Favourite "Dirty" Performance

[laziali]

Oh, I nearly forgot, Gewiss' Gabriele Colombo winning the '96 Milan-San Remo.

Gabriele "Who"? you ask - exactly. Dr Ferrari was the team doctor though.

Just found this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewiss

"These are the published hematocrit variations (in percentage) of Gewiss riders in 1994 and 1995.[8] The following seven riders' hematocrit levels range from the first figure which was taken on December 15, 1994 to the second figure which was taken on May 24, 1995.

Vladislav Bobrik (Rus) : 42.7 to 53
Bruno Cenghialta (Ita): 37.2 to 54.5
Francesco Frattini (Ita) : 46 to 54
Giorgio Furlan (Ita) : 38.8 to 51
Nicola Minali (Ita) : 41.7 to 54
Piotr Ugrumov (Lat) : 32.8 to 60
Alberto Volpi (Ita) : 38.5 to 52.6
On January 14, 1995 Evgeni Berzin recorded a level of 41.7% while on May 24, 1995 he recorded 53%. On January 14, 1995 Ivan Gotti recorded a level of 40.7% while on August 9, 1995 he recorded 57%. As discussed previously Bjarne Riis recorded a hematocrit level of 41.1% on January 14, 1995 while on July 10, 1995 he recorded 56.3%"

 

[Big GMaC]

Piotr Ugrumov (Lat) : 32.8 to 60
[/QUOTE]

how was he walking around with HCT of 32, let alone a pro bike racer pre-EPO?

or was it a typo?

 

[eljimberino]

Kohl, 2008 TDF time trial.

 

[patricknd]

Piotr Ugrumov (Lat) : 32.8 to 60

how was he walking around with HCT of 32, let alone a pro bike racer pre-EPO?

or was it a typo?[/QUOTE]

mine was under 30 recently, during chemotherapy, and i was still doing 4-6 miles a day on the treadmill, although slowly.(4.5 mph)

 

[Big GMaC]

mine was under 30 recently, during chemotherapy, and i was still doing 4-6 miles a day on the treadmill, although slowly.(4.5 mph)

credit to you managing that, but you say it yourself, you are not going at you previous speeds not doubt! I reckon somewhere along the line someone has typed a 3 rather than a 4, otherwise I just don't see him being competitive pre-EPO

 

[patricknd]

credit to you managing that, but you say it yourself, you are not going at you previous speeds not doubt! I reckon somewhere along the line someone has typed a 3 rather than a 4, otherwise I just don't see him being competitive pre-EPO

first blood test at the start of chemo my hct was 46.6, three weeks later 29. i agree his is probably a typo.

 

[stephens]

His fanboys never bat an eyelash to the sheer physical implausibility of his transformation, and we have been divided between haters and teabaggers ever since.

In their defense, from their personal experiences, many of the lance-fans are impressed at the sheer implausibility that the man lived at all after his cancer (since so many of our family member have not), and it's that part of the myth that they admire as much as the cycling performance (since most
of his "fans" don't even really follow pro cycling).

I prefer seeing the struggles, the stresses and strains on the riders' faces and the obvious reflections of efforts in their bodies as they work hard to get up a mountain

If you are impressed by suffering and struggle, go stand on the side of the road when your local group ride goes up the hill. What pros, of any sport, are supposed to do is make difficult things look easy.

Got to be VDB in the vuelta

Not only was he able to attack the favorites after setting an intense pace all the way up the mountain, but he also went on to win the stage, dropping the group by eighteen seconds after attacking with only about a kilometer to go. Ridiculously doped up performance but awesome nonetheless

That is the essence of "PRO". Having a graceful style that makes cycling look effortless. It's why many of us will always be fans of VdB. And why many of us aren't obsessed with who has eaten what or taken what medication and whether it happens to be on some sort of list somewhere.

 

[freecycle]

A dirty performance that not many people know about, especially Australians, is the winner of he 1997 World Duathlon Championships in Spain. Jonathan Hall was on "the tackle" in 1997, when he won the World Duathlon Championships, then all through 1998 when he rode as an Amateur in Spain and racked up 30 odd victories. He then turned pro with festina, just after the festina affair and had a falling out with his at the time “trainer/coach/doctor” and thus couldn't get on the gear, and did absolutely nothing in the pro ranks as a result.

He now works as a coach as the VIS and it makes me sick to think of him as a role model to young people.

 

[ravens]

this thread ought to be called second favorite. The 1st is Floyd's 2006 tdf stage 15(?) comeback. How can there be any argument? Simple: there isn't!

 

[kiwirider]

If you are impressed by suffering and struggle, go stand on the side of the road when your local group ride goes up the hill. What pros, of any sport, are supposed to do is make difficult things look easy.

No - what "pros of any sport are supposed to do" is to both:
- amuse the spectators with whatever aspects of the sport the spectators want to see; and
- advertise their sponsor's products.

And if you really think that pros are supposed to make difficult things look easy, I think that you need to actually get out and watch some sport ... I've been involved with a number of different codes at the elite level and have seen the absolute elite of the sport in question either compete in obvious agony (either from effort or injury) and/or collapse across the line or after the final whistle in total exhaustion ... How do things like this sit with your image of what pros are "supposed to do"?

As for my comments about what I prefer to see in cycling ... check out some photos (my favourites are from Graham Watson) and various DVD's or films of races from before the current heavily chemically enhanced era of the sport and you'll see some of what I'm talking about ...

 

[buckwheat]

In their defense, from their personal experiences, many of the lance-fans are impressed at the sheer implausibility that the man lived at all after his cancer (since so many of our family member have not), and it's that part of the myth that they admire as much as the cycling performance (since most
of his "fans" don't even really follow pro cycling)..

That doesn't stop his cycling ignorant "fans" from calling knowledgable observers haters when those with knowledge point to the truth, does it?

If you are impressed by suffering and struggle, go stand on the side of the road when your local group ride goes up the hill. What pros, of any sport, are supposed to do is make difficult things look easy.

They're supposed to make it look easy while performing on the same playing field that the less talented are playing on.

That is the essence of "PRO". Having a graceful style that makes cycling look effortless. It's why many of us will always be fans of VdB. And why many of us aren't obsessed with who has eaten what or taken what medication and whether it happens to be on some sort of list somewhere.

Hiromi Taniguchi didn't make it look "effortless" when he won the WC Marathon in '91.

When LeMond was $hitting all over himself in '86 it didn't look "graceful" either.

Obviously your description of "Pro" didn't attract Mark Allen to Julie Moss.

Allen's trials and tribulations before he finally won are part of what made him famous as well.

 

[Escarabajo]

Spartacus attack in Flanders 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn-oHTCgR84

 

[janus1969]

Lemond's wins.

I only wish I believed that. Lemond MAY have been clean, but the absence of assent on his assertions really makes me wonder. Where is Andy to corroborate? Where is Davis supporting him?

I tend to believe that they're all dirty and have been since they discovered something that, at least in their minds, made them better. The only question is one of puritanism...

"Yes, well, I did amphetamines, but they weren't systematic, so it's different from the dirty cheaters now!"

"Yes, I did steroids, but at the time they were allowed, so it wasn't cheating..."

"Hey, at least I don't have a 'crit level of 60%!"

In other words, rationalization appears to be as endemic to the professional peloton as doping...followed very closely by judgments.

 

[happychappy]

The Americans. All of them.

 

[Darryl Webster]

Always thought Claudio Chiappuci` s long Sestrieres break in 92 deserved special recognition in the "to good to be true" catogory.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqoH6R-99N0&feature=related

Enjoy!

 

[mastersracer]

how about the 2003 stage to alpe d'huez; like the doper hall of fame: Mayo, Beloki, Hamilton, Vino, LA, Ullrich etc. going up so fast they have a hard time making it around the switchbacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-y3...DC2D917A&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=22

 

[red_flanders]

Hautacam 2000 by Armstrong. Absolutely the most crushing display I've ever seen.

 

[goggalor]

how about the 2003 stage to alpe d'huez; like the doper hall of fame: Mayo, Beloki, Hamilton, Vino, LA, Ullrich etc. going up so fast they have a hard time making it around the switchbacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-y3...DC2D917A&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=22

That video is hilariously ridiculous.

 

[redtreviso]

Armstrong in the mountains. (any and all)

 

[eleven]

I'm sure it's been mentioned, but Hamilton's drug-induced win on a long breakaway in...2004? Can't remember the exact year, but it looked oddly similar to Landis in 06.

Pantani on Les Deux Alpe....

Bertie and the Chicken attacking like they're on bungie cords...

And the video above of Hamilton, Mayo, Vino, LA, Ullrich etc...going up Alpe D'Huez like Energizer bunnies - that's like a testimonial for Balco

 

[Eyeballs Out]

how about the 2003 stage to alpe d'huez; like the doper hall of fame: Mayo, Beloki, Hamilton, Vino, LA, Ullrich etc. going up so fast they have a hard time making it around the switchbacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-y3...DC2D917A&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=22

Mayo "only" has the 11th fastest ascent up Alpe D'Huez. Pantani was a minute and a half faster than this

 

[Tyler'sTwin]

Vandenbroucke roasting Ullrich & Co up a 2nd cat climb in the -99 Vuelta.

 

[Ecowarrior18]

# 1995 Amstel Gold Race Mauro Gianetti
# 1995 Liège-Bastogne-Liège Mauro Gianetti

Pretty much came from nowhere. How many sets of those spinergy wheels did he sell with those wins?

2 classic wins in 8 days. Was I alone with my doubts?

 

[Eyeballs Out]

The Erik Dekker/Paris Tours performance was just jaw-dropping - talk about winning the hard way

And one that I don't think has been mentioned yet - Leonardo Piepoli/Hautacam - quite frightening how far he might have won that stage by had he not been cheering on Cobo for most of the climb

 

[mastersracer]

thinking about it a bit more, I'll vote this as the best dirty 'performance' ever...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIl5RxhLZ5U