Bad News

[Nordic]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/3489569.stm

Not sportscars but bad news for all us followers of two wheeled sport.

RIP

[bgeorge104]

Truly a sad day, I had the privilege of seeing him ride on the final day of the Tour de France & watching him romp away on many a mountain stage.

A great talent gone, to many young great talents seem to be dying from heart failure, Salanson, Jimenez and Zanoli all died of heart failure, and all were labelled dead of natural causes  

RIP Marco Pantani, the pirate

[Stu]

Sad News indeed. Made many mountain stages epic rides and fantastic viewing.

[BigH]

No sympathy at this end I'm afraid.
With all the stuff these guys are putting in their bodies I'm surprised they're not bursting into flames never mind having heart attacks.
It's a high price to pay for cheating, but I bet he knew the risks.
H
-allegedly...

[IanB]

Yes.. its looks like I'm with BigH here play it clean play it straight

[Jem]

Sad day indeed, I for one will miss him, who can forget him and Lance going head to head in the tour 2 years ago. Fantastic.

RIP Marco.

[Robbo SPS]

RIP El Diablo
Cheater or Not

[Mr. Rick]

I'm with Robbo!

Arrivederci Marco! Ringraziamenti per tutto! Il pirata vive sopra nei nostri cuori.

 

[rcutler]

I read in the Metro (London Paper) that a 21 year old cyclist Johan Sermon Died in his sleep on the Saturday night aswell.

The Cycling world will certainly miss Marco despite his reputation of drug usage he was one of the most entertaining cyclists for many years. I was compared to Marco during the amature tour de france this year as I left all the other cyclist behind on the mountain stages. I was asked what I was taking but I have never even used Lucazade when riding, always water unless it gets real hot then I have been known on Hot racing days to stop and have a beer!

[Fax]

This is a very sad occasion.  I've always had the greatest repect for Marco and thought way he fought back from a badly broken leg was heroic.  But it seemed after being thrown off the Giro a few years ago that he was almost destined to become a tragic figure.
Grazi Pirate!
John

[Andy Zarse]

Cheats shouldn't prosper. But they don't necessarily deserve to die.

[jpchenet]

I'm with Andy on this one. Certainly don't agree with the drug usage, but wouldn't wish an early end to anyone who does use them.

[Nobby Diesel]

JPC and AZ, you are obviously quite right.
A sport that struggles year in year out to rid itself of the tarnished image it has, is now without one of it's true dazzling entertainers.
A cheat; maybe. A talent; cetainly. A loss; defianately.

I only wish cycling could clean up and let the real natural born winners win.

RIP Marco.

[Barry]

Totally agree with you Nobby, I'd prefer to remember Marco ripping apart the field on the mountain sections of the TDF, rather than allegations of drug taking. Unfortunatley the problem has been around for so long (I'm just old enough to remember Tommy Simpson dying during the race) I wonder if anyone is absolutely clean, or if they just have brighter pharmacists.

[Rhino]

Years ago they did a survey on atheletes, would you take drugs if it would get you to the top, but it shortened your life. A majority said yes. Very sad