Kristin Armstrong & Jeannie Longo!!!

[RoadRaven]

Knotted, thank you for responding to my question. I really appreciate it. And I am hoping you know me well enough by now to know I am not trying to be confrontational but rather set up some debate about women's attitude and apptitude in road cycling events.

So, that said... with all due respect... have a look at mens cycling at this level... have a look at the line-up in the Olympic road race for example... how many 49year old men raced?

None? I'm not surprised at all.

Longo was a phenomenal rider at her peak - she is no longer at her peak.

Nerves, brains and guts canNOT counter the laws of aging - muscle, recovery, endurance.

I do not want to disrepect Longo at all (or approaching 50 year old riders like you and I)... the point of my post is, I guess, to challenge those younger women. Mid-late 20s should be approaching their peak. Where is their courage? Their determination? Why can't they apply THEMselves the way Longo did at their age?

In fact, how disrectful of them to have women like Longo to aspire towards and to let HER down by not doing what their bodies are capable of.... by not following the path that she carved out for them with her blood, sweat and tears...

[Tuckervill]

I see your point RR. But age and experience have to count for something.

Good example last night with Dara Torres. Video of her delaying the start of a race because of a competitor's suit was torn, and then goes on to win the race.

Very few 20 year olds have that kind of presence. That unnameable quality is what drives a person like Dara Torres to excellence, and to not give in to the forces of age. It's something you don't usually GET until you're older.

I often am able to beat my 14 yo son in feats of strength because I have force of mind that he does not.

Karen

[KnottedYet]

In fact, how disrectful of them to have women like Longo to aspire towards and to let HER down by not doing what their bodies are capable of.... by not following the path that she carved out for them with her blood, sweat and tears...

Yup, she's more serious about her sport than they are.

She has the experience, she knows exactly how precious this is. They didn't fight for it, they didn't pour blood, sweat, and tears into it. They aren't as invested in it.

You and I are on the exact same page here, maybe I just didn't write it right.

I'd place my money on a serious and firey 50 year old rather than on a enthusiastic 20 year old. A young body doesn't make up for a lack of fire.

[OakLeaf]

What I haven't been able to track down is: is Jeannie Longo as fast as she ever was? I can only find results, not her actual times in the TTs.

In general I'm with RR. But I'd like to know whether Jeannie Longo actually has been able to get faster as she's gotten older, or whether it really is that the younger competitors have just failed to bring themselves up to her level.