Mike Powell / Getty Images file

Lance Armstrong is shown during his recovery from cancer in 1997 during the Tour de France, which he missed.

Now he had a second chance, but for what? You don’t build a race car to run errands, and Lance decided he could only apply the lessons he learned from cancer to a goal of immense value. For a bike racer, the Tour de France is the biggest, hardest, most prestigious race you can win, so that’s where he directed the full force of his newly found focus.

Over the past seven years, Lance’s year-round focus on every detail of his Tour de France preparation set him head and shoulders above his competition. He changed the way cyclists prepare for major events, altered the way athletes approach nutrition and body weight, and had a big impact on the technology and equipment used in the professional peloton. He grew into a consummate professional and weathered the scrutiny of the media and skeptics.

More than that, he honored his own battle against cancer, and the battles fought by others, by showing the world that cancer survivors aren’t fragile or broken. He’s inspired millions to realize that cancer can’t kill the champion inside and that survivors can achieve as much, and often more, than they could before cancer.

Though we will all miss watching Lance dance up mountain passes and power through time trials at the Tour de France, the sport is bigger than any one man. Lance has added his chapter to cycling’s history book, and now it’s time for the next chapter to begin and for new champions to emerge.

As for Lance, he won’t quietly fade into the background. He is simply redirecting his focus to a new set of goals, and his children, Sheryl (Crow) and the Lance Armstrong Foundation are his top priorities right now. I don’t know exactly what the future holds for Lance, but I’m confident his future successes will rival or exceed his success as a cyclist.

One of the hardest parts of being a professional athlete is knowing that it’s not a job you keep for the rest of your life. As a result, it’s important to consider how and when you want to walk away.

Lance wanted to retire before his performance started to decline, before he was referred to as the former champion who was now languishing in 70th place in the Tour of Whoknowswhere. Champions don’t sneak out the back; they deliver one last great performance, say their goodbyes and walk out the front door.

That’s what we talked about way back in 1998, and Lance just walked out the front door.

Slide show   The 2005 Tour See images from Lance Armstrong's seventh straight Tour de France victory.