In article <
[email protected]>,
"Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo. com> wrote:
> "Dan Connelly" <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@y_a_h_o_o_._c_o_m> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Kurgan Gringioni wrote:
> >> He was washed up years ago. Wears points jersey.
> >>
> >
> > http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2002/tour02/?id=diaries/mike_diary/mike025
> >
> > "Zabel has come to realize he is slowing down."
> >
> > Dan
> >
> > P.S. You don't need to be fast to be consistent...
>
> If you want to put this in prospective - I was just watching the 1999 Tour
> on tape and listened to Phil saying - "Zabel has lost his speed and just
> can't seem to win anything." Now how many green jerseys did he win after
> that?
Yeah. First off, I have to take my foot out of my mouth here, since I
asked a question about whether Boonen could become the first green
jersey winner to not take a stage, and now it turns out that hardly any
of the green jersey winners has taken a stage

.
But that said, my new explanation is that "to finish first, you must
first finish."
As the example of Cipollini demonstrates, the stage-hunters often perish
in the mountains, and go home early. They leave the apparent also-rans
of the points chase, those sprinters who can get through the mountains
without a hors delai, to pick up the leftovers.
I think it's hilarious that Zabel seems to have had more success since
he started slowing down than he did when he was fast.
I expect great things from him once he retires,
--
Ryan Cousineau
[email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos