It's Dirk Kotze from Ripon, who shares a similar life story with seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong.

Kotze and Armstrong, both passionate cyclists, had cancer but didn't give in to their fate. Armstrong, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer, recovered and won seven consecutive Tours. Kotze, 42, who was diagnosed with brain cancer, recovered and took seven consecutive tours from Ripon to the Pass, a one-way trip of 152 miles. Armstrong retired after seven, but Kotze keeps going.

Yesterday morning, he started his eighth Tour de Foothills. He left his Ripon house at 6:30 a.m., stopped in Oakdale for a quick breakfast and arrived in Mono Vista at around 1 p.m. His total riding time was 5 hours, 15 minutes for 60 miles in 95-degree weather.

"This is the wrong time of the year to do it," Kotze said referring to the heat. "Next time I won't do it this late in the summer."

He spent last night at a friend's house in Mono Vista and started his approach toward Kennedy Meadow at 6 this morning. He'll camp there before taking on his steepest challenge - the 12-mile ascent from Kennedy to the pass. His cycling buddy, Glen Nolan, will meet him there.

"When I get to the (Sonora Pass) sign I'm going to lift up my bike in front of the sign and have (Glen) take a picture.

"Lance said Vive le Tour," Kotze said. "I say Vive le Sonora Pass. It's a survival ride, not an easy ride."