Armstrong: Simeoni chasedown 2004

[Polish]

Same with me...that is the moment when I stopped all the self-rationalizations about LA that I was using to justify my being a fan of his.

That one incident really says it all about his character.

That incident? 2004?

How about the way he treated Argentin way back when:

"For some reason it infuriated me. He didn't know my name..."

http://books.google.com/books?id=k1...g=PA54#v=onepage&q=armstrong argentin&f=false
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[flicker]

That incident? 2004?

How about the way he treated Argentin way back when:

"For some reason it infuriated me. He didn't know my name..."

http://books.google.com/books?id=k1...g=PA54#v=onepage&q=armstrong argentin&f=false
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What an inspiration Lance is to me. He knew what he wanted and reached out and got it. He still inspires me, when I read his book again I cried tears of joy.
hes so good at riding and YOU GUYS hate him. dat aint nice-flickers son

 

[NashbarShorts]

Same with me...that is the moment when I stopped all the self-rationalizations about LA that I was using to justify my being a fan of his.

That one incident really says it all about his character.

At least you guys ALLOWED yourselves to see it. I have good fanboy friends who simply said, "Wwelll, we don't really know what went on b/w Lance and Simeoni.. the whole "history"... don't know what words were spoken... who's to say what it was really about...??"

F*cking ostriches! (When I tell them this, they get mad and say I'm ruining the Tour for them )

 

[Wallace]

What an inspiration Lance is to me. He knew what he wanted and reached out and got it. He still inspires me, when I read his book again I cried tears of joy.

I totally agree. There's nothing as great as that feeling of just reaching out for something you want and getting it. Like when you're in a store and the cashier's back is turned and the cash register is open--one quick grab and dash and all that money is all yours! It's the greatest feeling in the world. Crime. There's nothing like it. In the words of Jane's Addiction, "I enjoy stealing. It's as simple as that."

 

[jimmypop]

That incident? 2004?

How about the way he treated Argentin way back when:

"For some reason it infuriated me. He didn't know my name..."

http://books.google.com/books?id=k1...g=PA54#v=onepage&q=armstrong argentin&f=false
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Jesus. Just reading one page of that book made me puke. Now I have to call facilities to clean up the mess.

I remember writing stories of that caliber when I was in grade school.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

I've seen this several times. Every time it's just despicable.

I always wondered if it were someone not so passive as Simeoni, but someone with a more, shall we say "blunt" personality, what they would have done?

Despicable is probably the best one word description for that.

 

[NashbarShorts]

The ridiculous thing about it all was that Simeoni was not really a "soup-spitter" comparable to a Bassons or a Manzano. If I recall correctly, Simeoni merely was the only rider w/ the balls to testify against Ferrari. Many other riders were subpoena'd (incl. Axel Merckx), but failed to show. And Simeoni only testified b/c they offered him a reduced suspension, I believe.

As such, this was hardly the case of "protecting the interests of the peloton" against a vicious soup-spitter. It was simply Armstrong taking perverse joy in carrying out a 3rd-party vendetta on behalf of his good buddy, Dr. Ferrari. The glee in Armstrong's eyes as 'zips the lips' is very apparent, and damn evil.

Poetic justice several years later when Simeoni stunned his compatriots by holding off the field in the final 5km and winning the 2008 national jersey (at age 38?). One of the favorites who was "robbed" that day was Pozzato, who reportedly led a cheer of "a**hole, a**hole" after Lance brought Simeoni back to the peloton that day.

C'mon, smile: "What was that cheer again, Pippo??"

 

[buckwheat]

The ridiculous thing about it all was that Simeoni was not really a "soup-spitter" comparable to a Bassons or a Manzano. If I recall correctly, Simeoni merely was the only rider w/ the balls to testify against Ferrari. Many other riders were subpoena'd (incl. Axel Merckx), but failed to show. And Simeoni only testified b/c they offered him a reduced suspension, I believe.

As such, this was hardly the case of "protecting the interests of the peloton" against a vicious soup-spitter. It was simply Armstrong taking perverse joy in carrying out a 3rd-party vendetta on behalf of his good buddy, Dr. Ferrari. The glee in Armstrong's eyes as 'zips the lips' is very apparent, and damn evil.

Poetic justice several years later when Simeoni stunned his compatriots by holding off the field in the final 5km and winning the 2008 national jersey (at age 38?). One of the favorites who was "robbed" that day was Pozzato, who reportedly led a cheer of "a**hole, a**hole" after Lance brought Simeoni back to the peloton that day.

C'mon, smile: "What was that cheer again, Pippo??"

No, I think you're wrong in the highlighted section. Armstrong correctly saw Simeoni pulling one card out of the foundation of his house.

He knew the danger if others saw Simeoni getting away with that with no consequences.

What Simeoni did in Armstrongs view, was much "worse" than spitting in the soup. That's why Armstrong retaliated so openly and transparently. He knew real fans would see his retaliation for what it was, but he also knew there are a lot more relentless fan boys who would continue to toss his *****.

 

[buckwheat]

I look fondly on that day as the time I finally allowed myself to see the truth.

My epiphany regarding Armstrong was the seperation from his wife. I saw his protestations of innocence in a much different light after that.

 

[NashbarShorts]

No, I think you're wrong in the highlighted section. Armstrong correctly saw...

Just sayin', Simeoni never did a tell-all or held a press conference or anything Bassons/Manzano-like. And I think Simeoni testified against Ferrari in 2001 (?). As such it was old news by 2004. Ferrari got off on technicality, and despite Lemond's cries-in-the-wilderness, Lance's association w/ Ferrari never really raised eyebrows in the mainstream press. Also, in 2004, YellowMan was days away from the historic achievement of record-breaking 6th win -- further reinforcement of his deity status by most of the world's press.

I'd argue the chasedown was all about Armstrong's own ego. He had called Simeoni a "liar" in a LeMonde interview, and in response Simeoni had threatened to bring a defamation suit. Rather than any real threat to "cycling" or to his own legacy, I think LA just saw Simeoni as a fly that deserved to be swatted.

Salad tossing. Fanboys. Oh man, that's a disturbing mental image....

 

[NashbarShorts]

My epiphany regarding Armstrong was the seperation from his wife. I saw his protestations of innocence in a much different light after that.

C'mon, from reading Book #1 you should know that the divorce was merely due to the stress on the marriage caused by doping control officers showing up at all hours. It's perfectly understandable that a man would leave his wife and infant twins under such circumstances.

I can't believe the word salad got censored...

 

[buckwheat]

C'mon, from reading Book #1 you should know that the divorce was merely due to the stress on the marriage caused by doping control officers showing up at all hours. It's perfectly understandable that a man would leave his wife and infant twins under such circumstances.

I can't believe the word salad got censored...

That was me. What do you mean by salad btw?