Club Arnage

OK not Lemons related but it is in France .. any other CAers planning to make the trip to Paris for the final stage and last ever professional race by Lance???

 ;D

Sorry Rick, I'm spending the next few days by the seaside.

(http://www.stacey.peak-media.co.uk/Sizewell/800-P1020075.JPG)

Hi Rick,
           While not planning to attend in Paris we get great TV coverage of the race here in Canada. I often use the line about my cycling adventures in France. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the WANC's for providing a bicycle again this year.  Watching the Pelaton brings home just how slow I really am ::) Glad Le Mans is in the flat part of France 8)
Canada Phil

You made me laugh out loud Phil!!!  ;)

Anyway, just a little memory from yesterday.....

Steve,

Dungeness B, is that?

Nobby, Sizewell 'A' with the dome of 'B' in the background.

Being in Paris for the ride into town would be nice but I'm not a fan of Lance.  I think he's a little too arrogant and full of himself for my taste (alot like another Texan!)  I'm also one of the skeptics...
Fax

Hey Fax
A sceptic eh? You're not, for a minute, suggesting that Lance has some undiscovered performance enhancing advantage are you?
L(enh)ance Armstrong is not human - he can't be. I was always a wee bit suspicious of Miguel Indurain, given his unbelievable stamina and endurance - and sure enough, he wasn't playing straight.
For me, the remarkable thing about Lance Armstrong is his refusal to be beaten by a cancer that kills 50% of it's victims. To beat this - and win the Tour once, let alone 7 times, is incredibe.
He's doing something that his competitors and peers aren't. I'm not suggesting whatever it is, is illegal - but he's doing something - you mark my words......       

I've just thought that his superiority is well, a little...too superior.
I made the mistake of thinking that Tyler Hamilton was clean too but we know how that worked out.  As I said. Armstrong's "in your face" attitude rubs me the wrong way as well.
Fax

His first book (Its not about the bike) makes interesting reading (even if you arent a mad keen cycling fan) - you dont end up liking the man but you have to admire him  - grudgingly....

As for the "enhancements", he must be one of the most drug tested sportsmen in the world due to the speculation and rumours surrounding his sport and him personally, unless he has found something new and incredibly sophisticated to avoid detection for 7 years - I rather suspect he might be clean... damn him!  :-\

And his Livestrong campaign has done good work too.... as far as i am aware he was the first with the wristband thingies, tho I may be mistaken.

Hi Fran
I don't think Lance is taking drugs to enhance his performance - he'd have been busted by now - and I don't think he's the type anyway. But there's something - I dunno if it's in his training regimen or his diet or whatever, but there's something goddammit!

His heart is 1/3 bigger than most, that and is resting pulse which is very low but has a very good range.

I think the key to his success may be what he does not do, he only really rides the Tour, the rest are just trainning rides so he arrives fresher than the others.
 
He part owns the tram he rides for, so is pretty much assured his team mates will do whatever is asked of them, something T.mobile fail to do.
He also pays for some of the drug testing done on the tour, but he is the most tested and as far as i am aware never failed.

Sometimes people are just better than the rest, have better team work and train harder.

Respect is due to Lance and given. He's just better than the rest. Like Rossi is in Moto, Schumi in F1, Tom K and Ickx at LM, Lester Piggot, Pele, Ali, Viv Richards, you name them. And not forgetting Chris "The Wrist" Laker, 1996 World W*nking Champion, still undefeated after ten years.

Just once in a very long while, an exceptional person appears in all sports.

Came home from work yesterday afternoon and guess who's on TV?  Same schtick, I'm a miracle, its just incredible, yadda, yadda, yadda. Just shut the f**k up!  I agree with Greg Lemond, Lance was just a good journeyman rider and then all the sudden he's superman?  Getting tired of looking at Sheryl Crow's heroin weathered mug too.
Fax

Fax, I love you man, but I'm going to  have to call you on this.  What on earth are you talking about?

You call Schumacher cos he's arrogant, you call Armstrong for the same reasons - but not folks like Hunt?

I would dare say that Armstrong has insprired more people and affected more lives inside and outside of his sport than any other athlete.  Many winners have to be arrogant in their attitdue or approach as it's their internal source of motivation and drive to keep going and winning.  Silent Senna was a boring fart if you ask me - and Prost - Mr Happy Podium himself!

I call bollox on ya!

Dave,
The great thing about a forum like this is being able to express opinions, and that's all I'm throwing out there...my personal opinion.  I don't like Schumacher, you do, I think Armstrong's a pompous ass, you see him as an inspiration to people.  If we agreed on everything we'd all be boring f**k*rs.
Got any sleep yet?
Fax

Fax,

I've never been really had an absolute understanding of your over-devotion to James Hunt. He was a good racer and a bit of a character and he had some balls. But he wopuldn't last five minutes today.

He was also an arrogant sh*t to the public, unless totty was involved. I know someone who flies for BA who hates him to this day. He got totally drunk and very unpleasant on a long haul sector and pissed all over the first class cabin. Fortunately some of it went on Ester Rantzen, but it's not really on is it? And what about that time he was arrested and done for beating up the guy outside the club? And his penchant for budgerigar breeding was a bit strange too.

He was no Jim Clark.

Andy - Two words; "fighting talk".   ;D  ;D

Fax - "Getting tired of looking at Sheryl Crow's heroin weathered mug too" made me piss myself!  That's funny!  Her last name is so appropriate.

Between her and Robin Williams, I'm not sure who wants access to his ball the most!

Hey Guys,
Wohoo, some good stuff here.  What made Hunt interesting to me was that he was a complete f**k*ng anarchist who did what he wanted and didn't give a flying f**k about what people thought of him. He absolutely refused to be a corporate stooge, basically told Marlboro to shove it when they wanted him to wear a suit & tie to public functions.  Those kind of people appeal to me, because I've never been one to conform to anything and I don't follow the herd.  Maybe thats one thing that pisses me off so much about Lance is that he is fricking everywhere, can't escape him.  I'm ready to sell my cycling rig after twenty years of riding just because cycling's become trendy or fashonable.  Now everytime I go out for a ride I've to look at all of my fat neighbors huffing, puffing and spilling out of their lycra.
And by the way Andy, Hunt was a hell of alot more talented than he was ever given credit for.
Fax

Andy,
I forgot one other thing I found very appealing about Master James, he was a devout animal lover (hence the budgie breeding) something he had in common with the Harper Brothers, Herr Schumacher and self.  Nigel Roebuck relates a very nice story of how James rescued a starving stray dog at Imola one year and fed it with food he collected from the various team motorhomes. He took it to race control and made the clerk of course sign a paper promising to look after the dog.  Niki Lauda has always said that James was his toughest rival (including Alain Prost) said that when James was rested he was a ferocious racer and the hardest to beat.
I'll still think Lance is on something.
Fax

What a top thread.

Late to catch on to this one.


I personally feel that Lance Armstrong is an imence rider with huge physical endurance, but he trains simply for this one race each year, he pre-rides the course and knows where, when and what is still left to go.

I dont think he is on anything.

Lance is great until he opens his mouth. He comes out as a very typically brash yank ( sorry fax - we havent met, but this is my opinion - no offence to you ). He is very single minded and annoying, why they gave him the mic on sunday night, lord only knows.

Its a shame that his succes has made cycling fashionable, but that will soon die and the fat people will soon stop, or die !!

Most people in the UK dont wear the full cycling lycra rig as we dont look to good, and its cold here most of the time

I cycle most days to work in shorts and t-shirt and see muppets in the kit struggling to get over 15mph on a trick bike - There will always be those who are like this. I call them SHEEP ( they also like F1 and Shumacher )

Damn - no wonder i was getting confused, i thought the great Mr Hunt you were talking about was a cyclist - not dear old Hunt the Shunt!!!  :-*

Hey Fran,
Actually I think James did take up cycling in his latter years, come to think of it, might be what killed him.
Hey Robbo no offence taken, I agree completely about Lance's mouth.  One reason that I'm so jaded about this whole doping thing as that in recent years the US sporting scene has been scandalized by accusations and admissions of the use of performance boosting drugs. Our oldest and most sacred game, Baseball has been especially hard hit with some of its top stars being busted for illegal steriod use.  We thought our cyclist were clean but then Tyler Hamilton got busted so suspicion is running high when any athlete appears so dominant.
Fax

I would like to take this opportunity to point out, in no uncertain terms, lest there be any doubt whatsoever, that I do not breed budgies.
I had a budgie once, his name was Freddie, but he escaped and the last time I saw him he was being persued across the sky by a large flock of Starlings (who presumably reduced him to his constituent parts). Since then it's been snarling dogs only.

Uncle Freddie's DEAD???

I too would like to make it clear that at no time have I been convicted or accused of sexual activity with budgies.

Horrible slimy things.

Dave, I've been waiting with baited breath. Did you manage to call Fax and what did he say to you? Hope you used an off-peak tariff, it might have been a long conversation.

Also, I wasn't aware Fax had phone numbers for Armstrong and Schumi either, though they can't have been pleased to hear from him just to be told they're arrogant. I suspect the reason he hasn't been able to call James is linked to the fact that he died twelve years ago and his phone has probably been cut off (though if he was with BT that may not be the case) and I would have thought an intelligent man like you would have known this.

I'm distressed to hear of your loss Matt, but you really shoulda told your bro.

BTW, I had a friend who reckonned he used to get his budgie to walk up and down his... well, you get the picture! Apparently Galtieri's sharp little claws felt quite nice.  :o He never mentioned anything about it being slimy though.

Judging by the amount of posting you are doing this morning Andy I presume that your weekend has already started  8)

Maybe thats Lance's secret weapon, he has a budgie walk up & down his *&%# before every stage. Or does he just have a Crow suck on it.  I see this one getting deleted.
Fax

Now that is a class post!   :D :D

Somebody had to do it :-X

For my money i think Lance is a superb cyclist. I know he only trains for the one race, but then it is the race to win.
I don't think he's on drugs, just taking drugs doesn't make a good rider. You still have to be aware of what the rest of the field is doing and how to react.
As an aside i read an article on the bikes used now, they are mainly exotic materials, and come in just over the 15lb minimum weight. This is 3lb lighter than the best alloy bike. Because of increased stiffness and aero tubing and handlebars, you can do 35mph for the same energy spent doing 30mph on an older alloy framed bike.
And of course you can buy one for £4500 :o :o

It took them a long time to catch up with Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds....
I've followed the sport (cycling) since the early eighties, the guy (Lance) was a cocky, smug, journeyman rider before he got sick, I have relatives who've gone through radio & chemo therapy, you can't convince me (or them) going through chemo makes you a physically stronger person.  It'll suck for all those poor bastards who bought into his whole facade when it goes down.  Ask Lemond or Hinault or Fignon about what they think of Sir Lance-a Dope
Fax

The moral of this story is that if your stupid enough to let you tescticle get to be the size of a lemon and allow yourself to become full of tumors before seeking medical attention, you too can make millions, marry a beautiful women and then divorce her to shack up with the screaming skull faced pop-star (make more millions on the talk show circut).  What a stupid f**k!  Well he is a Texan after all, they're all a bunch of inbred, hillbilly f**k*rs down there anyway.  Gotta be related to the Bush family somehow.
Fax!

Cue John Evans  :)

And on the subject of drug taking cyclists, I see that ex (numerous times) King of the Mountains Richard Virenque is driving in a Viper in the Spa 24.

Don't sit on the fence Fax, say what you really mean  ;)

What did I tell you about drinking and posting?

Umm...
That was a bit ham-fisted on my behalf, that didn't sound quite the way I mean't it too.  Apologies to all Texans who's last name isn't Bush. I know some Texans and they're nice people, John Evans a good guy and I'm a big fan of Colin Edwards.  They're not all inbred, just the Bush family ;D
Fax

Fax, I may be wrong, but I am getting the distinc impression that you are not a member of Dubyers fan club. ;D

When I was at Mid-Ohio last weekend I saw a bike with a sticker that said Buck Fush, I really wanted to find out where he got that sticker, really made me laugh.  Can't stand Dubbya, this country has about a million other things we need to be spending our hard earned tax dollars on rather than using it to get our troops killed and slaughter innocent civilans in a pointless war and occupation.  We've got public school systems that are falling apart and can't get funding but there's no shortage of funding for bullits & bombs.
Fax

How about this article

According to a requisition last week by the Army Field Support Command, the service will need 300m to 500m more bullets a year for at least five years, or more than 1.5m a year for combat and training. And because the single army-owned, small-calibre ammunition factory in Lake City, Missouri, can produce only 1.2m bullets annually, the army is suddenly scrambling to get private defence contractors to help fill the gap.

The bullet problem has its roots in a Pentagon effort to restock its depleted war materiel reserve. But it has been exacerbated by the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, where rearguard and supply units have been thinly-stretched throughout the countryside, occasionally without active duty combat soldiers to protect them.

I think they mean they will need 1.5 BILLION bullets per year.........

OK Fax:

I know he's not from Texas, but tell us what you hate about Mr. Woods.  He smiled on the 17th, the arrogant bastard!  Did you see the way he put his ball marker on the green?  Probably a Republican....

LOL

And what about the fact that he wears red on the last day of every tournament? What's that all about? Obviously some sort of secret cult he's attached to.

Nah,
I like Tiger.  He donated millions to the tsunami relief and didn't have to issue a press release.  Got a honey for a missus to boot.
Fax

Ah ha!

Now if we can confirm that Schumacher has one nut we'll have got to the bottom of the issue.

Actually I know a guy who works for Million-Air charter jet service here in Cincy at Lunken Field as a crewman, he's flown with a bunch of celebs and says Tiger one of the coolest guys who flys with them, says he's real laid-back and down to earth, super easy to get along with.  Said the biggest dick he ever flown with is the Gov of California, the Terminator, says he's just a complete asshole.
Fax

Bet that Made His Day....

As a final footnote to this, yesterday Rafael Palmeiro, one of the highest profile players in US baseball and a player with Hall of Fame credentials tested positive for illegal steriods and was given a ten game suspension from the league for a first offence.  This was a guy who sat in front of a Senate hearing about steriod use in baseball, poking his finger in the air, vehemently denying ever using steriods (what a lying sack of sh*t!)
I don't trust any profesional athlete (including Lance), they're all a bunch of cheating SOB's
Fax

Crikey! Can't quite believe what I started with my initial post!! Don't think any of my Lemons related posts have ever gone on so long!!

Have to say though Fax, your mistrust of all successful sportsmen unnerves me ... doesn't go all the way back to when that uncool spotty oik beat you in the 100 yard dash back in primary school does it?

 ;)

Hey Rick,
I don't mis-trust ALL of them...just most ;)  Oh Christ, I was the worlds worst athlete in school, I played baseball and Amercian football and was lucky not to get killed.
Really, some of what I threw out here was for laughs and to see what kind of crap I could stir up, and I knew if I started in on Schuey I could bait Dave H ;D 
I am a bit suspicious of Lance but he's innocent until proven guilty.  The whole episode with MLB baseball over here in recent years has made sports fans weary (on top of a NHL strike that wiped out an entire season).  Cheers Rick on a good thread.
Fax

The wrath of Fax is  not to be taken lightly! :)

I agree John - baseball is such a joke and the senate panel - what a farce.  Jose takes the 5th on everything and McGuire looked like Death.  Not that roids had anything to do with that!

Fortunately, I was put off baseball at an early age in Cincinnati - probaly Hudy Delight beer that did it.  What absolute filth.  Almost as bad as drinking warm dumpies at Le Mans.  Well, maybe not.

I'll call you this week to start laying down the Petit plans.

Well you've certainly posted some strong opinions. But PLEASE do some research, and you'll find that George W Bush has not one ounce of Texan blood in his body. It's just an advertising stunt.

Hi KPY,
Yes he was born in Connecticut but he was raised in Texas (Houston & Midland) that makes him a Texan. Over here its not about where you were born its where you were raised.  One of my best frinds was born in Boston but grew up here in Cincinnati.  He considers himself an Ohioian not a New Englander.  Hell, none of our blood is from here (unless you've got American Indian in you) I'm from German and Irish descendants.
Fax

looks like Fax may be right, at least in 99 Lance may have been on EPO.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-08-23T124007Z_01_YUE327364_RTRUKOC_0_UK-CYCLING-ARMSTRONG.xml

This photo proves to me he would lie in a heartbeat, look who he's hanging out with in Texas, one of the biggest liars of all...Doesn't Dubbya have a Scottish policeman to crash into?
Fax

From another forum, with apologies to Gilles and any other CA "membres"

 UPI Paris, France - Lance Armstrong's record setting seventh Tour de France victory, along with his entire Tour de France legacy, may be tarnished by what could turn out to be one of the greatest sports scandals of all time.

Armstrong is being quizzed by French police after three banned
substances were found in his South France hotel room while on vacation after winning the 2005 Tour de France.

The three substances found were toothpaste, deodorant, and soap which have been banned by French authorities for over 75 years.

Armstrong's girlfriend and American rocker Sheryl Crowe is quoted as saying "we use them every day in America, so we naturally thought they'd be okay throughout Europe."

Along with these three banned substances, French authorities also found several other interesting items that they had never seen before, including a backbone and a testicle

very good smokie, it took me a while to understand... :-\

Lance has not ruled out a comeback ride in next years tour, I guess spending a month with Sheryl on the ranch is less attractive that flogging your guts out over a mountain pass.

Lance said he may ride to win an 8th tour just to "Piss Off" The French that raised the allogations.