In a jaw-dropping appearance on Steve-O’s wildly popular podcast, legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong peeled back the curtain on one of the most controversial legal battles in sports history. Known for his unfiltered questions and irreverent humor, Steve-O introduced Armstrong as “the most famous cyclist of all time,” before diving straight into the deep end with a series of difficult, no-holds-barred questions.
Armstrong, who admitted he’s watched all the Jackass movies, seemed relaxed at first, even laughing as he recounted the staggering claim made against him by US Postal, the team he rode with during his infamous Tour de France victories. “They wanted 100 million dollars from me. Which I didn’t have,” he said with a grin, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.
The former cycling icon elaborated on the lawsuit, revealing that the actual amount sought ranged between $107 and $111 million. “It included expensive lawyers, signed endorsements, and things like that,” Armstrong explained. “It was a lot.” His tone shifted slightly as he recounted the legal pressure and emotional weight of the years-long saga.
Despite his confidence that the case wouldn’t stick, Armstrong revealed that his legal team warned him there was a five percent chance he’d lose. “I assumed that percentage was zero,” he confessed. “But they convinced me otherwise.” That sliver of possibility, it seems, was enough to push him toward negotiation.
After five grueling years of back-and-forth legal battles, Armstrong finally settled. The amount? Just $5 million — a mere fraction of the initial demand. Still, the ordeal left its mark. “It wasn’t about the money, really,” Armstrong said. “It was about the narrative. The story people were telling about me.”
Steve-O, never one to miss a punchline, quipped that Armstrong had basically performed a “stunt” of his own by dodging a financial catastrophe of epic proportions. The two shared a laugh, but the gravity of the situation was not lost on viewers who tuned in expecting laughs and left with a surprising dose of truth.
Fans of both Jackass and cycling were stunned by the candor of the interview. Many took to social media to praise Steve-O for asking the hard questions and Armstrong for answering them without dodging or deflecting — a rarity in celebrity interviews.
The interview marks a turning point for Armstrong, who has slowly re-emerged in public life after years of scandal and exile from professional sports. Whether or not his honesty can redeem his legacy remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: he’s not hiding anymore.
As the podcast episode racked up millions of views within hours, one thing was clear — when you put Steve-O and Lance Armstrong in a room together, you’re bound to get more than just laughs. You get revelations.