

Your shirt, remove.

- What?

- Your ratio is all wrong.

- My ratio?

- Power to weight.

Lots of power, but too much of this.

- What are you talking about?

- Your shape, Lance.

Is not best for the mountains.

You can be a good racer, but never

a great one. I'm sorry. You know it.

Scusi. I got some work to do.

(music plays on car stereo)

(they laugh)

(Tony) Come on, boys.

Un moment, s'il vous plait.

(they talk quietly)

- What are you doing?

- It's under control.

We're just making

everything look natural.

I'm just looking

at the range of conditioners...

Why? You got great hair.

- Really?

- Shut the f***...

- (woman) Bonjour.

- Bonjour.

Can I help you?

Hi. Can I have some...

- ..aspirin?

- Certainly.

- Thanks. And a toothbrush.

- Just behind you.

Right. And can I have some, erm...

Some...

- ..diapers.

- Sure. Which size?

Erythropoietin?

Epo?

- Epogen?

- Yes.

- That's what this man wants.

- OK.

- Bonsoir.

- Au revoir.

- Merci.

- De rien.

Au revoir.

- So, how much would you like?

- I don't really...

A lot.

["Blitzkrieg Bop" by The Ramones]

They're piling in the back seat

They're generating steam heat

Pulsating to the back beat

The blitzkrieg bop

Hey ho, let's go

Shoot 'em in the back now

What they want, I don't know

They're all revved up and ready to go

- They're forming in a straight line.

- Yes!

They're going through a tight wind

(grunts)I told you.

Didn't I tell you, though?

Who said that Armstrong had the

potential to be a great one-day racer'?

And you scoffed. Scoff no more.

Very, very, very surprised. And pleased.

Just so proud of the team

and how things worked out today.

(they all talk loudly)

(restaurant noises fade)

(retches)

(vomits)

You know... aren't you supposed

to get a second opinion?

- (doctor) You can if you wish, but...

- Yeah.

(doctor) It's cancer, Lance.

Testicular cancer.

Stage three out of three.

Now that we've got a diagnosis,

we can begin a treatment program.

We'll start with an orchiectomy which

is removal of the affected testicle

and then the insertion of a long-term

intravenous catheter

through which we can deliver

four rounds of chemotherapy.

And you know those cerebral metastases

that you have...

Well, you'll require surgery

to have them removed.

(medical monitor beeps)

(man) OK, some nice deep breaths

for me.

Keep holding it there.

Box shape paramedian flap

should give us enough access

for a transcallosal approach.

We'll need 0.5%...

(surgical noises fade)

(doctor) This is a really

punishing treatment.

As of now you have essentially

no functioning white cells.

Your platelet count is about zero.

We're doing all we can with

the transfusions and the antibiotics.

I don't know who's gonna blink first,

the tumour... or you.

(woman) Mr Armstrong?

- Would you like some help?

- There's been a mistake. I'm not...

Think you ought to go back to the ward.

I'm not supposed to be here.

- Don't you want to go back?

- I'm a world champion.

- Why don't we get a chair for you?

- I don't need a chair.

Sit in the chair now, Lance.

OK.

( Door opens)

(Frankie) Lance?

Lance?

You look good, kid.

- Still breathing.

- What happened to your hair?

I look like that guy from Star Trek.

So when you getting back on the bike,

champ?

When you bring me a bike.

- I wouldn't wanna break the rules.

- Excuse me.

I was reviewing your records.

Could I clarify a couple of issues

in your history?

Hey, you sticking around?

Yeah.

In the past, you were

on no regular medication?

- (Lance) No.

- You ever use any other drugs?

Any performance enhancing drugs?

- What is this?

- What?

- You heard it?

- Yes.

And you knew about that?

- Yes.

- And what about you?

Betsy.

(door creaks)

(breathes heavily)

(heavy breathing increases)

Are we racing?

You got a lot of work to do, buddy.

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