Idiotic Spectators
- Thread starter J.Burns
- Start date
Didi Senft (the German bike guy who dresses like the devil at every TDF since 1993)...the one I mentioned earlier...his wife just signed Tyler Hamilton's guestbook, expressing her condolences on his dog dying. Thats awfully sweet of her!
Here's something about Didi the Devil and his bicycle -
http://www.recordholders.org/en/records/didi.html
http://www.recordholders.org/en/records/didi.html
What is the big deal with the crazed spectators!?
They are part of what makes the Grand Tours as great as they are!
While I think it is silly to run next to a rider, I can understand the hysteria that drives them (ok, the alcohol, heat and drugs too
). I have seen the pros ride by and have walked on cloud nine for days afterwards!
They have spent hours (if not a day and a night) waiting, drinking, partying and discussing with the next crowd on their favorite riders! I have done it as a wee young lad at the Giro, the Tre Valli Varesine (the traditional last test for the selection of the Italian Nazionale for the World Championships), and gone crazy (yes, a very loud teenage Italian) when Argentin won a Ronde van Vlaanderen (I think I was one of the two Italians at the finish in a sea of Flemish supporters who were all.. ehm drunk and not too happy with me).
Crazy spectators have always been there. The riders know it. And know that the Tour and Giro and Vuelta, and their salary exist because all those loons are there!
There have been incidents. Bartali was attacked and beaten up at the tour (they threw his bike down the mountain - in the days that the GCs were a' la rally - you had to finish with the bike you started on). Guerini hit the photographer. An idiot made Bugno fall over (and Gianni threw his bike at him).
Lance got his handlebars tangled in a feed bag. Part of the sport.
But it does make the atmosphere and (at least for me) it sends wonderful chills up my spine to see thousands of people parting (Bibical references anyone) in front of these superhumans!
Fire away!
FORZA BASSO!
They are part of what makes the Grand Tours as great as they are!
While I think it is silly to run next to a rider, I can understand the hysteria that drives them (ok, the alcohol, heat and drugs too
). I have seen the pros ride by and have walked on cloud nine for days afterwards!They have spent hours (if not a day and a night) waiting, drinking, partying and discussing with the next crowd on their favorite riders! I have done it as a wee young lad at the Giro, the Tre Valli Varesine (the traditional last test for the selection of the Italian Nazionale for the World Championships), and gone crazy (yes, a very loud teenage Italian) when Argentin won a Ronde van Vlaanderen (I think I was one of the two Italians at the finish in a sea of Flemish supporters who were all.. ehm drunk and not too happy with me).
Crazy spectators have always been there. The riders know it. And know that the Tour and Giro and Vuelta, and their salary exist because all those loons are there!
There have been incidents. Bartali was attacked and beaten up at the tour (they threw his bike down the mountain - in the days that the GCs were a' la rally - you had to finish with the bike you started on). Guerini hit the photographer. An idiot made Bugno fall over (and Gianni threw his bike at him).
Lance got his handlebars tangled in a feed bag. Part of the sport.
But it does make the atmosphere and (at least for me) it sends wonderful chills up my spine to see thousands of people parting (Bibical references anyone) in front of these superhumans!
Fire away!
FORZA BASSO!
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