He quit the race, abandoning his waiting wife, and carried on to the Cape of Good Hope for a second time.

ECONOMIST: The hubris of racers today

But on Thursday Armstrong crashed, cutting himself badly, and quit the race.

FORBES: Can Landis Wreck Lance's Brand?

But their support was spread among a fractured GOP field, and their main standard-bearer, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, quit the race after a disappointing showing in February's Super Tuesday primaries.

CNN: McCain wins GOP nomination; Huckabee bows out