"life expectancy of a professional cyclist is barely more than fifty years"

[slikbiker]

I apologize if this reference is well known by you and I'm not up to speed, but please see http://newcriterion.com/archives/22/06/making-the-grandest-tour/ where in this quote is made. I've searched the internet and cannot find independent support for this statement. Perhaps the original report is in French and not easily searched via google. Does someone have the birth/death year records of all or just the winners of the tour de france so that this claim can be proved or disproved? Is this just an urban myth? Thanks for taking the time to respond to this question.

Yours truly,

Slik

 

[TrekDedicated]

Wait, then how are there Master races for 55+ and 65+????? WEIRD!!!

 

[slikbiker]

Wait, then how are there Master races for 55+ and 65+????? WEIRD!!!

I guess this quote refers to people who enter races and have no other job other than to race at some time in their life.

 

[YMCA]

Wait, then how are there Master races for 55+ and 65+????? WEIRD!!!

Those are weekend warriors. Many of whom just picked up sport in general.

Pros racing at the highest levels for 20 years from 15-35 years of age usually put their bodies through hell for 10 months out of the year.

Strict diets. Drugs. Deep, deep efforts in training and massive kilometers of highly intense racing in all kinds of weather. Constant travel. Contract worries.

The average Joe can't fathom what toll it takes on your mind and body. Today's athletes are a bit smarter though and are taking care of themselves much better.

 

[JohnO]

Just doing a spot check here...

King Eddy is still going strong, and is looking rather fit these days, after piling on the pounds. But we can forgive him for that.

Anquetil died of stomach cancer when he was in his 50's.

Speaking of Jacques, Raymond Poulidor is still with us, at age 70. Looks like he got the last laugh, after all.

Italian legend Giordano Cottur just died, at age 91.

Hinault is with us, so is Fignon and Thevenet.

1967 TDF winner Roger Pingeon is alive.

Ocana died in his 50's. Self inflicted, but he was suffering from hepatitis

1960 TDF winner Gastone Nencini died at age 50.

1959 TDF winner Federico Bahamontes is alive at 78.

1958 TDF winner Charly Gaul just died recently, well on the far side of 50.

1956 TDF winner Roger Walkowiak appears to still be alive. No note of his death.

No, doesn't look like a pattern there. A few dropouts in their 50's, but most seem to be living average to long lives.

 

[Eldrack]

The average life expectancy will have been dropping recently due to all the young cyclists in there 20's dying from EPO induced heart attacks. All the pros from the 50's to 70's took much less dangerous drugs as a general rule and so it won't have affected them as much.

 

[slikbiker]

The average life expectancy will have been dropping recently due to all the young cyclists in there 20's dying from EPO induced heart attacks. All the pros from the 50's to 70's took much less dangerous drugs as a general rule and so it won't have affected them as much.

Studies show that when animals( rats) and humans (Okinawans aand Hunza) are deprived of calories by say 40% of recommeded intake, life expectancy increases by alot. Cyclists consume 6000 calories/day and cellular energy production iis associated with more free rafdicals, making themselves suscepible to free radical damage and pre-mature geriatric aging, I suspect. But I imagine one can't take enough anti-oxidants to undo the proliferation of free radicals. This may be the reasoning behind the statistic if it is not a fake. Does anyone know how to contact the author of the originally quoted book?

 

[artmichalek]

I guess this quote refers to people who enter races and have no other job other than to race at some time in their life.

You mean like Ned Overend?
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCWhatsNewDetail.jsp?article=5038&refp=TeamMultiSport