Armstrong and the TdF

[mangaman]

Every sport needs its heroes; football needs its 'Roy of the Rovers' and athletics needs its 'Alf Tupper' - for those who have not heard of Alf, ask your Dad or even your Granddad!
And so it came to pass that after the '98 Festina Affair, cycling and the TdF needed a hero.
"After Festina dropped us in it last year. we need a patsy, fall-guy, hero but who?"
"Not only a 'hero' but one with a story behind him."
"What about that brash American, four TdFs, only finish - 36th, had cancer and survived and is now riding again?"
"I know who you mean but how can we make it happen? I hope that you are not suggesting what I think you are!"
"We will make him the most tested cyclist ever but we will also have a man on the inside!"
"Brilliant but what if he says no?"
"He's an American, do they ever say no to publicity, fame and fortune?"
n.b. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

I agree mr-hippo but that story is 12 years old now.

We know, pretty much, Armstrong used EPO in 1999

We need a new story now, surely with likeable charactors?

Maybe Brad Wiggins (he says - not believing it himself).

 

[Panter]

I love the way the haters keep laying the boot in whilst the man himself just carries on putting in incredible performances

It was fantastic to see the amount of crowd support he had yesterday too, you can sometimes get a very warped view of cycling's perception on LA through internet forums.

Go Lance, Go!

 

[yello]

Whilst I am sure there are 'haters' (just as there are blinkered fanboys) not everyone that raises an eyebrow, and/or has read and questioned, hates Lance Armstrong. It is entirely possible to be objective (in as much as anyone can rid themselves of personal opinion) on the issue.

I've nailed my colours to the mast already. But to go further, having read 'Not About The Bike' I formed the opinion that I probably wouldn't like Armstrong. That's not important (I very much doubt I'd be his type of person either!) but I hope my dislike doesn't bias me too much. I do try to make allowances for it when commenting on related issues.

 

[Panter]

I'm quite sure that I'd intensely dislike the man too, to be honest.
Probably goes the same for any athlete, I'm sure you need a degree of self centeredness that I just don't personally like as a character trait.

Lance as a cyclist though? Yes, I'm a fan

 

[Chuffy]

Whilst I am sure there are 'haters' (just as there are blinkered fanboys) not everyone that raises an eyebrow, and/or has read and questioned, hates Lance Armstrong. It is entirely possible to be objective (in as much as anyone can rid themselves of personal opinion) on the issue.

I've nailed my colours to the mast already. But to go further, having read 'Not About The Bike' I formed the opinion that I probably wouldn't like Armstrong. That's not important (I very much doubt I'd be his type of person either!) but I hope my dislike doesn't bias me too much. I do try to make allowances for it when commenting on related issues.

That's pretty much where I'm at. It's not so much him I hate, it's the whole cult that's built up around him.

I'm quite sure that I'd intensely dislike the man too, to be honest.
Probably goes the same for any athlete, I'm sure you need a degree of self centeredness that I just don't personally like as a character trait.

I've said it before, there are plenty of top level sportsmen and women who are a great deal more likeable, despite that selfish focus. I want more from my sporting stars than just a hatful of wins and a f*ck-you attitude. A bit of charm and decency goes a long way. Not to mention not being a cheating bully...

 

[raindog]

I read the book too, and found it fascinating, but also found that he came across like a spoilt brat. But love him or loath him, to see a 39 year old bloke putting in the rides he's doing at the moment has to elicit a certain amount of admiration from a cycling point of view. Whether or not he was juiced, and it looks as if he was, I can't believe he'd have the bottle to continue with it now? Mind you........

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I love the way the haters keep laying the boot in whilst the man himself just carries on putting in incredible performances

It was fantastic to see the amount of crowd support he had yesterday too, you can sometimes get a very warped view of cycling's perception on LA through internet forums.

Go Lance, Go!

I have to admit I am a big fan, and when he retired I lost interest in cycling and the bike never moved, when he came back I was back into it and it helped me to convert to commuting to work, which is the best thing I have done.

He has helped cycling a lot, the drug thing I am still on the fence, half of me can't believe it, the other half says how can he get through the tests all the time if he is on them?

The french tour people loathe him and surely they would have got him by now?

I dunno to win it 7 times is excellent, to escape 10 years of drug abuse that would be even more incredible don't you think?

 

[raindog]

The french tour people loathe him and surely they would have got him by now?

What "french tour people" would these be?

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

What "french tour people" would these be?

Sorry I worded that wrong but the fella who runs the tour, and of the paper L'Equippe (which I hope I spelled right) are not exactly his fans either

http://www.bikeradar.com/racing/article/leblanc-why-are-you-coming-back-lance-18810/

Hes not exactly a fan !!

 

[raindog]

In two posts you've jumped from "The french tour people loathe him" to "Hes not exactly a fan"
A bit of difference there.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

In two posts you've jumped from "The french tour people loathe him" to "Hes not exactly a fan"
A bit of difference there.

What I meant is that Jean Le-Marie Blanc who runs the tour does not like Armstrong, I believe the french people do like him, but he does not and I would also expect that the people who run the tour don't like him either, but that is my opinion, I think that Le-Blanc does loathe Armstrong and the media circus that ensues Armstrong and that he probably hates the fact that when Armstrong is in the tour the tour it is more popular and gets more coverage especially in the USA.

Like it or not Armstrong I believe does raise the presence of the tour and cycling as a whole.

I like the guy, he has done a lot for cycling and as far as I am aware he is still innocent until proven otherwise.

 

[yello]

Thanks for picking up the baton there raindog.

I gave up some time ago trying to correct the ludicrously inaccurate 'the French hate Armstrong' statement that some people seem to believe. I suspect, based on my own experiences here in France, that the majority of French people that have actually heard of Armstrong (which in itself is probably a minority of the population) do respect him - simply because he is a cancer survivor and winner of the TdF.

Yes, there are those that think he's a doper, as there are anywhere. And, also like everywhere else, there are those that actively dislike him. Equally, read any American cycling forum and you will see that there are 'haters' there.

It's simply not an issue that divides along nationality lines. I don't know where the silly belief comes from but it seems to get trotted out just about as regularly as the one about him being the most tested athlete on the planet.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Well I stand corrected

I was certainly under the impression that the organisers of the tour, especially Le Blanc did not like Armstrong at all.

c'est la vie!

 

[Crackle]

Christian Prudhomme is the Director of the Tour, has been since 2005.

 

[mangaman]

What I meant is that Jean Le-Marie Blanc who runs the tour does not like Armstrong

Sorry to pull you up Kevin - Leblanc saw Armstrong as a way of globalising cycling and introducing the ridiculous pro-tour. He never did anything to upset Armstrong.

BTW you're only 5 years late

"In 2005, Prudhomme replaced Le-Blanc as director of the Tour de France"

Just a quote from Wiki - but true.