Marco Pantani -10 years since his death (pictures of his career)

Apr 19, 2011
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So is the general theory that he dropped off so quickly because others caught up with doping? Or did he just go off the rails?
 
Jun 10, 2010
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IzzyStradlin said:
So is the general theory that he dropped off so quickly because others caught up with doping? Or did he just go off the rails?
He overdid it in 1998 and especially in 1999 (just look at his ITTs from those years). But it wasn't a case of others catching up - he was the one who upped the game. What undid him was his mental instability in the face of unrelenting persecution by the relevant Italian authorities, which led to heavy drug use.
 
Jul 5, 2012
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hrotha said:
...What undid him was his mental instability in the face of unrelenting persecution by the relevant Italian authorities, which led to heavy drug use.

I think it was this unrelenting persecution combined with the concurrent public adoration of Armstrong, whom he KNEW to be doping ('coz he was doping). I think the top of Ventoux said it all
 
May 23, 2009
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IzzyStradlin said:
So is the general theory that he dropped off so quickly because others caught up with doping? Or did he just go off the rails?
He went off the rails thanks to selective persecution by the Anti Doping authorities.
 
Feb 10, 2010
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hrotha said:
What undid him was his mental instability in the face of unrelenting persecution by the relevant Italian authorities, which led to heavy drug use.

That is a poisonous circle of his own doing. It seems like he couldn't straighten out his addictions on his own unfortunately.

I'm still interested how it happens some guys got/get raked over the coals and other not a single inconvenience.

Without a doubt, a very inspiring rider.
 
Jun 16, 2010
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I think most people like Pantini because he had charisma, style and verve. That he had natural talent is a given and his cavalier style endears him to all of us. But in the end he succumbed to doping and it is hard to tease out the natural talent from the doping.

His case is tragic and unfortunately there did not seem to be people around to help him when he died from drugs and depression, as there seems to be those who would now immortalize him in death.
 
Jun 16, 2010
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I think most people like Pantani because he had charisma, style and verve. That he had natural talent is a given and his cavalier style endears him to all of us. But in the end he succumbed to doping and it is hard to tease out the natural talent from the doping.

His case is tragic and unfortunately there did not seem to be people around to help him when he died from drugs and depression, as there seems to be those who would now immortalize him in death.
 
Sep 8, 2009
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rai sport 2 schedule for friday, 14th

a day dedicated to il pirata


12.30 - Speciale «L'ultimo scatto»
13.00 - Dedicato a... Marco Pantani
15.00 - Giro d'Italia 1998
16.30 - Tour de France 1998
18.00 - Oropa ’99
18.30 - Tour 2000: Mont Ventoux e Courchevel
21.00 - Speciale Marco Pantani (in diretta da Milano)
23.00 - "Io, Marco...” tutte le interviste a Marco Pantani
00.30 - Ti ricordo ancora
01.30 - "Io, Marco...” tutte le interviste a Marco Pantani


rip grande marco!
 
May 15, 2011
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jens_attacks said:
rai sport 2 schedule for friday, 14th

a day dedicated to il pirata


12.30 - Speciale «L'ultimo scatto»
13.00 - Dedicato a... Marco Pantani
15.00 - Giro d'Italia 1998
16.30 - Tour de France 1998
18.00 - Oropa ’99
18.30 - Tour 2000: Mont Ventoux e Courchevel
21.00 - Speciale Marco Pantani (in diretta da Milano)
23.00 - "Io, Marco...” tutte le interviste a Marco Pantani
00.30 - Ti ricordo ancora
01.30 - "Io, Marco...” tutte le interviste a Marco Pantani


rip grande marco!

Very cool :)
 
When he was still alive in 2003 I was already frequenting cycling forums. NOBODY remembered him but die-hard fans. His death changed a lot. "It's better to burn out than to fade away", said Neil Young. I guess it applies for what Pantani has become after his death. A drug-addicted icon.

Even shortly after his death nobody would consider him a top champion from the nineties. It all gradually developed.

The CN article makes me wanna puke. I mean 5 days ago was the 5th anniversary of Frederiek Nolf's departure and nobody got moved :( but Pantani ...

Pantani took dope to the excess and died from it, period. He ain't no example for the youth. May he be forgotten !
 
Jun 10, 2010
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Why yes, let us forget what happens when you mix PEDs, token but faux adherence to the rules, omertà, blatant hypocrisy by the antidoping authorities and society as a whole, depression, idol-worship, shameless enablers and a myriad other things. How could that possibly backfire?
 
Aug 13, 2010
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hrotha said:
Why yes, let us forget what happens when you mix PEDs, token but faux adherence to the rules, omertà, blatant hypocrisy by the antidoping authorities and society as a whole, depression, idol-worship, shameless enablers and a myriad other things. How could that possibly backfire?
Can you expand on this?
 
Jun 10, 2010
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Don't be late Pedro said:
Can you expand on this?
The UCI looking the other way and not displaying any will to root out the problem, instead acting like it was just some bad apples.

Yes it's kind of redundant considering the rest of the paragraph.
 
Jun 21, 2009
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Echoes said:
When he was still alive in 2003 I was already frequenting cycling forums. NOBODY remembered him but die-hard fans. His death changed a lot. "It's better to burn out than to fade away", said Neil Young. I guess it applies for what Pantani has become after his death. A drug-addicted icon.

Even shortly after his death nobody would consider him a top champion from the nineties. It all gradually developed.

The CN article makes me wanna puke. I mean 5 days ago was the 5th anniversary of Frederiek Nolf's departure and nobody got moved :( but Pantani ...

Pantani took dope to the excess and died from it, period. He ain't no example for the youth. May he be forgotten !

Wrong on all counts basically.
 
Apr 19, 2010
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Echoes said:
When he was still alive in 2003 I was already frequenting cycling forums. NOBODY remembered him but die-hard fans. His death changed a lot. "It's better to burn out than to fade away", said Neil Young. I guess it applies for what Pantani has become after his death. A drug-addicted icon.

Even shortly after his death nobody would consider him a top champion from the nineties. It all gradually developed.

The CN article makes me wanna puke. I mean 5 days ago was the 5th anniversary of Frederiek Nolf's departure and nobody got moved :( but Pantani ...

Pantani took dope to the excess and died from it, period. He ain't no example for the youth. May he be forgotten !

Nobody remembered him !?!?!
Give me a break.
 
Dec 18, 2013
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When are they going to strip him of the '98 TdF and Giro?....Ulrich and Riis's titles need binning too....it was a bad era and should be highlighted as such.
Known dopers from that era should not be recognised as 'champions'...
 
Oct 16, 2012
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deviant said:
When are they going to strip him of the '98 TdF and Giro?....Ulrich and Riis's titles need binning too....it was a bad era and should be highlighted as such.
Known dopers from that era should not be recognised as 'champions'...

Where do you stop, where do you start?
 
andy1234 said:
Nobody remembered him !?!?!
Give me a break.

You read me !

I can even give you an anecdote.

In June 2004 I was already frequenting forums (VCN). You then had a thread about the best riders from the 90's. Some listed Jalabert, Museeuw, etc.

Along came a Belgian with Italian origin. He listed a dozen riders like the two mentioned above but no Pantani (though he was a fan). Next came an Italian poster who mentioned Pantani.

And then the Belgian guy of Italian descent quoted him and said : "Pantani !!! I forgot about him. HE is the best rider of the nineties."

And the OP (French poster) to quote him: "So the best rider of the decade is a rider that you forgot about, old fool."

I had to laugh my head off !!! :D He WAS completely forgotten until his unexpected death gave him media attention again. "Better to burn out than to fade away."

All this mythology around Pantani is really beyond me. I'll never understand it, for the life of me...
 
Aug 12, 2009
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Echoes said:
You read me !

I can even give you an anecdote.

In June 2004 I was already frequenting forums (VCN). You then had a thread about the best riders from the 90's. Some listed Jalabert, Museeuw, etc.

Along came a Belgian with Italian origin. He listed a dozen riders like the two mentioned above but no Pantani (though he was a fan). Next came an Italian poster who mentioned Pantani.

And then the Belgian guy of Italian descent quoted him and said : "Pantani !!! I forgot about him. HE is the best rider of the nineties."

And the OP (French poster) to quote him: "So the best rider of the decade is a rider that you forgot about, old fool."

I had to laugh my head off !!! :D He WAS completely forgotten until his unexpected death gave him media attention again. "Better to burn out than to fade away."

All this mythology around Pantani is really beyond me. I'll never understand it, for the life of me...

probably because his story trancends cycling and touches on what it is to be human with all its highs and lows....marco had higher highs and lower lows than most...which is probably why you don't understand it...and which is probably why the italians do and so they fittingly devote an evenings television to him....bravo marco
 
Mar 17, 2009
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Echoes said:
You read me !

I can even give you an anecdote.

In June 2004 I was already frequenting forums (VCN). You then had a thread about the best riders from the 90's. Some listed Jalabert, Museeuw, etc.

Along came a Belgian with Italian origin. He listed a dozen riders like the two mentioned above but no Pantani (though he was a fan). Next came an Italian poster who mentioned Pantani.

And then the Belgian guy of Italian descent quoted him and said : "Pantani !!! I forgot about him. HE is the best rider of the nineties."

And the OP (French poster) to quote him: "So the best rider of the decade is a rider that you forgot about, old fool."

I had to laugh my head off !!! :D He WAS completely forgotten until his unexpected death gave him media attention again. "Better to burn out than to fade away."

All this mythology around Pantani is really beyond me. I'll never understand it, for the life of me...
Jeezus, next you'll be telling us Coppi was a nobody until after 1960!

Pantani was and still is an icon in Italy.