Interesting point - why do cycling fans love Pantani but hate Ullrich?
Interesting point - why do cycling fans love Pantani but hate Ullrich?
Poacher turned game-keeper
I don't hate Ullrich. He was a cycling prodigy brought up in the rigid, drug addled, East German system and couldn't cope with the freedom once Germany was unified. He was the first German to win the Tour and, like Wiggins, he couldn't resist the subsequent adulation. Germany rather overreacted to the drugs scandal. Its teams closed down and cycling disappeared from TV. Ullrich was probably "blamed". Ullrich has since spent time in a mental hospital.Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Pantani was a physicaly unattractive man (ears stuck out, went bald very young) who found he was loved only when he won bike races. So he did anything to win bike races. He never came to terms with being thrown out of the Giro a couple of days before he was to win for the second time (via a test that is still regarded as suspicious) and following this humiliation took refuge in cocaine - which killed him.
I think they were both great bike riders but were flawed human beings first and couldn't cope when their feet of clay were exposed - unlike say Riis, or Armstrong who still thinks every body else is wrong and he has done very little to be damned for.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 28-09-2020 at 04:59 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
GB is of course entirely correct. But, in my mind, Pantani had wings and excelled so brilliantly in the mountains. Ulrich was dull, predictable and lacked any kind charisma - a machine. I don't hate him but there's no real comparison.
Charisma, style, character, elan . . . err, that’s Pantani
Poacher turned game-keeper
Andrew, almost with sprezzaturaCharisma, style, character, elan . . . err, that’s Pantani
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Great stage at the Giro today. I won't give anything away, but catch up with it later if you haven't seen it.
Richard Taylor
"William Tell could take an apple off your head. Taylor could take out a processed pea."
Sid Waddell
It was a truly great stage. I watched it live and I watched the summary. Live the commentators were ecstatic - "stage of the century" - and some of that commentary appears in the summary coverage but (of course) because it is there chopped up and curtailed what the summary vividly illustrates is why stage-lite is inadequate in giving a real sense of what made the stage so great, as distinct from 3 commentators telling the viewer that it was a great stage.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Well done Team Ineos and TGH, they must have been on about plan 3 and they still pulled it off. Wonder if anyone had money on this win?
Now wait for GB to spot my post and go apocalyptic about Ineos Grenadiers. Calm down Graham it's only a bike race......
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
While money doesn't talk, it swearsWell done Team Ineos and TGH, they must have been on about plan 3 and they still pulled it off
Now wait for GB to spot my post and go apocalyptic about Ineos Grenadiers
Obscenity, who really cares
Propaganda, all is phoney
By the way the team is named after a motor vehicle and is called Grenadier. Just the one.
Why don't commentators stick an "s" onto all the other teams? Trek-Segafredos, Astanas, Bora-Hansgrohes?
That is a rhetorical question.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 25-10-2020 at 08:19 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
My instant reaction to reading your comment was that I had failed to insert an apostrophe, inexcusable on this forum, but no, simple human error on my part. Which is excusable on this forum.
The letter S is the eighth most commonly used letter in the English Oxford D, adding it to the end of all team names in the English speaking world may boost it up a place in the ratings.
Is there a conspiracy to keep it down at 8 by not using it?
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
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