Lance Armstrong ( born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18 1971 in Plano , Texas , USA ) is a American bicycle rider . He won the Tour de France seven times in a row , from 1999 to 2005 . Lance Edward Armstrong ( born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18 , 1971 ) is an American former professional road racing cyclist who is best known for winning the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times , after having survived testicular cancer .