Landis 'fesses up?!

[Crackle]

Well this year the Schleck brothers are the obvious one's but I think Contador will take some beating. I'd never discount Armstrong though, even if his legs aren't quite what they were, his racing mind is.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Armstrong never established a 'hegemony' except over the TdF, although he did certainly contribute to the creation of the myth that the Tour was the only thing that mattered in cycling...

A fascinating arguement. Surely the myth that TdF is all that matters has been around for a lot longer than LA though? Certainly, in Europe, from what I've read that myth has been building since the restart of Le Tour after WWII. ote] It is, and always will be, perceived as the ultimate challenge by non-expert (I hesistate to say 'non-nerdy') cycling fans.

Bobet was an artist, part of a generation of artists in cycling, along with Coppi, Bartoli, Anquetil et al. Armstrong is a brute. But yes, they both prepared themselves extremely well!

I fear that whilst we might perceive some to be artists and others brutes the reality is somewhat different and much less black and white. I never saw the classic post war era of the 50's and 60's in real time, far too young. But my reading and research suggests that contemporary reports show the greats, then as now, divided public opinion. Anquetil's losing duel with Poulidor on the Puy de Dome surely ranks as an example of the brutality of competition with no quarter given.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Well this year the Schleck brothers are the obvious one's but I think Contador will take some beating. I'd never discount Armstrong though, even if his legs aren't quite what they were, his racing mind is.

I think the chances of Armstrong riding this years Tour are very slim. It's getting way too hot and the last thing he wants is to finish every day and face a barrage of questions about doping from the media. He has far more to worry about at the moment than bike racing, and I can see him keeping as low a profile as possible.

 

[rich p]

I suspect Menchov is preparing himself for the Tour as we speak.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

A fascinating arguement. Surely the myth that TdF is all that matters has been around for a lot longer than LA though? Certainly, in Europe, from what I've read that myth has been building since the restart of Le Tour after WWII. ote] It is, and always will be, perceived as the ultimate challenge by non-expert (I hesistate to say 'non-nerdy') cycling fans.

Sure, absolutely. It's why I said 'contribute'... and yes, that has also had good spin-offs in drawing more people into cycling as fans and actual cyclists. It's not all bad. And as for Lance, he has certainly won other things, but he has simply never dominated the sport, only that one (however important) race. If you compare this to someone like Merckx... well, that was a hegemony!

I fear that whilst we might perceive some to be artists and others brutes the reality is somewhat different and much less black and white. I never saw the classic post war era of the 50's and 60's in real time, far too young. But my reading and research suggests that contemporary reports show the greats, then as now, divided public opinion. Anquetil's losing duel with Poulidor on the Puy de Dome surely ranks as an example of the brutality of competition with no quarter given.

(I was just trying to appeal to / provoke dell's aesthetic sensibility...! )

 

[Crackle]

I think the chances of Armstrong riding this years Tour are very slim. It's getting way too hot and the last thing he wants is to finish every day and face a barrage of questions about doping from the media. He has far more to worry about at the moment than bike racing, and I can see him keeping as low a profile as possible.

You think so! I would have thought nothing short of very strong wild horses would keep him out the Tour.

Menchov, I'd forgotten him and probably a few others.

 

[mangaman]

Will Valverde be allowed to start?

He really seems to be made of Teflon

 

[dellzeqq]

Louison Bobet was a brute. Even the most sympathetic of biographers can't make him anything else.

Now Hugo Koblet...


the 'pedaleur de charme'.

 

[ColinJ]

Will Valverde be allowed to start?

He really seems to be made of Teflon

I think his cycling Teflon has just lost its non-stick properties!

 

[andy_wrx]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/jun/01/alejandro-valverde-ban

The UCI president, Pat McQuaid, said the governing body "had known all along" that Valverde was involved in the 2006 Operación Puerto case, which implicated around 40 riders in a blood-doping ring.
"The message for cyclists is that at any time if you get involved in a doping program, at any time it could come back and haunt you," McQuaid said.

Talk about double-standards, Pat...

Doesn't the same apply to your Texan mate then ?

 

[Skip Madness]

Talk about double-standards, Pat...

Doesn't the same apply to your Texan mate then ?

You missed the end of the quote:

The message for cyclists is that at any time if you get involved in a doping program, at any time it could come back and haunt you bt dnt wurry if it waz b4 2006 lol.

 

[raindog]

Dick Pound has his say
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010...685?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[andy_wrx]

I think we need Dick running the UCI, not McQuaid and Verbruggen...

 

[Harbornite]

I think we need Dick running the UCI, not McQuaid and Verbruggen...

Very true, Pound comes across with a straight forward & upfront approach.