Magnificent Seventh (Lance Wins)

[Lithos]

PARIS (AP) -- Lance Armstrong closed out his amazing career with a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory Sunday -- and did it a little earlier than expected.

Because of wet conditions, race organizers stopped the clock as Armstrong and the main pack entered Paris. Although riders were still racing, with eight laps of the Champs-Elysees to complete, organizers said that Armstrong had officially won.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/specials/tour_de_france/2005/07/24/armstrong.wins.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Damned impressive. Athlete of the Decade for sure, would like to say the Century if it wasn't just starting.

[laylah]

1. Way to go, Lance!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[Darth_Kitten]

2. There are many more tremendous athletes....

out there who have not gotten the coverage Lance has.

[bballny]

3. That's bogus

Bike Racing in America hardly gets any press. I've benn riding(not much lately) since '76 and what Lance has done is amazing. I, for one always thought Mercx was the best but I am reconsidering. Bike Racing is without question one of the toughest sports.

[Darth_Kitten]

5. No it's not, read my post

Lance is a great athlete and he's a lot more well known than a lot of athletes in other sports.

Lance is a household name, and he's getting a lot of coverage.

[1932]

11. Only in the last two years. Americans barely knew him before he won 5.

[Windy]

4. Name one athelete who has the stamina and strength of lance?

(other than his fellow cyclists) There is no comparison imho.

[Darth_Kitten]

6. Oh, so bicyclists are the only athletes with stamina and strength?

Too many sports, too many athletes. :eyes:

[DS1]

9. *moan* *piss* *moan* *gripe*

The fact that LA gets more press than some nobodys is his fault how?

[Darth_Kitten]

17. Oh, just READ my post...**Roll eyes**

Don't take things so seriously. Honestly.

[Windy]

12. Yes, to that degree

I highly doubt that any of the other athletes to whom you refer could ride the Tour and make it through to the end, much less win.

Even other athletes recognize his accomplishments and his skill.

[phusion]

7. Congrats Lance!

Congrats on an amazing career all done in style and integrity.

Wish I could have watched the race, but, alas, I don't have cable. :(

[undeterred]

8. One of the main networks ususally broadcasts it a few hours after it ends.

I don't have cable but I saw a tape of the finish last year.

Congratulations Lance!

[rudlop]

10. Enough with the Lance....

I have a feeling I might be alone in this view, but I am SICK of Lance Armstrong.

I don't care how fast he pedals his bicycle up the hills in France, and I don't care how many times he does it. I don't care about the size of his heart (literally or figuratively), or who he is married to. I just don't care.

AND, I have always been bothered that his name sounds like an action figure or an adult film actor, but that is beside the point.

I am sure people will say that he is an example of courage, strength, etc. And that he is America personified. I understand that and I still don't care.

I am hopeful that he will be relegated to Gatorade and deodorant commercials, just like Andre Agassi.

[Ezlivin]

13. Then why did you waste time posting here?

You don't like Lance. Fine. Then go about your business and let the rest of us discuss the man's career and accomplishments. Or find another forum where you can go in and tell fans that you don't like their particular object of attention.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[geek tragedy]

15. So, you admit you're in this thread to troll and antagonize?

Charming.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rudlop]

19. also very charming

You can disagree with someone without calling them names.

[Darth_Kitten]

20. Oh, that is only too classy.

:eyes:


moan, gripe, moan, gripe, dear.

[alfredo]

21. Besides all the other atributes we have all heard about lance, it is the

only true ambassador we have world wide. He is one of the few Americans that is known and respected in all corners of the world. Even the French love him. their tastes have improved since the days of Jerry Lewis.

[rudlop]

22. sad if Armstrong is leading ambassador

Irrespective of my previous posts, it says alot if the only way to improve relations with Europe is with our sports heros.

I guess thats another thing we can thank GWB for.

[architect359]

23. blah blah blah

"Irrespective of my previous posts, it says alot if the only way to improve relations with Europe is with our sports heros.

I guess thats another thing we can thank GWB for."

I disagree with you too - and I feel better too.

:rofl:

[rudlop]

25. Thats the spirit!!

Even tho you are making fun of me, and trying to marginalize my opinion, I like the fact that you STILL chose to quote from my post!

But, there are much better posts of mine you could have used to illustrate my ignorance, but I will take what i can get.

[alfredo]

24. That is the sad part. He started off his pro career winning the

world road race campionship. He got the big head. He was great in those one day races, but the growing cancer hurt his stage racing.

He didn't grow up, and start acting like a man until a friend and team mate Carsatelli died in the 1995. Lance changed after that, started showing humility. Europe started liking him.

Two days after the death, Lance did a solo break to win by the largest margin ever. I saw his attack on the peleton, and was totally blown away. I have never seen such an attack, it was super human. At the finish of that stage he blew a kiss heavenward, then told the Italian press (in Italian) "today I road with the strength of two." After that Lance was seen as a hero in Italy.

His teams have revolutionized the sport at all levels. That is as important as his records.

[rudlop]

26. Interesting..

Not a racing fan, just a disillusioned complainer. But it is neat to hear some details other than the obvious.

[alfredo]

29. I've been a participant and fan since the 60's.

It's not just the obvious but the strategy behind it. There are also the stories of the individual racers.

Here's another thing that might impress you. Lance will not keep the prize money from the race. All of it will go to his teammates. It is a tradition in the tour and a recognition that it is the team that makes it possible.

[architect359]

27. Champion

I'm more impressed that he was able to achieve all this after his bout with cancer AND keep doing it for so long AND cap it all off like this. Wow.

"Finally, the last thing I'll say for the people who don't believe in cycling -- the cynics, the skeptics -- I'm sorry for you," Armstrong said. "I'm sorry you can't dream big and I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. But this is one hell of a race, this is a great sporting event and you should stand around and believe."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/specials/tour_de_france/2005/07/24/armstrong.wins.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

:woohoo:

[Baclava]

28. His rivals will be happy...

They won't have to watch this ever again...

[peacebird]

30. Lance says we should believe in these cyclists - it's all hard work

"Before that, though, he couldn't resist a parting shot at "the people who don't believe in cycling, the cynics and the skeptics" who suspect that doping is rife and fueled his dominance of the past seven years.

"I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. But this is a hell of a race," he said. "You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets -- this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it."

If I may mention Tyler Hamilton (blood doping), David Millar (won the World Road Race championship 2003 - caught with drugs, admitted doping at Worlds, stripped of title), Dario Frigo - hauled away during this TdF for drugs. Marco Pantani. Manzanos. Good grief I could go on and on and on. How many cyclists have had second and third chances after convictions for doping? And we are to believe it is all just hard work?

As a serious fan of cycling I say if people are becoming cynical and skeptical perhaps it is because SO MANY cyclists have proven to be dopers since the Festina scandal in 1998. Perhaps the stench of doping needs to be DEALT WITH instead of swept under the rug.

Armstrong lost me as a fan last year at the TdF when he felt the need to attack and humiliate a fellow cyclist on the road (while wearing the Yellow jersey no less) BECAUSE the man had testified in court regarding his own experiences with a physician - he recieved a summons and answered honestly. Why did Armstrong take such exception? Because the doctor in question is one of HIS, and the court case convicted the doctor of sporting fraud.

But what lost me was what Armstrong did in the peloton after he humiliated this man. He looked around and made the "zip your lips" sign to fellow riders. Omerta is alive and well in the pro-peloton.

His comeback from cancer is a great story, no doubt. And his victory this year was earned, but his actions have long belied his words regarding an interest instopping doping in the sport.