Tour De France

[Mr. Rick]

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???

 

[Steve Pyro]

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

[Canada Phil]

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
Canada Phil

[Mr. Rick]

You made me laugh out loud Phil!!! 

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

[Nobby Diesel]

Steve,

Dungeness B, is that?

[Steve Pyro]

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

[Fax]

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

[Matt Harper]

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......       

[Fax]

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

[Fran]

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.

[Matt Harper]

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!

[Nordic]

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.

[Andy Zarse]

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.

[Fax]

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

[Dave H]

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**ck 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!