More than 500 people turned out in Auckland to ride with Lance Armstrong on Tuesday morning, but the disgraced cyclist admits not everyone will be so forgiving.
Armstrong, in New Zealand to shoot a TV commercial for Lion Breweries, appealed to New Zealand's cycling fraternity on Monday to join him for the dawn ride – and they certainly responded.
Lance Armstrong rode with hundreds of cyclists.Credit: Getty Images
He said it was humbling to see how many people turned out, acknowledging that not everyone would be so forgiving of the doping that propelled him to international stardom as a seven-time Tour de France winner.
These titles would later be stripped after Armstrong revealed in a 2013 Oprah Winfrey interview he had been taking drugs to win.
Lance Armstrong chats to cyclists in Auckland.Credit: Getty Images
In the weeks that followed the confession a web of lies unravelled for Armstrong as his efforts to conceal his cheating were revealed.
"There's a lot of hurt feelings, and really the word is betrayal," Armstrong said in Auckland when asked about the impact his confession had had on cycling fans.
"Showing up here isn't going to make that go away. I'm 45 years old, and they'll still be talking about it when I'm 90."
Some Kiwi cyclists weren't going to miss the chance to ride with the biggest name in the sport, though.
A local takes a selfie with Lance Armstrong.Credit: Getty Images
"Regardless of what your opinion is, the guy is still one of the best cyclists there ever was," Emma Swanwick said.
Sarah Carswell rode with her father and sister, and agreed.
"He still managed to win the Tour de France seven times, and even with drugs that's pretty amazing," Carswell said.
Johanna Wrack pointed out Armstrong was just one of many cyclists who were cheating in the 1990s.
"Yes, there is the controversy, but I'm sure the people who won second, third, fourth and fifth were doing the same thing," she said.
On Monday, Armstrong rode on Scenic Drive, through the Waitakere Ranges in West Auckland, with a smaller group of riders.
Armstrong wants to meet with former teammate Stephen Swart while he's in Auckland.
Swart was one of the first people to break ranks and speak about the US Postal Team's drug cheating with allegations of doping in 1997.
He was vilified for his comments at the time, but was later named New Zealander of the Year in 2012 when it emerged he had actually been telling the truth about widespread drug use.
Armstrong accepts that Swart may not be interested in seeing him.
"I'd like to," said Armstrong. "[But] everyone's in their own place in this process, so that's not my choice."
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