LANCE ARMSTRONG

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:07 pm

I submit that this man is not only arguably the best cyclist in the world but is also the best conditioned athlete in the world.

Today in the Tour de France, , he merely rode, alone, up a mountain for nearly ten miles, and beat the next best time by over a full minute while lapping the No. 2 rider who started two minutes ahead of him and finished 30 seconds behind.

AWESOME!

missy · Post by **missy** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:19 pm

WHOOHOOO!!!

Go Lance!

(and the spectators today have absolutely NO class!!)

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:15 pm

Damn, I missed it!

Chuck, you are correct: Lance is, the most well conditioned athlete on the planet at the moment, bar none. Almost makes you feel sorry for the other cyclists.......well, not really

I should think he has now earned the title "The Greatist Cyclist in history." Step aside Mercx, stand back Hinault, and step off the podium Indurain, Lance has topped you all.

Personally I think he could win the tour at least two more times (in a row), if he's up for it mentally, a record unlikely to ever be broken. It certainly will be interesting to see how many more years Lance chooses to ride the tour.

Loren

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:32 pm

Let us not forget "The Blue Train". The USP team
has done another fantastic job this year.

Proud to be a fellow Texan........and cyclist too !

Celtoid · Post by **Celtoid** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 6:41 pm

Lance Armstong is truly a miracle, a Texan who speaks fluent French and can also ride a bicycle.

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:23 pm

It was I think either 1991 or 1992 when I attended a criterium here in Fort Smith. I was among many who stood along the route waiting for the final race.

I saw the pack of ten or so riders come off the line, ride past, and turn the corner. A minute or two later, the first lap was done, and there was one young rider who was way ahead of the pack. By the second lap, it was obvious who would take first place. By the third lap, all of the other riders began just riding for premes. Who was this great young cyclist?

At the end of the race, the announcer's voice revealed his name. It was....

OK, you know who it was! Just look at the subject line!

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:32 pm

I would like to know if anyone has released the results of Lance's, I think it was race 10, experience? Hopefully you all know the one I am talking about.

Loren wrote: I should think he has now earned the title "The Greatist Cyclist in history." Step aside Mercx, stand back Hinault, and step off the podium Indurain, Lance has topped you all.

Unfortunately, just like Barry Bonds, this title would have a little "*" placed next to it. That is unless the answer to my question above was a big ol' negative. It is a shame that not only other athletes get jealous of greater athletes, but the press feels the need to crucify them in the press as well.

Such a shame.

spittin_in_the_wind · Post by **spittin_in_the_wind** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:39 pm

Celtoid wrote:Lance Armstong is truly a miracle, a Texan who speaks fluent French and can also ride a bicycle.

LOL!!!!!

Robin

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:46 pm

NorCalMusician wrote:I would like to know if anyone has released the results of Lance's, I think it was race 10, experience? Hopefully you all know the one I am talking about.

Loren wrote: I should think he has now earned the title "The Greatist Cyclist in history." Step aside Mercx, stand back Hinault, and step off the podium Indurain, Lance has topped you all.
Unfortunately, just like Barry Bonds, this title would have a little "*" placed next to it. That is unless the answer to my question above was a big ol' negative. It is a shame that not only other athletes get jealous of greater athletes, but the press feels the need to crucify them in the press as well.

Such a shame.

If you're talking about the doping allegations, they're just that - unsubstantiated trash! NOT ONE test has ever proved positive, NOT ONE credible witness has ever come forward. Just before the start of this year's race, it came up agaiin, this time in a book by a Brit and Frenchman who have not only carried on a vendetta against him but who, IMHO, were also trying to upset him and make him blow the race so that he wouldn't surpass their precious Euros. It is nothing but a rehash of the old allegations, presented without proof or evidence.

Save the asterisk for when someone actually proves anything. Until then, it's just a bunch of jackals nipping at a great champion's heels.

IDAwHOa · Post by **IDAwHOa** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:40 am

I don't disagree with you Chuck, not one bit. I am NOT the one putting up the asterisk. The facts are, people have a tendency to believe things like this.

Do you know if the results of the stage 10 tests have come back yet? IF negative that should put it to bed.

BillChin · Post by **BillChin** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:04 am

NorCalMusician wrote: Do you know if the results of the stage 10 tests have come back yet? IF negative that should put it to bed.

I believe that the Tour tests the top three finishers of all stages, plus random testing. As Lance puts it: I have been tested more than any athlete in history and have never tested positive.

My opinions: Whatever he is doing is legal. Whatever he is using, every other cyclist has access to the same. There are very few secrets in cycling. If there were some magic pill that escapes testing, you can bet it is widely circulated. Conditioning and living like a monk for nine months of the year is by far the more likely scenario than magic pills. Other competitors find it difficult to maintain that focus of diet and training during the offseason. Lance typically takes maybe two weeks off then goes back on the super-strict regimen. Lance's main rival during his run, Jan Ullrich, has some unflattering nicknames with fattening foods in the monikers.

As far as being the best of all time, I think it is primarily Americans that have that viewpoint. Those that know the sport, concede that Lance prepares for one race a year. He is not competitive in other races, nor does he see any problem with that. However, this narrow focus is like a tennis player only preparing for Wimbeldon, or a golfer only preparing for the Master's. Given that, it is hard to put Armstrong above the other all time greats who dominated the sport the entire season not just for three weeks in July.
+ Bill

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:09 am

Tell me honestly: if Armstrong wasn't American, none of you guys would even notice (except perhaps Loren: he can almost spell Eddie Merckx' name

).

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 1:50 pm

Bloomfield wrote:Tell me honestly: if Armstrong wasn't American, none of you guys would even notice (except perhaps Loren: he can almost spell Eddie Merckx' name ).

Nope. I've followed the Tour for years even though I admit its a lot easier with OLN providing full coverage - and that is o doubt partly due to Armstrong being an American. I still identify myself as a cyclist, even though my legs are so far gone that I can't manage a single turn of the pedals before falling. I still try at intervals.

Stan wrote:Let us not forget "The Blue Train". The USP team
has done another fantastic job this year.

They did it again today. It almost seems unfair for the best rider to be backed by such great team. I'm just glad Discovery Channel picked them up for the next three years. It'd have been a shame to see such a great machine disbanded for lack of a sponsor.

For those who couldn't see today's stage. five riders led at the end: Armstrong and Landis of USPS, Ullrich and Kloden of T-Mobile, and Basso of CSC. Armstrong appeared to be planning to sit back and let Landis win the stage, but when the other three attacked and Landis didn't have the power, Armstrong hit the afterburners and in the last fifty meters overtook Kloden to win the stage by a wheel length.

missy · Post by **missy** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:18 pm

Yeah!!! Go Lance!!!

Oh - and Bloomy, yeah, I'd still follow no matter what country he was from. Ex is a ultra-marathoner / triathelete and oldest rides time trials (besides running Cross Country and Track).
I, on the other hand, am a pro at holding sweats!!!!

Missy

Father Emmet · Post by **Father Emmet** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 2:54 pm

I heard on 1010 WINS (all news, all the time!) that Armstrong has just hired bodyguards, due to getting abuse from European race fans. Is this true?