Andy Hampsten: wtf?

[Diet Coke]

I'm confused. I've been reading up about Andy Hampsten recently, wanting to find out about his career and acheivements and what kind of guy he was and I stumble across this picture:

Okay, so he was a blonde-haired, buck-toothed, thin climber type. I then go to his wikipedia page. I click the picture:

What? Is this the same guy? is it some kind of optical illusion? Did he start doing roids in the nineties? I'm lost. Can someone fill me in?

 

[Mambo95]

Nice first post. Throwing accusations at one of cycling's nicest guys. Is this your idea of trying to fit in?

Basically, it's probably just camera angles and light, and the effort he was putting in at the time. He was a climber so bulking up the legs wouldn't really make any sense.

He was definitely one of the good guys and one of my favourites back in the 80s (and from my spelling you can tell I'm not American). He won a stage of the Giro in 1985 as a rider on a one month contract. He was as pure as the snow that fell on him on the Gavia. Top bloke.

 

[hrotha]

Nice first post. Throwing accusations (...) Is this your idea of trying to fit in?

Well I never!

 

[Berzin]

To anyone (especially the veterans of this site) reading, please disregard this most idiotic of threads.

The reason these trolls keep coming back is because people play their little game and give them the attention their parents never did.

I can't for the life of me understand what perverted pleasure they get from doing this, but please-don't humor them.

Just let this one die.

 

[Mambo95]

Well I never!

Sorry. Did I fall for a troll? Bad timing I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

Bee stings can be a problem if one is alergic.

JV before:

JV after:

That lip of Hampsten looks like a classic alergic reaction.

 

[Diet Coke]

Nice first post. Throwing accusations at one of cycling's nicest guys. Is this your idea of trying to fit in?

Sorry if it sounded like I was accusing him. I wasn't. I just found the difference completely startling. At first I thought the wiki article had used the picture of a different person! There are a few things that make me go hmmmmm though look at his result in the tour '92. 4th! And first up Alpe d'Huez! This is the tour that Lemond couldn't even finish!

Alot of people say he's a good guy, I don't doubt it. (though punching that boy going up Alpe d'Huez was a bit off)

 

[Diet Coke]

To anyone (especially the veterans of this site) reading, please disregard this most idiotic of threads.

I apologize if your a fan, but calling this thread idiotic is unfair. Don't you find the transformation startling? It looks like a different person.

 

[Anonymous]

This is all sounding so familiar. Nice shot at GL.

The Arbiter re-appears...

 

[Diet Coke]

JV after:

That lip of Hampsten looks like a classic alergic reaction.

Christ, that's from one bee sting?

 

[Diet Coke]

This is all sounding so familiar. Nice shot at GL.

The Arbiter re-appears...

aaaaaaarrrgghhh. What is this? I love Greg Lemond! I just wanted to know what happened to Andy Hampsten.

 

[slippyB]

I'm a huge Hampsten fan, and while I hope beyond hope that he never (nor any of my other favorites) ever use/used...i'm starting to doubt a lot, perhaps looking at these threads too much.
Anyhoo...I don't think he looks "roided up". The first picture is from early in his career...could have bulked up a bit by hitting the gym a bit before the second pic. plus if it's the leg muscles you're baffled about, consider that in the first pic his leg muscle is at the bottom of the pedal stroke...where in the 2nd pic he's mid-down-stroke on a likely massive TT gear going all out.

 

[Mambo95]

Sorry if it sounded like I was accusing him. I wasn't. I just found the difference completely startling. At first I thought the wiki article had used the picture of a different person! There are a few things that make me go hmmmmm though look at his result in the tour '92. 4th! And first up Alpe d'Huez! This is the tour that Lemond couldn't even finish!

Alot of people say he's a good guy, I don't doubt it. (though punching that boy going up Alpe d'Huez was a bit off)

In the photos: the first one he's just cruising along. In the second one he's accelerating out of a corner in a TT. So different muscle flexure. Beyond that I see little difference.

This is really a Clinic topic now, but EPO use wasn't particularly widespread in 1992. Chiapucci's ride to Sestriere that year is often cited an early indication of its use. The general concensus is that Hampsten and Charly Mottet were the last of the clean old guard to get results at the Tour.

Hampsten was a brilliant talent. As I said, he won a Giro stage as an amateur on a one month contract. He came 4th in the Tour as a neo-pro. In 1992, with no EPO, he should have been winning the Tour (although Indurain, dope or not, was a genuine talent).

I don't think anyone thinks he doped at all. Back when I was teenager in the 80s he was, along with Mottet and Ronan Pensec, just about as cool as it could get on a bike.

 

[Diet Coke]

I'm a huge Hampsten fan, and while I hope beyond hope that he never (nor any of my other favorites) ever use/used...i'm starting to doubt a lot, perhaps looking at these threads too much.
Anyhoo...I don't think he looks "roided up". The first picture is from early in his career...could have bulked up a bit by hitting the gym a bit before the second pic. plus if it's the leg muscles you're baffled about, consider that in the first pic his leg muscle is at the bottom of the pedal stroke...where in the 2nd pic he's mid-down-stroke on a likely massive TT gear going all out.

It could be deceiving. He just looks so, er, meaty in the later picture. And his face looks completely different. It's just weird.

 

[Wallace]

Troll much?

I hate this thread more than I have hated any troll thread on this forum. I feel dirty posting here.

Let it die. Please, let it die.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

people get bigger as they age....

Look at a photo of me at 22...then at 32. I look like 2 different people too. People get thicker as they age...broader chests and more muscle. Anyone ever notice juniors who could climb like crazy when young, but then climbing wasn't their strong point as they get older? Lots of people like that. It's normal. Picture 1 of Hampsten he's obviously very young. It should be noticed that he finished 4th in both of those tours...86 and 92 (I think). So your pre and post roids theory doesn't hold up all that well.

When people are throwing around names of clean riders they should add Bauer to the Hampsten/Mottet list. Even Grewal stated that of all riders he knew, Bauer was the one who never crossed the doping line.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Diet Coke = BPC/Arbiter/LancesBallCleaner
Banned over 50 times on this board.

 

[Anonymous]

Troll much?

I hate this thread more than I have hated any troll thread on this forum. I feel dirty posting here.

Let it die. Please, let it die.

+1
Dumbest.Thread.Ever.

Will the people who run this forum ever get rid of this guy? Ignore user name #41...

 

[squampton]

When he got the big contract he had significant dental surgery to correct the ..
Pretty sure I recall that from the "Winning" mag day's !
Doesn't explain the legz other than mileage and thats all I'm gonna say on this..

 

[180mmCrank]

This is in the wrong place should be in the clinic if you are going to make this kind of post - now moved!

Terry

 

[mastersracer]

fwiw, Andy had fairly extensive facial reconstructive surgery to correct some bone/jaw problems. This changed his facial features - the lower body is just angles etc. He wouldn't care - he figured out the good life in Italy (and is still in great shape).

 

[squampton]

fwiw, Andy had fairly extensive facial reconstructive surgery to correct some bone/jaw problems. This changed his facial features - the lower body is just angles etc. He wouldn't care - he figured out the good life in Italy (and is still in great shape).

Thank you.. Could not find any info on it.. I know he would not discuss with journalists.. or quickly moved onto what mattered..

 

[mastersracer]

Greg Lemond also used to work with Andy on gaining some muscle mass early in his pro career - his metabolism was too high (like lots of naturally skinny kids). It's not unusual for these riders to gain some bulk later in their career as their metabolism slows down.

 

[therealdjamolidineabdoujaparov]

answer

The quadricep most visible in the first photo is viewed with the right knee at approx 100 degrees flexion (lengthened and not contracted), the second photo shows the opposite quadricep (left) at near full knee extension (quad contracted).

If this is a serious question, this is more than enough to produce the difference in appearance of his quads. This is the same reason bodybuilders and everyone on the podium at track world titles gets their photo taken with straight knees..........

I'm confused. I've been reading up about Andy Hampsten recently, wanting to find out about his career and acheivements and what kind of guy he was and I stumble across this picture:

Okay, so he was a blonde-haired, buck-toothed, thin climber type. I then go to his wikipedia page. I click the picture:

What? Is this the same guy? is it some kind of optical illusion? Did he start doing roids in the nineties? I'm lost. Can someone fill me in?

 

[onefastgear]

I remember I so badly wanted my brake cables routed under my bar-tape, it looked so cool!

I had one of those red Coke bidons as my sole bottle until it literally fell apart some years later.