OMG USADA Lance etc

[Crankin]

I liked that, too.

[pll]

Sorry, I don't buy it. Armstrong might be an idol for the US public, but he is definitely far from universal. Cadence -- see Merckx training (there is a clip of his cadence on the rollers on "Star and Watercarriers"). He was asked once whether it was better to mash a big gear or spin a small gear and he famously replied that it was better to spin a big gear. The lower cadences we see in older cyclists when they climb may be a relic of the older equipment. Riders like Merckx competed on bikes that only had 6 cogs in the cassette, the biggest being 21 (reserved for mountain stages). If you read the biographies of a couple of famous cyclists over time, you will see they were all meticulous about their diets and training regimes. Of course, sometimes the "scientific" advice they received was totally wrong. Recently, I read the biography of Gino Bartali (winner of the TdFs in 1938 and 1948) and a doctor recommended that he smoke cigarettes and drink coffee to deal with a low heart rate!

[OakLeaf]

Riders like Merckx competed on bikes that only had 6 cogs in the cassette, the biggest being 21 (reserved for mountain stages).

Aw heck, riders like ME competed with six-speed freewheels and 42-tooth small rings and only put the 13-21 on for the super hilly roadraces. That's what there was back then. And the advice I got from my training partners in Greg LeMond's era was that a cadence of 92-96 was the most efficient.

Seriously, I've wondered what gearing the pros run for the mountain stages, but I'd be surprised if it's anything smaller than 39x21. Eleven-speed cassettes just give you closer gear ratios (just like transmissions in any other vehicle). No doubt they have 11-21 corncobs nowadays.

[tealtreak]

http://bicycling.com/blogs/fitchick/...ns-from-lance/

Selene Yeager is my all time fav- she rocks the trails like no one and is always laughing and smiling (:

[pll]

Seriously, I've wondered what gearing the pros run for the mountain stages, but I'd be surprised if it's anything smaller than 39x21.

I've heard that 11x26 or 12x27 are not unusual. In the Vuelta, last year, in the Alto de L'Angliru stage (full broadcast here), several Spanish riders (familiar with the climb) had a 34 ring and a 32 cog -- see the VeloNews article.

ETA: I read EM's favorite small ring was a 44. Anyway, EM seems to have been an unbelievable bike rider. His list of palmares is amazing.

[Dogmama]

How many will be watching Lance with Oprah? Wonder if Oprah will be passing him a tissue? I think not. There is talk that he could be in serious trouble with this confession. When he was riding with Postal, he apparently purchased doping materials with tax money. Not good. One pundit mused that his ego is so huge he thinks he's above punishment.

[jobob]

"When Lance 'cries' on Oprah later this week and she passes him a tissue, spare a thought for all of those genuine people who walked away with no reward – just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances."

-- Nicole Cooke, from the statement announcing her retirement on 1/14/2013

[salsabike]

Perfectly said.

"When Lance 'cries' on Oprah later this week and she passes him a tissue, spare a thought for all of those genuine people who walked away with no reward – just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances."

-- Nicole Cooke, from the statement announcing her retirement on 1/14/2013

[Catrin]

Selene Yeager is my all time fav- she rocks the trails like no one and is always laughing and smiling (:

+100 on this We've a local pro mtb racer who is like this, she is SO tiny that she makes me feel tall and is always laughing and smiling. She rocks, and I would love it if she were to start writing.

Very sad about Lance - though it wasn't a surprise. I don't know how all of this will end but it is all very sad.

[katluvr]

Ok, I was a big Lance fan and believer. Then I felt that yeah he probably doped but so did many during that time period. I continued to struggle with how and what I felt. Now I am very disappointed. And not sure what I feel. It's not the doping that is the issue, obviously it's his scheming and lying. I still feel all the recent events makes it a sad day/year for cycling. Guess it's like a kid and loss of a hero. I started cycling and watching the tour when he was winning.
K

[Dogmama]

obviously it's his scheming and lying.
K

My thoughts exactly. It's bad enough that he doped but many professional sports have this issue. But the threats and manipulations coupled with his arrogance make it far worse, IMO. For example, when the 1000 page indictment was released, he tweeted a picture of himself lounging in this
Austin family room surrounded by his 7 yellow jerseys with a comment akin to, "What, me worry?"

Poor Gorgeous George. He's been stunningly silent.

[emily_in_nc]

When is the Oprah interview airing? I don't watch enough ABC down here to get the ads for it, though I did hear about it on CNBC.

Thanks!

[Sylvia]

When is the Oprah interview airing? I don't watch enough ABC down here to get the ads for it, though I did hear about it on CNBC.

Thanks!

It's in two parts the first part is tonight and the second part tomorrow evening 9 p.m. EST and will be streamed live on oprah.com

[Jo-n-NY]

When is the Oprah interview airing? I don't watch enough ABC down here to get the ads for it, though I did hear about it on CNBC.

Thanks!

Tonight on the Oprah channel 9:30est I believe.

[Jo-n-NY]

It's in two parts the first part is tonight and the second part tomorrow evening 9 p.m. EST and will be streamed live on oprah.com

sorry, it is a 2 parter so the 2nd part is tomorrow (Friday) night.