Lance I salute you

[Bubbs]

Hey...mostly to Eric really....what about Lance? FABULOUS OR WHAT?

I was in tears at the end, what about you?

This truly is the end of a fantastic era.

Bubbs.

[dot dot dot]

mixed emotions Bubbs....

I was looking at the closing ceremony, felt very happy for Lance, but at the same time I got a bit sad:

Lance is "history" first of all. Unique history, but .... history...

Then I just was so frustrated a few times, cause they didnot broadcast everything live and I couldnot see some of the live cycling in the alps and pyrenees, whilst friends back home called me or sms-ed me constantly.

(here's my generalization on Singapore: Stupi**** people here do not even value the BIGGEST sporting event in the entire world, instead they hit a golfclub with their non-athletic bodies, damn.... #$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )

I will miss Lance Armstrong as a cyclist, he is too good to be true almost. Next year we will see the decay of the Tour, as others will make mistakes, wrong tactics, no charisma, French chauvinism in broadcasting (irrelevant French cyclists on the screen all the time) etc etc.

And I laughed for an hour, when Lance said in English: Vive Le Tour, FOREVER...

yeah Bubbs, shed a few tears as well.....

Lance the Man is history, now we gotta continue with Michael Rasmussen (anorexia nervosa or what?), der Jan, Ivan Basso or.... I see a star rising: Yaroslav Popovych, protege of Lance...

heads up, life continues (I am telling myself)!

Eric

[stefania]

Poor Eric, you have already seen beyond the retirement.

Lance, such a marvellous champion. Triumphed over cancer, won Le Tour several times. Never to be forgotten. A shame i couldn't get those Livestong bands.

[JayV]

Are the latest doping test results out?

[dot dot dot]

yep, negative as always.

Eric

[cyber_m0nkey]

Lance Armstrong is certainly a uniqe athlete. All credit to the man, he has accomplished an absolutely amazing feet. He has been great for the sport.

BUT...

I'm glad he's moving on, it will bring the suspense back to the race. The mistakes, the incorrect tactcs, etc is what makes the race interesting and exciting - although when Lance almost got caught on the Champs Elysses (spelling?) one one of his team and some other riders fell, was certainly heart stopping.

And BTW the TtF is not the biggest sporting event in the world, it actually ranks a distant third to the World Cup and Olympics.

mixed emotions Bubbs....

I was looking at the closing ceremony, felt very happy for Lance, but at the same time I got a bit sad:

Lance is "history" first of all. Unique history, but .... history...

Then I just was so frustrated a few times, cause they didnot broadcast everything live and I couldnot see some of the live cycling in the alps and pyrenees, whilst friends back home called me or sms-ed me constantly.

(here's my generalization on Singapore: Stupi**** people here do not even value the BIGGEST sporting event in the entire world, instead they hit a golfclub with their non-athletic bodies, damn.... #$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )

I will miss Lance Armstrong as a cyclist, he is too good to be true almost. Next year we will see the decay of the Tour, as others will make mistakes, wrong tactics, no charisma, French chauvinism in broadcasting (irrelevant French cyclists on the screen all the time) etc etc.

And I laughed for an hour, when Lance said in English: Vive Le Tour, FOREVER...

yeah Bubbs, shed a few tears as well.....

Lance the Man is history, now we gotta continue with Michael Rasmussen (anorexia nervosa or what?), der Jan, Ivan Basso or.... I see a star rising: Yaroslav Popovych, protege of Lance...

heads up, life continues (I am telling myself)!

Eric

[dot dot dot]

Make it the toughest sporting event cyber monkey

You are right about the mistakes etc, I am sure next year will be a great tour again, but I am just still in my mourning and denial phase...

Eric

[Em Eye]

Hi Eric,

Long time reader, first time contact. Love reading your posts

I'm just wondering what you think about Lance only winning 1 stage?

Em

[cyber_m0nkey]

Can't argue with you there. There's not many (if any) sporting events where you need to be at your peak for three weeks. Then you get to then end and they have to split the riders vy doing count backs to the 1/1000 of sec, like they did for the green jersey - AMAZING.

Make it the toughest sporting event cyber monkey

You are right about the mistakes etc, I am sure next year will be a great tour again, but I am just still in my mourning and denial phase...

Eric

[sportsman]

mixed emotions Bubbs....

(here's my generalization on Singapore: Stupi**** people here do not even value the BIGGEST sporting event in the entire world, instead they hit a golfclub with their non-athletic bodies, damn.... #$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )

Eric

Yes, we all admire Eric, sitting on his behind in a couch, guzzling a beer, eyes glued to the telly.

While the stupid ones walk 6 km of a golf course in the open air, punishing our non-athletic bodies....


And we forgive you for the "#$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )" too, must be the hangover talking.

[dot dot dot]

Hi Eric,

Long time reader, first time contact. Love reading your posts

I'm just wondering what you think about Lance only winning 1 stage?

Em

*blush blush* Thanks...

well, that is the intriguing part. I have once done a clinic with Dutchman Hennie Kuiper, a one time 2nd in 1980 (when Joop Zoetemelk was the only Dutch winner ever).

I remember him saying: "In 1980 there was an escape (the intranslatable magic cyclist word ' demarrage' ), I had to counterattack, at least I felt I needed too, I didnot have an earpiece telling me I had to accelerate for 23 seconds to a nominal speed of 46,84 km per hour to secure my overall 2nd place in the ranking".

Modern technology, Lance knows in detail what to do at which stage in what manner.

I agree, it is not an overwhelming amount of stages he won this time (understatement), but I find the amazing part the fact that he is never endangered, he is so much in control. And if one has cycled itself, be it on amateur level. one knows how incredibly hard it is to controle the race at all times, it is just not possible. But Lance does it, 7 years on a row.

His almost-crash at the champs elysees? He is in control.
2 years ago, that idiot move thru the fields in a descent in the alps? He was in control.

When you start doing research in detail, this guy is scary, so perfectly adapted and in control.

But I also think the Tour de France is drama, is emotion, is horror, is defeat, is magic.

Time to move on and see some new faces suffering to the bones...

Eric

[dot dot dot]

mixed emotions Bubbs....

(here's my generalization on Singapore: Stupi**** people here do not even value the BIGGEST sporting event in the entire world, instead they hit a golfclub with their non-athletic bodies, damn.... #$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )

Eric

Yes, we all admire Eric, sitting on his behind in a couch, guzzling a beer, eyes glued to the telly.

While the stupid ones walk 6 km of a golf course in the open air, punishing our non-athletic bodies....


And we forgive you for the "#$@)&(*)*()&&(*** )" too, must be the hangover talking.

I deeply apologize for not valueing the inhuman endurance needed for the golf course...

ok, you are absolutely right, not nice of me. I wanted to say that I just got fed up with the limitless amount of hours broadcasting of golf here on the telly, whilst eagerly waiting for the Tour to start being broadcasted.

But then, it is quite irrelevant that I start attacking the game of golf for not getting what I want, so: I am sorry.

Let me buy you a drink soon, so you can judge for yourself whether or not I fit in the role of the stereotyped person you described?

Enjoy the game, whatever sport it is!

Eric

[dot dot dot]

Can't argue with you there. There's not many (if any) sporting events where you need to be at your peak for three weeks. Then you get to then end and they have to split the riders vy doing count backs to the 1/1000 of sec, like they did for the green jersey - AMAZING.

Make it the toughest sporting event cyber monkey

You are right about the mistakes etc, I am sure next year will be a great tour again, but I am just still in my mourning and denial phase...

Eric

surreal...

Eric

[Em Eye]

I'm in Canada at the moment and Lance is every where. He is so controlled and I feel over the past few years has become too unemotional / controlled especially since he used to be such a hot head!

I agree that technology has changed cycling, everything is fed into a computer, analysed and then feed back to the athletes...but all the technology can sit in the seat hour after hour or ride through the rain, heat and especially the pain.

Eric - what is your take on the drug issue?

[dot dot dot]

Tough one....

As the Tour de France is as said one of the physically most challenging sporting events, the cyclists participating need to be extremely well prepared. It is a constant battle for the medics in the teams to make sure the athletes can perform at their best.

For the assisting medics it is probably as challenging as well to do this and at the same time make sure the balance is in order: For me a cold would be treated with a nose spray or some antibiotics, but for Lance a nose spray would be out of the question, it contains certain elements that are on the list of doping medication. And the more challenging the physical part, the more the athletes need to perform, the more they need medical attention. And thus the more risk there is of making the wrong decision...

This sport has a long tradition of doping, as some put it: It is in the vains. I remember a Dutch young talent, who didnot make it to the top, goin' to the press and accusing the sport of being "dirty": He proclaimed that everybody is a junkie and that they all take dope.

Can he be believed? I don't know. All I can say that these last few years the Tour has put in extreme measures against dope, Lance has always tested negative, whereas others have been caught.

Innocent until proven guilty, I guess?

Eric