Lance Armstrong Cleared Of Doping

Harry Smith: Bike Racer Has An Amazing Work Ethic

(CBS)  This column was written by CBS News Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.

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You know the retraction or the correction never gets the same ink as the original allegation. That's just the way it is in news. True in papers, true in electronic media. So unless you were listening or looking closely you may have missed the story about Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong, the relentless cancer survivor and bike racer has been cleared of accusations that he used performance enhancing drugs during the 1999 Tour de France.

Since rumors and accusations first began to surface about Lance he's handled them with a mixed response of patience and sometimes anger. He told me and many others, "Look. I am the most tested athlete in the history of sport and a review of those tests from 1999 has turned up nada."

What Armstrong's detractors don't understand about him is his work ethic. When the rest of the boys have called it a day, Armstrong was still on the bike. He always rode as if it was the ride of his life — and if you know his story, you know that's true.

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Harry's daily commentary can be heard on many CBS Radio News affiliates across the country.