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Post by zoltansocrates on Apr 10, 2013 23:38:49 GMT
..when heading out on the bike, maybe a wee comment from phil about the weather and the route ahead, the small hill up the road being an early category 3 climb on 'one of the longest stages in this years tour!' A note about this undiscovered young (ahem) scotsman with the climbing prowess that would leave tom simpson saluting -lol or do i, at 38, need to grow the F up - lol be honest, im not the only one
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Post by Radchenister on Apr 11, 2013 7:49:01 GMT
No - as let's face it, he should be telling you how slow you are compared to the pros and then you'd end up in a heated mental discussion, asking him to either shut it or come and have a go himself if it's not to his liking, likely leading to a falling out: he's already blotted his copybook over the Armstrong debarcle and doesn't want to start hanging out in my mind or he'll get a piece of it . Now though, having just completed David Millar's book, I do find his words creeping into my head; that's ok though as he's a real cyclist, one who paints a more honest picture of the inner battles and turmoil whilst fighting hills and fatigue - I might admit to having him running through my options with me on how to beat the demons off , a far more rounded conversation can be had with someone who actually knows the score. On previous occasions in times past, Lance has popped in a few times but he just plays mind games, either mocks or lies to you, then gets into crazy guy rant mode (probably due to excess testosterone or something) or goes all gung-ho on the hills after staring at you like a psycho, which isn't very encouraging ... I've told him to sling his hook. Wiggo is around a bit on occasions in the mental peloton but he doesn't want to talk about anything much when out riding and has his race face on, he's fine when off the bike of course but I leave him to it then. Cav' is reasonable company but whinges about the hills more than I do, then when we're on the level he bursts off at speed to do a Strava segment before we even get to finish our conversations; don'get me wrong, he's a nice guy, just a bit erratic as a riding partner, as he can't resist lighting the torch up for Strava KOMs ... and to the other new sprinter ... Sagan ... he's a good laugh but his English is limited and talking in nothing but monosyables can get a bit dull - also, as he's such a young natural, he's not really good at defining exactly how he does things at present, so isn't much help and he gets easily distracted, if he's not fiddling with his phone or popping wheelies, you know what else he's going on about don't you(usually some blonde bird in a BnW dress) ... tbc
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Post by zoltansocrates on Apr 11, 2013 10:29:59 GMT
lol, thats the spirit rad nmot long finished ROBERT millars book, well the search for RM- good read, harsh world cycling wouldnt mind a look at DMs book, do they still have libraries in this country? phil always seems to pop in when im climbing, in my head, hes a great motivator ps, still think lance was one of the best, controversial i know but they were all at it, its not the drug, its how good your pharmacologist was in keeping you from getting caught imo
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Post by Radchenister on Apr 11, 2013 11:07:55 GMT
Nah, don't really want to let a cosy forum like this get into a 100 page LA thread - plenty of other spots on the web for that ... but a quick response anyway: Yes, he (LA) was exciting to watch, in a media circus sort of way and the 80's / 90's were mad times of excess but we also now know that there are those who didn't cheat who could have been great but chose not to lower themselves and those who didn't want to cheat but were coerced into a seedy world of jaded futures and loss of dignity / self-respect, usually through dubiously motivated misguidance and bad management. You only have to watch the man on Oprah to realise he's not right in the mind, still comes over as self deluded and morally off the rails, with his ham acting sincerity rolled out to manipulate the situation, he makes me puke these days - I do know what you mean about the sad tale of Mr L.E.Gunderson though ... it is just fubar'd that era, you can't hold your hand on heart and really condone it though, especially in my case when you have a 10 year old son who is proving to be a good all round sports guy and likes his cycling. Ask yourself if you would be happy with putting a young relative into that scenario and if you want to get really serious on that line of thought, then look up the 'dead in his bed' EPO user incident (there's more similar to that incident as well) ... David Millar's book explains it all very well actually; I was on a borrowed copy which has gone back or I'd loan it - not pricey on Amazon though: www.amazon.co.uk/Racing-Through-Dark-David-Millar/dp/1409120384/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365677744&sr=1-1&keywords=david+millar Currently on this: www.amazon.co.uk/Wide-Eyed-Legless-Inside-Tour-France/dp/1845961714Pretty good but has not yet got me reading into the small hours like the one above, still in first 50 or so pages after a few days, whereas the above I was all the way through in the same time.
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Post by zoltansocrates on Apr 12, 2013 11:08:10 GMT
what do you think of tom simpson rad?
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Post by Radchenister on Apr 12, 2013 11:34:23 GMT
Unfortunate story, have seen a documentary on him but wasn't all that aware of him as a young one (I did know who Eddy Merckx was even as a sprat and we know there's 'history' even there). I speculate that TS's death might have knocked cycling back in the British media but who knows, perhaps a little relevant in the scheme of things, as is the early TdF leaflets stating 'competitors to supply their own drugs' - which shows that drug taking at a pharmaceutical level simply to get round soon developed into performance assistance for some but I don't think something which can bring downs, as well as ups, and clearly assists in killing you, is a true parallel to today, so perhaps it's ancient history really as well ... in the context of modern sport and medicine that is. However, it might still stand as a lesson, the EPO incidents I mentioned above show that people don't always want to learn and I see today that a Russian has been banned for taking a weight loss product that is not yet cleared for human consumption and has been said to cause Cancer in Rats - an equally stupid position, so perhaps still relevant?
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