CN: Jeannie Longo claimed her 56th French national title in the time trial championship in St. Brieuc on Thursday. Her victory came 30 years after she took her first blue, white and red jersey on the road back in 1979.
Longo always amazed/puzzled me. how can on rider be so successful for so long? And here I'm not really aluding to doping. a) Her first national titl was in 1979, where supposedly effective blood doping didn't exist, and b) even if she did/do dope, that argument would assume that no other female rider is doping.
The fact remains that a 50 year old woman rode the fastest time. How?
Does this mean that the competition is too weak? I find it hard to believe that in a (cycling) country of the size France has there is not enough female talent to produce som good TTers. But I am more inclined to believe this reasoning than doping.
Any thoughts?
Longo always amazed/puzzled me. how can on rider be so successful for so long? And here I'm not really aluding to doping. a) Her first national titl was in 1979, where supposedly effective blood doping didn't exist, and b) even if she did/do dope, that argument would assume that no other female rider is doping.
The fact remains that a 50 year old woman rode the fastest time. How?
Does this mean that the competition is too weak? I find it hard to believe that in a (cycling) country of the size France has there is not enough female talent to produce som good TTers. But I am more inclined to believe this reasoning than doping.
Any thoughts?