Lance Armstrong... Yes or No?



pobserver03 said:
The Cannibal! Who else!

Take care, pob

Interesting when you consider who that nickname is being applied to in today's lineup of cyclists.

:)
 
mike7382 said:
Your right pob im sorry of the same argument. I agree with beastt on all of his points. there is about one of a hundred people that know another race besides the tour de france. they route for lance because he is the only one cyclist they know. hes won the super bowl of cycling 6 times which means everyone thinks hes great. he may not be the best but i think he is.

An interesting point, in more than one way. If 1 out of 100 know another race other than the tour, then 99 out of 100 probably would know nothing about cycling at all, were it not for Lance. This certainly holds true in the USA. No other rider in recent memory has brought that sort of attention to cycling.

Love him or hate him, you have to concede that he has had a very positive impact on cycling. He got me to start riding again, after 15 years off, so I will always remember Lance.
 
Thanks for putting light onto something i said. i am right am i not. i can use my friend for example. he has asked me before if i knew anyone besides lance. i do but he does not. he only wanted to watch to tour de france if lance was leading the pack. other than that and we watched sportscenter. so he is just on example of many who dont know anyone but lance.

well u got back on your bike because of lance. i think everyone needs to have inspiration like that.
 
mike7382 said:
Thanks for putting light onto something i said. i am right am i not. i can use my friend for example. he has asked me before if i knew anyone besides lance. i do but he does not. he only wanted to watch to tour de france if lance was leading the pack. other than that and we watched sportscenter. so he is just on example of many who dont know anyone but lance.

well u got back on your bike because of lance. i think everyone needs to have inspiration like that.
I don't know enough about LA to say whether I would like or dislike him. It is peculiar, if it is true, that he only does the TDF? An analogy would b- I'll play in the NFL but, only in the superbowl. Again, I don't know if its true or not -about the 1 race thing- but if it is, it does'nt seem fair to the other riders who "pedal thier asses off " in many different races throughout the year. :confused:
 
davidmc said:
I don't know enough about LA to say whether I would like or dislike him. It is peculiar, if it is true, that he only does the TDF? An analogy would b- I'll play in the NFL but, only in the superbowl. Again, I don't know if its true or not -about the 1 race thing- but if it is, it does'nt seem fair to the other riders who "pedal thier asses off " in many different races throughout the year. :confused:

Lance usually does a few of the lesser races as tune-up races for the Tour de France. He won the Tour of Georgia this year and finished 6th in the Dauphine Libere. In past years (during his Tour de France domination), he's ridden in and won the Tour de Suisse. His racing is more limited than many other riders but it may be interesting to see how many future Tour de France winners compete as Eddie Merckx did in a large number of classics. Armstrong readily admits that he doesn't focus on any of the other races but also adds that he feels that will be the norm for future Tour de France winners.
 
mareblu said:
Hey, I am Lance's Number One Fan!...I am from Fair Oaks California!
I think a certain Robin Williams might disagree.

Yes I am a fan of LA and somebody who motivates me to get on bike when I can't be bothered to and he seems like a good bloke, I have read his two book's over and over and over.

However, he isn't my favourite number 1 rider in the world.
 
I saw him in Sydney at the Olympics. He didn't look too friendly, as opposed to Tyler Hamilton/Kevin Livingstone..can't remember, or the great Jan who waved at everyone. But then some people I know met him and said he is a very decent chap.

Given the cancer, the charity work, and his sheer class and ability on the mountains, I think he has to be one of the greats. Not to mention he must be very clever..who can forget his excursion through the paddock in the TDF '03? Did anyone see his response to the Aussie commentator when he finished the race...something like "did your mountain bike experience help you in that one?" "Nah", replies Lance, "more my experience as a farmer!" What a classic!

I would be nice to see him tackle the Giro. Would also be nice to get some coverage of it down under too, but that is a different story.
 
Beastt said:
Lance usually does a few of the lesser races as tune-up races for the Tour de France. He won the Tour of Georgia this year and finished 6th in the Dauphine Libere. In past years (during his Tour de France domination), he's ridden in and won the Tour de Suisse. His racing is more limited than many other riders but it may be interesting to see how many future Tour de France winners compete as Eddie Merckx did in a large number of classics. Armstrong readily admits that he doesn't focus on any of the other races but also adds that he feels that will be the norm for future Tour de France winners.
Thanks for the info, I'm relatively new to the modern "road scene". Last time i checked in on the road world was when LeMond was the name being bandied about in the U.S. I have to give L.A. his props for getting me re-interested in the roadbiking scene, second only to me working in a bike store. Love him or hate him, he gets non-biking people interested who, otherwise; would'nt care.
 
Chester1 said:
I saw him in Sydney at the Olympics. He didn't look too friendly, as opposed to Tyler Hamilton/Kevin Livingstone..can't remember, or the great Jan who waved at everyone. But then some people I know met him and said he is a very decent chap.

Given the cancer, the charity work, and his sheer class and ability on the mountains, I think he has to be one of the greats. Not to mention he must be very clever..who can forget his excursion through the paddock in the TDF '03? Did anyone see his response to the Aussie commentator when he finished the race...something like "did your mountain bike experience help you in that one?" "Nah", replies Lance, "more my experience as a farmer!" What a classic!

I would be nice to see him tackle the Giro. Would also be nice to get some coverage of it down under too, but that is a different story.
Yes I agree with you.

I don't have access to Eurosport, so I have only seen highlights of Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubiax (sp), and the TdF this year.

Never knew LA used to ride/rides mountain bikes though, and I have read his two books enough times to quote it word-for-word.
 
I'm only 23 but I have always been into cycling (having a cycling dad of course), I grew up wanting to be Gregg Lemond and it has never been the popular thing. You couldn’t just start talking to the average American about cycling or be admired for riding a bicycle. Now look what Lance has done for all us guys that have always seemed "nerdy" because instead of throwing a football or hitting a baseball we pedaled. Now cycling is cool and cyclists are admired for the athletes we have always been. Thanks to Lance we get a little more space on the road, now in the uncycling eye we are athletes and not just "guys that must not have cars." I also love the coverage we get of the tour now, do you guys remember when all we had was what was on at the end of the news and then the hour of coverage we got on the weekends now I have 10 tapes with the whole 04 tour. How awesome is that? More people are buying bikes, our LBS's are doing great, and more cities are becoming cyclist frendly. We haven't changed, the sport hasn't changed, but America has definitly changed and we owe it all to Lance. This time I am the guy that was doing it before it was cool and its only going to get better for the american cyclist.
 
I think Lance is a great cyclist - but after he dumped his wife and kids I'm no fan of his. It was a selfish act on his part to leave his kids.



meehs said:
In light of the popularity of the "Why does Armstrong provoke such strong pro/anti feelings?" thread, I thought it would be interesting to take a poll to see who is and is not a fan of Lance Armstrong.

In addition I thought it would also be interesting to see where the fans and non-fans were from. Sorry to lump everyone who isn't from either Europe or the USA into a generic "somewhere else" catergory but I had to draw the line somewhere.
 
szbert said:
I think Lance is a great cyclist - but after he dumped his wife and kids I'm no fan of his. It was a selfish act on his part to leave his kids.

I find it interesting that some marriages fail and other times, "he dumped his wife". Leaving his kids is an interesting way to say he completely changed his preparatory technique for the Tour de France by racing in the U.S. so that he could be with his kids saying; if it means I lose the Tour, then I lose the Tour.

Despite the fact that no one I've encountered so far can say exactly why the marriage failed, people still want to claim it was all his fault. Maybe it was but I, for one, prefer not to say unless I know.
 
Beastt said:
I find it interesting that some marriages fail and other times, "he dumped his wife". Leaving his kids is an interesting way to say he completely changed his preparatory technique for the Tour de France by racing in the U.S. so that he could be with his kids saying; if it means I lose the Tour, then I lose the Tour.

Despite the fact that no one I've encountered so far can say exactly why the marriage failed, people still want to claim it was all his fault. Maybe it was but I, for one, prefer not to say unless I know.

I agree with you 100% on this one Beastt. One can approve or disapprove of Armstrong's ability and attitude as a cyclist or speculate that he's using PED's all day long. That's part of being a professional athlete. But to fault the man because of his divorce and to suggest that it was all his fault, that he "dumped his wife", "abandoned his kids" (or what have you) is completely absurd. Unfortunately lots of marriages fail. The fact is that no one on this forum knows the details of Armstrong's divorce. And he has clearly gone out of his way to spend time with his children after the divorce.
 
I wouldn't say I'm a fan so much as someone who appreciates what he does on and off the bike. You have to admit, it is damn impressive and nobel.

In an age where it is rare to find a professional athlete to look up to as a positive roll model or to be a suitable hero for a child we see a stand up guy like Lance shining.

Hopefully his personality and his accomplishments will continue to draw more attention to this great sport. Soon people will begin to appreciate it and find even more great athletes to shine the limelight on.
 
I love Lance. He is by far the greatest cyclist ever.(Not on dope) He has out riddin everyone year after year, and they have been some of the best in the world. His choice of women is questionable, but as an athlete, an all around role model, and American, he's the greatest!-ginger
 
meehs said:
I agree with you 100% on this one Beastt. One can approve or disapprove of Armstrong's ability and attitude as a cyclist or speculate that he's using PED's all day long. That's part of being a professional athlete. But to fault the man because of his divorce and to suggest that it was all his fault, that he "dumped his wife", "abandoned his kids" (or what have you) is completely absurd. Unfortunately lots of marriages fail. The fact is that no one on this forum knows the details of Armstrong's divorce. And he has clearly gone out of his way to spend time with his children after the divorce.
"gone out of his way" huh? I hope the father of my future children doesn't look at spending time with his children as 'going out of his way'. His children are his way, and should be every father's "way". He is sure going out of his way to be with Cheryl Crow alot, though.
 
ginger@skullcan said:
"gone out of his way" huh? I hope the father of my future children doesn't look at spending time with his children as 'going out of his way'. His children are his way, and should be every father's "way". He is sure going out of his way to be with Cheryl Crow alot, though.

Some have children and still see themselves as more than a simple "parental unit". Others stop living for themselves and see themselves as nothing more than a support system for their offspring. Just a difference in mind-set. Lance has tried and, as best we can tell, succeeded in being who and what he is as well as supporting his children both financially and paternally.
 
I guess that I see it as this: people who stop living for themselves are one thing. But don't have kids if you're not going to live for your self and be a "support system" for your off spring. Being a parent is much more than being just a 'parental unit.' But, and I'll stand by this one 'till the day I die: Don't have 'em if you don't want to raise 'em.

Beastt said:
Some have children and still see themselves as more than a simple "parental unit". Others stop living for themselves and see themselves as nothing more than a support system for their offspring. Just a difference in mind-set. Lance has tried and, as best we can tell, succeeded in being who and what he is as well as supporting his children both financially and paternally.
 
G'Day Lance Fans, I can't say I'm a dedicated fan of the man, as he's not the only one riding the race and he certainly doesn't ride it alone. Having said that I appreciate how hard it is and what it takes to do the things he has completed during his career. However without the team behind him his chances of winning anything would be appreciably diminished.

Has anyone heard the latest about his 2005 campaign.

On Friday night sport news, the commentator said "Lance Armstrong" may not contest "Le Tour" next year but concentrate on the "One Day Classics". "He's been under pressure to attempt to do more than one big race"?

I know he rides some of the early season races and uses them to get condition but doesn't usually dominate them. Has he changed his strategy for the season 2005, and will he continue until the end of 2006 when it is rumoured that he is supposed to be calling it a day.

What say any of you in the know?
 
Lance is # 1 in my Books , just being a Cancer Survivor , alone

Anyone here had cancer and survived ,,

My dad died of Prostate cancer in Nov 03 , and I was a eye witness to the pain and the tremendous physical and mental effects , that took my dad down over a course of a year , it was horrible

Anyone that can survive cancer , gets my vote , lance did it

then he came back and kicked ass on a bicycle race that takes 3 weeks and he did it 6 times in a row

Drugs dont push them pedals , up Alpe De Huez , raw courage and determination does

Big Credit to USPS and the people behind lance , as well

How can people dispute this guy ?

Just My 2Cents

JP in Canada

:rolleyes:
 

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