Pantani

[LutherB]

10th anniversary of his death today. His cycling years were a bit before I started watching cycling, and the clips i've seen leave me a bit cold - too fast & comfortable up the climbs, but no doubt if i had watched him at the time i wouldn't have known any better and enjoyed his cycling.

'The Death of Marco Pantani' is one of the best cycling books i've read, but it is very dark.

RIP

 

[LutherB]

Apologies for posting in the wrong place & thanks for the move!

 

[coffeejo]

I found out recently that my cousin's ex husband is a member of the Pantani family. An irrelevant fact but it's my only claim to fame.

 

[LutherB]

A couple of good articles:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/mar/07/cycling.features

http://rouleur.cc/journal/riders/pantani

 

[raindog]

I never did get the Pantani worship thing.

 

[fossyant]

It was a mucky time for the sport with the level of doping.

He was a rider of class, but it's tarred in my opinion with the drugs allegations.

 

[raleighnut]

Not like the old days though when riders would use amphetamines and cocaine (not illegal in those times) and drink brandy to numb the pain. I particularly liked an old photograph where members of the peleton were leaning over to other riders in order to light each others cigarettes at the top of an alpine climb. L'eroica.

 

[Dangermouse]

His death wasn't anything to do with doping within the sport, it was him struggling with his past demons and took to taking cocaine, the last lot being super pure and deadly

 

[Stu Plows]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfN3uxk-vRs


Just seen this on Book. Might be worth a watch.

 

[compo]

10th anniversary of his death today. His cycling years were a bit before I started watching cycling, and the clips i've seen leave me a bit cold - too fast & comfortable up the climbs, but no doubt if i had watched him at the time i wouldn't have known any better and enjoyed his cycling.

'The Death of Marco Pantani' is one of the best cycling books i've read, but it is very dark.

RIP

A superb book, but I agree it is very dark and uncomfortable reading. Having read it I feel I have some level of comprehension, however small, of the tortured mind of Marco Pantini.

 

[roadrash]

I have to agree the book takes you through some dark episodes, i will make a point of watching the film.

 

[ayceejay]

I watched that duel between Pantani and Ulrich on Alpe d'Huez recently, both were on the juice so it was a level playing field kinda, the difference in style is remarkable. Pantani won the day due to his dogged determination but there was a part where they came over the top and Ulrich put on a gilet doing about 30 mph and then the two of them descended like demons. Ligget said something like "They are descending this tricky course gently" when it seemed to me that they were doing about 70 mph!

 

[montage]

There are two tragedies relating to this. The first is undoubtedly the tragic story which led to a loss of a life which could have been avoided.

The second is the amount of people praising him as a hero or admiring him as a fantastic rider. To those that are endorsing him as a rider, you are what is still wrong with cycling - he was a cheat and to celebrate that you might as well be a doper yourself. He won races because he was lit up to f*ck not because of his riding style or his climbing ability or determination.

Considering we are supposed to be undergoing a change in cycling culture, the amount of social media posts praising his riding is a real backwards step

 

[ayceejay]

This is, of course your opinion which you are entitled to, however there is nothing in my admiration for his riding that condones drug taking and I was merely admiring the spectacle. Did drugs play a part - undoubtedly.

 

[rich p]

The most damning thing about this anniversary are the plaudits to Pantani being led by the dopers Armstrong and Cunego.