sean, i think you hit the nail on the head there.
i too doubt that he ever wanted 'it' enough, on cyclingnews.com theres a picture of hi on alpe'd'huez in 1997, now i know that was 10 years ago. but the thing that really struck me was just how lean and powerfull he looks.
if he'd really wanted to, i think he would have done 8 tours de france.
trouble is, black forest gateau is easier. thats why i will always remember him as the guy who nearly (but should and could have) stopped lance.
lance however, was the real star. arrogant though he may be, he worked his ass off 365 days per year. and the result, he was untouchable. even in '05 when he had to stop at the local post office everyday to collect his pension