Just felt compelled to give Lance a little recognition for his effort in the Tour de France today! Great stage for him and he regained lead in the tour with commanding performance. He is really inspirational to some of those who have gone through the cancer thing. In my opinion he is one of the great athletes in our era and a real class act.

I think my favorite quote this tour is from him. He was going through immigration in France and one of the immigration officers said "youre not going to win the tour this year" and Lance said "give me back my passport asshole!"

There are so many mental games in the tour. I am not sure his little "team collapse" wasn't just a planned distraction for the other teams. Lance always seems to be content hanging just out of the lead, leaving the competition to only speculate on his strength. Its a bit like poker. Then he stomps on them when they can't take it, in the mountains. Its cool USA people are noticing the tour now. I have been a fan since LeMond.

Lance is absolutely The Man™, but one of the all time great tour finishes was LeMond beating Fignon by 8 seconds in '89.

QUOTE (grantsfo @ Jul 12 2005, 08:57 PM)

He was going through immigration in France and one of the immigration officers said "youre not going to win the tour this year"  and Lance said "give me back my passport asshole!"  :finger:

That is a good quote.

The Discovery Team also delivered on the 2nd climb. Popovitch coming back to the front of the Peloton and smiling after a 60mph crash into CSC's team car was remarkable also.

Consider the 100+kilometer solo breakaway and win of the last stage Rasmussen did, and then to come back today and stay with Lance all the way up the cat2 climb.

But Lance is still The Man... once again crushing all his rivals today.

I'm hoping for a big 7.

Tomorrow should be "interesting".

QUOTE (jasons @ Jul 12 2005, 07:12 PM)

There are so many mental games in the tour.  I am not sure his little "team collapse" wasn't just a planned distraction for the other teams.  Lance always seems to be content hanging just out of the lead, leaving the competition to only speculate on his strength.  Its a bit like poker.  Then he stomps on them when they can't take it, in the mountains.  Its cool USA people are noticing the tour now.  I have been a fan since LeMond.

I was racing in the late seventies and eighties when the sport was a kin to maybe shot put? I used to race with Greg Lemond when we were teenagers. I went the route of velodrome racing kilometer time trials, 4000 meter pursuits and madison racing - I liked the speed. Road racing was just too boring for me. Back in those days Wisconsin was the hot bed of track racing and I lived there to get good training and racing expereince. Later I coached my younger sister to a couple National road championships, Great sport! Lance is a whole class above Greg in my opinion.

But you know Greg was racing F2000 not too long ago. Not sure if he is still racing cars or not?

Greg has accomplished many things, too bad he comes off as an asshole.

Lance is the Super Man! And he's with Cheryl Crow!

My son is on a summer internship in London, he and his girlfriend are avid riders, they are leaving for France tomorrow to watch stages 14 and 15. I am so jealous, they are actually going to ride up the mountains and camp out to watch Lance go by. What an experince.

Pic of my son racing in England. Go Lance!!!!!

Thought about riding my bike to work today. But decided the teener needed more of a workout than I did. Hmm come to think of it maybe I should go for a run tonight.
Did some trathalon stuff in my younger days. 10 and 5K stuff later on. Then I bought a 914 way more fun.

Lance has to get a charge out of the cat and mouse chess game. When all the world is about to question his biking prowess he looks his competition in the eye. daring them to pick up his wheel and stay with him. If you are going to ride up a mountain with Lance Armstrong you better be wearing your "big boy pants" and you know it's gonna hurt.
Lance's competition >>>>>>

AND he's from Texas (right Wayne)?

And he loves his momma!

I love the passport story. I was escaping Nice after a horrid 3 day biz meeting. The air France doucment inspection bitch seemed to be having a problem..I asked, as politely as I coud "Is there a problem"?

She squares up, looks me in the eye and says "no m'suier, I am JUST doing my job". Proceeds to keep me standing there for no reason for 15 minutes. I wanted to strangle the bitch. Never been treated that way anywhere but France.

I never subscribed to "the French are assholes" thing, and I met some wonderful people, particularly the cab drivers in Nice. But that woman f*cked with me just because she could.

Give me back my passport asshole..I love it!

Lance kicks ass. Every year my wife and I are glued to the TV for 3 weeks in July watching the TDF. There is so much more to winning the tour than fast bike riding. I find it facinating. Yesterday's stage was incredible.

Demick

I was a HUGE Greg Lemond fan back in the day. I think he had a good chance of winning 5 Tours. Maybe even six.



He won the first one. Then was shot in the back and was out for two years. Came back and then won two more consecutive years.

I really think he could have also won the year before that first win. But since Bernard Hinault was team leader, and going for number five, he had to pull back.

Then the doping entered the sport...

I watch the tour when I can, given the circumstances....its fun teaching other people about the race, and having them walk away thinking, wow, there is a lot more to it than I thought.....

Miss racing, havent raced or rode since I was 17....Top Junior Track racer in CA, and local cat 3 road/crit racer....Will start riding again once I get out of Iraq...

-Jared

QUOTE (Brett W @ Jul 12 2005, 10:16 PM)

Greg has accomplished many things, too bad he comes off as an asshole.

I've never seen that. If any rider was ever universally liked it was Lemond. He would have easily won 5 or 6 had he not allied with Hinault and if he hadn't gotten shot in the chest. The fact that he won two Tours after getting shot was a miracle.

I admire Lance's riding and his comeback from cancer but you know he showed all the signed of a brash, cocky asshole before cancer. Did cancer change him, did he mature with age, or did he just change his public act after winning the Tour? I don't know but I enjoy watching.

Joe and I just sat down to watch todays stage. It is funny, I get nervous just watching...so many miles left...so much can happen. I hope the Lance and the Discovery team pull through!!! Rasmussen is scaring me a bit...he seemed so cool yesterday, and he is second overall.
The race certainly makes my upcoming ride in the MS 150 seem so trivial...

QUOTE (LuckieO @ Jul 13 2005, 03:14 PM)

I get nervous just watching...so many miles left...so much can happen.  I hope the Lance and the Discovery team pull through!!! The race certainly makes my upcoming ride in the MS 150 seem so trivial...  :worship:

Keep your focus!

Your exceptional efforts on the bike will assist a very good cause (MS), just like Lance's efforts helps another (Cancer research). You have more in common with Lance than most of the other slackers in this garage.

Speaking of which, 99% of them would puke their guts out trying to ride 150 miles on a bike.

I just remembered, I haven't sent your sponsor money.

Def. a huge fan. Last time I had trouble keeping up with the sprinters over 20 miles (although they were WAY better equipped) on a bicycle. Lance and Cheryl are certainly the home town favorites. If anyone is in Austin, we watch on a big outdoor screen on Barton Springs at Jack & Adam's bike shop next door to Chuy's.

Cheryl, though, has good taste in cars. I've seen them driving around in a '59 Mercedes 180 SL convertible. That is a HOT ride.