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. Whatever times he needs off, respect that, and don’t say he needs to ride the WC to respect the history of the sport. It won’t change by the Tour winner missing one WC RR.
Guess what? It's not just about what you know, experienced, in your own circumscribed world. I actually feel sorry that you missed such a glorious period. It was marvelous. Go on and build your better universe though, but don't be surprised if a total disregard for the past, and the arrogance that comes with it, ends badly.Here's how I feel every time I read/hear about that "history of the sport" ***:
Who gives a *** about the 80es?
Who gives a *** about the 90es?
Heck, I'm even running out of fucks to give about what happened in the 00es.
My point is mainly this, but I just can't stand it when a Tour winner snubs Worlds. You ride in a sport built on such races, pillars that the stars with their salaries should honor.I wish Vingo was racing Worlds, but mainly because I want to see the Tour winner race again
It’s not that difficult. I successfully manage to do that for 95% of the races I watch all season. A lot of the time I will follow on the forum/PCS in early stages while at work but stop finding out before the decisive moments.
Why not join us for a cup of herbal tea and some blues music in A coffee and a small Danish.
No, it isn't. That too is a myth . There simply are periods in which a certain magic was present and the period of Hinault, Fignon, Lemond, Roche, Delgado, Kelly, etc, the first "modern" decade of the sport, but still old school, was one. But this really isn't even the point, rather it's that it used to be that certain appointments were simply sacrosanct. And they were considered sacred by tradition; for which being present was simply deemed obligatory, as a tribute to the sport one was so fortunate enough to make a career in and to it's supporting public that wants to see all the marquis riders battling it out at the Worlds. Can you imagine the 89 Worlds without Lemond or Fignon, because one or the other said he was "just not motivated?" Back then the press would have had a field day with such an excuse! And rightly so, but then again such an outrage would have been unimmaginable at the time, simply because there was an honor code to respect. And it was a good thing, because good for the sport in general. Now this Worlds road race will doubtless still be entertaining with Pog, Remco, WvA, MvdP, Alaphilippe and the other usual suspects present, who rarely all go head to head at once in a single cycling event - this is why Worlds is special, because it brings the Bigs of different specialities from classics to GT riders together in direct competition and on national teams (another uniqueness) - however, in the glaring absence of the Tour winner, whose non-presence is frankly unconscionable. While Vingo"s crack at Lombardia is all well and good, he should be lining up at Worlds, end of story. As it would have respected the spirit of competition at "mandatory" events the sport needs and the reason fans turn up roadside to watch (and on TV) throughout the season, without which there is no pro cycling. So, contrary to your way of thinking, I can't approve of this nonsense about whatever any rider decides to race or not race is fine and to be respected. No there are certain appointments that, bar injury or some other misfortune, should be a rider's obligation to honor and with great motivation! Just having the Tour first and second place at Worlds in intense confrontation with the other challengers would be special to fans. It's the stuff the sport thrives, and has always thrived, on. It's thus a great pity that the new generation doesn't always see it that way. I also disapproved of Thomas snubbing Worlds following his Tour win, by the way. By contrast, Valverde giving his absolute soul to finally earn the Rainbow Jersey shows how, after the Golden Fleece, it is cycling's biggest prize and as a one-day win probably only second to Roubaix (although this is debatable). For this reason, not nostalgia and not because of the racing per say, since great racing isn't confined to a particular decade (even if the era of mountain trains and measured watts leaves something to be desired), cycling truly was "better" once upon a time. Since it would have been (rightly) unheard of that a Pog would be present at Worlds but not a Vingegaard under similar circumstances, because back then, even if motivation was wanting (which practically would have been impossible), because the cycling culture at the time made turning up onligatory, something that you simply owed to the sport and its fans. Probably, however, and this is another unfortunate sign of how a certain cycling no longer exists, Vingo's trade team and its sponsors have little interest in the Rainbow Jersey. JV likely even pressured him not to take part. But this is just unfortunate, such that if the trend continues why bother with Worlds at all if the best in the world don't participate, because it no longer matters to the sponsors? O tempore, o mores actually fits the case.
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