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| Armstrong |
| 2004-07-25 |
| Updated: Saturday July 24, 2004 4:07PM PARIS (AP) -- As Lance Armstrong races toward unheard-of Tour de France glory, France is torn. Many resent a brash Texan muscling in on their beloved cycling classic. But how can you hate such a champ? "Face it, the man is amazing," Sebastian Bizeul, a medical technician, put it. He reflected a broad national sentiment. Of course he'd prefer to see a Frenchman on top, he said. But it's a fair fight. Barring some mishap, Armstrong is expected to win on Sunday, his sixth Tour de France victory in a row. No one has won more than five. Qu'el horruers! "This stuff about drugs, his aloof manner, his guards, it is all minor if you care about the sport," Bizeul said. "He has worked hard, and he is grand champion. You've got to give it to him." Henri Leconte, a retired French tennis great, wrote a glowing tribute in the daily, "Le Monde," calling Armstrong's image of being distant and prickly a fabrication of the media. "He is, above all, absolutely normal," he wrote. "He is very kind, generous and respectful of others. ... He has his heart in his hand, and his fight against cancer proves it." And, Leconte added, "He had the decency to learn French. He loves France." |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #11 Everybody knows Lance gets his drugs from Halliburton. |
| Posted by: Mr. Davis 2004-07-25 7:53:52 PM |
| #10 Of course Armstrong is doping, the Americans have ways of making it undetectable by normal science. He must be in cahoots with the CIA, and the Pentagon, who are able to make it look like a jet liner crashed into the Pentagon... and don't forget those Jews!!!! //phrancophile |
| Posted by: Asedwich 2004-07-25 7:35:32 PM |
| #9 The French love winners That would explain their extraordinary degree of self-loathing. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-07-25 10:59:10 AM |
| #8 Carltons, I know them well, rode a straigt gauge 531 to Frisco once then sold it to a UPS guy. A true storey that has a Lanceian attachement. The guy I rode that tour with was a big guy, 6'4" 225 lbs, and wanted to race. He shaved his head, trained hard, (I always beat his ass up most, no all, climbs) I raced a little, cat 4 stuff. So anyways, He put a large 58t chainring on his bike (an Angel Rodriguez 531db) and started to be like a butterfly. Sucking wheel (my specialty) started to be harder! Well Steve got faster, married, had a kid, got faster and went racing. But before he went racing, while he and I were training he told me he had a problem with his nuts. His mom was one of those religious types that forbade doctoring, don't ask me. I didn't know squat what his porblem was and just blew it off and finished our ride. Two weeks later, or so. Steve went and raced a crit. He stayed with the pack until he crashed. His testicles screamed in pain, thats what he said, but he was more concerned with getting back on and chasing. He was really pissed at the guy who tried to help him off as the guy jamed up his gears and Steve lost a few seconds getting everything straight. He finnished the race off the back. He knew something was wrong. On his trip back home he stopped into a sport medicine clinic in Tacoma. Testicular cancer. Steve lasted 2 years. I remember taking a video tape of Greg Lemonds Worlds Championship to watch with him in hospice. He was a great guy to train with, anybody here would love to hang with this guy. When I heard Lance had the same cancer years later, I said 2 years and then your dead. Jeesh! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-07-25 2:00:09 AM |
| #7 Charles Johnson discusses the Tour over at LGF in a posting entitled-get this-"The Texas Chainring Massacre". |
| Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo) 2004-07-25 1:54:58 AM |
| #6 You realize that we have a rider poser running for president. Could he be the next (French looking) Armstrong? He speaks and likes France too. |
| Posted by: Capt America 2004-07-25 1:26:14 AM |
| #5 The French love winners and aspires to someday be one themselves. Lance demonstrates the very fabric of the American "can do" spirit and is a role model for our children. A profile in courage. |
| Posted by: Capt America 2004-07-25 1:23:30 AM |
| #4 If he wins No. 6, I hope that he takes the honor graciously and then GTFO never to return. AP, I'd agree with you except that I'd like to see Lance go back and snag No. 7 just so his record stands as unassailable for several decades. America (and France) deserves it. In that order. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-25 1:20:34 AM |
| #3 Base models, the baser the better! When you can get a date with one ... Oh, bicycles, we were discussing bicycles. This reminds me very little of the pre-Raleigh Carlton frame I built up with full Gran Sport Campagnolo group for my little sister. Same root beer frame color as my Bianchi, as opposed to their team color "celeste," otherwise known as "cat puke green." The Italvegas, Italas, and Motobecanes were all very decent frames. Your Raleigh Record was actually a bit better than run-of-the-mill. My Bianchi is hung with components that all came out of the same 60s vintage era. I managed to obtain an in-the-box Record derraileur for shop price. Another search turned up the Campy cranks and chainwheels (with fresh still-square gear teeth) from another old Bianchi to replace my Ambrosio cotter style arms. The Ambrisio cranks were unusual in that they bored out the bottom bracket's spindle in order to reduce overall weight. Some Fiamme red label rims, Trois et Trois double butted spokes to match the Columbus double butted tubing, early model Campy fingertip shifters, a Silca hand pump with a Campy tip, steel Campy seat post, cloth handlebar tape, Campy cable housings and clasps. Christophe toe clips ... am I leaving anything out? Oops, the Regina Oro rear high ratio cluster and brass linked chain. Campy high flange hubs with quick release skewers. I narrowly missed out on acquiring a set of 1968 vintage Campagnolo "No Name" brakes. They were from among the very first sets of brake systems sold in America. Campy did not emblazon their name on the front caliper in case the first shipments did not ::hack cough choke:: sell. They are the only other brakes I will put on my bike besides the original Universals. I'm still lusting after some Campy built Cinelli reversible hubs. Ask me about them if you are unfamiliar. Yes, I'm a bike snob. I can still remember my pals ushering me into a friend's bedroom to show me a poster of a large peleton. I took one look at it and said, "Feh, cheap bikes!" They all started laughing and pointed out how there was a nude woman on every bike in the photo. Meanwhile, my girlfriend standing behind me was glowing with pride. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-07-25 1:16:15 AM |
| #2 "He had the decency to learn French. He loves France." Some kind of unconditional love, no doubt. Lance is a true champion. If he wins No. 6, I hope that he takes the honor graciously and then GTFO never to return. The French cannot collectively appreciate a true champion. Lance Armstrong is a great athlete and person of the type that comes along only once a century or so. If the French cannot appreciate such a human treasure, then it is their loss. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-07-25 12:55:31 AM |
| #1 Hey Zen, Like most cyclist (I no longer do hard stuff but I know numbness) The vast majority know what is required and admire the effort of even the water carriers. Hey, dude. I didn't get to tell you about the 1971 Raleigh Record A guy gave me a few years ago. Mint! Steal wheels, base components, British racing green with a Worths leather saddle. My current eye is for those machines that were of base price, mass produced, and mass discarded. keep an eye out bro, thats where the music is being played. Cheap, clean Peugouts, Raleighs, Italvegas, Varsitys. Base models, the baser the better! |
| Posted by: Lucky 2004-07-25 12:38:20 AM |