I, Lance, would like to announce...
- Thread starter lokstah
- Start date
I highly doubt this would actually happen, but what if..... Also expected today is the Tyler Hamiltons aquittal on doping charges. I understand Phonak has already fired him (though I guess they would take him back), so what if the annoncement is that Tyler will join Discovery and that they will be riding Tour of Georgia together?lokstah said:
Hamilton equittal expected today? Don't you mean Hamilton decision? Wishful thinking? That would be interesting, I suppose... especially if the talk included any new information about the investigation, though I doubt it.Eden said:
I expect Lance announces a soft hiatus from the sport.
OK maybe aquittal is a strong word (I like Tyler and I really hope he has not been lying), but all expectations seem to point to him being allowed to race again, though it is thought that whatever the decision, for or against Tyler, it will be appealed by the "losing" party.lokstah said:
I don't think the annoncement will have anything to do with Lance quitting or taking a leave of absence. He has a contract for 2 years and I think Discovery will hold him to it unless he is sick again and I don't think that is the case either. I think maybe it will have something to do with racing in the Giro this year.
donnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
He won a world championship ...and 6 Tour De France...isn't that count for something?
Well, I'm not a member of the I Love Lance Fanclub for some of the reasons you indicated, but let's be clear: only a precious few holy demi-gods in any sport completely dominate it in every respect. Most of the greats are regarded for a single achievment (a great Super Bowl catch), or a certain category of achievment (like the Olympics), or one or two important records.donnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
Lance is a good rider all around; he's not consistent enough, healthy enough, or generally dominating enough to command the classics or hold world records and be a Tour phenom, but frankly, what he's done as a Tour rider (and in the WC) is a valid accomplishment for a "great." The greatest? I don't think so. But one of the big boys? Sure. I think he's a jerk, but he's one of the greats.
Yes it does, but does it compare to wining 2 grand tours in one year, or competing and wining events from March to October. I'm not saying Lance couldn't of done this, he probably could have that's why I'm disappointed.
To lance cycling is the TDF and that's it. If you want to be a fan of a sport that has only one event so be it, but I enjoy cycling all year long and think LA has diminshed the mportance of the other grand tours etc.
To lance cycling is the TDF and that's it. If you want to be a fan of a sport that has only one event so be it, but I enjoy cycling all year long and think LA has diminshed the mportance of the other grand tours etc.
1998: 4th Vueltadonnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
1996: 1st Fleche Wallone
1995: 1st San Sebastian Classic
well what have you done? i mean come on!donnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
donnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
LA was 4th in the Vuelta in 1998. And he won Fleche Wallone. And a World Championship. Plus several 2nds in Amstel and L-B-L.
Though agreed. I'm very disappointed he didn't take next season, at least, to ride the Giro and more classics.
Then pretty much everything Lokstah said.
Lance is a great cyclist, but not THE greatest. In any sport, the greatest athletes are those who are able to win, not just compete in, a number of major events in one calendar year.donnyc451 said:What a disappointment. How can a rider who never one a Classic, never rode 2 of the 3 grand tours or never held a world record be considered onr of the greatest cyclist of all time.
How about if we compare this to tennis for a second... Sampras (example) was a great player, but he never won more than 2 of the 4 majors (Aus, French, Wimbledon & US) in the one year & in fact never won the French Open. However, Rod Laver won all 4 in one year, twice!
On the criteria of being able to win a number of major events in one year, that would make Laver the greatest. I believe a similar concept applies to golf. Armstrong isn't the greatest on that criteria. Perhaps, the best at the Tour de France, but not the best in the grand scheme of things.
I mean, LA has got to do what he's got to do, but, if the Tour doesn't go 'his way', I really think there is a snowball's chance in hell that he'd retire.
This guy expects perfection and he wouldn't go out on a sour note.
Agree?
This guy expects perfection and he wouldn't go out on a sour note.
Agree?
ausgirl said:
I think Rod Laver is still regarded as the benchmark.
I read comments by both McEnroe and Sampras (who never actually saw RL
play !!) say as much.
