▁production . ▁▁ 1 9 9 7 – 2 0 0 5 ▁— ▁The ▁Arm strong ▁years ▁and ▁further ▁expansion ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Tre k ▁helped ▁sign ▁former ▁world ▁road ▁race ▁champion ▁( 1 9 9 3 ) ▁L ance ▁Arm strong ▁to ▁the ▁Tre k - sp ons ored ▁United ▁States ▁Post al ▁Service ▁Pro ▁Cy cling ▁Team . ▁Arm strong ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁Tour ▁de ▁France ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁ab o ard ▁a ▁Tre k ▁ 5 5 0 0 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Tour ▁on ▁an ▁American ▁team ▁r iding ▁an ▁American ▁made ▁b icy cle . ▁Arm strong ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁record - setting ▁seven - con sec utive ▁T ours ▁de ▁France , ▁all ▁of ▁them ▁ab o ard ▁Tre k ▁b icy cles ▁aside ▁from ▁a ▁few ▁early ▁time ▁trial ▁stages ▁that ▁he ▁rode ▁ab o ard ▁a ▁L ites pe ed ▁bi ke , ▁painted ▁and ▁bad ged ▁as ▁a ▁Tre k . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁all ▁of ▁Arm strong ' s ▁Tour ▁vict ories ▁were ▁res c ind ed ▁after ▁Arm strong ▁was ▁found ▁to ▁have ▁viol ated ▁anti - d op ing ▁reg ulations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Tre k ▁established ▁its ▁Advanced ▁Con cept s ▁Group ▁( AC G ), ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁engine ers ▁and ▁techn icians ▁dedicated ▁to ▁techn ologies ▁development . ▁The ▁leading ▁edge ▁of ▁Tre k