For the Phinney Family, a Dream and a Challenge

[earth_dweller]

Article on the Phinney family in the NYTimes

"On Wednesday, Taylor will compete in the individual pursuit at the world championships in Manchester, England. He is tied for third in the overall world rankings and could earn a spot on the United States team for the Beijing Olympics by finishing seventh or better. If he wins, he will secure his place at the Games in August."

"Davis Phinney is in England for the championships, nine days before he is scheduled to have a brain operation to ease the symptoms of his disease. He could have had the operation sooner, but he wanted to watch his son and allow him to race with a clear mind."

 

[kennf]

Pretty cool. I watched Davis race a bunch of times, often battling it out with Steve Bauer. Always exciting.

 

[kennf]

Phinney rode a 4:22 to finish 7th (or 8th- I can't tell).

Not bad for a 17 year-old.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Phinney rode a 4:22 to finish 7th (or 8th- I can't tell).

Not bad for a 17 year-old.

...and he broke the world record for the 3km on the way ! but he didn't get doped tested so it won't count..... get this guy riding for Astana ! quick !
________

Phinney found some extra energy to pull ahead of Spain's Sergi Escobar, a double world champion, during their ride. Escobar had been leading Phinney until the final half kilometer. Phinney's unofficial world 3km record was recorded as 3:17.523, faster than the current record of 3:17.77.

His final 4km time was 4:22.358, approximately two seconds faster than his previous personal best time of 4:24.364.

The UCI will have to decide whether to grant Phinney the record as it was set during a 4km pursuit. Normally, a record must be set when a rider is competing during the specified distance; however, Chris Hoy was previously awarded the 500m record he set when contesting the kilometer. Another requirement Phinney will have to meet to earn the record is a passed doping test.

"I rode the first lap a little too slow," said Phinney of his 16-lap effort. "I just couldn't quite get on top of the gear. Then I didn't want to go too fast and take everything out of me trying to make up for it. I usually finish fast, so I think if I could have gotten on top of the gear a little sooner I would have been a little faster. At this stage, every pursuit is a learning experience for me. I just have to get everything dialed in for the Olympics."

Even if the young rider is not officially awarded the record, he can instead focus on celebrating the news that he has qualified for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. According to his mother, herself a former Olympic cyclist, Taylor has accumulated enough points to qualify for the Games.

 

[kennf]

WBT, as usual, I can't tell if you're just talking smack or what, but whatever. Why people rag on Phinney is beyond me. He rides for Slipstream, so he gets tested more than any other non-slipstream rider (every 2 weeks, full blood test). And if you new anything about the family, you would know they would be the last people to dope, much less with a 17 year-old.

 

[cdy291]

I had a chance to race with him this summer. He was envolved in a crash I was and he managed to get back into the race even though the 150 rider pack was drilling it 30- 35mph and 8 miles from the finish line. I didn't.

Also whats wrong with his father? I haven't heard anything.

 

[thunder]

I had a chance to race with him this summer. He was envolved in a crash I was and he managed to get back into the race even though the 150 rider pack was drilling it 30- 35mph and 8 miles from the finish line. I didn't.

Also whats wrong with his father? I haven't heard anything.

not sure if Phinney would have been faster or slower on a jnr gearing restriction also.

He would have had to get a smaller gear. He did say he could not get on top of his gear quick enough, but that said, he probably would have been pushing a bigger gear if he dropped down to his ideal gear yesterday.

Smaller gear might have made him slower over 3km in the jnrs. May.

Not to be worried, placing top 10 in snr worlds as a 17yo speaks for itself.

 

[slovakguy]

Also whats wrong with his father? I haven't heard anything.

parkinsons disease.
http://www.davisphinneyfoundation.com/