Kristin Armstrong & Jeannie Longo!!!

[Boise Birder]

Olympic Time Trials - The gold is hers!

Ok, I'm biased - Kristen is from Boise, and I watched her several weeks ago blow the field away in the Twilight Criterium in Boise - lapped the field, hardly broke a sweat in 90 degree temperatures.

A Boise company, AceCo, took a concept from Kristen and designed an aerodynamic component that kept her chain from jumping off on steep, hard climbs.

And, the company is environmentally on conscientious!

She switched from triathalon to biking when doctors told her arthritis could lead to hip replacements at 30.

What about Jeannie Longo! Nearly 50 and 4th in the time trials - I'm inspired!

Let's ride!!!!

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Boise.
I'm a huge fan of Armstrong's too. I was very disappointed that our TV network had no covereage of her ride at all. I'm hoping I can find something of her ride on a fast internet connection - but finding that might be tricky - particularly if the download is IP specific

And while I hugely admire Jeannie Longo, and have researched with great interest and admiration her achievements over her cycling career and wish she could have got a medal, isn't it a sad indictment on the "elite" women there - the ones aged 20-35years - that she did a better time than them.

With the best will in the world, a 49 year old should not be time-trialling better than a 20-something year old if that 20-something year old is serious about her sport.

That being said, Longo is an inspiration and I can only hope I have as much guts and determination in my attitude to cycling and life in general when I approach 50.

[tulip]

I've been a big Jeannie Longo fan since the 80s. She's still at it! She won the Tour de France Feminin what, like 11 times? Amazing!

[Aggie_Ama]

I only saw what NCB would allow last night but it included Kristin's awesome ride. I didn't see any coverage of Longo which I wanted to see but I was in and out of the room.

[Flybye]

I am back from a week in the mountains and I can't wait to watch her!! I am glad that Boise posted this. Thanks!

Here is a link to her return in Boise:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/471504.html

[KnottedYet]

With the best will in the world, a 49 year old should not be time-trialling better than a 20-something year old if that 20-something year old is serious about her sport.

Ahh, but what if the 49 year old is *more* serious about her sport?

I'm a whole sh*tload closer to 50 than I am to 20, and I can certainly see where having the nerves and brain and guts of a 50 year-old would be of benefit over having the body of a 20 year-old.

[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.

[BikeMomma]

I've been a big Jeannie Longo fan since the 80s. She's still at it! She won the Tour de France Feminin what, like 11 times? Amazing!

I've been a fan of hers that long, too. It's amazing that she's still out there, kicking tail, and kicking it well, at that. What I remember of her most from back then is how completely dominating, intimidating, and agressive she was. It's nice to know she hasn't changed, and it doesn't surprise me a bit that she is still able to dominate over most of the field. She was making other elite women look like Sunday cyclists back then too. In fact, it just reiterates what a special athlete she is and validates that she's the real deal, as is Kristin.

In my eyes, both Jeanne and Kristin are those special ones that only come along every 20-30 years and make the others look like they're not trying as hard - legends. The others are trying - they're giving their all - they're just not the "special one." What is really cool is to see these two going at it in the same Olympics. A legend of the past, and argueably the present, going spoke to spoke against the star of the present and future. We are watching a unique thing, you guys.

Speaking of racers from the 80's, did anyone see the interview of Connie and Davis talking about Taylor? Connie still looks great, and Davis looks fit and just downright awesome. I hadn't realized before I saw the interview that Davis had surgery a year ago to help him with his Parkinson's, and having saw and talked to Davis just over two years ago at the Sacramento finish at the Tour of Cali, I can tell how much the surgery has brightened him. So great to see both he and Connie so happy and healthy.

Back in the 80's, I used to idolize Inga Thompson, even down to wearing my hair in a long braid like she did. Anyone know what happened to her?

Sorry, didn't mean to slightly hijack this with my 80's memories....
~BikeMomma

[Trek420]

I can certainly see where having the nerves and brain and guts of a 50 year-old would be of benefit over having the body of a 20 year-old.

I think the saying is "age and stealth will beat youth and beauty every time"

Even commentators said as we age we loose "explosive strength" and acceleration, but with her experience they said if she gets a good position look for her to get to the front.

I forget where I read her comment about the road race, she was at or near the front on one or more of the climbs. It sounds like she felt she'd rather push herself, push the speed, enjoy the race than simply hang out in the back.

And I read into her comment a not so subtle dig at other riders, let's ride!! It's a race, not a Sunday ride to coffee.

I was impressed with her comments and attitude on the TT. Sooooo close, she had a minor mechanical failure yet she didn't rant and rail at her mechanic or the conditions or ... it happens.

[OakLeaf]

I think the saying is "age and stealth will beat youth and beauty every time"

Actually, the saying is "age and treachery" (vs. youth and enthusiasm). And that's exactly why I asked my question about the TT times.

There's plenty of treachery to go around in a road race - arguably, treachery wins more road races than brute strength.

Not so much with a TT. That's all about (1) having your body at its absolute peak and (2) knowing exactly where that peak is at any particular time.

Certainly, the longer we've been in our bodies, the better we know them, and that's an advantage in TTs. But as we get older, not all the things we learn about our bodies are things we like, and that goes for all of us, from elite athletes to couch potatoes. That's why they have all those carefully calculated age-adjusted times for running events, after all.

Personally, I think the explanation is that Jeannie Longo is such an amazing phenomenon, that back in her physical prime she wasn't pushing herself to her peak either - simply because back in those days, there wasn't a lot of competition in women's cycling, and she did only what she needed to win.

But I'd still like to know how her '80s TT times compare to what she's posting today.