Back in 1993, Lance Armstrong was just a 22-year-old up-and-coming bike racer from Plano, TX with a nasty demeanor and a bright future. He raced for Team Motorola, who would later become U.S. Postal and Discovery Channel, and the bikes — steel ones — were provided by legendary champion Eddy Merckx's company. Armstrong would win the 1993 World Championships in Norway, his first major victory — and pretty much the only one significant one he can still lay claim to.
So for his spare World Championships bike to randomly turn up on eBay is pretty cool. The wear patterns don't seem to match up — check the seat compared to the crankset — but maybe it was assembled from a mix of new and used parts. The number is correct, and obviously the paint job is. The $5,000 BIN now seems a bit steep, but maybe there's a well-heeled Lance Armstrong fan out there who needs a centerpiece for their collection. Assuming there are any of those left.
