Lance Interview on OLN

[tywhy]

Originally posted by VTskibum
tywhy,

Do you disagree?

I just looked at Hinault along with Merckx as being on an entirely different level than Lance.

[Benny Profane]

Originally posted by half-fast
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?

I don't know about that. Seemed to be some tension between Lance and Sherwin, but other than that, lots of detail you won't find anywhere else (until he writes a serious book about the racing), and some great quotes. He seemed to be quite comfy and respectful with Ligget.

[cj001f]

I respect Lance as an athlete - awesome.

I've thought his slagging on Cofidis - who paid him while he was receiving cancer treatment, but dumped him when he refused a physical, showed a distinct lack of class.

[VTskibum]

cj

I think he was in his 4th round of chemotherapy (or days afterwards) when they demanded a physical from him. They also reaped in loads of publicity when they stood in front of reporters and supported him and said they'd do whatever it took, then when he was at his worst pulled out. Maybe it's b/c I've had family die from Cancer, but that's pretty low of Coifidis if you ask me.

ty-

Mercx is/was on his own level definitely, overall above both Lance and Hinault in my book. I certainly wasn't trying to say that Mercx wasn't at the head of the peleton when he was racing, just think that he was much different leader of the races than Hinault and Armstrong.

[Benny Profane]

Originally posted by VTskibum
cj



Mercx is/was on his own level definitely, overall above both Lance and Hinault in my book. I certainly wasn't trying to say that Mercx wasn't at the head of the peleton when he was racing, just think that he was much different leader of the races than Hinault and Armstrong.

And Lance gave his props, when he mentioned that mountain time trial (when, where?) when Mercx basically blew it off, lost a few minutes (his hat cocked to the side), and still won the tour. cocky.

[cj001f]

Originally posted by VTskibum
cj

I think he was in his 4th round of chemotherapy (or days afterwards) when they demanded a physical from him. They also reaped in loads of publicity when they stood in front of reporters and supported him and said they'd do whatever it took, then when he was at his worst pulled out. Maybe it's b/c I've had family die from Cancer, but that's pretty low of Coifidis if you ask me.

My info was based on this Outside article from 98
http://outside.away.com/magazine/0498/9804lance.html

"Last August, a week after Nichols issued him a clean bill of health and a green light to resume full competitive training, Armstrong was dropped by his French cycling team, Cofidis. "

"He still hadn't ridden for the team, and as the 1997 racing season began, team officials wanted to know whether they could count on him. Armstrong's agreement with Cofidis was subject to a medical examination he had yet to take when he was diagnosed with cancer. Now Cofidis asked that he be examined by its doctors, a not unreasonable request, especially considering that the company was paying Armstrong $1.25 million a year. But Stapleton would have none of it. "They forced our hand," Stapleton contends. "No way were we going to let them subject Lance Armstrong to a medical examination in front of the world. At the end of the day, we struck a deal. If Lance didn't ride in four races in 1997, they had the right to terminate his contract.""

If your an athlete and your unwilling to let your employer know your fitness, to my mind they have a right, even a duty to their sponsors, to terminate your contract. If the dollar amount wasn't in the millions it'd probably be different to me.

[VTskibum]

I'd just recommend reading his book. His and Bill Stapleton's POV is quite a bit different than Cofidis/Outdoor Mag. ESPN certainly had a different take on the situation.

Another article painting a different picture, hard to say as none of us where there... http://espn.go.com/cycling/france99/news/comeback.html

Especially his own team, Cofidis. "At the time of my announcement, while the world was listening, they pledged their support, the PR way.

"But then they came over to see how sick I was. They saw me as sick as a dog, not able to get up from my bed, vomiting. I thought, oh, that's nice, they've come to see me. And then an hour later my agent comes in and tells me, well ..." They paid him 25 percent of his contract, Armstrong said.

He wasn't even at his lowest point when Cofidis saw him. "The third and fourth rounds were worse," he said, referring to the chemotherapy.