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Dropped by Lance

Started by David Off · · Last activity · 8 posts · 604 views

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01 / Original postDropped by LanceDavid Off · 24 May 2004 02 / This pagePosts 1–8Page 1 of 1 · chronological order 03 / Latest replyPost #8Jim Flom · 26 May 2004

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Original section
Road Cycling
Published
24 May 2004
Last activity
26 May 2004
Original author
David Off
Posts
8
Discussion status
Public discussion
Total views
604
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0
Topics
Lance Armstrong

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  1. Original post
    David Off
    Archived post
    #1

    A couple of weeks ago I was staying with a friend in Bourg d'Oisans in
    France. This is the town at the bottom of the l'Alpe d'Huez climb.
    Normally we were ski touring in the area but we had a day of indifferent
    weather so stayed in the valley. My friend suggested I borrow his
    mountain bike - a clunker he bought in the local sports supermarket, no
    toe clips and a bit poorly maintained but quite light at 13.5kg incl. a
    suspension fork.

    I thought it might be fun to cycle the famous 21 hairpins of the tour de
    France. I normally cycle 20km into work each day and with a season of
    ski touring under my belt didn't think it would be too hard. Normally
    there is a ticket system in place to let you register your start and
    finish time but this didn't seem to be working what with it being early
    season for tourism.

    I set of well on the first steep section, there are a lot of road works
    with traffic lights. I kept my HR around 175bpm and speed around 10km/h.
    I found I was rapidly catching many Dutch cyclists on shiny road bikes.
    The suspension fork meant it was impossible to 'danse' on the pedals.
    After the village of la Garde the slope moderated and I was able to
    increase my average speed a little.

    At the hairpin before the fork at l'alpe d'Huez I saw my first real
    competition. An obviously club or pro cyclist moving up the road at a
    good speed. Within seconds I was caught... and dropped... by non other
    than Lance Armstrong!

    I finished 'my stage' with a time of 1h15m, no idea how long LA took as
    he was gone when I got to the top.

    Report
  2. Richard Adams
    Archived post
    #2

    David Off <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    A couple of weeks ago I was staying with a friend in Bourg d'Oisans in
    France. This is the town at the bottom of the l'Alpe d'Huez climb.
    Normally we were ski touring in the area but we had a day of indifferent
    weather so stayed in the valley. My friend suggested I borrow his
    mountain bike - a clunker he bought in the local sports supermarket, no
    toe clips and a bit poorly maintained but quite light at 13.5kg incl. a
    suspension fork.

    I thought it might be fun to cycle the famous 21 hairpins of the tour de
    France. I normally cycle 20km into work each day and with a season of
    ski touring under my belt didn't think it would be too hard. Normally
    there is a ticket system in place to let you register your start and
    finish time but this didn't seem to be working what with it being early
    season for tourism.

    I set of well on the first steep section, there are a lot of road works
    with traffic lights. I kept my HR around 175bpm and speed around 10km/h.
    I found I was rapidly catching many Dutch cyclists on shiny road bikes.
    The suspension fork meant it was impossible to 'danse' on the pedals.
    After the village of la Garde the slope moderated and I was able to
    increase my average speed a little.

    At the hairpin before the fork at l'alpe d'Huez I saw my first real
    competition. An obviously club or pro cyclist moving up the road at a
    good speed. Within seconds I was caught... and dropped... by non other
    than Lance Armstrong!

    I finished 'my stage' with a time of 1h15m, no idea how long LA took as
    he was gone when I got to the top.

    Interesting story.

    Wonder where he went, into one of the hotels up there? I was under
    the impression the only way out was the way in.

    Report
  3. Ewoud Dronkert
    Archived post
    #3
    Richard Adams said:
    David Off said:

    l'Alpe d'Huez climb.

    Wonder where he went, into one of the hotels up there? I was under
    the impression the only way out was the way in.

    There's an east passage from the Tour finish via the Col de Sarenne
    (1999 m) back to the route national (down by the start of the climb to
    Les Deux Alpes on the south side of the valley). There's also a small
    road to the west, from a little lower in Huez village to Allemont (near
    the foot of the climb to Glandon/Croix de Fer). But I think he jumped in
    the car and rode down, either to his hotel or to do the climb again
    without cooling off too much (it's not 30°C yet).

    Report
  4. David Off
    Archived post
    #4
    Ewoud Dronkert said:

    I think he jumped in
    the car and rode down, either to his hotel or to do the climb again
    without cooling off too much (it's not 30°C yet).

    I agree, I think he did the climb again but I didn't see him when I rode
    down so maybe he was staying in a hotel? There was only one open, the
    very plush Grand Hotel. I asked the locals who said he was training for
    the TdF ITT.

    Report
  5. Lindsay
    Archived post
    #5
    David Off said:

    At the hairpin before the fork at l'alpe d'Huez I saw my first real
    competition. An obviously club or pro cyclist moving up the road at a
    good speed. Within seconds I was caught... and dropped... by non other
    than Lance Armstrong!

    You were not 'dropped'. You were passed. Doesn't sound like you were
    able to hang with him at all.

    Report
  6. Ilan Vardi
    Archived post
    #6

    David Off <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    good speed. Within seconds I was caught... and dropped... by non other
    than Lance Armstrong!

    I finished 'my stage' with a time of 1h15m, no idea how long LA took as
    he was gone when I got to the top.

    It doesn't matter, you were a little off that day.

    -ilan

    P.S. Sorry about that, couldn't resist. I am ashamed of myself.

    Report
  7. Tom Kunich
    Archived post
    #7

    "Ilan Vardi" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    David Off <[email hidden]> wrote in message


    news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:


    Quoted message said:

    good speed. Within seconds I was caught... and dropped... by non other
    than Lance Armstrong!

    I finished 'my stage' with a time of 1h15m, no idea how long LA took as
    he was gone when I got to the top.

    It doesn't matter, you were a little off that day.

    If it works for Jan it should work for everyone else as well.

    Report
  8. Jim Flom
    Archived post
    #8

    "Tom Kunich" wrote...

    Quoted message said:


    If it works for Jan it should work for everyone else as well.

    Had Lance not dropped him, he could've retired then and there.

    Report

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