What Lance Told Oprah

Top ten quotes from the groundbreaking interview.

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Oprah Gets Lance to Come Clean - In a groundbreaking interview with Oprah Winfrey, maligned cycling champion Lance Armstrong finally confessed that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his once storied career. — Naeesa Aziz(Photo: George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network via Getty Images)

A Long Journey - In an interview airing on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Network on Thursday, Lance Armstrong confessed that he used performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) throughout his career. Armstrong had dodged doping allegations for years, but last year cycling’s governing agencies, citing concrete evidence, banned him from the sport for life. BET.com looks back at Armstrong’s rise — and fall — from grace.­­ – Britt Middleton   (Photo: George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network via Getty Images)

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Straight Dope - In the interview, Armstrong answered a clear "yes" after Oprah asked him whether he took banned substances such as testosterone, cortisone or Human Growth Hormone. (Photo: George Burns/Oprah Winfrey Network via Getty Images)

Impossible - Oprah: Was it humanly possible to win the Tour de France without doping, seven times?Armstrong: Not in my opinion. I didn't invent the culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture.(Photo: OWN Network)

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Impossible - Oprah: Was it humanly possible to win the Tour de France without doping, seven times?Armstrong: Not in my opinion. I didn't invent the culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture.(Photo: OWN Network)

At All Costs - Oprah: How important was winning to you and would you do anything to win at all costs?Armstrong: It was win at all costs. When I was diagnosed (with cancer) I would do anything to survive. I took that attitude — win at all costs — to cycling. That's bad. I was taking drugs before that but I wasn't a bully.  (Photo: OWN Network)

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At All Costs - Oprah: How important was winning to you and would you do anything to win at all costs?Armstrong: It was win at all costs. When I was diagnosed (with cancer) I would do anything to survive. I took that attitude — win at all costs — to cycling. That's bad. I was taking drugs before that but I wasn't a bully. (Photo: OWN Network)

Photo By Photo: OWN Network

Cheater - Oprah: Did you feel in any way that you were cheating? You did not feel you were cheating taking banned drugs?Armstrong: At the time, no. I kept hearing I'm a drug cheat, I'm a cheat, I'm a cheater. I went in and just looked up the definition of cheat and the definition of cheat is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe that they don't have. I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field.  (Photo: OWN Network)

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Cheater - Oprah: Did you feel in any way that you were cheating? You did not feel you were cheating taking banned drugs?Armstrong: At the time, no. I kept hearing I'm a drug cheat, I'm a cheat, I'm a cheater. I went in and just looked up the definition of cheat and the definition of cheat is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe that they don't have. I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field. (Photo: OWN Network)

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Day of Reckoning - Oprah: Did you not always think this day was coming? Did you not think you would be found out at some point, especially as so many people knew?Armstrong: I just assumed the stories would continue for a long time. We're sitting here because there was a two-year criminal federal investigation.(Photo: OWN Network)

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Day of Reckoning - Oprah: Did you not always think this day was coming? Did you not think you would be found out at some point, especially as so many people knew?Armstrong: I just assumed the stories would continue for a long time. We're sitting here because there was a two-year criminal federal investigation.(Photo: OWN Network)

Why Now? - Oprah: For 13 years you didn't just deny it, you brazenly and defiantly denied everything you just admitted just now. So why now admit it?Armstrong: That is the best question. It's the most logical question. I don't know that I have a great answer. I will start my answer by saying that this is too late. It's too late for probably most people, and that's my fault. I viewed this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times, and as you said, it wasn't as if I just said no and I moved off it.  (Photo: OWN Network)

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Why Now? - Oprah: For 13 years you didn't just deny it, you brazenly and defiantly denied everything you just admitted just now. So why now admit it?Armstrong: That is the best question. It's the most logical question. I don't know that I have a great answer. I will start my answer by saying that this is too late. It's too late for probably most people, and that's my fault. I viewed this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times, and as you said, it wasn't as if I just said no and I moved off it. (Photo: OWN Network)

Everyone's Doing It - Oprah: Was everybody doing it? That's what we've heard. Was everybody doing it?Armstrong: I didn't know everybody. I didn't live and train with everybody. I didn't race with everybody. I can't say that. There will be people that say that. There will be people that say, 'OK, there are 200 guys on the tour, I can tell you five guys that didn't, and those are the five heroes', and they're right.  (Photo: OWN Network)

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Everyone's Doing It - Oprah: Was everybody doing it? That's what we've heard. Was everybody doing it?Armstrong: I didn't know everybody. I didn't live and train with everybody. I didn't race with everybody. I can't say that. There will be people that say that. There will be people that say, 'OK, there are 200 guys on the tour, I can tell you five guys that didn't, and those are the five heroes', and they're right. (Photo: OWN Network)

How Did He Do It? - Oprah: How were you able to do it? Walk me through it. Pill deliveries, blood in secret refrigerators.… How did it work?Armstrong: I viewed it as very simple. There were things that were oxygen-supplying drugs that were beneficial for cycling. My cocktail was EPO, but not a lot, transfusions and testosterone. I thought, surely I'm running low [on testosterone following the cancer battle] but there's no true justification.  (Photo: OWN Network)

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How Did He Do It? - Oprah: How were you able to do it? Walk me through it. Pill deliveries, blood in secret refrigerators.… How did it work?Armstrong: I viewed it as very simple. There were things that were oxygen-supplying drugs that were beneficial for cycling. My cocktail was EPO, but not a lot, transfusions and testosterone. I thought, surely I'm running low [on testosterone following the cancer battle] but there's no true justification. (Photo: OWN Network)

Atonement - Oprah: Will you co-operate with USADA to help clear up the sport of cycling?Armstrong: I love cycling and I say that knowing that people see me as someone who disrespected the sport, the color yellow. If we can, and I stand on no moral platform here, if there was truth and reconciliation commission — and I can't call for that — if they have it and I'm invited I'll be first man through the door. (Photo: OWN Network)

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Atonement - Oprah: Will you co-operate with USADA to help clear up the sport of cycling?Armstrong: I love cycling and I say that knowing that people see me as someone who disrespected the sport, the color yellow. If we can, and I stand on no moral platform here, if there was truth and reconciliation commission — and I can't call for that — if they have it and I'm invited I'll be first man through the door. (Photo: OWN Network)