Lest We Forget

[Anonymous]

Couldnt really let today go past without mentioning one rider.

Tom Simpson
30 November 1937–13 July 1967

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BstxVPorI4

 

[indurain666]

A great champion

 

[dancing on pedals]

A sad anniversary indeed - numerologists make a lot of the date and "spooky coincidences" he died on the 13 July 1967 during the 13th stage of the 67 (6+7 =13) Tour de France wearing 49 (4+9 =13) etc etc .
More realistically, from the Yorkshire Posts 1967 report the following day -
"The first news his parents had of the tragedy was when they switched on the television to see if he had improved on his overnight position in the race. Tommy moved to the village with his parents when he was 12 and because his father could not afford to buy him a bicycle of his own Tommy took a job as a butcher's rounds boy so he could have regular use of a machine....
i remember that tv report .....
thanks

 

[Notso Swift]

The unfortunate thing about Simpson is he significant for his death, not his achievements...

That is criminal when you consider he was the first Anglo to be World Road Champion, First Monument winner, and (not sure about this) Yellow wearer at the Tour

 

[Mambo95]

The unfortunate thing about Simpson is he significant for his death, not his achievements...

That is criminal when you consider he was the first Anglo to be World Road Champion, First Monument winner, and (not sure about this) Yellow wearer at the Tour

Yeah, he was the first Brit in Yellow and he won three monuments (Cavendish is the only other Brit to win one). Amongst knowledgeable British fans he's still very much known for his achievements. The argument is over who is Britain's greatest ever, Simpson or Robert Millar (personally I favour Simpson) - although Cavendish may surpass both in time.

Will Fotheringham's book about him is well worth a read.

 

[nvpacchi]

Yeah, he was the first Brit in Yellow and he won three monuments (Cavendish is the only other Brit to win one). Amongst knowledgeable British fans he's still very much known for his achievements. The argument is over who is Britain's greatest ever, Simpson or Robert Millar (personally I favour Simpson) - although Cavendish may surpass both in time.

Will Fotheringham's book about him is well worth a read.

Just finished Fotheringham's book a few weeks ago, an excellent read indeed. It is very unfortunate that all his career accolades are overshadowed by his death. He was one of the biggest stars at the time, with a fight bigger than Chavanel, Txurruka, and Voigt combined.

 

[blunder]

Doper

I have never understood the worship of someone who not only doped but doped himself to death...
If Landis had expired on the Col de Joux-Plane in 2006 should we have built a monument?

 

[forty four]

I have never understood the worship of someone who not only doped but doped himself to death...
If Landis had expired on the Col de Joux-Plane in 2006 should we have built a monument?

i dont even no where to begin on that comment. you just dont get it i assume you have never raced with that mentality. maybe look into the whole story regarding simpson and how it is/was to make it at that level same for guys today. its not something you can understand though if you could you would not make statements like that. find a soft sport that better suits you move on.

 

[SoccerMom]

omg I have stumbled into a whingeing pommie forum

mierde

exit stage left

 

[blunder]

i dont even no where to begin on that comment. you just dont get it i assume you have never raced with that mentality. maybe look into the whole story regarding simpson and how it is/was to make it at that level same for guys today. its not something you can understand though if you could you would not make statements like that. find a soft sport that better suits you move on.

I'm sorry if you see me as being hard on drugs and therefore too 'soft' to be a cycling fan. I guess if I had an overdose or 2 I could harden up enough to watch a few local crits.

Seriously though, Simpsons death was a very sad episode.
BUT he was a doper and died as a direct result of cheating.
Personally I don't believe I need to support doping to be a 'real' cycling fan.

 

[Anonymous]

Seriously though, Simpsons death was a very sad episode.
BUT he was a doper and died as a direct result of cheating.

actually he died more as a result of 45 degree heat and a lack of fluids as rules in those days only allowed for four waterbottles.

The amphetemines clearly clouded his judgement as to how dehydrated he was or wasnt.

 

[blunder]

actually he died more as a result of 45 degree heat and a lack of fluids as rules in those days only allowed for four waterbottles.

The amphetemines clearly clouded his judgement as to how dehydrated he was or wasnt.

He died of a heart attack and an autopsy found traces of amphetamines in his blood. Certainly the heat, rules, Mont Ventoux and his desire for victory all contributed his death. But there is no denying his long term doping (not only of amphetamines) ultimately led to his death.

 

[Anonymous]

He died of a heart attack and an autopsy found traces of amphetamines in his blood. Certainly the heat, Mont Ventoux and his desire for victory all contributed his death. But there is no denying his long term doping (not only of amphetamines) ultimately led to his death.

So if i get hit by a car and killed and they find traces of alcohol in my blood does that mean i was drunk and walked in front of the car.

Drugs played a part but the claim that drugs where solely responsible for his death is invalid, there were other factors. Not in denial, just being realistic, yes, drugs had a lot to do with it, but were not the ONLY factor in his death. Had it been cold and wet that day he probably wouldnt have died.

I would say a direct result of cheating is arguable if everyone was doing it. Doping contributed, he didnt die of cheating.

 

[Ferminal]

Thanks Tommy.

 

[blunder]

So if i get hit by a car and killed and they find traces of alcohol in my blood does that mean i was drunk and walked in front of the car.

Drugs played a part but the claim that drugs where solely responsible for his death is invalid, there were other factors. Not in denial, just being realistic, yes, drugs had a lot to do with it, but were not the ONLY factor in his death. Had it been cold and wet that day he probably wouldnt have died.

I would say a direct result of cheating is arguable if everyone was doing it. Doping contributed, he didnt die of cheating.

Amphetamines are a known diuretic.

Lastly, I have never bought into the 'everyone was doing it' argument... 'I went to see Dr Fuentes because everyone else was...'

 

[JFDavis]

Yeah I'm new here but not to cycling. I appreciated the post by TSF as a chance to learn more of a classic era rider. The intent is clearly as a tribute.

Until Blunder ruins the atmosphere. Should not you open your own thread in the clinic for your need to discuss and sully this particular human being?

 

[180mmCrank]

It's hard to talk about this without referencing the manner of his death and I am in two minds about whether to move this thread to the clinic. I feel I want to leave it for now but if it degenerates ino a general discussion about doping it will get moved. And we could leave it for a day...

Maybe we could share some of our favourite stories about Tommy Simpson.

I can't help but share the fact that my dad who is now in his 70's will still name Simpson as a one of the greatest athletes from the 60's. And my dad is no cyclist... he's a rugby player. When we were kids (4 of us squashed in the back of the car) in the late 70's we drove over Mont Ventoux I think because my dad wanted to pay his respects. At the time it meant nothing to me but now it means a lot.

A genius but like many clearly flawed.

 

[LugHugger]

Amphetamines are a known diuretic.

Lastly, I have never bought into the 'everyone was doing it' argument... 'I went to see Dr Fuentes because everyone else was...'

This statement exposes your ignorance of the realities of professional cycle sport. For as long as the Tour has existed, there has been widespread 'cheating'. To label Simpson as a 'cheat' is to label Coppi, Grimondi, Merckx and the other legends of the sport as cheats too.

 

[Ferminal]

This statement exposes your ignorance of the realities of professional cycle sport. For as long as the Tour has existed, there has been widespread 'cheating'. To label Simpson as a 'cheat' is to label Coppi, Grimondi, Merckx and the other legends of the sport as cheats too.

But it's OK, they're legends because they didn't die on the road as a result of "doping" (directly or indirectly).

Omerta at its best.

 

[Anonymous]

1961 Ronde van Vlaanderen
1963 Bordeaux-Paris
1964 Milan-Sanremo
1965 World Road Race Champion
1965 Giro di Lombardia
1967 Paris-Nice
1967 Two stages of Vuelta a España

and all on one team where he stayed his entire pro career.

Probably would have won more if he hadnt had some pretty special teammates

 

[sublimit]

omg I have stumbled into a whingeing pommie forum

mierde

exit stage left

Thanks for your input on this topic...

*** edited by mod ***

 

[Thee_chisa]

the great tommy simpson. best british cyclist ever

 

[online-rider]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/imageBank/o/OFS_Tom_Simpson_100767.jpg[/IMG]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BstxVPorI4

Its sad alright. I cant think of a worse place to die than Mt Ventoux on a stinking hot day. I've got to bow my hat to him for that!

 

[online-rider]

Its sad alright. I cant think of a worse place to die than Mt Ventoux on a stinking hot day. I've got to bow my hat to him for that!
...................................

[/QUOTE]

 

[Hawkwood]

Thanks for your input on this topic...
***edited by mod

Unbelievable isn't it, we can't discuss the death of a highly popular and successful cyclist without someone coming up with `whingeing pommies...'.

I was too young during the 1960s to know anything about Simpson at the time. But during the 70s my clubmates still held him in awe. I think it's extraordinary that he won British Sportsman of the Year, I assume that he was the first UK cyclist to do so, or was it Reg Harris?