Go Lance!

[Maya]

I can't believe there are no SB divers out there who are not also interested in the Tour de France....but no one has started a thread yet, so I'll begin:

Lance (aka Superman) survived an all out attack today in the Pyrenees..even though his team fell apart. He is over 1 minute ahead of his nearest rival....my prediction (not really going out on a limb, here...) is that Lance will win his 7th Tour in a row, a feat which will probably never be repeated.

Go, Lance, Go!

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Lance is the man. My youngest son raced with him on the same team when they were juniors. Lance was obviously the leader of the team even then.

Tour de Lance, they need to rename it.

 

[almitywife]

how does this man keep doing this??? ok, i'll ask... is it blood doping assisted, is this man a freak of nature or is it that every generation of so, this world is blessed with a person who's human spirit and endurance is immeasurble... its amazing

 

[CBulla]

I can't believe there are no SB divers out there who are not also interested in the Tour de France....but no one has started a thread yet, so I'll begin:

Lance (aka Superman) survived an all out attack today in the Pyrenees..even though his team fell apart. He is over 1 minute ahead of his nearest rival....my prediction (not really going out on a limb, here...) is that Lance will win his 7th Tour in a row, a feat which will probably never be repeated.

Go, Lance, Go!

Normally I would have done this weeks ago before the race started, but this year I've been so busy I've neglected to notice the start date until it was 7 stages into it.

Tomorrow, a rider whom I remember as a young and ambitious man winning his first stage in Le Tour in 92 while I was very heavy into cycling, will "dance" his competitors into submission.

Incidentally, has anyone noticed his style this year? focused, but not 100% on him but what appears to be the experience of the race and crowd as a whole?? He's owning virtually every aspect of the race, allowing other riders to capture victory in stages while maintaining that yellow jersey, sharing his passion with everyone who is out there with him. He really is a society role model! He is one of the few admired people in the world that are alive right now who I would like to have lunch or dinner and chat with.

 

[CBulla]

how does this man keep doing this??? ok, i'll ask... is it blood doping assisted, is this man a freak of nature or is it that every generation of so, this world is blessed with a person who's human spirit and endurance is immeasurble... its amazing

There are magnificent articles about his physiological attributes. One of the most interesting points is how his heart is larger than normal thus able to more efficiently pump blood around his body. The net result is more blood moved, better oxygenation of the muscles. In the mountains and under strenuous conditions this is a HUGE advantage.

 

[HammerNoMore]

I've been following the tour for a long time. Lance is truely an amazing athelete. At the start of the race they were comparing him to other great athelets...I thought that what Gretzky had to say about Lance was right on target.

Anyway. You ask how he does this? I agree with the French on this, though for different reasons. There was actual speculation that his chemotherapy was performance enhancing...what a load of bull. But the fact is he would not be where he is today had he not developed cancer.

For those who are not in the know: On 10/2/96 Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It had spread to his heart, lungs and brain. He was not expected to survive it.

Did it change him as a rider? Absolutly. Suffering through cancer changed his muscle mass. Not by enhancing it but rather by degrading it. The TDF requires endurance. The strong do not survive in this type of race. He changed physically, to a more endurance type muscle mass, but more important, he changed mentally.

Every race Lance rides (and the 24th will be his last) is a gift to him, in addition he may be the smartest tacticion in the race. Prediction he will win this year, putting the icing on his recordsetting TDF carreer and he will be eclipsed (someone in this thread said he wouldn't) eventually.

There are a number of riders in this years race who are great competition and a number of new ( but failed ) tactics to try to dethrone him. Too bad he is retiring because I think with Lance there the 2006 TDF would be quite an event.

James

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

Before cancer Lance was larger in the upper body. It appears he kept his strength while losing some mass.

He works hard, he's on the bike or training all the time. He rides every stage ahead of time.

And he has physical advantages. He was the first tested in the tour and he gets tested the most. They'd love to find out he cheats. Sorry, he just wins.

Remember his anti drug message? He's asked what are you on, he replies, on my bike, what are you on?

 

[crpntr133]

One of the cable channels did an hour show on Lance. He is basically an oddity. Like mentioned before his heart is larger than usual and his body chemistry is unusual. If I am thinking right he doesn't burn calories as fast as usual. Also the uric acid that normally collects in the muscles doesn't in him, or at least at a slower rate. This gives him longer endurance.

I to have noticed that he has been keeping his lead but at the same time letting others gets some of the glory. If he can stay on both wheels he is for sure a winner, again.

 

[HammerNoMore]

Remember his anti drug message? He's asked what are you on, he replies, on my bike, what are you on?

Actually, and somthing I only found out this year, Lance put up his own money for TDF drug testing. He is also the most tested rider...He's not trying to hide from anything.

James

P.S. Not saying you were implying anything just a good point for this comment.

 

[HammerNoMore]

I to have noticed that he has been keeping his lead but at the same time letting others gets some of the glory. If he can stay on both wheels he is for sure a winner, again.

This is all tactics. For all his days as the yellow jersey holder, Lance has very few stage wins. When it is an option, he gives the stage win to a teamate. He does everything he can to support those who support him.

But this year, where a team giveaway has not yet been available, don't think he is being nice... He doesn't waste energy sprinting to the line, he'll give up those stages rather than waste an effort that he can use later.

James