Tyler Hamilton Abandon's!



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mattp71

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May 23, 2004
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Sad.

Race radio is saying bad back from the crash he had a few stages ago. I was hoping he would recover from yesterday.
 
Yes, he abandoned at 84 kms...around 1304h, local time. It was before the broadcast started in North America I believe.
 
I really like Hamilton, even though he was Lance's rival for the final win.
On Tyler's website a few days ago, I saw a really heartbreaking statement by him about his beloved dog. His dog had cancer, and travels everywhere with him and his wife...the dog was like their child. He said as much on the site.

He said he got news after Stage 9 that the dog had to be put to sleep...he said he cried all that night. As an animal lover who has been where he is emotionally right now, I KNEW then that he would not finish the race, but I didnt say anything to you guys in the hope I might be wrong.

I'm sure that played a major part in his decision...the mental focus is a large, large part of winning a race like this...and with that gone....what is left? :(


http://www.tylerhamilton.com for more info.
 
BTW if anyone is interested, some cycling fans from Tyler's guestbook are donating to this animal shelter (see link below) to memory of his dog, TUGBOAT. Might be a nice gesture if anyone is interested.

Frankly, I'm a Lance fan but also an animal lover, so I know how Tyler is feeling right now. He needs a big hug right now, but since I can't do that, this is the next best thing (its the shelter in his hometown):

http://www.northeastanimalshelter.org
 
Actually, if Tyler had withdrawn without a back injury, I might point to Tugboat, but it's all about the back injury. Tyler has been plagued with crash injuries throughout his career. He was hailed as a hero last year in the TdF after riding virtually the whole Tour with a broken collarbone. But a bad back injury, from landing on the pedal of another bike, proved to be his undoing this year because it prevented him from getting into a rhythm on the climbs. It's one thing to ride with pain as he did last year. But it's another to do injury. Continuing this year would have done more injury.
 
I agree, the back injury was a big factor, but you know that the mental state has a MAJOR part to play in these kinds of grueling races. You just CAN'T win with a broken heart, I know, I've "been there" in a sense.


This I cut and pasted from MSNBC News of today:

>>>>
The 33-year-old cyclist from Marblehead, Mass., also had been “very upset” the past two days after his dog, Tugboat, was euthanized after being diagnosed with cancer, the Tour’s Web site said.
>>>>
 
I am way bummed for Tyler. So sorry to hear the news. I don't know if I can handle it........I guess I have to support LA know.
 
Tyler should have sucked it up after the dog died and ridden the damn bike. Sure it's sad that the dog is in doggie heaven, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. That he couldn't suck it up and focus on the race shows that he doesn't have the mental toughness of the top riders, if in fact the dog contributed to his retirement from the tour. Basso's mom has cancer and he's out there nose to tail with Lance. Lance himself almost died and bounced back. Maybe Tyler had other excuses, like his back or whatever, but he sure wasn't complaining too much about that before either of his last two races.
 
I think Tyler Hamilton has earned his "tough guy" credentials.

His last 2 races?? He hurt his back on stage 6??
 
Brunswick_kate said:
I think Tyler Hamilton has earned his "tough guy" credentials.

His last 2 races?? He hurt his back on stage 6??
Yeah, but the point was that he sucked ass in his last two stages, yet before those stages he said he felt fine and was not complaining about the back.
 
WINGNUTT said:
Yeah, but the point was that he sucked ass in his last two stages, yet before those stages he said he felt fine and was not complaining about the back.

You mean when he started climbing really big mountains? Like those ones they have in the Pyrennees?
 
Brunswick_kate said:
You mean when he started climbing really big mountains? Like those ones they have in the Pyrennees?

I agree that the motion on a bike to get rythmn in the mountains is way different on the flats. That you might live with an injury on the flats is no promise of performing with that in the mountains.

On the other hand, I grant that WingNut has a point, too. It's not that tragedy strikes that should automatically thwart you from your goals. Just think how Motorola felt when Fabio Casartelli died during the 1995 Tour de France. At one moment, he was the team's domestique. At the next, he was dead.

Lance road his heart out to do honor to his friend. Upon his stage win, he pointed his fingers to the heavens. This one's for you, Fabio.

Grief can be an incredibly powerful motivator. This is not meant to downplay the way it may have worked with Tyler. I'm just saying that it doesn't automatically ruin your performance.
 
gntlmn said:
I agree that the motion on a bike to get rythmn in the mountains is way different on the flats. That you might live with an injury on the flats is no promise of performing with that in the mountains.

On the other hand, I grant that WingNut has a point, too. It's not that tragedy strikes that should automatically thwart you from your goals. Just think how Motorola felt when Fabio Casartelli died during the 1995 Tour de France. At one moment, he was the team's domestique. At the next, he was dead.

Lance road his heart out to do honor to his friend. Upon his stage win, he pointed his fingers to the heavens. This one's for you, Fabio.

Grief can be an incredibly powerful motivator. This is not meant to downplay the way it may have worked with Tyler. I'm just saying that it doesn't automatically ruin your performance.


Check Velonews for the pictures of the poor *******'s back...I'd love to see any of the "Hamilton's a wimp" crowd do better.
































http://www.cyclingforums.com/t467644.html
 
mattp71 said:
Sad.

Race radio is saying bad back from the crash he had a few stages ago. I was hoping he would recover from yesterday.
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