The world according to LeMond........

helmutRoole2

Plus, you have to figure when he fist came over, there was no American support system in Europe like there is now.

I respect Armstrong's achievements. He was the best rider of his time since the best focused on the Tour, but no Lemond = no Armstrong. For some reason that's a bitter pill for the Armstrong faithful to swallow.

Kelly should have won Chambery. I think he said bad gear selection did him in. If you watch the sprint, it seemed Lemond kept waiting for someone to come around. Kelly's win in '89 at Milan-Sanremo was the most exciting. That's got to be the best finish to a World Cup I've ever seen.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

whiteboytrash

slovakguy

sure, g. lemond has put on some tonnage, but so has the badger. still have to admire that battle they waged on the alpe d'huez climb.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php...eb08/feb13news2

scroll down a bit and you will see a noticeably jowly critter

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"To Hell with poverty, we'll get drunk on cheap wine."
--Gang of Four, To Hell With Poverty

helmutRoole2

You can tell Americans who have followed cycling pre- and post-Armstrong.

Pre-Armstrong cycling fans are fans of the sport. For them cycling is something to be followed eight months out of the year, year around if you consider cyclocross. Back then, racing was more interesting because you saw the same riders competing under a multitude of conditions and courses throughout the year.

For post-Armstrong fans, cycling only comes once a year, in July. It's a narrow minded fixation on one event and one rider. Now, with ASO taking away their '08 hope for an American winner or a someone-associated-with-Armstrong victory, they're pissed.

Fuckum. Bunch of idiots.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

thoughtforfood

Bet he would still smoke my ass on one leg.

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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein

Casa

Do you think you could change the names and country and still have the same fan divisions?

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Having a great time laughing at you morons!

thoughtforfood

Yep, they are the guys who bought up all of the Trek OCLV's. I had one (5500) pre-Armstrong, nice bike, but you wouldn't catch me buying one now. I have my drool set on a steel Seven or maybe....if I play my cards right...a Vanilla....speaking of bikes I could have sex with.

__________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein

thoughtforfood

Do you guys smell that???!!! WTF is that???!!!

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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
-- Albert Einstein

Bro Deal

With their team not being in the Tour there really is no reason for them to watch cycling for the year. I guess the boycott makes a lot of sense to people of that mindset.

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"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates

helmutRoole2

You mean to say that, if Armstrong was European, that the Europeans would defend him with the same gusto many American fans have?

Look, an athletic achievement is an athletic achievement. It doesn't matter from what country the athlete hails. People who follow sport based on jingoism aren't fans of a sport, they're fans of their country. So, it isn't a matter of, would Europeans support Armstrong if he were European. I'm sure the stupid, jingoistic ones would. But true fans of any sport appreciate the action on the racecourse, court or field, and care little about nationality.

When you consider the heap of evidence that has stacked up against Armstrong over the years, if baffles me how anyone -- American or otherwise -- could believe he did not dope his ass off. That said, so did everyone else. However, the possibility that Armstrong and his team had the best drugs has to be considered. So, his reputation as an athlete is tarnished to a degree.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Casa

Actually I meant a different rider, such as Boonen or Pantani or Inudrain to name a few names.

So then why spend so much time singling out Americans if you admit that this happens everywhere?

It's tarnished by unproven "evidence" which leads to wholly different problem, how it's impossible for someone rumored to be doping to clear his or her name.

But getting back to what you said, you assume he had the best drugs so you spend your time harping on him (not just you but cycling fans in general) instead of realizing that if indeed they all dope then he surely could not have been the only one with access to the top stuff.

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Having a great time laughing at you morons!

kennf

Chambery is probably my favorite World's. Fignon tore it up, and Lemond matched every one of his attacks. Had to be a bitter pill for Fignon to get beat by Lemond twice in one year by a close margin. Kelly wasn't quite the sprinter he was then then compared to his younger days, but still, awesome finish.

helmutRoole2

Yep, and there was that break that nearly made in with Konyshev getting bronze. That was a good one. Also good was '83 when Saroni won.

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"Bait in 08" --nns1400

Bro Deal

Uh-oh. Lemond's bike just reminded me of all the neon bikes and clothing. Some things, like pony tails on every other cyclists, are better left forgotten.

__________________
"You are like the wind and I like the lion. You form the tempest. The sand stings my eyes and the ground is parched. I roar in defiance but you do not hear. But between us there is a difference. I, like the lion, must remain in my place. While you like the wind will never know yours." -- Mulay Hamid El Raisuli, Lord of the Riff, Sultan to the Berbers, Last of the Barbary Pirates