Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Raubvogel on July 28, 2002, 10:54:30 PM
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In a sport that might be overlooked in his native country, this guy has proven to be one of the best athletes of all time. Not to mention that he overcame some serious adversity to return to the sport.
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One more to go and he'll join the other 3 big guys, wtg! :)
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While I'm not Lance's biggest fan, he and the USPS team was in a league of their own.
Hope someone will at least be able to challenge him next year :).
Daff
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Muhahaha, Get em Lance...Get em :D
2 more to go ;)
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Originally posted by Raubvogel
In a sport that might be overlooked in his native country....
Raub, you're right- in America we don't give a rat's bellybutton about effiminate little men wearing Spandex riding around France on bicycles. In fact the only Americans who follow the TdF are either nationalistic rednecks who haven't been on a bicycle since they got fired from their paper routes or OTHER effiminate little Spandex-clad fairies like Lance. Maybe if gas prices were as much in America as they are in Europe we could relate to having to use bicycles as our primary means of transportation and we might actually care about the TdF. Fortunately though we have cars in America.
The only good thing about bicycle racing are the wrecks, and you can watch that part on Sports Center every night. And did anybody else notice that whenever a racer crashed he laid there and cried like a little baby instead of jumping up, getting back on and racing? Could you imagine a NASCAR racer crying like a baby on National TV in the pits because he got in a fender bender and was "too sore" to continue until his pit crew put a Band-Aid on his owie?
I rate bicycle racing slightly ahead of soccer and slightly behind curling as my least favorite sports to watch on TV. I'm amazed at how our cultures have evolved so differently since we've become America and you Euro guys can like such dull and boring events like the World Cup and the Tour de France. But then again, you prefer your women don't shave their armpits or legs, too, so it's not too surprising you guys are whacked out sports-wise.
As far as Lance Armstrong goes, didn't he test positive for steroids once? And didn't he "claim" to have his left testicle removed for cancer? Well, I don't believe it. He either had both testicles removed or no testicles removed. Think about it- If he had his left testicle removed then how could he make right turns?
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downhill mountain bike racing.. there's some action for ya'.
wicked crashes.
extreme air.. yeah baby.
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er... Raubvogel is American, otherwise nice troll
mauser
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Originally posted by Wlfgng
downhill mountain bike racing.. there's some action for ya'.
wicked crashes.
extreme air.. yeah baby.
Agreed, though most of these flatlanders don't know it, you use a helluva lot more muscle skills negotiating a mountainous ravine when going up or down then you do in flat land racing.
We have a motto in our Mountain bike club on our rides..."if you don't come home bloody, your not trying hard enough" ;)
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And does mountain bikers average over 25mph over around 1600 miles, during some of the toughest climbs in Europe over 3 weeks?.
If you want air, you go on a BMX..if you want speed, you go road..anything inbetween is nonsense.:)
Daff
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Originally posted by Daff
And does mountain bikers average over 25mph over around 1600 miles, during some of the toughest climbs in Europe over 3 weeks?.
If you want air, you go on a BMX..if you want speed, you go road..anything inbetween is nonsense.:)
Daff
Athletic trainers say that moto-cross riding used to be one of the most physical sports, using your whole body, every muscle, to control the bike. The most physical sport has now been replaced by professional mountain bike riders. You get 3 weeks and 1600 miles worth of physical activity packed into a 3-day cross country event, so it requireds twice the physical strength and 3 times the endurance. ;)
The sport is less glamourized frankly because there are less men and women that can handle such abuse on ones body, therefore, its not as well covered by media as flatlander bike riding is.
Either way, we can agree both tax the human body, mind to its limits!
This came out of a Fitness magazine, so it may be bias and doesn't agree with what I posted above mainly because the skill level isn't required for any biking event.
Deciding which sport is the world's toughest is difficult. We ranked different sports in seven categories on a scale and come up with our result. The seven categories are:
Fitness — The level of physical finess you must have to participate.
Skills — The complexity of the athletic skills necessary to compete.
Brains — The mental toughness and intelligence needed.
Pain — Injury rate and the potential for death.
Contact — The chances of getting injury by other
participants.
Venue — Where you play it, e.g. whether it is outdoor or indoor, etc.
Intangibles — Other minor variations in the condition.
After comparing more than 40 different sports, we come up with the following top ten toughest sports:
1.Gymnastics
Gymnatics scores very high in fitness, skills, pain and intangibles.
2.Ironman Triathlon
3.Rock Climbing
4.Ice Hockey
5.Bull riding
6.Boxing
7.Rugby
8.Decathlon
9.Mountain Bike riding
10.Football
No mention of bike riding other than Mountain bike riding ;)
Someday it will get the exposure it deserves.
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" You get 3 weeks and 1600 miles worth of physical activity packed into a 3-day cross country event, so it requireds twice the physical strength and 3 times the endurance. "
3 times the endurance?. So they need 3 times the amount of calories over 3 days that TDF riders needs over 21 days?.
That's close to 600000 calories in 3 days.
Daff
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Mountian biking is "Snick Snack"..........the road hurts, trust me ;)
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Originally posted by Monk
Mountian biking is "Snick Snack"..........the road hurts, trust me ;)
Oh yes, I trust a road is much smoother than a mountain trail :rolleyes:
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What I mean Rip, riding a road bike just plain hurts. I 've done both, lately just road bikes ( 300-500 ks per week). Mountain Biking just doesn't come close. I use to think Mountian Biking was the sh_t. Til I "Rode the Road";)
Oh ya, Mr. Martinez, the great Mountain bike Champ.......na wasn't impressed:)
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Originally posted by Monk
What I mean Rip, riding a road bike just plain hurts. I 've done both, lately just road bikes ( 300-500 ks per week). Mountain Biking just doesn't come close. I use to think Mountian Biking was the sh_t. Til I "Rode the Road";)
Oh ya, Mr. Martinez, the great Mountain bike Champ.......na wasn't impressed:)
I've done both too my friend, and mountain biking kicked my collective ass, street riding comes nowhere close to the "hurt".
Daff, your logic is flawed. Think of the two sports as "long distance running" and "Sprinting" Both caloric requirements are the same, but one requires more strength in a shorter burst, while the other requires endurance strength over a longer period.
I still contend street bikers are wussies (just look at the physique of a street biker and compare it to a mountain biker ;) )
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Originally posted by Ripsnort
I've done both too my friend, and mountain biking kicked my collective ass, street riding comes nowhere close to the "hurt".
;) )
Sorry, got to disagree buddy;)
And the build of the bikers, you need to look at a sprinter such as a Zabel, or some of the great aussie sprinters, Mckewen or O'Grady.
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Anyone that hasn't maintained 25mph+ for over an hour, let alone 1600 miles over mountains, hasn't a clue about how hard it is to race road bikes.
Endurance sports hurt. They tax the mind and the will to continue. An endurance athlete has to continously hold the line between blowing up and falling back, red line so to speak, all the while in extreme discomfort. And, unlike your burst activities, that focus has to be maintained sometimes for hours. I've marathoned, ridden 60 mile timed rides, swam miles, etc., and no burst activity comes close.
Of course I didn't even mention the hundreds of miles a week you have to train to be really good, how much of it needs to be high tempo, how critical diet is, etc.
Cried when they hit the ground? Yes, if you're sliding down a mountain at 60mph and you hit the asphalt, I'd bet you'd hurt, too. Compared to NASCAR? Too funny. In NASCAR you have all that equipment between you and everything else. Besides, any "sport" that can be conducted with a beer in one hand isn't really a sport, is it? ;)
You have to be both mentally and physically tough to be an endurance athlete.
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Originally posted by Kieran
Anyone that hasn't maintained 25mph+ for over an hour, let alone 1600 miles over mountains, hasn't a clue about how hard it is to race road bikes.
Endurance sports hurt. They tax the mind and the will to continue. An endurance athlete has to continously hold the line between blowing up and falling back, red line so to speak, all the while in extreme discomfort. And, unlike your burst activities, that focus has to be maintained sometimes for hours. I've marathoned, ridden 60 mile timed rides, swam miles, etc., and no burst activity comes close.
Of course I didn't even mention the hundreds of miles a week you have to train to be really good, how much of it needs to be high tempo, how critical diet is, etc.
Cried when they hit the ground? Yes, if you're sliding down a mountain at 60mph and you hit the asphalt, I'd bet you'd hurt, too. Compared to NASCAR? Too funny. In NASCAR you have all that equipment between you and everything else. Besides, any "sport" that can be conducted with a beer in one hand isn't really a sport, is it? ;)
You have to be both mentally and physically tough to be an endurance athlete.
Oh no doubt you have to be both mentally and physically tough, but WHY do they all look like they could model womens underwear? :p
Mountain bike sports just don't have the sponsors or exposure, once they do, you'll see the light ;)
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These guys don't need to be modeling womens underwear.
;)
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"Daff, your logic is flawed. Think of the two sports as "long distance running" and "Sprinting""
Well, doh!
What about this quote of yours
"and 3 times the endurance."
Add to that, that roadriding is endurance with 1 or more sprints on top.
Daff
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How about a response to the 10 ten most physical sports Daff? You're picking and choosing what you respond to ;)
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you are sooo right Rip!!!
I'll post pics in a few (when I get my computer back) but I can tell you that the NORBA guys would agree.
Here in snowmass, the 'circuit' starts at 8500k and each lap makes the guys climb ove 3000' vertical.
this is single track, rough-ass terrain that no flat-lander has a clue about.
speeds.. lol gimme a break. the downhillers clock over 100 mph on dirt/rocks.
asphalt may be tough.. but try boulders, shale and sharp rocks.. all mixed with sticker bushes, thorns, dirt etc.
the road bikers around here know better than to stray onto single track... they don't wanna' mess up their little rims now do they.
however... big to lance..
overcomming huge hurdles, he proves once again that he is the best.
but he won't touch a single-track :)
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Road rash is a part of bicycling. "Suck it up, get your spandex bellybutton back on that bike!" "But, but, it hurts!"
(In reference to crashes)
Masher
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lol
2 things we don't do in Snowmass:
(at least not the locals)
wear ski 'outfits' (especially bright/neon colors)
wear spandex
it's the easiest way to detect tourists :)
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Originally posted by Wlfgng
however... big to lance..
overcomming huge hurdles, he proves once again that he is the best.
but he won't touch a single-track :)
I do believe Armstrong tore some butthole in a MB race back a couple years ago. I think he got bored and said it was nice and Ill cya.;)
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Originally posted by Wlfgng
the road bikers around here know better than to stray onto single track...
Good point ......."around there", but living here in Europe I've learned to respect the "Roadies".
.......hmmm, Tomac tried Road, didn't cut it
.......Martinez, ah well we saw him tryin hard in the Tour
.......and Cadel Evans, :rolleyes:
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haha ...this sounds like the SNL skit about "who is most mucho" they did it in spanish.
who is most mucho? road bikes or dirt bikes?
rider A "my sport hurts more than your sport"
rider B " nah uh, my sport hurts more than yourn"
if you guys like to hurt , why don't you take up elfenwolfs sport , jumping off high things with rubber bands tied around your legs.
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true. We have a few here also.
It's simply two different sports with different skills and strengths.
for my money, I'll take the thrill of single track.
maybe when I'm older.. like 70ish I'll do road