Alexi Grewel in training for comeback at 50! Inspiring or Unwelcome?

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Anonymous

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I am happy for him regardless. Maybe the dude just wants to ride his bike? I know that there isn't any other sport in the world that can make me feel the way cycling does, and I haven't raced in years. I just love to ride a bike. Even at my best, I couldn't ride with him or most of you guys posting about your racing. Maybe he is just surrounding himself with people who can relate to him and his physiological gift the best. It sounds like he hasn't related to much of anyone in his life on a social level. Maybe he just wants the company of people he can relate to physiologically? One of the best friends I ever had was a guy who I used to climb with. We never talked much, but we climbed a lot. We both loved to climb, and we loved to climb together. It was just cool being with someone who loved to climb as much as I did.
 

jimmypop

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Jul 16, 2010
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flicker said:
Alexi doesn't even need to speak to anyone. He can go and buy the Chris Carmicheal training book, Eric Heiden book, or the Greg LeMond training book.
All successful American racers. Once the base and circuit training is in it is all interval work, and speed. Well, maybe Grewal is interested in being a participant in races, not a leader.

I'm going to use this comment to say that you know nothing about training, and very little about cycling in general.
 

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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jimmypop said:
I'm going to use this comment to say that you know nothing about training, and very little about cycling in general.

Fair enough, Jimmy.
Please share this with me. Do you think 500 mile weeks are beneficial for 50 year olds. Hennie Kuiper and an unnamed US National champion told me no. What is your opinion?
 
Jun 18, 2009
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dude seems like a bit of a self-absorbed knucklehead to me. He spent half of last week riding on the wrong side of the road so he wouldn't get dropped (getting dropped anyway). What, the rules don't apply to him?

Then I read that he's riding 8 hours a day plus the race? He should probably respect the racing a little more, or he'll continue to finish 1/2 hour down like yesterday. And he should probably try to follow the rules like the other guys.

Sounds like he's training like he's preparing for Paris-Brest-Paris or RAAM.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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hwyrngr said:
Thurlow never gave anybody any advice.
hmmmm spent quite a bit of time chatting with him, I know alot of people who got ALOT of advice and direction from him on the Barry ride. He was always very approachable and friendly i thought. Last time i ran into him he was part timing in a small bike shop. Still nice as ever. I guess people have different experiences but most of the people i know have gotten alot of good advice.
 
flicker said:
Fair enough, Jimmy.
Please share this with me. Do you think 500 mile weeks are beneficial for 50 year olds. Hennie Kuiper and an unnamed US National champion told me no. What is your opinion?

He already has shown he has no sense for an ironic response. Do you really want more, you glutton for punishment?
 
131313 said:
dude seems like a bit of a self-absorbed knucklehead to me. He spent half of last week riding on the wrong side of the road so he wouldn't get dropped (getting dropped anyway). What, the rules don't apply to him?

+1

At 50, the guy clearly has not changed a single bit. Which is why he needs to stop trying to relive the past and just move on. Easier said than done though. Especially for a guy as pathological as Grewal.

I don't begrudge the guy riding a bike. Be the king of the local ride. Be the king of all Colorado rides. Great! But he's 50 with a kid. Supporting a kid takes priority.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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DirtyWorks said:
+1

At 50, the guy clearly has not changed a single bit. Which is why he needs to stop trying to relive the past and just move on. Easier said than done though. Especially for a guy as pathological as Grewal.

I don't begrudge the guy riding a bike. Be the king of the local ride. Be the king of all Colorado rides. Great! But he's 50 with a kid. Supporting a kid takes priority.

Maybe getting involved with cycling again is his best option for supporting the kid. He gets some exposure racing, shows people he is no longer the bad boy spitting on people, so maybe he gets hired in some capacity by someone in the industry.
Bingo!
Decent job, some respect and he has money to support the kid now.As well as setting an example.
 

flicker

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Aug 17, 2009
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More power to Alexi. Sometimes you just gotta follow your dreams, like the feel good, tear jerking American Baseball movies. I hope that after Alexi stands proud tears running down his craggy face, on the top of the podium wearing the Rocky mountain champion jersey, Lance will come up put a lei around Alexis neck and give Alexi a peck on the cheak.
In a few years after Kevin Costner (Star of American Flyers) will do the biographical film, Alexi II. Sound track by Peter Frampton and Three Dog Night.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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i am rooting for Alexi yet my only personal interaction with him was not a happy one for me. I always heard he was a pain but i didnt realize what a real jerk he could be, until i was training in Mammoth before the big stage race. Everyone told me the toughest section of the race was the last climb from the village to the ski station. It went from 8000ft to 9000ft elev and came at the end of the stage when everyone was hurting and i was told it was pretty much a gut check kinda climb. So i am pre riding it to see what i am in for and it hurts pretty bad. I am kind of going cross eyed with effort when i see a guy ahead on a mt bike. Next thing i know i am almost on his wheel when he jumps away, i am thinking what an idiot. I am just trying to keep the gears turning and maintain momentum and it hurts. I start catching this guy again and he says something just before i latch on and he jumps again. We repeated this process for several miles, just prior to the top of the climb he eases up and i see it is grewal. Honestly if it was another grewal i couldn't say for sure because everything was pretty blurred and i was still hammering. He said something along the lines of "I was just helping you maximize your training, ya gotta make it hurt to work" and then he bailed off downhill on some trail like an idiot. I wish he would have stuck around at the time so i could have told him i didnt give a rats pat toot what he thought i was doing, i knew i was riding the climb at my max as i planned.
total pompous idiot. Yeah i wasn't too happy with his little game at the time, but i can see from his ego driven perspective he thought he was doing me a favor.
i would imagine deep down he is still the same ego driven jerk.
But i hope he does well.
Go Alexi!
PS another Master Larry Nolan i notice is doing better than Alexi in the race and he is about the same age.
Go Larry too !!!
 
Oct 13, 2009
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Thats is funny...sounds like your the one that got your feelings hurt and the other dude was play'n you...but you kept coming back for more!

But I bet it wasn't Grewel, how was he going to get to Cal'y....ride his MTB there?
 
Bike Riders Can Be Strange

mitchman said:
Thats is funny...sounds like your the one that got your feelings hurt and the other dude was play'n you...but you kept coming back for more!

But I bet it wasn't Grewel, how was he going to get to Cal'y....ride his MTB there?

Yeah, like Stephen Spielberg's movie Duel. The guy in the little car keeps challenging the big truck when all he has to do is back off and let the truck driver go his own way.
 
Mar 17, 2009
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131313 said:
dude seems like a bit of a self-absorbed knucklehead to me. He spent half of last week riding on the wrong side of the road so he wouldn't get dropped (getting dropped anyway). What, the rules don't apply to him?

Then I read that he's riding 8 hours a day plus the race? He should probably respect the racing a little more, or he'll continue to finish 1/2 hour down like yesterday. And he should probably try to follow the rules like the other guys.

Sounds like he's training like he's preparing for Paris-Brest-Paris or RAAM.

I think you're being very unfair on Grewal. There is another rider in the UK who returned at the age of 43 after a 9 year break and became the best pro in the UK by 45..he is now 50 and he is still one of the best in the UK. I guess you don't know who he is...otherwise you'd be more fair on Grewal. It's perfectly feasible that Grewal could get strong enough to ride in elite pro events and finish in the bottom quarter to middle of the pack at the Tour of California level. The reason Grewal will be able to be good at 50 is because half the battle is having a template you know and knowing how to be that good-that matters more than age. Good luck to Alexi Grewal
 
Feb 16, 2011
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Dave_1 said:
I think you're being very unfair on Grewal. There is another rider in the UK who returned at the age of 43 after a 9 year break and became the best pro in the UK by 45..he is now 50 and he is still one of the best in the UK. I guess you don't know who he is...otherwise you'd be more fair on Grewal. It's perfectly feasible that Grewal could get strong enough to ride in elite pro events and finish in the bottom quarter to middle of the pack at the Tour of California level. The reason Grewal will be able to be good at 50 is because half the battle is having a template you know and knowing how to be that good-that matters more than age. Good luck to Alexi Grewal

Would that UK rider be Malcolm Elliot?
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Stingray34 said:
Would that UK rider be Malcolm Elliot?

Yeah Stingray. Malcolm Elliot is a very good example for Alexi Grewal. 50 isn't very old and the body can still work pretty well...not 60..but at 50. Moser broke his own hour record in 1994 aged 46..after 7 years away. I think Grewal can struggle in within elite level event time cuts..but won't be a major force but far better than some are predicting
 
Dave_1 said:
Yeah Stingray. Malcolm Elliot is a very good example for Alexi Grewal. 50 isn't very old and the body can still work pretty well...not 60..but at 50. Moser broke his own hour record in 1994 aged 46..after 7 years away. I think Grewal can struggle in within elite level event time cuts..but won't be a major force but far better than some are predicting

You're not exactly talking about the guys who came back without a little help.
 
Ughh.

runninboy said:
Maybe getting involved with cycling again is his best option for supporting the kid. He gets some exposure racing, shows people he is no longer the bad boy spitting on people, so maybe he gets hired in some capacity by someone in the industry.
Bingo!
Decent job, some respect and he has money to support the kid now.As well as setting an example.

That scenario is long on big ideas and woefully short on specifics. Giving him this kind of benefit of doubt is huge and will end poorly.

Do you really think the industry wants him? Of the people on the industry side now, he at least p1ssed off more than half of them when they were broke racers. I have no clue how many bridges he burned, but there would be no surprise to find out he did.

He doesn't need to race to go back to them and make an effort to mend fences. At 50, that's what you do. Not Grewal. Nope. He's rehashing the 'glory' days. For what practical purpose? None. Again, I wish the guy well. I do. Riding to relax, have some competitive fun is great. What he's doing is something else, and not a great choice.