Little Inspiration for All...

[jsirabella]

I know I talk about Zoli a bit but he just went back to Hungary and won the Cyclocross nationals. The headlines reads 20 years later Zoli comes back to win the nationals.

I guess the lesson here is you are never too old....

http://velo.hu/index.php?modul=hir&kod=4391

Ofcourse he is the one on the podium holding the trophy.

-js

 

[Steve_B]

I know I talk about Zoli a bit but he just went back to Hungary and won the Cyclocross nationals.

Oh, I didn't realize who Zoli was until now. I'm close enough to NY that I've heard of Zoltan Tisza but never put 2 and 2 together. He's a tough dude.

Zoli looks good but some of the guys chasing him need to work on their skills a little - a bit sloppy at times, esp. their remounts. I saw a few of the dreaded double hops.

I love that they used the fence work for barriers. That's old-school 'cross. The UCI would might frown on that, at least for a world cup or major race.

 

[jsirabella]

Oh, I didn't realize who Zoli was until now. I'm close enough to NY that I've heard of Zoltan Tisza but never put 2 and 2 together. He's a tough dude.

Lives and breathes it...I could not live his life style no matter how much talent I had. That is why I have respect for a guy like BullGod or anyone for that matter who are willing to make the same sacrifices.

Crazy stuff to me....

-js

 

[limerickman]

Goran Kropp was a pretty inspirational character.

Cycles all the way from Sweden to Nepal - with no logistcial support.
Carried everything he needed on his body or in his panniers.

Arrived at Nepal - climbed Mount Everest without oxygen.

Hopped back on his bike and pedalled from Nepal back to Sweden.

 

[frenchyge]

Goran Kropp was a pretty inspirational character.

Cycles all the way from Sweden to Nepal - with no logistcial support.
Carried everything he needed on his body or in his panniers.

Arrived at Nepal - climbed Mount Everest without oxygen.

Hopped back on his bike and pedalled from Nepal back to Sweden.

Awesome! How did he account for the climb on his TSS chart?

 

[kopride]

Lives and breathes it...I could not live his life style no matter how much talent I had. That is why I have respect for a guy like BullGod or anyone for that matter who are willing to make the same sacrifices.

Crazy stuff to me....

-js

Great video. As an aside, it clearly is a sport that you have to do for your own reasons. We had more fans watch us at a typical HS cross country running championship. I mean this is a national championship and there are less fans than at a typical "pop" Warner football game. Even the MASS mt bike series gets more interest.

Its a real shame that there is so little interest in such dedicated athletes. Hours of beach volleyball this year in US olympic coverage, the Lumberjack Competition is covered by ESPN, and in Philly, an eating contest called the "Wing Bowl" fills a 17,000 person arena with standing room only. . . . and need I say anything other than the NASCAR truck series, or NASCAR itself, to make my point. BUT, I always thought europeans supported cycling a bit better. If Hungarians start following pro bass fishing, then I know we will have infected them as well.

Congrats to your buddy.

 

[kopride]

Awesome! How did he account for the climb on his TSS chart?

Got to figure that the ride from Sweden to Nepal was a boost to the old CTL line.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

I know I talk about Zoli a bit but he just went back to Hungary and won the Cyclocross nationals. The headlines reads 20 years later Zoli comes back to win the nationals.....

Congrats, very impressive accomplishment. Good on 'im.

Goran Kropp was a pretty inspirational character....

Absolutely, you left out the part about getting shot at and attacked during his long solo bike trek, arriving at the Everest base camp just in time for the 1996 Into Thin Air fiasco soloing to the summit without O2 and then riding all the way home.

Yeah, would have loved to see his CTL after that trek

-Dave

 

[daveryanwyoming]

I know I talk about Zoli a bit but he just went back to Hungary and won the Cyclocross nationals. The headlines reads 20 years later Zoli comes back to win the nationals.....

Congrats, very impressive accomplishment. Good on 'im.

Goran Kropp was a pretty inspirational character....

Absolutely, you left out the part about getting shot at and attacked during his long solo bike trek, arriving at the Everest base camp just in time for the 1996 Into Thin Air fiasco, soloing to the summit without O2, and then riding all the way home.

Yeah, would have loved to see his CTL after that trek

-Dave

 

[jsirabella]

Hours of beach volleyball this year in US olympic coverage, the Lumberjack Competition is covered by ESPN, and in Philly, an eating contest called the "Wing Bowl" fills a 17,000 person arena with standing room only. . . . and need I say anything other than the NASCAR truck series, or NASCAR itself, to make my point.

It does make you think...lumberjack competitions? But I am a basic city sewer rat so what to do I know about the rest of the country.

-js

 

[Steve_B]

Great video. As an aside, it clearly is a sport that you have to do for your own reasons. We had more fans watch us at a typical HS cross country running championship. I mean this is a national championship and there are less fans than at a typical "pop" Warner football game. Even the MASS mt bike series gets more interest.

’Cross is a fringe sport, for sure. Within Europe, as with road cycling, there are places where it is strong and places where it is not. Hungary is one of those places where it is not. They rarely have much representation at the World Championships, and usually just one rider in any one of the fields who probably finishes in the bottom third of the field. In neighboring Slovakia and especially in the Czech Republic, it’s a much bigger thing. In Belgium and Holland, the largest races are on national TV and the top competitors are veritable rock stars, with supporters clubs who follow them around like (Grateful) Dead Heads.

In any case, the crowd in the video is comparable with what you might see at the very local, low-stakes races around here. Most of the spectators are competitors in other fields or friends and spouses of those in the race at the time. That’s what happens with a fringe sport. At some of the bigger races here, you may have as many as 3000 people watching but that’s rare.

Hours of beach volleyball this year in US olympic coverage.

Well, we know why a lot of the viewers tuned in for that.

 

[Steve_B]

Lives and breathes it...

Example?

 

[jsirabella]

I think by all my posts with his name it you folks would get an idea. He pretty much lives in two countries, trying to make money here and not having a full/part time gig. He pretty much trains a few people in the NYC area, makes bikes to make any monies. He life revolves around his bike. It comes first meaning rest, eating and other things. He has someone who works for me in my office but like now he is in europe for 3 months and come summer he will go back.

He does not get paid when he races but does get food and some housing while he was racing this summer.

If you come to my office and see him, you would understand better as hard to explain here. KO saw his room...

-js

Example?

 

[Pendejo]

Goran Kropp was a pretty inspirational character.

Cycles all the way from Sweden to Nepal - with no logistcial support.
Carried everything he needed on his body or in his panniers.

Arrived at Nepal - climbed Mount Everest without oxygen.

Hopped back on his bike and pedalled from Nepal back to Sweden.

Sorry, I'm not impressed. As soon as he hit the big hill he got off his bike and walked.

 

[limerickman]

Sorry, I'm not impressed. As soon as he hit the big hill he got off his bike and walked.

he should have at least used 53x17 on that hill!

 

[swampy1970]

he should have at least used 53x17 on that hill!

Jan Ulrich would have riden up Everest in training whilst in 53x12, on the drops at 60rpm....

JS - nice story. It's good to know that there's still hope that I might be able to get fit again after a decade of beer, steak bbq's and TV if I put in the effort