I find it weird too. I don't get it. Cycling has some strange traditions and that must be one of 'em. Got me. Has the tour ever come down to the finals stage in Paris? And if it did, is there a 20 second bonus for finishing first?
From that link... Armstrong, his rivals thoroughly beaten, was so relaxed he even had time during the 103.2-mile stage to tend to a little personal animosity with an Italian rider who has taken legal action against him. Even though Filippo Simeoni represents no threat to Armstrong's imminent Tour victory, the five-time champion appeared determined not to let the Italian get ahead. Armstrong, in a highly unusually move for a rider who is generally extremely careful, at one point surged off with Simeoni in pursuit of Mercado's escape group. They caught that group, stayed with them for a few minutes, and then suddenly eased up and waited for the trailing pack to catch up. "It was bizarre, really strange," Mercado said. It was not immediately clear what prompted Armstrong to act as he did. But an official from Armstrong's team suggested the champion's motives were personal. Simeoni, an Italian with the Domina Vacanze squad, has testified against controversial sports doctor Michele Ferrari, with whom Armstrong has ties. Ferrari faces accusations of providing performance-enhancing substances to riders. "It surely had something to do with what has happened," said Johan Bruyneel, sports manager of Armstrong's team. "Nobody was expecting it, and it wasn't planned, either." Simeoni told an Italian court in 2002 that Ferrari advised him to take performance enhancers. Armstrong was cryptic is explaining his motives for chasing Simeoni. "I was protecting the interests of the peloton," he said, referring to the main pack. "Other riders were very, very thankful." Sebastien Joly, a French rider who was in the escape group, said: "I think it was a reaction of pride on Armstrong's part." The escape riders knew that their chances of winning the stage were nil while Armstrong was with them. So they asked Simeoni to leave, Joly explained. "When he let go, Lance had the kindness to do the same thing," he said. --------------------- All I can say is hmm......
i think the final stage in paris is more just a ceremonial thing (down the Champs-Elysess and 12 times around the big circle or something). if you're leading going in, the tradition is no one challenges you and you get the win. I think even in Lemond's 8 second win Nashvegas brought up the 2nd guy didn't break tradition and just let him have the win. i could be wrong on all of that but i'm pretty sure that's how it works.
I don't think Simeoni had a real shot at winning the stage with Lance shadowing him. Remember Lance came from behind to mow down the Italian and German riders in consectuive stages to win the stages. That was c'est incredible! Lance may not win the PR battle but he is to cycling what MJ was to b-ball. I would have loved to have seen Lance v Indurain in their prime.
LeMond beat Fignon in the last stage, which that year was an individual time trial into Paris. He was trailing by 50 seconds going in and won by 8.
i guess that can be called coming down to the last stage but the actual last stage (stage 21?), the one in paris, is just a little ride around paris where no one challenges the leader. the stage right before that, which i guess is always a time trial, is where lemond caught up and won.
No that year actually had the very last stage to Champs-Elysess be the time trial. So then the last stage was a "real" stage. But when it is a normal group stage then it is ceremonial for the winner and the rest just go for the stage win when they come to paris. They even toast in Champagne, and drive slow(er) until they hit the last stretch in Paris. But that is never a threat to the over winner as he just rides in with the pack and gets the same time. As for Simeoni leaving the group. If he had stayed the escape would just have been chased down by the peloton, as they would not cooperate to stay ahead. In case they have cooperated they all knew Lance could just ask his team to chase the breakaway down and no one in the escape wanted that. Thus they asked Simeoni to leave. The threat of having the peloton chase them down is even larger than having Lance sit in with them on a flat stage.
This is an excerpt from an article I was reading. http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/9236912.htm?1c ARMSTRONG VS. JORDAN The comparison that probably comes closest is Michael Jordan's six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. Both Jordan and Armstrong lifted their sports and their teams over a sustained period. Not everyone can dunk from the free-throw line, but everyone can ride a bike, right? Well, not the way Armstrong rides a bike - going 65 mph on hairpin descents without guard rails, drafting an inch behind a teammate's wheel, climbing the Alps for 45 minutes with his heart rate at 185. The Tour combines a little of all the sports mentioned above. It isn't just an endurance test but a race, too. It requires speed, strength, tactical genius, teamwork. But comparing accomplishments is a game that always ends in a toss-up. Different eras, different circumstances, different people. What is similar is the trait shared by all the achievers: an unrelenting drive to win, a drive ingrained in every cell of the body, every day of the year. Such single-mindedness doesn't make them winners of the Mr. Congeniality Award. But it makes them winners.
*Hoban: "Other riders should try harder" Barry Hoban, the British former pro whose career spanned the Anquetil, Merckx and Hinault eras, says he's mystified by the way today's Tour de France contenders fail to match Lance Armstrong's preparation. In an interview with the BBC, Hoban made the pretty safe prediction that, "unless something catastrophic happens Lance Armstrong will win a record sixth Tour." He went on to compare Armstrong with other top competitors. "Michael Schumacher is a good example," said Hoban. "These sportspeople are perfectionists, they prepare carefully and they are meticulous. That's why I can't understand the other riders. If Armstrong is so meticulous and talented then the others should try even harder. But riders such as Ullrich get so out of shape that it takes them most of the season to get their fitness levels back up." Hoban rode 12 Tours de France between 1964 and 1978, winning eight stages. Now 64, he still rides his bike. *Merckx critical of Ullrich - April 2004 Although Jan Ullrich maintains that he is right on target for his Tour de France plans, there are concerns that he is taking things a little too easy at this time of year. In today's Rund um Köln, Ullrich could only manage 64th place at 5'41 down from the winner, a far cry from his 52 km solo effort to win last year. Ullrich joked afterwards that, "In 2003 I was an outsider and I was only able to win because the others didn't recognise me in my Coast jersey. However, it's a long time to the Tour and I'm on the right track." Five time Tour winner Eddy Merckx, who is never afraid to speak his mind, told DPA, "It seems that Jan has again not worked hard enough in his previous preparation and is still too much overweight. Sure, he has still over two months, but to beat Lance Armstrong in the Tour will be harder than 2003." __________________________________________ Yeah, where was EVERYBODY? Ullrich started late this season, FAT as usual. Dropped out of the first couple of races in the early season, meaning he couldnt even finish! Lance won his early big race, Tour of Georgia! Beloki dropped out of several races in the beginning and didnt even make it to France! Heras didnt bother showing up until mid-season and dropped out of the Tour. Iban Mayo showed up too early and obviously used his energy up and dropped out of the tour. Simoni obviously proved riding two grand tours and expecting to do good in both of them is impossible and was behind 20 minutes after only a few mountain stages. This 6th tour win is no suprise. Lance deserves it above all others and nothing more. The German dude on this board is soooooooo ignorant to ignore the rest of cycling... Other who have won bike races this year.... Damiano Cunego, won the Tour of Italy this year at the age of 22! TWENTY-FREAKIN'-TWO! HE also was on a win streak of 4 races in 6 days before that. Was he doping? David REbellin won THREE World Cup Spring classics IN A ROW this year, was he doping?! Tom Boonen won at least half a dozen races this year, he is only 24, he must be doping too?! Tyler Hamilton got 4th place last year in the Tour WITH A BROKEN COLLAR BONE! Jan Ullrich has never gotten below 2nd place in the Tour de France, INCREDIBLE! He must be doping too. If you go around thinking every cyclist that wins a race is doping perhaps this sport isnt for you. Why do you watch cycling anyway?! All these guys are professionals and it takes ALOT of work. I have nothing but respect for all of these guys. Lance has simply made himself a legend and it obviously makes many people jealous as hell. Oh well, heres one for the good guys! AWESOME! GO LANCE GO!!!!!!!!
It's true that Ullrich gets fat during the "offseason"...if he prepared as well as Armstrong always does, he could beat him, but he doesn't have the same toughness to work hard and do whatever else it takes to win. Another thing that probably contributed to Ullrich only finishing fourth this year instead of second (I think Armstrong was going to win no matter what) is that he had a severe cold for which he had to take antibiotics at the beginning of the tour - he was in ok shape before that, winning the Tour de Suisse. If Armstrong did not use doping, then congratulations to him, it was certainly an amazing performance either way, and with or without doping, he has the strongest competitive spirit in his sport. He is still an arrogant ass and a bully, though - not one of the "good guys".
Simeoni bullied into line by boss Armstrong action disappoints Simeoni William Fotheringham in Lons-le-Saunier Saturday July 24, 2004 The Guardian Lance Armstrong, showing all the diplomatic skills of a playground bully, stamped his authority on one of the rebels of the peloton, Filippo Simeoni, yesterday. Armstrong frequently complains he is not universally popular with the public but the afternoon's cameo will have done little to counter the feeling that he regards the Tour as his personal fiefdom. Pippo's only offence, after all, is that he has taken legal action against Armstrong in his native Italy after the American questioned his testimony against the Texan's trainer Michele Ferrari. Simeoni rode away from the peloton early in the stage, in pursuit of the day's six-rider breakaway group, and what followed was bizarre. As if to make the point that he has a personal beef with the Italian, Armstrong did not ask his team to chase him but caught up himself and the pair rode across to the leaders. The peloton slowed as if it, too, could not believe what was going on. It is unprecedented for the maillot jaune to behave in this way, letting a personal matter interfere with the racing. In the little group Armstrong, Simeoni and Vicente Garcia Acosta had an intense discussion before Simeoni dropped back and Armstrong with him. At the finish the Italian was a bitterly disappointed man. "I made a super effort to get to the escape but Armstrong said the peloton would not let the group remain in front unless I let them go," he explained. "I slowed down out of respect for the other riders there. He shouldn't worry about little riders like me." Armstrong said simply: "I was just protecting the interests of the peloton." If the common interest of the riders is that whistleblowers in drug trials are ostracised, perhaps he was but it is not a widely expressed sentiment among his fellows. With Armstrong and Simeoni back in the peloton, normal service was resumed and the escape duly fought out the finish, where Garcia Acosta was narrowly beaten by his fellow Spaniard Juan-Miguel Mercado. Today the final podium positions will be decided but yesterday showed one thing: Armstrong's urge to dominate the Tour de France again extends as far down as 114th place in the standings, to the smallest fish in the shoal. http://sport.guardian.co.uk/tourdefrance2004/story/0,14667,1268137,00.html ------------------- Armstrong is trying to destroy the guy and mob him out of the sport. What a great champion .
Oh, so you think this guy who rode in 8 Tour de France races should not watch cycling either? Maybe this sport is not for him? Andy Hampsten Speaks on the Dopage Issue By Vaughn Trevi Date: 7/24/2004 Andy Hampsten Speaks on the Dopage Issue July 24, 2004 Dear Fellow Cyclists and Cycling Fans, Like many of you, I have read Greg Lemond's recent comments regarding doping in cycling and his interactions with Lance Armstrong. For those not up to speed, see this link for a concise account of Greg’s statements in English: http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/V4/L0/S18/sport_Lng0_Spo18_Sto613945.shtml The original complete text in French appears here: http://www.lemonde.fr/web/recherche_articleweb/1,13-0,36-372691,0.html I admire Greg's courage to speak his mind on the doping problems that still plague cycling. Like him, I feel that this problem is out of hand. Something needs to be done to clean it up, not only for the sake of the riders’ health, but also for the sake of returning our sport to the truths of human spirit, valor, and talent. The English version of the Eurosport article makes a huge point of Greg’s personal experience with Lance and the resulting conflict. Obviously, Lance and Greg have their own private relationship. While I know and respect both of these champions, having raced with both of them over the years, their personal interaction is none of my business, and speculating on conflict between the two only distracts from the bigger and more important issue of doping. What I found more compelling was the complete Le Monde text. It clearly shows Greg, who remains unquestionably the father of the modern era of American cycling champions, standing up and declaring that professional cycling has been and, regrettably, still is rotten with drugs. Greg has put himself into personal and business difficulties by speaking out and getting involved with the issue of drugs in today's cycling. Voluntarily placing himself in this position shows me honesty and bravery far beyond what most of us could muster. Lemond could instead follow the cycling world's expectations for past champions and sit around "a fumer le pipe" ('chilling' in cycling slang) in silence. But, his legitimate concern for the health and lives of today’s athletes and future riders drives him to do what he can to return cycling to a healthy level. I want to see the same. Since the early 90s both doping and the medical excesses placed upon riders’ health have gotten out of control. Most of us will probably need to put aside our Tour time emotions and resist making the judgment that Greg is trying to gain something personal or is simply jealous of being eclipsed as the dominant American cyclist. I saw Greg race as a champion through the 80s, and into the 90s when the cycling community as a whole turned a blind eye towards doping and consciously ignored the onslaught of EPO in the peloton. Like Greg, I too saw what I believe were the effects of EPO when it entered pro cycling in the early 90s. In the first years it grew from a few individuals reaping obscene wins from exploiting its “benefits,” to entire teams relying on it, essentially forcing all but the most gifted racers to either use EPO to keep their place in cycling, quit, or become just another obscure rider in the group. I had the honor of racing in eight Tours. Being happily retired, I can reflect on my small part in that race and enjoy seeing it motivate kids just as it did me. So like Greg Lemond, I cannot just sit idly by watching our sport continue to suffer from cheating. It’s time to tell the truth. Why now? Remember that while the Tour de France is the pinnacle of cycling, it is also the leading force in fighting drugs in cycling. Right now, while public attention is still on the Tour, is a good time to address the problem of doping. Dr. Michele Ferrari is known to have supported the use of EPO to increase his riders’ performances. In ’94, while his riders dominated the Ardennes Classic, he publicly ridiculed making rules against EPO saying it was safe to use and should not be made illegal in cycling. I believe behavior like this and the use of these products should not be tolerated. Violators should receive meaningful bans from the sport, bans that significantly outweigh any perceived benefits. Many aspiring racers have confronted drug use as they rose through the ranks. Unfortunately, their silent answer to this insanity is often to quit racing at this level. Otherwise, they risk succumbing to the conventional wisdom that “since everyone takes drugs to be competitive, you should too.” This must not continue to be the choice facing promising young racers. Now, in his retirement, Greg Lemond is fighting to bring racing back to a natural level of honest riders racing to their limits and living a long life to talk about it. I am writing to support him in this fight. Both Greg and I are involved with a junior racing team, so this matter continues to concern us as we support and urge kids to go as far as they can in the sport we love, both for their own personal rewards, and to keep cycling growing. It is irresponsible for us to encourage kids to race and potentially turn pro without doing all we can to change cycling back to a sport where they will not likely be asked to take drugs that could ultimately destroy their natural good health, their characters, and their bodies. Thanks for listening, Andy Hampsten http://193.195.96.172/displayarticle.asp?pk=6730 ------------- Andy Hampsten
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2004/07/24/socent24.xml Centre Stage: Expressions of natural power By Sue Mott (Filed: 24/07/2004) You may have to hold on to something. A British athlete is smoothly contemplating winning an event at the Athens Olympics. The road race? The time trial? The points race? It doesn't really matter. Nicole Cooke will be under the fierce Grecian sun, pedalling like fury and burning with ambition, bumping down the cobblestones from the Acropolis at breakneck speed, radiating elbows and intimidation, driven by single-mindedness and fear of failure, our up-and-coming star of women's cycling. Calm before the storm: Nicole Cooke takes a break "I've already identified a fountain near the finish of the road race," she admitted. If she wins, at the ludicrously young age of 21, she will make a splash in more ways than one. Cycling is modern-day chariot racing, and about as merciful. "There are riders who I hate. I don't like certain riders. Not because of their characters. I just don't like them because they're my rivals. I do pass the time of day with those I secretly hate. But they're very short exchanges. Just to acknowledge them. Just to say, `Yes I know you're there'.'' Who can we expect to see locked with her in mortal two-wheeled combat, spoke to spoke, as the 120-mile road race roars round the foot of an Athenian mountain and back? I don't expect her to tell me. Athletes invariably grow coy about naming names, fearing mass antagonisation. Not Cooke. "Right, there's the Swedish rider, Suzanne Ljungskog, who won the World Championship last year. She's a nice person. But she's one of my rivals. There's Mirjam Melchers from Holland. Those two. Then we've got the Lithuanian team, they're very strong.' ' But their strength may be neither here nor there with Cooke in their draught, waiting for precisely the right moment to pounce and sprint away. She loves the tactical aspect of road racing, the psychological ferocity. And then, of course, she can pedal. "I like to call myself a complete rider," she said. "Only the very pure skinny mountain goats can beat me on the climbs. Only the purist sprinters can beat me on the flat." What she really means is that not many have the credentials to beat her overall. Perhaps none. This kind of unflinching self-confidence is a joy to hear compared to the cacophony of athletes wondering if they might dare to come fourth. It is a genetic inheritance, no doubt. Cooke's father, a cyclist himself and a parent in the "pusher" category, placed his daughter on the back of a tandem at six and the whole family cycled round the Isle of Wight. Another year it was Devon (almost all of it). Nicole started competing at 11. At 12, she came fifth at a popular tournament in Holland (against boys). At 13, she came third. At 14, she won. "Once you learn how to win, you never forget. It's partly about ruthlessness. You have to be selfish. My dad's ambitiousness rubbed off on me. He would say to me, `Well, why can't you be the best? Someone's got to win this title. Why not you?' That's the type of mentality he tried to instill in my brother and me. "I think Dad gets up people's noses and I think he knows it as well. But why not be ambitious? I remember when I told Chris Boardman's coach, Peter Keen, that I wanted to win three world junior titles in 2001 in track, road and mountain bike, he said: `I don't think you can do it, Nicole. I just don't think it's possible. Don't waste your time'. Definitely, then there was a conflict of opinion. But I was able to come through and show that I could do it. "There have been doubters along the way. Yes, Dad and I were dreaming up quite extravagant ideas, but why not? We put the work in.'' She laughed suddenly when she remembered how British sport is perceived in other parts of the world, something she has witnessed first hand while riding with the Italian team, Safi-Pasta Zara Manhattan, for whom she won the prestigious Giro d'Italia this month. "The secretary of the team lived in London for a few years. One day he said: `I loved the Saturday and Sunday in England watching sport on television. They have sports you just don't see in Italy'. I thought he was going to say rugby, or Arsenal, or something." She had to break off in temporary hysterics. "But then he named them. It was darts, snooker and … [she was now crying with laughter] "sheep herding! He thought that was British sport!" It took a while to collect herself, thrown back in a leather coach, shaking with mirth. She made an effort and resumed her dissertation. "I think we're too reserved in this country. Why should we be?" Cooke is making up for our squeamishness in the spotlight. She would have done so sooner but was controversially not chosen for the Sydney Games on the grounds that, at 17, she was too young. "We were sent a letter from the president of the British Cycling Federation saying they would discuss it at the next panel meeting which was a month after the Olympics. It was like, 'What a clown'." She has – just about – stopped being enraged by this decision. "My mantra to myself whenever I'm riding now is, 'four years is a long time to wait'.'' She is not going to the Olympics to have her photograph taken with Lance Armstrong. "I'm only going to get one chance to do the Athens Olympics. If I don't win or don't get a medal, I'll know it was because I was beaten by someone better as opposed to being too busy autograph-hunting or sightseeing. "I probably won't be going to the Opening Ceremony either. I went to the one at the Commonwealth Games. It was OK but I don't think I woke up refreshed and raring to go the next day. Yes, I saw David Beckham running round the track but that's not the experience of a lifetime for me. Anyway, I am going to the Olympics now. I wouldn't say I was excited. I'd say there's a fear in me. A fear of failure. But that's what drives all athletes.'' This is passionate stuff. At first you think it must be the Celtic blood in her veins, our conversation taking place in Cardiff and she being Welsh Sports Personality of the Year. But she has no Welsh genealogy at all. Her mother and father are both English, they just chose to live in a house in Wick, mid Glamorgan, where she grew up and which currently contains her old mountain bike, cycle-cross bike, racing bike and going-to-the-shops bike, like a living museum. It is that focused attachment to her sport that makes her so forthright on the issues that beset it. Drugs, for instance. No sport in the world, with the possible exception of professional wrestling, has a worse reputation for the administration of performance-enhancing substances. "Last year I got to know an American lad. He was 25 and had come to Italy to try out for one of the top amateur teams. They said: "OK but we need to have a chat with you. We've got one spot. We've got our doping programme, how far are you willing to go?' He said he wouldn't do anything. He was clean, he wanted to say clean. They asked him again the next week. He still refused. In the end he had to give up his spot on the team – and his dream. "He knew he couldn't have lived with himself. Same with me. Everything I achieve is because I'm the best on the day not because I've had help from any doctor. It's depressing that the pinnacle of my sport appears to be so riddled with drugs, but at least in women's cycling, there's such awful prize money we're not motivated by money.'' Many think the Tour de France is hugely corrupted, almost destroyed, by the taint of drugs. "It is," agreed Cooke. "The biggest problem is that ex-riders stay in the sport. They become the new directors of the next generation of riders. The habits continue.'' Cooke had little sympathy for the British time-trial world champion, David Millar, who was sacked by his racing team after admitting taking the blood-booster EPO in 2001 and 2003. "I can't believe the world governing body haven't asked him for his gold medal and his jersey back. I think that is disgraceful. It shows the governing body aren't really taking it seriously. "It's like condoning it. Maybe they know an overhaul of their anti-doping policy will kill the sport but people don't want to see cheats. People don't want to see fake competition. They need to make the punishments a lot harder. Whole teams should be suspended for at least six months. They should pay one huge hell of a fine.'' Never mind competing in the Olympics. This girl should be running them in 20 years. She is capable of more unflinching sense at the age of 21 than most of our administrators have managed together in the past 21 years. As for the distractions of youth, the ones that get our footballers locked up, written up or divorced at depressingly regular intervals, she seems impervious to them. "Cycling's a good sport because my training partners have to be young lads. That's quite a plus. So I mix with quite a lot of lads but I have never met one who's really taken my fancy. I know how much time I've got to give to cycling. If I had a boyfriend, I don't think it would work. But there's plenty of time. It's not like I'm coming to the end of the line.'' Far from it. Cooke is pedalling up to the start line in terms of global attention. But neither fame nor money are her goads. "I love the sport because it's an expression of my own natural power. That's what drives the machine, that's what makes me go so fast, makes me climb that hill. It feels like flying sometimes. And it's such a sense of achievement. "If I was driving a Ferrari I'd get some type of pleasure but it wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be generated by me." Meanwhile, she owns a Volkswagen Beetle. Driving a Ferrari isn't quite an option. Yet.
Filippo Simeoni is a brave man. I respect him more than Armstrong. He is making a statement right now by repeatedly breaking away.
