tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post6515537519307072534..comments2023-09-08T06:31:18.925-05:00Comments on Belgium Knee Warmers™: VictorRadio Freddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07419506761098758178noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-46835749368444088202009-06-04T16:36:26.024-05:002009-06-04T16:36:26.024-05:00DB,
For the sake of argument, think of the Giro ...DB, <br /><br />For the sake of argument, think of the Giro without DiLuca. <br /><br />Capital-D-drama between Basso and Il Dolfino.<br />Maybe Levi hangs around a little longer, with LA in tow. <br />Sastre dropping bombs with a potential win in site.<br /><br />Menchov wins no matter what, due to the TT. <br /><br />Remember, if you can't drop the guy ahead of you, you are his best teammate. Just holding the carrot for him to chase. DiLuca ended up being Rabo's best support rider.jzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17727179613380197538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-38391937287508132632009-06-04T13:18:02.721-05:002009-06-04T13:18:02.721-05:00True.True.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16814918624166605404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-81176328954494598572009-06-04T11:38:25.381-05:002009-06-04T11:38:25.381-05:00All: Thanks for the diverse comments. You keep it ...All: Thanks for the diverse comments. You keep it lively. <br /><br />Sorry about deleting the video. We had a lot of trouble with it--the dimensions were screwy. We're very bummed to lose the great comments on it.Padraighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14806791547912750107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-2629874701362565802009-06-04T09:37:15.409-05:002009-06-04T09:37:15.409-05:00Just Imagine this year's Giro without Di Luca:...Just Imagine this year's Giro without Di Luca:<br /><br />ZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-26865979415148436552009-06-04T07:29:58.385-05:002009-06-04T07:29:58.385-05:00Andrew: Yeah, and Di Luca is Mr. Clean.
Jim: Too ...Andrew: Yeah, and Di Luca is Mr. Clean.<br /><br />Jim: Too f*cking right!<br /><br />Sarah: You must have never won a race when the outcome was unsure until the final moment. Let us know how it feels when you do.AHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09369939129109082407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-44490507824802492172009-06-04T01:25:13.949-05:002009-06-04T01:25:13.949-05:00Watching the Giro this year was great. Thank you ...Watching the Giro this year was great. Thank you Universal Sports.<br /><br />Nothing wrong with emotion displayed at the finish. <br /><br />Imagine how amp'd you'd be after almost crashing out with the win in sight.<br /><br />I though the release was human and well deserved.Dan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609122101907983132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-22385936811796790262009-06-03T05:22:23.450-05:002009-06-03T05:22:23.450-05:00Just a note about the Tifosi...
I am an American l...Just a note about the Tifosi...<br />I am an American living in Italy. I watched the last TT in a hotel bar with a room full of Italians.<br />As Menchov crashed the entire room yelled, "NO!!!!!"<br />No nationalism, just Italians supporting a man giving his all for a win.PatitucciPhotohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07415139315566853163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-54936686225869731452009-06-02T20:28:02.774-05:002009-06-02T20:28:02.774-05:00I really enjoyed this Giro. I loved the way di Luc...I really enjoyed this Giro. I loved the way di Luca rode, but I also really like Sastre's two wins. I liked Garzelli's racing and Pelizotti was pretty exciting, too, pushing ahead of his team captain.<br /><br />The two sort of unthrilling riders were Menchov and Leipheimer. The former won a lot of my respect by just not letting di Luca go, and really, it must have been killing him. Di Luca was just attacking and attacking and attacking. I've tried to follow shit like that, and it hurts so badly. Leipheimer, on the other hand, was a snoozer, but then his style rarely gets you out of your seat, even when he's winning.<br /><br />I also agree with Padraig about doping. At some point you just stop second-guessing and give up and watch.<br /><br />I don't like doping, but I like the racing and the races more than I hate the dope. At root, I understand why they do it.Da Robothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726631064230013191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-2478635293460038272009-06-02T18:10:20.180-05:002009-06-02T18:10:20.180-05:00Menchov's uncharacteristic show of aggression at t...Menchov's uncharacteristic show of aggression at the finish seems reminiscent of Landis' agression after his solo superhuman effort to win the TdF. Also seems similar to Cadel Evan's erratic and aggressive (I'll cut your head off) behavior. <br /><br />If I had to guess, these guys are hopped up on something that's stimulating aggression. <br /><br />Or - maybe it's natural to show some raw aggression after you win a brutal 21 day grand tour!Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17016459590117988027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-42039872690095637662009-06-02T17:20:34.007-05:002009-06-02T17:20:34.007-05:00Appropos of nothing: I may be wrong, but I think ...Appropos of nothing: I may be wrong, but I think it was Coppi who said something like, "we're not athletes, we're professional bicycle racers." He is also reputed to say he only took drugs when absolutely necesary. When asked how often that was, he said, nearly always. It's a tough sport.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938379025774754317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-91933319843130525692009-06-02T17:01:13.180-05:002009-06-02T17:01:13.180-05:00>>>> Perhaps Menchov crashes in the TT...>>>> Perhaps Menchov crashes in the TT, however briefly, and loses the advantage we all expect him to have.<br /><br />Some smart guy said that last week in response to the question about why DiLuca should keep fighting for 5 seconds here, 12 seconds there. <br /><br />You *never* give up in a race if anybody is in sight in front of you. Never. Y'know why Lance was pounding it? Because in 12th, you never know when that lead pack is going to crest the hill, and stack it into the third turn on the way down. Might not happen, then again it might. Menchov was relentless and stronger, and thus deserves the win; but DiLuca was an exemplary racer. Chapeaux to both.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461836999036966262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-12160703515525089902009-06-02T15:34:19.140-05:002009-06-02T15:34:19.140-05:00I'm aware of the accusations/allegations/rumors su...I'm aware of the accusations/allegations/rumors surrounding Menchov, Di Luca, and the others. At a certain point, if you are going to watch pro cycling, you have to be willing to just watch the action and enjoy it.Padraighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14806791547912750107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-42432911040034449012009-06-02T15:00:05.009-05:002009-06-02T15:00:05.009-05:00...in order to really win il giro, you not only ha......in order to really win <B>il giro</B>, you not only have beat the best that italia can throw at you but you have to make the tifosi cheer for you...<br /><br />...ultimately, in the end, i think menchov did that...<br /><br />...while every italian wanted to see <B>de luca</B> best the russian, i think they could appreciate the odds he was up against without a team to always support him...<br /><br />...i don't see <I>"his ability to sit impassively on Di Luca’s wheel despite the firebrand’s attacks"</I> as simply that...to respond as he did, i think there were times when menchov dug deeper than ever before, whether it showed on his face during those attacks or not...<br /><br />...throw in the crash in the last kilometer after 3 weeks, 21 stages, 86 hours & 3,455.5 already hard fought kilometers...<br /><br />...wow...can you imagine the whirlwind of thoughts, emotions & adrenaline surging through menchov as he hit the deck...<br /><br />...his d.s. might have been telling him not to worry, he had seconds in hand but my god, in the end that <I>"forceful show of emotion at the finish"</I> you alluded to must have been such a release...bikesgonewildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489983012589939600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-35816770639400742062009-06-02T13:34:18.346-05:002009-06-02T13:34:18.346-05:00"Because he's expected to show up as a name on the..."Because he's expected to show up as a name on the Austrian Blood Bank list."<br /><br />BOOM!!!!IamIronmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05859652201341095151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-35522199442540019882009-06-02T13:32:33.795-05:002009-06-02T13:32:33.795-05:00Definitely an action packed 3 weeks.
As for those...Definitely an action packed 3 weeks.<br /><br />As for those who like to talk about a 'new generation' in cycling, it's gotta be a big disappointment. Two very old school riders outgunned entire teams, with little-to-no support of their own.<br /><br />Sastre was impressive, but his secret move is now totally out of the bag. He won't get away with attacking early on climbs in July.<br /><br />Lance is on the upswing. Once he gets his 'refill', he'll be the same guy he was 3 years ago.jzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17727179613380197538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-11338450574608608962009-06-02T13:06:01.067-05:002009-06-02T13:06:01.067-05:00‘How can you not like a guy who shows such emotion...‘How can you not like a guy who shows such emotion in the face of victory?’<br /><br />Because he's expected to show up as a name on the Austrian Blood Bank list.Andrew F Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03535436046470089055noreply@blogger.com