KNOWING WHAT'S AT STAKE, there are four possible outcomes to Armstrong's legal maneuvers: His lawsuits backfire, and, through the trials, perhaps more allegations of doping come forward; Armstrong loses on legal technicalities, and no further allegations come to light; he wins on narrow legal grounds, but new allegations arise in testimony; or, in the last scenario, Armstrong conclusively proves that he was libeled and is totally vindicated, and he can put these suspicions to rest and move on to the next chapter in his life, as a newlywed, a father, and a fundraiser for cancer-research programs.

For Armstrong, his reputation, his earning power, and the future success of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which has raised more than $85 million on behalf of cancer survivors, may hinge on evidence unearthed by these trials. Forbes ranked him as the third-most-powerful athlete in the world in 2005, behind only Tiger Woods and Shaquille O'Neal, with earnings of approximately $28 million a year. Sports Illustrated has estimated that more than $17 million of his earnings come through endorsements, including his post-retirement agreements with Nike, Oakley, and Trek.

Across the Atlantic, David Walsh remains both unrepentant and unruffled, despite the legal peril he's facing, although he admits to feeling surprised and frustrated by the relatively limited fallout from the L'Équipe allegations in the U.S. "What will it take for Americans to begin to honestly examine Armstrong's career?" he asks.

For his part, Lance Armstrong will wait to address his main accusers in court. "I have no interest in commenting on the type of journalism practiced by David Walsh and Pierre Ballester," he told Outside. "I will say that I am looking forward to the upcoming trials, where I am fully confident we will win."