Final Tour Thoughts - Lance impressed, Thor rocked, ???s about AC

Everyone know's "me no likey Lance" but I think he rode well this year
and exhibited on several times heart and brains. I would have liked
to have seen Frank on the podium but I think he was off today. As an
ex pursuiter i also would have welcomed Wiggins and even Kloden, just
that little footage prior to the ITT gave me the impression he'd be
fun to hang out with.

I was happy to see Thor get and keep the green jersey. I think he's a
better cyclist overall than Cavendish and there's some footage during
this Tour that indicates that Thor is actually faster than Cav but Cav
has better leadouts and places himself better than Thor. Yesterdays
finish as an example it appears that Thor covered more ground than Cav
did but was unable to make up that extra bike length that Cav had.

I have serious confusion about AC, not just in this Tour but have a
really tough time rationilizing his climbing and tt ability into one
human. Normally these things don't correlate so strongly unless
there's something fishy going on.

For me it's time to ride. 3 hours of TdF TV and some problems with
the IRS have kept me off my bike for the last 6 weeks.

On Jul 25, 12:55*pm, Anton Berlin wrote:
Everyone know's "me no likey Lance" but I think he rode well this year
and exhibited on several times heart and brains. *I would have liked
to have seen Frank on the podium but I think he was off today. *As an
ex pursuiter i also would have welcomed Wiggins and even Kloden, just
that little footage prior to the ITT gave me the impression he'd be
fun to hang out with.

I was happy to see Thor get and keep the green jersey. *I think he's a
better cyclist overall than Cavendish and there's some footage during
this Tour that indicates that Thor is actually faster than Cav but Cav
has better leadouts and places himself better than Thor. *Yesterdays
finish as an example it appears that Thor covered more ground than Cav
did but was unable to make up that extra bike length that Cav had.

I have serious confusion about AC, not just in this Tour but have a
really tough time rationilizing his climbing and tt ability into one
human. *Normally these things don't correlate so strongly unless
there's something fishy going on.

For me it's time to ride. *3 hours of *TdF TV and some problems with
the IRS have kept me off my bike for the last 6 weeks.

Lance finished much higher than I thought (I predicted 10th overall).
Thor better than Cav? That's an enormous understatement. Cav is a girl
compared to Thor. About Contador...we'll find out in 2 months. We'll
also find out about Nibali, Ignatiev, Wiggins, Pelizzoti, Garate,
Lance, and some lesser names.
I found today's stage anti-climatic. It did not live up to my
expectations of drama (call me crazy if you want). Riders that I've
become fond of during this stage: Farrar, VDB, Kreuziger, the
Schlecks. Riders I'm disappointed with: Sastre, Devolder, Boonen,
Menchov, Freire (Monfort rode well except for one stage where he went
into the red zone). I think Team Colombia wasted their GC riders for
Cav the asshole. They completely burned out Kirchen, Momfort and
Martin.
Too bad about Gesink and Levi, I would have enjoyed to see how well
they finished.

Amicalement,

Andre

On Jul 25, 1:14*pm, Andre wrote:
On Jul 25, 12:55*pm, Anton Berlin wrote:

Everyone know's "me no likey Lance"

Lance finished much higher than I thought (I predicted 10th overall).
Thor better than Cav? That's an enormous understatement. Cav is a girl
compared to Thor.

I think Team Colombia wasted their GC riders for
Cav the asshole.


*Amicalement,

*Andre

Now that the tour is essentially over I think one should rein in the
'loose talk' and the disrespectful comments about the riders.

I know some have favorites and sitting in our easy chairs we deal out
our judgment, often too harshly, and myopically, in that we're only
seeing a limited view.

It's like a reality show where you have villains and heroes, but some
of it is due to editing. You don't see a rider being kind, you only
see him being aggressive.

In addition, to me, these boys are ALL heroes. They suffer like few
can comprehend. Are we like Roman Colosseum spectators, sitting on
high, calling for more blood? If so, maybe those who are hypercritical
are actually worse example of human beings than the ones they dare too
easily to criticize.

There's 'fandom' and then there's just crass and disrespectful and
many cross the line, in my view. These riders are the elite, the top
200 athletes in their sport in the world.

I think they're all minor gods, in the way they fly fearlessly into
combat, and in a way they deserve similar regard to our armed forces
guys who pick up a lethal weapon and go against fearful odds. The
riders all risk their lives daily training among two ton metal
vehicles.

But if you want to call the fastest guy in the world on a bike 'a
girl' and 'an asshole', then to me, you aren't worth the electrons you
spew and vomit on the page.

So grow up and stop being a tool. Give your opinion, but spare us your
'footy baller' crassness.

Thanks.
/rant

I almost agree 100%! My hope is though is that Wiggins is clean (but
then again, guys doing a 4:15 pursuit has always been fishy to me so
maybe i'm deluded in the same way many Armstrong fans are.)

I was disappointed with today's 'racing action'. Seemed like another
tempo session to me.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:54:18 -0700 (PDT), Jetstream
wrote:

I think they're all minor gods, in the way they fly fearlessly into
combat, and in a way they deserve similar regard to our armed forces
guys who pick up a lethal weapon and go against fearful odds.

Pretty much nonsense. Thanks.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

On Jul 25, 2:04*pm, wrote:
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 10:54:18 -0700 (PDT), Jetstream

wrote:
I think they're all minor gods, in the way they fly fearlessly into
combat, and in a way they deserve similar regard to our armed forces
guys who pick up a lethal weapon and go against fearful odds.

Pretty much nonsense. Thanks.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

If you think cycling, racing or a complementary metaphor, that's fine,
but why are you here? To you cyclists may be below scorn, blue collar
background and all 'cheats'. Fine, go watch synchronized swimming.

I doubt if more than a few would be willing to go up to Robbie or Cav
and call them 'girls' and 'assholes' to their face. So hide behind
your keyboards, paper tigers.

On Jul 25, 1:54*pm, Jetstream wrote:
On Jul 25, 1:14*pm, Andre wrote:

On Jul 25, 12:55*pm, Anton Berlin wrote:

Everyone know's "me no likey Lance"
Lance finished much higher than I thought (I predicted 10th overall).
Thor better than Cav? That's an enormous understatement. Cav is a girl
compared to Thor.
I think Team Colombia wasted their GC riders for
Cav the asshole.

*Amicalement,

*Andre

Now that the tour is essentially over I think one should rein in the
'loose talk' and the disrespectful comments about the riders.

I know some have favorites and sitting in our easy chairs we deal out
our judgment, often too harshly, and myopically, in that we're only
seeing a limited view.

It's like a reality show where you have villains and heroes, but some
of it is due to editing. You don't see a rider being kind, you only
see him being aggressive.

In addition, to me, these boys are ALL heroes. They suffer like few
can comprehend. Are we like Roman Colosseum spectators, sitting on
high, calling for more blood? If so, maybe those who are hypercritical
are actually worse example of human beings than the ones they dare too
easily to criticize.

There's 'fandom' and then there's just crass and disrespectful and
many cross the line, in my view. These riders are the elite, the top
200 athletes in their sport in the world.

I think they're all minor gods, in the way they fly fearlessly into
combat, and in a way they deserve similar regard to our armed forces
guys who pick up a lethal weapon and go against fearful odds. The
riders all risk their lives daily training among two ton metal
vehicles.

But if you want to call the fastest guy in the world on a bike 'a
girl' and 'an asshole', then to me, you aren't worth the electrons you
spew and vomit on the page.

So grow up and stop being a tool. Give your opinion, but spare us your
'footy baller' crassness.

Thanks.
/rant

Hey Jetstream,

Go back to your asylum. And stop comparing terrorists to
cyclists...that's sick..you're acting like Cav the ****.

On Jul 25, 10:54*am, Jetstream wrote:


But if you want to call the fastest guy in the world on a bike 'a
girl' and 'an asshole', then to me, you aren't worth the electrons you
spew and vomit on the page.



Dumbass -

They're just people.

Like any other group of 198 people there will be a few assholes.

Why ignore a person's character just because he can pedal a bike well?

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

On Jul 25, 2:16*pm, KG wrote:
On Jul 25, 10:54*am, Jetstream wrote:



But if you want to call the fastest guy in the world on a bike 'a
girl' and 'an asshole', then to me, you aren't worth the electrons you
spew and vomit on the page.

Dumbass -

They're just people.

Like any other group of 198 people there will be a few assholes.

Why ignore a person's character just because he can pedal a bike well?

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

We've essentially seen a 20 days of a reality show, snippets of a four
hour broadcast. I'm not sure that qualifies anyone to know any of the
player's characters.

If someone sat on a bike trainer and did 450 watts, going nowhere,
with a cadence of 120rpm, then you could say 'he can pedal a bike
well'. A TdF rider isn't that one-dimensional.

Yes there may be a few a-holes, but nothing compared to major league
football players, many of whom have done time on a regular basis.

But you are welcome to your opinion.

Welcome.

On Jul 25, 11:24*am, Jetstream wrote:
On Jul 25, 2:16*pm, KG wrote:





On Jul 25, 10:54*am, Jetstream wrote:

But if you want to call the fastest guy in the world on a bike 'a
girl' and 'an asshole', then to me, you aren't worth the electrons you
spew and vomit on the page.

Dumbass -

They're just people.

Like any other group of 198 people there will be a few assholes.

Why ignore a person's character just because he can pedal a bike well?

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.

We've essentially seen a 20 days of a reality show, snippets of a four
hour broadcast. I'm not sure that qualifies anyone to know any of the
player's characters.

If someone sat on a bike trainer and did 450 watts, going nowhere,
with a cadence of 120rpm, then you could say 'he can pedal a bike
well'. A TdF rider isn't that one-dimensional.

Yes there may be a few a-holes, but nothing compared to major league
football players, many of whom have done time on a regular basis.

But you are welcome to your opinion.



Dumbass -

They're just people.

Ask one of them. They'll tell you the same thing.

thanks,

Kurgan. presented by Gringioni.