Lance Armstrong says he will "turn the page" and got subject to lifetime ban and fan fallout

In a stunning announcement late Thursday, the famed cyclist said he was giving up his fight against doping charges brought by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. "I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances…" he said in a two-page statement, vowing his work would center on Livestrong, his foundation for cancer patients. "We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause."

In a statement released late Thursday night, celebrated cyclist Lance Armstrong announced he would no longer fight charges that he used performance enhancing drugs throughout his esteemed career. "There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, enough is enough," Armstrong's statement read. "For me, that time is now." Also on Thursday night, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said it will strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said Armstrong would be subject to a lifetime ban from the sport. It might not be that easy in every aspect of his career. While Armstrong's fans have largely stood by him and his foundation has flourished, what about his fledgling career as a triathlete? After announcing he would not go to arbitration to fight allegations that he was part of a long-running doping conspiracy, the famed cyclist will be stripped of his seven titles in the Tour de France. He also will be banned for life from competing in any sport or event sanctioned by a sporting body that is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency code. The World Triathlon Corporation is a signatory to the WADA code. Before USADA notified Armstrong in June of the charges against him, the cyclist had a deal to compete in WTC events for $1 million - a sum that was to go to his foundation. But the pending doping charges made him ineligible to compete, leaving $750,000 of that deal up in the air.