easyrider <
[email protected]> wrote in message news:<
[email protected]>...
> "... Highlights of the press conference included Lance's responses to the following ideals:
>
> On 2003 objectives other than the Tour: "None"
>
> On the 2003 Worlds in Canada: "First I thought yes, now I think No" ..."
>
> Of course the season didn't start yet, so lots of things can and will change. But in my opinion it
> would be a lost opportunity for him to show himself to his US-fans in a top race with world-class
> riders. Hey even the course suits him well...
>
> As an American I can tell you that the American audience can be tough to please and don't really
> understand the complexity of bicycle racing. If Lance wins the Tour and then finishes even second
> in the World's, it will diminish his stature in the eyes of many Americans. We love our winners,
> when they win.
>
> Obviously true cyclists understand the difficulty of winning a one day race, but if the goal is to
> expand the interest of the sport, trying to win the Worlds is tough way to go. The odds of
> disappointment outweigh the odds of success.
>
> Americans are a tough group to please when you are a favorite. Besides, maybe he doesn't feel that
> it is in his own best interest to try to peak again late in the year. Armstrong is on the
> Armstrong schedule.
>
>
>
> --
> www.fantasybikerace.com Get into the Race!
>
> www.fantasybikerace.com Get into the Race!
>
> >--------------------------<
> Posted via cyclingforums.com
http://www.cyclingforums.com
Aside from that, he's already won World Championships once before. He doesn't need to prove anything
on that front. He's a stage racer now. A specialized discipline to be sure. Of course he rides the
SFGP (another place his American fans get to see him), and last year the New York City Championships
(and probably will again this year), but it seems that his schedule is not cut out for being in top
form coming into World's. And as a previous poster stated, Americans love winners. So many people
asked me about the 2000 Olympic debacle when he didn't win what happened there? I thought Lance was
great. Etc. etc.. To the unitiated, it's sometimes hard to explain bike racing. Then again,
sometimes it's hard for me to ascertain bike racing in all of its complex and interesting forms.
Jason Darden on the other hand (a teammate of mine) KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT BIKE RACING!
Tom
