Lance Interview on OLN

**p-tex** · 08-01-2004, 06:31 PM

Just watching the Armstrong interview tonigt. Pretty interesting. Sooo much coverage of who him but it is nice to hear in his own words what is going on. Lots of respect for this guy. Almost never a negative word about anybody in the Tour, including his best competitors.

**Benny Profane** · 08-01-2004, 08:59 PM

Yes, must see. They catch him just 2 days after the tour. He still looks wane and thin, but details most of the tour from memory.

"It's all about perspective with me"

I love the talk about Alp'Duez. The Lance Chronicles spent an episode on the May training days, and it was almost sublime. Certainly compared to the "hooligan" atmosphere during the race. I really want to climb that hill, and celebrate with good wine and food.

AH · 08-02-2004, 03:10 AM

Originally posted by p-tex
Almost never a negative word about anybody in the Tour, including his best competitors.

Not where I come from... He's pissed of quite a few Europeans (big name cyclists and fans) with his behaviour, both during the race and during pressconferences.

Having said that, I still think he is a great cyclist.. but just needs to have a bit more feeling with cyclings unwritten rules, so there won't be as much negativity surrounding his actions.

**snow_slider** · 08-02-2004, 05:57 AM

Can you elaborate? What behavior did he display in press conferences and during during the race that you found offensive?

What "unwritten rules" of cycling did he break or ignore?

By my account, he lived up to his role of The Boss by chasing down Simeoni, someone who had made a public spectacle of himself by badmouthing cycling.

**mildbill.** · 08-02-2004, 07:11 AM

Originally posted by AH
Not where I come from... He's pissed of quite a few Europeans (big name cyclists and fans) with his behaviour

oh, you mean winning?

**Crinkle** · 08-02-2004, 09:05 AM

nothing against AH or Euro riders, but I am sure that they are not happy that an "american" has won the tour sooooo many times in a row. Its a sport that they take more to heart than most americans do, someone is always going to be bitter.

**tywhy** · 08-02-2004, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by AH
Not where I come from... He's pissed of quite a few Europeans (big name cyclists and fans) with his behaviour, both during the race and during pressconferences.

Having said that, I still think he is a great cyclist.. but just needs to have a bit more feeling with cyclings unwritten rules, so there won't be as much negativity surrounding his actions.

those pricks are too easy to piss off. They've had it in for Lance for a while and are constantly looking for anything negative they can say or write about him whether it be doping, or confrontations with other cyclists. I think he's got quite a grasp on the history and unwritten rules of cycling. maybe you could elaborate...

**VTskibum** · 08-02-2004, 01:06 PM

Unwritten rules are being followed as far as I see it. He's now become the "Patron" supposedly the last one was Hinault, the difference between Hinault and Lance is very little. Both considered pretty rash and abrasive by the public and other cyclists but still demand serious respect for their knowledge and respect of cycling.

The only difference is that Lance is an American and Hinault is French.

**tywhy** · 08-02-2004, 02:02 PM

Originally posted by VTskibum
Unwritten rules are being followed as far as I see it. He's now become the "Patron" supposedly the last one was Hinault, the difference between Hinault and Lance is very little. Both considered pretty rash and abrasive by the public and other cyclists but still demand serious respect for their knowledge and respect of cycling.

The only difference is that Lance is an American and Hinault is French.

those are some pretty bold statements.

**VTskibum** · 08-02-2004, 02:28 PM

tywhy,

Do you disagree?

AH · 08-02-2004, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by Crinkle
nothing against AH or Euro riders, but I am sure that they are not happy that an "american" has won the tour sooooo many times in a row. Its a sport that they take more to heart than most americans do, someone is always going to be bitter.

First of all, I don't have anything with cycling whatsoever. Second, I kinda like Armstrong for his comeback, esp. with all these people badmouthing him when he was down (or dying) and trying to get up.

The point is, cycling in Europe is about so much more than just winning a race. It's about tradition, gentlemen like behaviour, respect and history.

It's a common thought over here that Lance is a great athlete, but that he's lacking that feeling somewhat. For example the Mont Ventoux a couple of years ago. Both Lance and Pantani battled it out and Pantani won the stage eventually. Later on Lance said he 'gave it away', which was (in Europe) a big sign of disrespect for his opponent, one of the finest climbers of that time (and multiple giro winner).

Another example is his refusal to even look at some of the journalists while giving a press conference, because they've asked critical questions in the past.

Those things give him a certain image in Europe, where the Tour is huge (I'm talking 8 to 10 hours of coverage each freakin' day). I don't think it's something a European could explain easily, it's just that for most of 'us', it's not a race, it's the Tour.

**VTskibum** · 08-02-2004, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by AH

Another example is his refusal to even look at some of the journalists while giving a press conference, because they've asked critical questions in the past.

Like the ones who tried to break into his hotel room? Or perhaps the ones who wrote LA Confidential, I wouldn't answer their questions either...

AH · 08-03-2004, 02:05 AM

Correct, but there are more 'persona non grata', who haven't done anything like that.

**mildbill.** · 08-03-2004, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by AH
I don't think it's something a European could explain easily, it's just that for most of 'us', it's not a race, it's the Tour and everybody's panties are bunched up because an American keeps winning it..

let's call a spade a spade here.

AH · 08-03-2004, 07:36 AM

Exactly my point.. For you, it's about winning a race, for us, it's about the Tour.

**basom** · 08-03-2004, 07:39 AM

its like the euros are red sox fans, and americans are yankee fans.

one side wins, the other side swarms around the minutia, asks anyoing questions, blames everybody, and has high blood pressure.

**mildbill.** · 08-03-2004, 07:43 AM

so in addition to winning he also has to kiss the asses of the journalists trying to slander him?

and base, my high blood pressure is more a result of the fact that i subsist on sandwiches and hamburgers bought at convenience stores, than any baseball team.

AH · 08-03-2004, 07:58 AM

He doesn't have to do anything. However, ff he'd respect the 'laws of the tour' a bit more, he'd be way more popular with a lot of Europeans.

**VTskibum** · 08-03-2004, 08:04 AM

Still not sure what riders don't respect Lance (besides Fillipo Simeoni obviously), never heard anything bad from them, just from the press and fans.

(edit - spelled Simeoni wrong)

AH · 08-03-2004, 08:31 AM

What channel did you watch the tour on?

There's plenty of riders, they just don't all do it out in the open.. Lemond, Pantani, Virenque, Boogerd, etc

**half-fast** · 08-03-2004, 08:56 AM

I watched the whole interview. While I found it interesting, it was painful to watch. Ligget and Sherwin were horrendous-and that was an edited version-I wonder how bad the stuff they edited out was?

**bagtagley** · 08-03-2004, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by AH
What channel did you watch the tour on?

There's plenty of riders, they just don't all do it out in the open.. Lemond, Pantani, Virenque, Boogerd, etc

LeMond's an American and a lush. Virenque's just bitter because he needs drugs to climb like Lance...and got pinched for it. Pantani is and always will be bitter.

How about somebody that matters?

**Artie Fufkin** · 08-03-2004, 09:18 AM

Originally posted by bagtagley
Pantani is and always will be bitter.

Pantani is dead.

**Crinkle** · 08-03-2004, 09:20 AM

I think there are people here that don't think of it as "another race" and understand and enjoy the history of the Tour. I also think that Lance has just had enough of all the bad press and slandering of his character by the press about drug use. So of course those that are looking for that story STILL will be rubbed the wrong way. There are a lot of great riders in Europe, Lance trains specifically for this race, while others are still riding in other races and tours leading up to the Tour. I think Lance has been a great champion, heck the guy lives a large portion of time in Europe, talks about how he loves it there, even learned French so he could communicate better with the media during the Tour. Anytime someone says anything, everyone knows that someone in the press can "quote" it and make it sound wrong.