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Greg LeMond
currently sits in a state of wasted mental anguish
could have won more tours de france than anyone ever, had that been important enough to focus on back then
currently sits in a state of wasted mental anguish
could have won more tours de france than anyone ever, had that been important enough to focus on back then
md2020 said:
Totally agree. After the 2004 tour everyone thought he was the new big thing in Russian cycling with Menchov. I think he was in the top 5 in the time trial around Besancon in the 2004 tdf. Hope he comes back to really challenge for a high gc overall.
Max Cadence said:
what? are you saying that the tour was not the biggest race that anybody could/can win in the sport? do you think that lemond didn't try to win more tours? are you aware of the emergence of systemised use of ped's during this period?
now, i know that viewing the past through rose tinted glasses is all well and good but i fully support lemond's asprirations for pro cycling, naive though that may be.
Jukka Vastaranta. Finished second in the junior world championships in 2002 and was creating a nice professional career at Rabobank but then got one nasty disease that made him so bad he couldn't even ride at one point but he's getting back now.
Fabrice Salanson, wasn't he touted as the next french tour winner ? but then he died to a heart attack.
Christophe Le Mevel, finished 10. in this year's Tour. Who knows how he might have ended up hadn't he ridden in a team built around sprinter for so many years before going to FdJeux.
Fabrice Salanson, wasn't he touted as the next french tour winner ? but then he died to a heart attack.
Christophe Le Mevel, finished 10. in this year's Tour. Who knows how he might have ended up hadn't he ridden in a team built around sprinter for so many years before going to FdJeux.
Currently the most wasted talent still riding is Michael Rodgers,Triple world time trial champion then nothing else.....
LugHugger said:
Never said that, no. Said, or meant it wasn't important enough to focus on as a sole objective like the other American tour winner did. He might have refrained from hunting if he were trying to win more tours. Hindsight, yes, but this thread is hypothetical in nature anyway. Would have, could have, but didn't. It's all pretty silly. I was just interjecting some more sillyness.
Max Cadence said:
Couldn't say Lemond was a lost talent, most riders would give both balls(or at least one)
to have a career like his. Different era's require different approches, Lemond's was right for his era. Armstrong's right for this era.BroDeal said:
Damn it, Bro, surely not????? Tommy D, I'm afraid is a case of being the wrong aspirant US pro at the wrong time. The guy's going nowhere fast.
1st defend LeMond, 2nd provide ex. of wasted talent
I disagree, and don't see LeMond as wasting his talent, or sitting about in a state of wasted mental anguish. On the contrary, imho, what pain (anguish?) he might feel for the sport of cycling and the way doping has come to dominate it is being channeled into a genuine effort to affect positive change. Granted, his methods are raw, and his message might not be delivered as effectively as it could be, but at the core of his actions one finds: 1) a love of cycling and 2) a burning desire to root out the corruption and lies, 3) shine a light on the rot, and 4) contribute to outing the cheats so that the farce they've been passing off as sporting glory on a bike more quickly comes to an end. [Of course, you could be right, but I'm pro-LeMond but not anti-Armstrong.]
I haven't seen his name in print in forever, but those of us who were around back then have to do our best to keep his memory alive. So, as far as wasted talent goes, look up: JEFF EVANSHINE!
Question for the original poster: does "wasted" have to mean for you that the rider threw away what might have been a great career by not exploiting their ability, or is talent still wasted even if it couldn't be utilized through no fault of the athlete's?
Max Cadence said:
I disagree, and don't see LeMond as wasting his talent, or sitting about in a state of wasted mental anguish. On the contrary, imho, what pain (anguish?) he might feel for the sport of cycling and the way doping has come to dominate it is being channeled into a genuine effort to affect positive change. Granted, his methods are raw, and his message might not be delivered as effectively as it could be, but at the core of his actions one finds: 1) a love of cycling and 2) a burning desire to root out the corruption and lies, 3) shine a light on the rot, and 4) contribute to outing the cheats so that the farce they've been passing off as sporting glory on a bike more quickly comes to an end. [Of course, you could be right, but I'm pro-LeMond but not anti-Armstrong.]
I haven't seen his name in print in forever, but those of us who were around back then have to do our best to keep his memory alive. So, as far as wasted talent goes, look up: JEFF EVANSHINE!
Question for the original poster: does "wasted" have to mean for you that the rider threw away what might have been a great career by not exploiting their ability, or is talent still wasted even if it couldn't be utilized through no fault of the athlete's?
BroDeal said:
The palmares are there I think the point being made is that maybe he shouln't be doing some much blow and then maybe achieve greatness, The thread is about wasted talent which means: YES you have had success because of that very talent, BUT because you're not trying hard enough you looked like an *** in this TDF.
How about Evgeniy Berzin - put Indurain to the sword in the Giro, but was only bothered with saving up enough money to open a car dealership? Dmitri Konyshev - often used to turn up at races with hairy legs because he couldn't bothered.
I also agree with the poster who mentioned Jean Francois Bernard - could have been so much better, but didn't appear to have any kind of killer instinct.
I think Malcolm Elliott could have lit up the sprints on the continent had he been ambitious enough.
I also agree with the poster who mentioned Jean Francois Bernard - could have been so much better, but didn't appear to have any kind of killer instinct.
I think Malcolm Elliott could have lit up the sprints on the continent had he been ambitious enough.
Avoriaz said:
He was fantastic in 87 and 88, being the strongest rider at 2 GTs in succession:
The 87 Tour and the 88 Giro.
He lost the Tour to Roche because of one of the most blatant demonstrations of lack of fair play the sport has ever seen, and only lost the 88 Giro to Hampsten because of a crash that caused him to abandon.
Due to that crash he had chronic back problems and was never the same.
He was a jackass who thought he was superior to everyone and didn't respect anyone....but the fact is that he was superior as a rider. And had it not been for that crash on a darkly lit tunnel he probably would be regarded as a legend to this day.
kukiniloa said:Right on! His whole strategy was to generate as big a name for himself in the USA, since the Tour de France is the only bike race that matters - to Americans.
Apart from the Tour de France, Lance's major Continental palmares are:
World Cycling Champion (1993)
Clásica de San Sebastián (1995)
La Flèche Wallonne (1996)
Tour de Suisse (2001)
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (2002, 2003)
QUOTE]
Ok had to check my calendar its now 2009
1993 ? 1995? that is so last century
what has he done lately?
If people can trash boonens multiple PR wins i think a little
LA sniping is not out of line.
especially if one is from the usa, there was a HUGE buildup for his
amateur Olympic RR debacle. It was like he should have just been awarded the gold before the race. The PR machine has never stopped since.
So much was made of his marathon running, and yet there are men in their 50s running faster. As a competitive runner he is just a jogger. But his media exposure far exceeds his accomplishments.
Irish2009 said:
Roche suggested to Mottet they attacked on a narrow road where Bernard would be stuck behind most of the pack.
Mottet then suggested a specific place (a bridge) because he knew the area. They were even "luckier" because Bernard flatted less than 1km before the bridge.
It was pre-arranged. Delgado was also in on it, but refused to assist them (followed them without taking relays) because he didn't want any part of it.
Heart Breaker
How about George Hincapie?
Seems like the nicest guy in the peleton and a annual favorite for the spring classsics but other than GW, a TdF stage win and a handful of wins in the US what has he won?
I think, in hindsight, GH's career will be remembered for the races he was supposed to win but never quite did. Perhaps not "wasted talent" but maybe "most heart-breaking"...
How about George Hincapie?
Seems like the nicest guy in the peleton and a annual favorite for the spring classsics but other than GW, a TdF stage win and a handful of wins in the US what has he won?
I think, in hindsight, GH's career will be remembered for the races he was supposed to win but never quite did. Perhaps not "wasted talent" but maybe "most heart-breaking"...
Scott SoCal said:How about George Hincapie?
Seems like the nicest guy in the peleton and a annual favorite for the spring classsics but other than GW, a TdF stage win and a handful of wins in the US what has he won?
I think, in hindsight, GH's career will be remembered for the races he was supposed to win but never quite did. Perhaps not "wasted talent" but maybe "most heart-breaking"...
Perhaps George is the basis of a thread 'Fan Favorite that never broke through and got the wins that would have satisfied the fans'. I am down for that.
issoisso said:
My old coach who was a hottie and top rider in her day, was dating Jeff around that time. She used to tease him in the bedroom by opening up his "travel" kit and saying "What do we have here?". He'd inevitably snatch it back and tell her never to touch it. Heheh.
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