In Lance's case, even if he "admits" I am still not sure whether it is a true confession or an extortion so he can resume pro status.
The reason I'm not sure Lance doped is simply this.
He came back from Stage IV cancer using chemo.
Compared to that, even the Alpe d'Huez can be considered merely "mildly uncomfortable". That is, the pain he endured outside of cycling may have given him a psychological advantage to push harder than the other cyclists, as he had already experienced far worse than the Tour dished out -- he had a "deeper reserve".
Your mileage may vary.
I’m not sure I follow your logic. I understand how cancer treatment can be painful, but training to be a professional athlete at that level is painful enough. I understand how we respect cancer survivors and pretend they’re heroes, but really it’s more something you have done to your body, or that your body does to you, that you live through. It’s not like an endurance test you heap upon yourself. Not that some people aren’t too weak to face it, or that no one gives up. But it isn’t a feat of strength.
Anyway, I see no correlation between going through cancer treatment and being a world class athlete, psychologically or otherwise. It was just a story, like how so and so was homeless and his dad used to beat him before he went pro. Actually, humble beginnings and lack of prospects is common among professional athletes. But that’s in general, and doesn’t get so specific as, for instance, your brother was killed in a hangman’s shooting and you decided to leave the life, or your grandma needed heart pills so you tried harder in the weight room. Atheletes tend to come from lower socioeconomic strata, is all.
You might also assume women can stand more pain after they go through childbirth, but try punching your wife in the shoulder sometime. She won’t take it like a pal. That’s because giving birth is something she had to go through, not something she volunteered to do like the tour.