Simoni is a world class a##clown

[Dimos]

Don't like arrogance? Hope you are not a Lance supporter.

How is Lance going in the Giro this year?

How has Lance gone in any Giro?

Simoni has won 2.

:clap::clap::clap:

Excactly!

At least Simoni did tried to compete in two grand tours the same year. As Basso does this year.
When did Armstrong try it?
That's why that even if Lance has the record in TDF, is more professional and a great athlete in general, he can't be compared with Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain or even Coppi.

 

[MJtje]

Oooh boy a nay-sayer......read my post above and hopefully you will understand! And look what it brought simoni....nothing, nada, niets/niks!! That's also probably why Lance choses one were he can dominate. No one will ever win 2 or 3 GT's in one year, plus a couple of classics all the jerseys. there won't be a merx and hinault again. You heard it here!

:clap::clap::clap:

Excactly!

At least Simoni did tried to compete in two grand tours the same year. As Basso does this year.
When did Armstrong try it?
That's why that even if Lance has the record in TDF, is more professional and a great athlete in general, he can't be compared with Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain or even Coppi.

 

[Powerful Pete]

What about Pantani?

Was that pre-history? Come on, this is a great Giro. The fact that sports illustrated or AP is not aware where Italy is (or Spain and the Vuelta, for that matter) is not a concern of mine. I think Discovery (with their eye on the growing European market) is quite thrilled about someone winning the Giro.

Don't get me wrong, I think that Lance is an awesome rider. Obviously the best of the generation. But why not ride the Giro and Tour for a victory? What does he have to prove with another Tour? Why not shut up all the naysayers that constantly say that he simply does not have it in him to win a Giro too?

In my very humble opinion, it will be great when LA retires and riders start racing more than one GC again (a la Basso and Simoni... and yes, I really do miss riders like Lejarretta).

Just my two cents... please don't shoot!

 

[MJtje]

Haha sorry but uuhm IT IS a concern to Discovery. You can hate it as much as you want.......but the TDF is the biggest race, with the best riders.....and from a company point of view the best race to win. So that's why lance wins it. It's just agenda's. Why is Tom Boonen doing the Tour of Belgium. There is a big lobby.......he is HOT! Why is the giro the biggest race for Lampre, because it is an Italian team.

So what supporters think don't count much. And serious if he wins 7......I dunno what he needs to prove more. That is beating the record with to more.....no one ever thought that that was possible. Just my 2 cents back.....please DO shoot!

What about Pantani?

Was that pre-history? Come on, this is a great Giro. The fact that sports illustrated or AP is not aware where Italy is (or Spain and the Vuelta, for that matter) is not a concern of mine. I think Discovery (with their eye on the growing European market) is quite thrilled about someone winning the Giro.

Don't get me wrong, I think that Lance is an awesome rider. Obviously the best of the generation. But why not ride the Giro and Tour for a victory? What does he have to prove with another Tour? Why not shut up all the naysayers that constantly say that he simply does not have it in him to win a Giro too?

In my very humble opinion, it will be great when LA retires and riders start racing more than one GC again (a la Basso and Simoni... and yes, I really do miss riders like Lejarretta).

Just my two cents... please don't shoot!

 

[limerickman]

Haha sorry but uuhm IT IS a concern to Discovery. You can hate it as much as you want.......but the TDF is the biggest race, with the best riders.....and from a company point of view the best race to win. So that's why lance wins it. It's just agenda's. Why is Tom Boonen doing the Tour of Belgium. There is a big lobby.......he is HOT! Why is the giro the biggest race for Lampre, because it is an Italian team.

So what supporters think don't count much. And serious if he wins 7......I dunno what he needs to prove more. That is beating the record with to more.....no one ever thought that that was possible. Just my 2 cents back.....please DO shoot!

You're right the TDF is the biggest race in the world.
So what ?
From a fans perspective it's been boring since 1989 : I don't tend to watch the TDF until it gets to the mountain stages.
So all that team budget and advertising is wasted on a punter like me.

And I would suggest that there are a lot of people like me who regard it as a boring formulaic race.
I don't like watching a race that only contains riders who race for three weeks of the year.

On the other hand, the Giro and Vuelta are great - they get my attention, I might even buy a product advertised at either race.
From a fans perspective, these races are more interesting and better value.

 

[MJtje]

So Lim ever asked why that is? Regardless the route........because the Ullrichs and Lances of the world don't do the Vuelta and Giro. Imagine them doing those tours. It would be MORE boring...........as simple as that. It is the route And the FIELD!

You're right the TDF is the biggest race in the world.
So what ?
From a fans perspective it's been boring since 1989 : I don't tend to watch the TDF until it gets to the mountain stages.
So all that team budget and advertising is wasted on a punter like me.

And I would suggest that there are a lot of people like me who regard it as a boring formulaic race.
I don't like watching a race that only contains riders who race for three weeks of the year.

On the other hand, the Giro and Vuelta are great - they get my attention, I might even buy a product advertised at either race.
From a fans perspective, these races are more interesting and better value.

 

[donhix1]

Simoni had a chance to win. He couldn't stay with Rujano on the last climb. He is the clown now after what he said. Although he has said stuff like this before.

 

[Bjorn P.Dal]

Pfffft. He is a clown now after what he said in 2003? Give me a friggin break.
Gibo showed today what a great rider he is. Great to watch, nice agressive riding. He would have won the giro if savoldelli hadnt been TT'ed from colle delle finestre to Sestriere by lotto who were riding for 10th place GC.

Simoni had a chance to win. He couldn't stay with Rujano on the last climb. He is the clown now after what he said. Although he has said stuff like this before.

 

[DiabloScott]

On the other hand, the Giro and Vuelta are great - they get my attention, I might even buy a product advertised at either race.
From a fans perspective, these races are more interesting and better value.

A friend of mine went to Italy shortly after last year's Giro and asked if I wanted a souvenier. I asked for a plastic cup of ESTATHE, the Giro sponsor.

We don't have drinks in those kind of cups here so it's interesting and it's a part of the Giro, and it tasted good too and it looks good on my bookshelf.

It's just tea though, with some sugar and lemon... can't beat the real thing...

 

[donhix1]

He was the one who said everyone else is a clown. There is no doubt he is a great climber. But if you add the 43 seconds Savoldelli lost because of a crash. Then Salvodelli gained 3:11 in the TT. So Simoni less than two minutes in the mountains. Salvodelli was just a better all around rider. Salvodelli said himself that he doesn't consider himself a grand champion because he doesn't attack on the climbs.
Simoni had about 2:20 on Salvodelli at one point. DiLuca helped Simoni up the steep climb and then Paolo got help. Simoni gave it his all, Salvodelli gave it his all it was just a great GIro.

 

[limerickman]

So Lim ever asked why that is? Regardless the route........because the Ullrichs and Lances of the world don't do the Vuelta and Giro. Imagine them doing those tours. It would be MORE boring...........as simple as that. It is the route And the FIELD!

So we have to thank Ullrich and Armstrong for not racing the Giro/Vuelta ?
Very interesting thought.
Except I disagree with you about the TDF.

The first seven days of the TDF parcours have been the same since 1991 :
all have been flat stages, with sprint finishes and pileups.
That in itself is boring (and dangerous for the riders).
Why can't the TDF take a leaf from the Giro organisers book - and start the TDF with a mountain (s) stage in the first week ?
It seems to me that the TDF organisers agreed a formula that makes the TDF
boring.

 

[limerickman]

A friend of mine went to Italy shortly after last year's Giro and asked if I wanted a souvenier. I asked for a plastic cup of ESTATHE, the Giro sponsor.

We don't have drinks in those kind of cups here so it's interesting and it's a part of the Giro, and it tasted good too and it looks good on my bookshelf.

It's just tea though, with some sugar and lemon... can't beat the real thing...

That tea formual is apr for the course here in Ireland and Britain : tea is the most popular drink in this part of the world.

But that's a nice momento that your friend brought you back from Italy.

Tea with lemon - I was in Pamplona/Villava last September hoping to get a word with the Indurains and had Horneyman Tea with Lemon.
Lovely stuff it was too.

 

[MJtje]

Agreed the TDF should take a leaf from the book of the giro......but if Ullrich or armstrong go to the giro/vuelta......it will be boring too. But look I agree with you the tour is not the be all end all.........But the fact is that most teams are peaking for the tour, and also the best riders. Nonetheless a great and exciting giro, best I've seen in years!

MJtje, hopefully not talking so much out of my **** now

So we have to thank Ullrich and Armstrong for not racing the Giro/Vuelta ?
Very interesting thought.
Except I disagree with you about the TDF.

The first seven days of the TDF parcours have been the same since 1991 :
all have been flat stages, with sprint finishes and pileups.
That in itself is boring (and dangerous for the riders).
Why can't the TDF take a leaf from the Giro organisers book - and start the TDF with a mountain (s) stage in the first week ?
It seems to me that the TDF organisers agreed a formula that makes the TDF
boring.

 

[EoinC]

Agreed the TDF should take a leaf from the book of the giro......but if Ullrich or armstrong go to the giro/vuelta......it will be boring too.

2c. - TdF is boring because (a) The route doesn't contain early mountains so the Sprinters get to have their little play and no-one, except spectators, worries about GC for the first 2 weeks, and (b) The focus on 1-Race specialists removes some of the "form" factor. I'm not saying it's a bad race (I think), it's just one that no longer excites me. In terms of following it, if you miss a few stages here and there, it doesn't make much difference. The world would be a better place if (a) The TdF had some early col's to liven things up and (b) The big boys of the TdF also rode the Giro like the past masters did. I'm not quite sure how having Ullrich and Armstrong in the Giro would bring it down to the uninspiring ramble that the TdF has become.

This Giro has been fantastic. It has been.....a race! Unlike the TdF, the top-spot on the Giro GC has been up for grabs right until the end. Each stage has presented a different picture and has had everbody speculating all the way through. Having a stage such as yesterday's as the penultimate, has meant that it has required inspirational riding from all of the riders at the top of the GC in order to defend or better their positions. Simoni is no exception and to come 2nd in the 2005 Giro would be a feather in anyone's cap.
Oops, there's my 2c used up...

 

[limerickman]

Agreed the TDF should take a leaf from the book of the giro......but if Ullrich or armstrong go to the giro/vuelta......it will be boring too. But look I agree with you the tour is not the be all end all.........But the fact is that most teams are peaking for the tour, and also the best riders. Nonetheless a great and exciting giro, best I've seen in years!

MJtje, hopefully not talking so much out of my **** now

No, you're fine on this particular topic.

Like Eoin C, it's not that I dislike the TDF but from a fans perspective, the racing in the Giro and Vuelta is more exciting (I find).
I think that the route and format of the TDF is to blame for reasons stated earlier.

But I think your point about LA and JU taking part in the Giro/Vuelta may well be a valid point. If they took part, would we see TDF-esque tactics ?
It's an interesting question that you pose.

 

[Roadrash Dunc]

Both arguments are true : he is a talented bike racer with an amazing talent to climb , but hes got a big mouth and talks alot of s***.
That makes him entertaining on 2 counts , but he is still an ass.

 

[Virenque]

If I`ll have to say that TdF is boring, I`d say it`s just because Lance is incomparable. Remember 2003 one. It was a lot better. Just imagine if lance would be in the same situation as Paolo. And it`s possible that TdF would be interesting till last day as well. It`s always a TT on penultimate day (but I agree that mountain stage is a lot more interesting - if they will exchange last mountain stage and last TT it would be perfect).
For all who don`t prefer TdF, this year`s route is very flat hehe.

And something about Simoni: he really didn`t make much promotion for himself with his talking last year, but he was definetly in terrible situation. His younger team mate, his domestique was attacking him and winning stages and GC too. I`m sure that many (LA, Basso, ..) would do the same.

 

[Dimos]

Oooh boy a nay-sayer......read my post above and hopefully you will understand! And look what it brought simoni....nothing, nada, niets/niks!! That's also probably why Lance choses one were he can dominate. No one will ever win 2 or 3 GT's in one year, plus a couple of classics all the jerseys. there won't be a merx and hinault again. You heard it here!

Nay-sayer? I read your post (and actually I didn't even answered to yours, did I?) and I don't disagree. Lance certainly is for the money but there's a sport issue, you know! So even if Lance win a 7th Tour it will mean big for his wallet (and that's good for him, as he gives back to the society with his foundation), it will mean big for ASO's wallet but it won't mean a think in comparison with the Merckx's, Hinault's etc.

 

[Dimos]

Simoni had a chance to win. He couldn't stay with Rujano on the last climb. He is the clown now after what he said. Although he has said stuff like this before.

So if you' re losing you' re a clown? What a great percpetion of sports...

 

[Powerful Pete]

FWIW, Simoni has now said that he will be either riding the Tour of Switzerland or the TdF, but the latter not as team captain...

If you can read Italian...
http://www.ansa.it/main/notizie/awnplus/sport/news/2005-05-30_325694.html