For years, my standard response when asked about Lance Armstrong has been: He was the best at what he did. And you have to decide what he did.

Conquer the French Alps? Or cheat and perpetrate a hoax on the public.

On Thursday, when Armstrong's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey airs (6 p.m., OWN) we'll find out if he's the best at something else: the athlete apology tour.

Armstrong - after years of bullying, finger pointing and hunting down anyone who questioned him - confessed to Winfrey, though "not in the manner I expected," the talk-show host said. Winfrey said she was "mesmerized and riveted" by Armstrong, which isn't surprising. Over the years, Armstrong paired his bullying with charisma and media savvy to thwart doubters.

Read more at the San Francisco Chronicle