Armstrong announces retirement
- Thread starter mickle
- Start date
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Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
What! Again?
He'll be back!
He'll be back!
PpPete
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chandler's Ford
Hope not!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I actually thought he retired last year; then I saw he was in the TDu 
I did think it odd... like an announcement of a past announcement. I thought everybody knew that the TdU was he last ride... or was it his last foreign ride? Maybe there'd been some suggestion that he'd be riding the Tour of California this year... or other such US rides. I don't believe he's actually going to have the cleats up though. It's been too much part of his life, and he's still a fit athlete, to pack in altogether.
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
Has he fessed up then?
frank9755
Cyclist
- Location
- West London
I know what you mean. Maybe his lawyers went after the people who said he'd retired and got them to deny they had said it...?
peelywally
Active Member
job done i guess .
festival
Über Member
Never did like him, not a very nice man.
I met him when he was a neo pro at the Nissan tour of Ireland 1992 .
In those days you were free to mingle with the riders before the start of a race, no team bus to hide in or barriers to speak of.
I spotted Sean Yates who i knew vaguely & had a chat with him before noticing that Armstrong, who i recognised was using the 'new clincher style tyre' , tubs being used exclusively up to then. He was sitting on a wall next to his bike and when i commented on his tyre choice and was it his idea or the sponsors, his reply was " f##k off".
I wonder how many of his associates are willing to lie under oath and risk jail for him?
I met him when he was a neo pro at the Nissan tour of Ireland 1992 .
In those days you were free to mingle with the riders before the start of a race, no team bus to hide in or barriers to speak of.
I spotted Sean Yates who i knew vaguely & had a chat with him before noticing that Armstrong, who i recognised was using the 'new clincher style tyre' , tubs being used exclusively up to then. He was sitting on a wall next to his bike and when i commented on his tyre choice and was it his idea or the sponsors, his reply was " f##k off".
I wonder how many of his associates are willing to lie under oath and risk jail for him?
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAA. . HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Thats pretty funny
I have ran through various positions when it came to my view on Armstrong. I even have an actual yellow jersey (actually it's a wind jacket, but lets not quibble) as presented to him as leader of the TdF.
Over time, I have reached the conclusion that he was a cheat. The never tested positive point is open to question, albeit the samples were old and not a formal testing. However, Marion Jones never tested positive either.
What appears more clear, is that the system can still be worked around maybe even today. Do I believe Brad or Cav are clean - absolutely. Do I believe others competing with them are not - absolutely.
The recent interview with Floyd Landis by Paul Kimmage shows pro cycling up to be a very, very bent sport. Sad but true. It's a long read, but worth it.
The book from Lance to Landis by David Walsh did it for me. Packed full of false claims and rehashed nonsense, according to Lance, but unfortunately just too much smoke for my liking. If not quite a full knock out, it was certainly a TKO.
And for the fans he has inspired to get on a bike, including one who contributes on this site and who's own site is such an inspiration. Please remember, you are as much an inspiration yourself. There are others who are more worthy of being admired. Truth is, read any detail about Lance and you quickly find his ghost written books to be self serving and the comments from most other suggest he is not a very nice person!
Over time, I have reached the conclusion that he was a cheat. The never tested positive point is open to question, albeit the samples were old and not a formal testing. However, Marion Jones never tested positive either.
What appears more clear, is that the system can still be worked around maybe even today. Do I believe Brad or Cav are clean - absolutely. Do I believe others competing with them are not - absolutely.
The recent interview with Floyd Landis by Paul Kimmage shows pro cycling up to be a very, very bent sport. Sad but true. It's a long read, but worth it.
The book from Lance to Landis by David Walsh did it for me. Packed full of false claims and rehashed nonsense, according to Lance, but unfortunately just too much smoke for my liking. If not quite a full knock out, it was certainly a TKO.
And for the fans he has inspired to get on a bike, including one who contributes on this site and who's own site is such an inspiration. Please remember, you are as much an inspiration yourself. There are others who are more worthy of being admired. Truth is, read any detail about Lance and you quickly find his ghost written books to be self serving and the comments from most other suggest he is not a very nice person!
BJH and Festival, I think you have both summed up Armstrong perfectly.
I can't stand him. I've always been suspicious of his doping record (or lack thereof). The doping is almost a separate issue though. His generation of riders doped almost to a man. But it's not just about the drugs. We've forgiven Millar (who I'm told is not always the friendliest chap), Ullrich was an incredible talent, we all loved Pantani, I'm indifferent to Riis, Museeuw was and always will be one of my favourites. We know cycling is riddled with drugs and has been through the ages, most of our heroes are tainted but I just see it as part of the reality of cycling (an unpleasant reality, but reality nevertheless).
Sure Armstrong's story is inspirational - no question, but like BJH says,the people inspired by him can only succeed through their own efforts.
Ultimately, for me, it comes down to him being thoroughly dislikable - I don't like his meally mouthed answers about testing or the threats of lawyers, his telling Festival to 'f--- off', the way he treated riders he didn't like with total disrespect, the general disrespect he showed the sport for so much of his career.
Merckx said to him when awarding him the 6th or 7th tour 'Congratulations, now you are a great of the Tour, but not a great of cycling'. I'm twisting his words but to my mind that last clause sums up Armstrong for me.
Hinault, Merckx and Anquetil all dominated and won races almost at will (or solely through sheer will). Sure, they also had the best teams money could buy and they made plenty of enemies but I always got the impression they were well respected and they were known (most notably Hinault) to stand up for the rights of the riders, not just himself (though I admit he was most passionate when it was his interest at heart and the 86 saga was a particular low). Regardless, their retirements were all genuinely mourned.
The comeback was yet another unneeded chapter.
I can't stand him. I've always been suspicious of his doping record (or lack thereof). The doping is almost a separate issue though. His generation of riders doped almost to a man. But it's not just about the drugs. We've forgiven Millar (who I'm told is not always the friendliest chap), Ullrich was an incredible talent, we all loved Pantani, I'm indifferent to Riis, Museeuw was and always will be one of my favourites. We know cycling is riddled with drugs and has been through the ages, most of our heroes are tainted but I just see it as part of the reality of cycling (an unpleasant reality, but reality nevertheless).
Sure Armstrong's story is inspirational - no question, but like BJH says,the people inspired by him can only succeed through their own efforts.
Ultimately, for me, it comes down to him being thoroughly dislikable - I don't like his meally mouthed answers about testing or the threats of lawyers, his telling Festival to 'f--- off', the way he treated riders he didn't like with total disrespect, the general disrespect he showed the sport for so much of his career.
Merckx said to him when awarding him the 6th or 7th tour 'Congratulations, now you are a great of the Tour, but not a great of cycling'. I'm twisting his words but to my mind that last clause sums up Armstrong for me.
Hinault, Merckx and Anquetil all dominated and won races almost at will (or solely through sheer will). Sure, they also had the best teams money could buy and they made plenty of enemies but I always got the impression they were well respected and they were known (most notably Hinault) to stand up for the rights of the riders, not just himself (though I admit he was most passionate when it was his interest at heart and the 86 saga was a particular low). Regardless, their retirements were all genuinely mourned.
The comeback was yet another unneeded chapter.
[devil's advocate mode] and built on a lie perhaps? [/devil's advocate mode]
For some of Armstrong's fiercest critics, it's exactly that pre-packed lie and it's continued repetition and assertion that so sticks in the throat. Repeat something often enough and people start to believe it. Never failed a test? Most tested athlete? Never let the facts stand in the way eh?
[devil's advocate mode] and built on a lie perhaps? [/devil's advocate mode]
For some of Armstrong's fiercest critics, it's exactly that pre-packed lie and it's continued repetition and assertion that so sticks in the throat. Repeat something often enough and people start to believe it. Never failed a test? Most tested athlete? Never let the facts stand in the way eh?
resist, Yello, resist!
