Champion cyclist, cancer fundraiser, father of three, and alpha bachelor Lance Armstrong is on the cover of the October Men's Journal and profiled in a lengthy piece by Vanessa Grigoriadis. After pages rehashing his history and detailing hanging out with Armstrong on LiveStrong Day as he jets around the country, the author finally gets to sex and dating. Armstrong last three girlfriends have publicly been Kate Hudson, Tory Burch and Sheryl Crow, to whom he was engaged. The article is not yet online, but Huffington Post typed in this excerpt:
These days he's unapologetic about his reputation in the tabloids as a pussy hound, linked to designer and socialite Tory Burch, Ashley Olsen (whom he denies dating), and, until recently, Kate Hudson. "I'm a 36-year-old single guy who is completely open and honest with every woman in my life," says Armstrong. "As long as you're honest, and no one's getting played or let down, then you're being fair."
Armstrong doesn't go on a lot of real dates. "I think it's hard for me, or for anyone in my position, to call someone up and say, 'Hey, can I take you on a date?'" he says. "It's never like that. I meet people casually, while hanging out with friends, so there's less pressure." Sex is something he enjoys, because he didn't get much of it on the Tour. "I had sex if I had the energy. I wasn't one of those guys who believed in the myths about the guy losing his chi," says Armstrong. "But the fact is that if you are riding your bike five, six, seven hours a day, you are not a sex champion. You're just not. You have fatigue, low testosterone, and a lower libido." He grins. "But you know, I never got any complaints."
Armstrong retreats from questions about Hudson, whom he dated for a few months. "I made a mistake to let the public into my relationship with Sheryl, even though it didn't feel like a mistake at the time," he says. "It put a lot of pressure on the relationship, and I will never do it again." Some public outings can't be avoided, though. "When Tory had a show, I would go to the show; when Sheryl had a concert, I'd go to the concert; and if - uh - a new lady has a premiere, I might go to the premiere. I'm there as a supportive partner, that's my role. But sitting down and doing a bunch of photos, like I did with Sheryl, is just wrong, and I won't do that again."
It is hard to miss that most of these women are somewhat similar: down-to-earth blond lasses with Cheshire cat grins and small waistlines. Does he have a type?
"Everyone says that!" says Armstrong, moodily. "Everyone says I have a type! Of course I have a type. But doesn't everyone have a type? So shut up!"
Um, isn't that type a little like your mom?
"Now, hold on a minute there, " he says, laughing. "That's just gross."
Later, at his Texas mansion, he shows the reporter his bedroom and bathroom, which has an infinity bathtub:
A painting hangs over a stainless-steel bathtub in his bathroom. "Girls love that tub," he says, "They're always splashing around in it, and I've gotta be like, 'Hey, quit splashing the art!" (It's not immediately apparent if "girls" means his daughters or his lady friends.)