Lance Edward Armstrong. Pascal Rondeau/ALLSPORT/Getty Images

Disgraced former American cyclist Lance Armstrong on Thursday settled federal fraud charges against him for $5 million. The charges were related to his use of performance-enhancing drugs during his professional racing career.

It ended a protracted legal battle that involved former teammate Floyd Landis and the US government on behalf of the US Postal Service, Armstrong's Tour de France team sponsor from 1999 through 2005. Landis had filed the original lawsuit — which had sought $100 million — in 2010 and is eligible for up to 25% of the settlement.

The deal came as the two sides prepared for a trial that was scheduled to start May 7 in Washington, The Associated Press reported. Armstrong said he was happy to have "made peace with the Postal Service."

For a decade, Armstrong was not only one of the world's most dominant athletes but one of its most recognizable figures. Armstrong did what no one had ever done: He won the Tour de France seven times, and he did so consecutively from 1999 to 2005.

But that was all before the US Anti-Doping Agency found that his team had run "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."

As we know now, Armstrong used a variety of performance-enhancing drugs, and all his wins in the greatest bicycle race were eventually stripped from him.

As recently as 2016 Armstrong still blasted USADA, calling it "one of the most ineffective and inefficient organizations in the world" and claiming its CEO, Travis Tygart, went after him only because he needed a case and a story.

Armstrong didn't act alone, and it was, darkly so, a team effort. A calculating tactician, Le Boss handpicked his teammates carefully, and together they were cycling's most successful team.

Several of the riders who served under Armstrong's tainted reign are still involved in the sport.

Here's a look at what he and his old teammates have been up to: