BikerDoug
friend
Reged: 12/29/03
Posts: 88
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Even if he is riding a Dragonfly rip off (come on... boron added to carbon fiber?! I think I've heard of that before!), Armstrong looks great riding off into the sunset.
My wife and I had begun cheering for other riders over the last few years, but we never could stop admiring the dominance Armstrong displayed.
Now I have stories to tell my grand kids, just like my father had stories of Merckx. No, Lance isn't perfect, but it's been a hell of a ride the last seven years.
I just hope the interest he's generated in the general American public is parlayed into bigger and better cycling events, participation, etc. on the domestic scene.
And here's hoping "Big Gay Al" Trouthead has tortured us for the last time.
Now that he's free of sponsorship obligations, I wonder if people around Austin might start seeing Lance on a Dragonfly or Tetra? He's got all the money. Now he can ride the best!
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bfd
journeyman
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 77
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BikerDoug asks:
<Now that he's free of sponsorship obligations, I wonder if people around Austin might start seeing Lance on a Dragonfly or Tetra? >
I doubt it. Let's face it, although Trek states that Lance rides a "standard" OCLV bike (58cm, I believe), don't be fooled. That "standard" 58cm OCLV is based on Lance's measurement. What's more custom than that?
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Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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I learned in multiple places that for proper fit, 80% of riders can fit on a stock bike without any compromise. That leaves 20% or riders whose body shape is out of the ordinary enough to require a custom geometry to allow for no-compromise fit. The question then is what category Lance fits in. If he is in the 80% range, then even if it was customized for him it fits 80% of those people who are of a size that fits on a 58cm bike.
It is also obvious a sour-grapes attitude to diss Lance when he has made a tremendous record and retired at the top of his form. The other 5 men who won 5 tours in a row all faded out and lost before they quit cycling in the Tour. He is of a caliber far above those of mortal men. It was no light victory for him at all. Those who know him best, his opponents, respect him a great deal.
I am proud that he is so well-liked and respected in France. His winning has helped sell bicycles and increased the sport of bicycling in this country. What is it about some people who aren't happy unless they are bursting someone else's bubble?
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PsyDoc
friend
Reged: 01/14/04
Posts: 37
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Hey now, let's not take anything away from the other 5/5'ers. Keep in mind that those other men had a full racing schedule and the TDF was just one race in a season of races. Lance is an accomplished cyclist and I do not wish to take anything away from his abilities; he primarily trained for (and won) the TDF. I suspect he could win a couple of more.
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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It is better to burn out than to fade away! What does that mean, huh? You have to admire Lance for knowing when to stop. But you should also respect those who kept striving for victory for as long as they could, using up every bit of energy and talent in their legs. Clearly, the training and dedication required now to win Le Tour is maximal. Any lack of commitment would show up as a loss, so the beter part of valor is to stop in conjunction with your willingness to train for that level.
Have you ever picked up or ridden one of the top end Treks? Man they are light and I'm sure they ride quite well. I'm not trading in my beloved Dragonfly, but Trek deserves respect for what they do.
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flythebike
captain
Reged: 08/26/04
Posts: 272
Loc: N. Virginia, USA
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Oh and funny South Park references aside, I think we could do worse than Al Trautwig as the guide for the neophytes. Of course I'd rather see Sam Posey in that role, somebody who seems to have such a deep and abiding love for cycling. However, I think Al T. has improved, even if Bob Roll might call him a schmenge behind his back!
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Pintsized
journeyman
Reged: 02/27/05
Posts: 90
Loc: Corvallis OR
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Speaking of retirements, I wonder what will happen when somewhere down the road Phil Liggett retires from his post. I don't exactly hope for it, but I wonder if they are grooming Frankie Andreu for that spot. Or, planning to promote Sherwen and let Frankie be the new Paul Sherwen ?
Come to think of it, Frankie the cyclist and Sam the historian might be a good combination, too. Any other predictions?
This of course assumes OLN is carrying the Tour at all, Post Lance...Though I'd hate to lose either Phil or Paul. sooner or later, there is will not only be a post Lance Tour but a post Phil and Paul Tour.
And speaking of OLN and the Tour: Did anyone else notice little or no reference to Lance's using two trispokes (much more maneuverable) in the last time trial, while most of the other leaders were using a rear disk (great on the straight). ? I should have thought who chose what and why would have been worth reams of discussion. I sort of wondered why Rasmussen (or his manager?) didn't choose that, too. He's a mountain biker and thus could presumably milk the descents with more maneuverable equipment. I felt really sorry for the guy having to deal with that disk. It probably felt like a ball and chain going uphill and down and around the bend.
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 311
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Quote:
Pintsized wrote:
Speaking of retirements, I wonder what will happen when somewhere down the road Phil Liggett retires from his post.
I've been watching Liggett for a long, long time. I love his commentating and it will be a dark day for cycling fans when he retires. Unfortunately, I get the feeling it will be sooner than we (or he) wants. Did anybody else notice all the errors he made this year? He called the wrong names, teams, positions... He forgot names. He stuttered for words. He repeated what Sherwen just finished saying...
I realize that live, (mostly) unscripted, sports commentating is spontaneous and errors are not uncommon. But Phil had an exceptional amount of mis-speak this year. I really hope not, but I gotta wonder if these little errors are early signs of Alzheimer's or other disease.
Quote:
And speaking of OLN and the Tour:
I also wonder why the helicopter has a microphone onboard the helo or on the underbody camera!? Whenever there were aerial shots from the helo, there was always background rotor noise!
I've seen the live coverage in France and as far as I can recall, there is no commentator aboard the choppers. If that is correct, why not mute the microphone onboard and just allow all the commentators to voice over the video feed w/o excess background noise?
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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jaleel_da_sheik
new member
Reged: 02/25/05
Posts: 15
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Quote:
I also wonder why the helicopter has a microphone onboard the helo or on the underbody camera!? Whenever there were aerial shots from the helo, there was always background rotor noise!
I noticed this as well and it left me scratching my head. Maybe OLN desires to convey to the audience that those shots are in fact from a chopper - that is a simple way to do it.
As for TDF commentators, no matter how much guff Bob Roll gets from viewers and fellow commentators, I still enjoy having him there for the excitement and energy he pumps into (and out of) the announcers booth. Yeah, he can be a little random at times, but his hand jestures are comical and he does have good experience and information regarding the Tour.
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 363
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Frankie? In my opinion he has a long way to go. He has progessed slightly, and I understand his writing is much better than his coverage, but he has a problem talking around the point he's trying to make, and often misses the gems he could be conveying, especially when he's talking about the equipment.
I'd really hate to loose Phil's play by play. Even with this missteps, it's worth it to listen to his language, descriptions of the utterly ordinary, like when they come out of a tunnel. Wish I could recall an example now.
The WORST PROBLEM with the coverage this year was that there was NOT ENOUGH KRISTIN GUM! Even with the dark hair, I mean, come on. What stupid producer made that call to reduce her presence? Remembering watching just her is enough to bring back repeat viewers to the tour next year without Lance.
Long live Roll!
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Pintsized
journeyman
Reged: 02/27/05
Posts: 90
Loc: Corvallis OR
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I thought Liggett's word salad (which I agree is unusual based on previous years) happened the last two or three days. It was like he was so tired he couldn't think or talk straight. I can see three weeks of having to be verbally brilliant just wearing a person out, even him. Are you sure you didn't see it toward the end of the Tours in previous years, too?
P.S. I don't know how coulda forgot about Roll. I think he's funny.But I sort of don't like it when they pick on him, and make him the butt of the jokes and stuff. Actually, I think they have been more dignified toward him the last year or so (naked Bob on the bike notwithstanding).
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 311
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Quote:
Pintsized wrote:
I thought Liggett's word salad (which I agree is unusual based on previous years) happened the last two or three days. It was like he was so tired he couldn't think or talk straight. I can see three weeks of having to be verbally brilliant just wearing a person out, even him. Are you sure you didn't see it toward the end of the Tours in previous years, too?
I think Liggett did get worse near the end of the tour. But overall, I think he made many more errors than years past. Thinking about it some more, I realized he had got sick or something and was losing his voice. Perhaps (hopefully?) he had taken some meds (approved by the UCI of course  ) that altered his thinking and memory.
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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Insightdriver
captain
Reged: 03/07/04
Posts: 472
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I don't watch television, have the bare minimum to allow me to have cable internet without being gouged by Comcast for not having any TV with the internet (Yes, they charge more for just internet service versus internet plus basic TV service). I saw zero tv coverage of the race. All my coverage was through the internet. To hear you people talk about the tv coverage makes me wonder if I.. no, no, it's insane. I won't spend an extra ten dollars a month for more cable channels, the majority of I wouldn't watch anyway. At any rate, it's good that there was TV coverage since most folks are still addicted to the set.
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Nev
captain
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 363
Loc: Never where I want to be
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Quote:
Insightdriver wrote:
... if I.. no, no, it's insane. I won't spend an extra ten dollars a month for more cable channels,
Two words: Kristen Gum
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skuke
captain
Reged: 12/22/03
Posts: 311
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Quote:
Nev wrote:
Two words: Kristen Gum
If she is really worthy of worship, then she deserves to have her name spelled correctly. It's Kirsten, not Kristen (or even Kristin) Gum.
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Skuke
95 Carbonframes Tetra Pro
92 Bridgestone MB-1
90 Moser 51.151
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dfcas
contributor
Reged: 12/19/03
Posts: 136
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I thought it -might- be Kirstin....
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