Lance's Bodyguard

[Fred D]

Anybody know anything about Lance's bodyguard. I've seen pictures of him on the Tour picture sites. In fact there was a picture of him and someone else with Lance and I thougth they were refering to the younger larger guy as the bodyguard until I read the listing closer. He looks to be a middle aged person of eastern extraction.

Fred D.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I saw a few AP photos where the smaller, Middle-Eastern or Asian guy is referred to as the bodyguard. The big shaven-headed guy is variously referred to as a team paramedic, trainer, or soigneur.

I would not dismiss the smaller guy just because of his appearance. For all we know he may be a double-triple blackbelt and be able to kill you with his little finger while he calmly eats dinner with the other nine--just like Kevan! ;)

BBDave

[Jeff Weir]

BBD,
I think you are mistaken about Kevan..he uses that finger to pick his nose.

[Sandy]

I use my finger to search for my thumb.


Still Searching,



Kevan

[Jeff Weir]

If you stand up (rather than sitting) it might be easier to find your thumb......

[Kurt]

By KIRK BOHLS
Austin American-Statesman

NIMES, France -- Neither Erwin Ballarta nor Serge Borlee carry a weapon.

Neither needs to.

As one U.S. Postal official said of Ballarta, "He can kill you 20 different ways."

Why would he need to? Well, both he and Borlee are accomplished martial arts practictioners and lean, muscular athletes for whom 500 situps a day is normal. They are also active law enforcement officers.

All are prerequisites for their job description at the Tour de France.

They're Lance Armstrong's bodyguards.

For all the bodies on the French country roads and in the hosting villages at this 21-day event, they're hopelessly outnumbered.

According to other teams and Tour officials, Armstrong's the only one of the original 188 riders who had even one bodyguard.

"We don't need it," said Brian Nygaard, the press relations manager for the Dutch CSC team and emerging star Ivan Basso, who may require one soon. "Lance is a special character. Even though there are some famous riders here, they're very different from Lance."

Few, save perhaps popular Frenchman Richard Virenque and Euskaltel climber Iban Mayo, command anywhere close to the attention that Armstrong does.

Lance can't take a step outside the U.S. Postal bus without Ballarta or Borlee -- or both of the trim 46-year-olds. When Armstrong rides to the pre-stage introductions to sign in each morning, the two of them run at almost top speed alongside to keep up and keep the fanatics at bay. At race's end, they are there to protect him from the multitudes and squire him away.

Armstrong could have used them Saturday on the Plateau de Beille, where an estimated 85,000 Basque supporters almost smothered him. One photographer got a shot of two spectators sticking obscene gestures in Lance's face on the final ascent.

A nerve-wracking day?

"A little bit," Ballarta said. "There's a lot more people this time. There's more frenzy."

He and Borlee are accustomed to such. Between the native Filipino Ballarta and Belgian Borlee, the two have a combined 51 years in law enforcement.

For 18 years, Ballarta has worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety. The lieutenant instructs troopers in the use of force and self-defense and applies karate and the Filipino martial art of kali against multiple attackers and weapons.

When Borlee isn't policing the crowded roads in tiny French villages every July for the past 10 years, he's protecting the streets of Brussels as the city's police inspector.

Before joining the DPS, Ballarta worked in the Big Springs police department, where in all of six years he didn't have to deal with traffic jams like he's had to control in a single Tour stage in France.

His lone run-in with an overly exuberant fan came at the prologue when a man came charging at Armstrong with a flag in his hand and a scowl on his face.

"I put a serious face on," said Ballarta, who had to push the man aside. "But a lot can be done by a kind word."

Ballarta usually has plenty of those, this outgoing father of two sons, who were both drum majors at Pflugerville (Texas) High School.

This assignment isn't totally foreign to Ballarta. He protected both Texas Gov. George Bush and Ann Richards, but finds this task much tougher. So does Borlee, a bald, thick-chested man with a Romanesque nose, who has guarded Armstrong for four years and worked 10 Tours.

Asked if it's a grueling assignment since Lance is somewhat of a rock star, Borlee corrected, "Lance is a rock star."

So might be Ballarta soon because Armstrong's fans just want to get close to the five-time champion or anyone in his entourage. Ballarta has taken his vacation in July and been at Armstrong's side for the past three Tours. He joined the Lance entourage after working the security detail at Armstrong's Ride for the Roses.

Only 5-foot-7 1/2 with 170 pounds of fighting shape worthy of a soccer and tennis player, Ballarta got his degrees in psychology and sociology at Eastern Michigan University.

The son of a Chrysler engineer who moved from the Philippines to a gritty section of Detroit when he was a child, Ballarta steered clear of the gang members at Fort and Junction and developed a keen sense of family and community that he retains.

For three years, he worked as a counselor for emotionally disturbed children in the Detroit area until turning to police work. He had strongly considered joining a Catholic seminary but eventually wavered, he joked, when discouraged by the celibacy guidelines.

In a week, his summer vacation will end although he does get paid for this work. And how much does he make, trying to keep half of France off Lance's back?

"Not enough," he said with a wide grin. "Not enough."

[Fred D]

Kurt, you da man.
Thanks for the information.

[Kevan]

I stood up and there it was, my thumb...

apparently it was hidden under the armrest all this time! :D

Thanks Jeff!


Well, you won't have this whippersnapper to kick around for a while. Today is Hell-day at the office, the day before vacation. I might be able to check in once or twice before heading off, but otherwise, expect 10 days of entertainment blackout. Sorry boyz...

(get thru this day and I'm gonna jizzle my gizzle! Or is it, rizzle my dizzle?!)

:D :D :D
:D :D :D
:D :D :D

[William]

Erwin is one of the key figures in our organization (Pekiti-Tirsia Kali). I didn’t know he was providing services to Lance, but to suffice to say, Lance is well protected with Erwin close by. Erwin is a highly skilled, and well regarded individual.

You’ll find his name listed on the Pekiti-Tirsia Global Organization website.

http://www.pt-go.com/history_landmarks.asp

(1997 on this page)

I try not to go into the topic of combative arts much here since it’s a bike forum, but since the topic came up… :)

William