Op Ed: Chris Froome Should Win 5 and Go Home

"It's hard to leave the table when you're winning"

The 2018 cycling season is already being discussed with a tremendous announcement that Chris Froome, the current winner of the Tour De France in recent years has decided to take on the two most hardest bicycle races back to back, The Giro D' Italia and the Tour De France in a single year. This is coming off his success as having won the Tour/Vuelta double last year, also a difficult feat in of itself. The last person to do that was Marco Pantani in 1998, a good 20 years ago. Back then Pantani was loaded to the gills with an experimental drug that later became known to the world as EPO, the same drug that Lance Armstrong took during all of his tour victories. Marco Pantani was 28 at the time of his Giro-Tour victory year, a good 5 years younger than Froome will be by the time he starts the Giro next year. There is one fundamental difference between these two riders and I'm not referring or alluding to EPO use. Marco Pantani was a talent at a very young age. He had always been an accomplished rider even before he won his first Tour De France. Chris Froome blossomed later into his career. Chris Froome and I are a few months apart in age. It doesn't matter if you are the best athlete in the world, at a certain point age will catch up to anybody. Falls start to hurt more, recovery times slow down and a person may never fully recover from some injuries. So I'm not speaking as a world class athlete, I'm speaking as someone who is the same age as Chris Froome. It's time to rake it in, cash the chips and go home. It's hard to leave the table when you're winning, but that's the smart thing to do. It's not about matching records with the greats in the sport, because people will never know to what lengths those greats went to so that they could achieve those records. Stick around any longer and you will risk losing it all; your money, your success, your accomplishments, your credibility and your reputation.

Hubris sometimes doesn't allow people to know when to quit in a high risk game such as gambling, or in this case, professional cycling. They might as well be the same thing, because both require a poker face. If you call someone's bluff, then the game is over. So the question remains, if Chris Froome goes for one more Tour De France, will someone call his bluff? Unlike the last person that this happened to, Chris Froome is a likeable character that lays low and stays down to earth even when success comes his way. This has calmed any negative press that might be said of him to the point that even David Walsh, a famous reporter and Lance Armstrong whistle blower has come to his defense. Once in while, we will hear the suggestive mutterings of Greg Le Mond or Bob Roll implying that something fishy is afoot, but without the conviction or condemning language used against Lance Armstrong. Can Chris Froome manage to keep them silent for two more back to back grand tour victories? 

I hope Chris Froome takes a lesson from the Miguel Indurain playbook. Win 5, cash in and go home. Indurain wasn't trying to one up Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil or any previous 5 time Tour De France champs. He knew better, and was long gone by the time Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstong day-viewed with their superhuman cycling feats. He didn't try to rationalize a reason to go for number 6; he was confident that the world would remember him for his 5 victory contribution. He left with his money, his legacy and his reputation intact. He is the Michael Jordan of cycling, nothing negative or controversial can be said of him. Let's hope Froome follows in his footsteps. I really like the way Froome treats his teammates, the press and his rivals. At the end of the day that counts for a lot and even protects his career to some extent. Counting on that, let's see if Froome has it in him for a Giro-Tour double as well as a fifth Tour De France victory.

What If Lance Rode an old 10 speed bike?

Would Lance Armstrong still be fast on a 10 speed?

When people talk about Lance Armstrong, is isn't without reservations, resentments, or any love lost for the recently dethroned athlete. Lance Armstrong, however, has done nothing to rectify his public image, besides showing us how to change a bicycle tire on an old Peugeot (We're glad you finally learned how to do that, Lance).

It's been almost two years since the USADA cleaned his figurative clock of all of his fraudulent Tour De France victories, Olympic medals and world records. Someone who has been raked through the coals the way Lance has should by now have attained a certain amount of humility. There are many things that Lance can do that will put him in a positive light again, maybe even reinstate his status as an athlete. Who better than Lance to set up cycling programs for the underprivileged youth of America, for example? There are good cyclists everywhere from all walks of life, but the sport doesn't follow them, it follows the money. Apparently so does Lance. Someone like Lance could turn the status-quo, like Jonathan Boyer did for team Rwanda or John Candy did in Cool Runnings. If Lance weren't so self centered, he would make a great coach.

The other thing Lance Armstrong created was the stereotype of the American cyclist. The Strava obsessed, weight weenie, goo slurping, middle aged jerk in a mid life crisis who makes it rain money every time he walks into a bike shop. Readers of my last article will see the illustration of how cyclists used to dress. Blue jeans, casual clothes, tee shirts and sneakers was the dress attire until the late 1990's. Now everyone who rides their bicycles on the roads or even on the trails is wearing full team kit, perhaps subconsciously thinking that is what they have to wear to be like Lance. The uniform serves it's purpose in the hot summer months, however its not a year round requirement to ride a bike. What Lance needs to do for his public image is to change the way that he is seen riding a bike. Trek no longer sponsors Lance, he needs to trade in his carbon fiber Madone for an old ten speed. He needs to  wear regular clothes on his training rides. He needs to show the world that it really isn't about the bike, because his whole career and the aftermath of it he has shown the opposite.

If Lance were to say, race me in an unsanctioned event like an alleycat, riding on a Schwinn Varsity or a Huffy Aerowind and still beat me, an avid recreational cyclist, then my level of respect would be much higher for him. That would turn the bike industry on it's head, since they could no longer sell people on the performance gains of high end bikes. If the average person knew that they could enjoy cycling on what they already own, instead of looking at cycling like a specialized equipment sport that requires endless upgrades, there would be more cyclists around the world and money would be trading hands hand over fist. After all, I'm just quoting Lance here. He was the one who wrote the book "It's not about the bike". Only somebody of his celebrity or infamy could pull it off, too.

Would you like to see Lance on one of these for a change?

Talking about Lance Armstrong is beating a dead horse to many people. I wanted to write this article because even though Lance isn't around racing his bicycle anymore, the damage he did to the sport still remains. On the local and national level, many riders are still juicing up to win races. Strava obsessed cyclists clip pedestrians on multi-use paths. I'm sure even though it hasn't been discovered yet, new methods of doping have already made their way into the professional ranks. I don't believe for a minute that a certain recent grand tour in Spain was raced cleanly, without drugs or sabotage. Lance can show redemption by condemning his own past actions as well as not letting anyone else get away with what he did, whether it be on a local, national or international field. Who better than Lance to point out the cheaters?

The truth is we don't owe Lance anything and neither does he. He will go down as the biggest loser of the 21st century. His public life has gone to tatters, and there is little he is willing to do about it. His example serves as a warning of the consequences of big headedness, arrogance and dishonesty.

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Lance Armstrong-Final Thoughts

I'm going to make this a short and sweet article of the conclusions I have made of this whole business with Lance Armstrong. First of all, my previous articles may have had a hint of support for the humbled and dethroned athlete. For the record, I would like to change my view about Lance Armstrong. It has taken me a long time to finally withdraw all sympathy and pity I once felt for him. His most recent appearances make it clear that he is guilty without doubt of using drugs and rigging the system to come out on top. When it was revealed that he used cortisone steroids as well as EPO and blood transfusions, that was the final deal breaker in my support for Lance. Lance Armstrong is a grown man that will have to face the consequences of his own actions, even if those consequences may haunt him forever. As far as his victims go, the real victims are the ones who bought into the lies of competitive cycling, throwing away their resources and relationships just so they could compete with the top of the line equipment and use drugs to game the system as well. I am not talking about the professional peloton which includes some of Lance's former teammates and opponents.  They were part of the game and to me are as guilty as Lance himself. I am talking about those who aspired to be like them.

Let this be a lesson to all of us that cycling is something we should do primarily for our health and our quality of life. If someone happens to be faster than most on a bike and they want to compete, there is nothing wrong with that either. But we should not look up to the example that these guys have given us. There needs to be a drastic change in the sport of cycling if it is to survive from here on out. A change in training, a change in expectations and a change in the way cyclists see and treat each other. Bike snobbery has to end, period. Category 1 riders need to not compete in category 5 races. There needs to be a path to success in the sport that is attainable to anyone. Prize pots and entrance fees probably need to disappear altogether for amateur cycling. Scouting for semi pro or paid teams need to start at the beginner level. There needs to be more developmental programs for people wanting to get into the sport but who are not rich. And finally, bike jerks need to be put in their place. Roadies need to quit running stop signs and running over pedestrians just because they do not want to be slowed down. I was riding at White Rock Lake today, when a group of roadies nearly ran over a little girl on a skateboard. That was not cool. This really ruins any good efforts that the cycling community makes to have provisions granted to them, like bike lanes and trails.

What would be drug free racing field look like? It's going to be slower, at least by three miles an hour. There will be more breakaway artists and all rounders in cycling once training changes to consolidate sprinters with climbers and time trialists. The notion that someone can't climb because they don't weigh 90 pounds is absurd. Steel bikes might start popping up in amateur races again once races stop giving prize money. It will be a sport about having fun, unlike the way other professional sports have also failed in this regard.

On another note, I did probably make this group of roadies, which was led by a time trial bike, chase me on my 1970's Peugeot road bike when I blasted by them like they were standing still. That is still no reason to have nearly run over a little girl trying to catch up to me. Their mothers would be ashamed.

CONFESSION:

Photo originally owned  by Livestrong. For illustration purposes only.

Lance Armstrong Confesses to Cheating.

Without adding to much color to the situation, I wanted to write an article about the days events, when an anonymous source heard Lance Armstrong confess that he used performance enhancing supplements to Oprah Winfrey. What does a confession mean for the retired 7 time Tour De France champion? Is this confession genuine or the result of legal compromise and breaking a man down?

It's safe to say that with 25 eye witnesses willing to testify against him in a grand jury, this confession, whether sincere or not (only Lance knows if he truly cheated) would have come sooner or later. Hopefully, it comes at a time when he has arranged a plea deal not to be thrown in prison for perjury. As a married man with kids to look after, I would really feel for Lance if he had to go to prison. Along with the confession there will be a slew of lawsuits coming his way from different media companies and some who may have donated to his charitable organization. Lance has sued media companies in the past for libel on his accusations of doping, and some of these companies will be eager to place counter lawsuits in retaliation. I hope his charitable organization is protected to the fullest extent of the law from any prosecution, whether public violations or private lawsuits.

Lance Armstrong will have to pay the millions he earned from the tours that he won. On top of that, he will have to pay millions more in possible lawsuits. What would I have done if I were Lance Armstrong? I would have left the country two and a half years ago, as soon as I was acquitted of the first trial and set up a Swiss bank account and declared bankruptcy in the U.S. I would have stuck a fork in my cycling career and just be happy to be a middle aged man raising my kids, teaching them some foreign language. I would have eventually become a citizen of that country so as to make extradition for a second trial virtually impossible. Of course, Lance did none of that. He decided to stick around, and I admire his courage for that. That may have also become his downfall.

Readers of my blog know that I follow Lance and I am one of his biggest fans. Will I lose any sleep over this? No. Has doping tarnished my impression of Lance? Absolutely not. Is he still one of the greatest, if not the greatest athlete of all time? To the dismay of the USADA and all the other haters, absolutely yes. His name will be remembered alongside Coppi, Merckx, Hinault, Fignon, and yes, even Lemond. Some might say that is stubborn thinking. But I am more disillusioned in the way Lance was prosecuted to reach such a final outcome. I found the scare tactics used disgusting. I am also disillusioned at the world of competitive cycling. It was never my scene to begin with, but as a fairly faster than average cyclist in my peak of fitness (18-19mph average speed  with a 32mph sprint, on an aluminum bike)  I thought I had a chance of at least shaking up the local race classifications where I live. Knowing that even on the local level guys are probably using steroids or some other stimulant, just so they can win $200 or a T-shirt in a category 5 race, shows me how egotistical and elitist the world of competitive cycling has become. Not to mention that competitive cycling, even at an amateur level, can be a money trap of constantly upgrading your race bike. There has even been a new market that was propped up all thanks to Lance Armstrong. The high end bicycle and "sports nutrition" industries in the U.S have flourished thanks to the hopes that Lance Armstrong gave. As he goes down, he takes all these people down with him. But not cycling. The progress that the U.S has made in only the last few years to give commuting cyclists a place on the road is noticeable and should be respected. These cyclists are not Lance Armstrong. They are our new generation of cyclists. People that have left the idea behind them that go can't go anywhere without a car. These people are fathers, sons, husbands and wives. These people deserve equal treatment on the roads as well as their lives respected. 

If Lance somehow escapes the dark cloud of persecution that is about to overtake him, I hope Lance devotes his free time to more strongly advocating commuting by bicycle. He needs to put on a Waltz cap, grow out his beard, ride a bike in jeans and wear a beer bottle opener on his belt buckle. He needs to come down to our level. Ditch the carbon, the Lycra, and the $10,000 bike. Just ride a little, laugh a little, have fun, and stand up for the real cyclists who are actually trying to make a difference. My heart goes out to Lance, he is still my hero, and he can still be a hero to everyone else.

A Visit to Mellow Johnny's

 Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop

Austin, Texas

It's no secret that I am a big fan of Lance Armstrong. I had an opportunity to drop by his bike shop yesterday while passing through Austin. This bike shop is more than just a bike shop; it's a monument to cycling. In fact, it should probably be considered one of the seven cycling wonders of the world, if there was such a thing. 

Bike shop, museum, cafe and training center, what doesn't this bike shop have? Along the walls and ceilings of the shop you can see bikes that were used in the Tour De France as well as pictures of the man himself, Lance Armstrong. There are also many vintage wonders that will have you geeking out as you walk around this bike shop. Here's a couple of pictures I took while on my visit.

Lance is everywhere you look around this bike shop.

A new old-school creation. This style is starting to have a huge following.

A 1970's concept that featured wooden wheels. Crazy huh?

Something cool to send vintage bike collectors into sensory overload

 I saw bikes in this shop that I haven't even heard of yet. Some of the cool urban style utilitarian bikes that I saw were made by CVLN and Public Bicycles. They also had a broad selection of many high end bicycle manufacturers, such as Santa Cruz and of course, Trek.

In conclusion I believe every fan of cycling should make the pilgrimage out to Austin and pay a visit of Mellow Johnny's. My visit only consisted of a few minutes, but I will definitely have to come back to Austin and see what this city is about. On a Sunday afternoon I saw more cyclists on the roads in Austin than in any other bike friendly destination I have been to date. There is something about Austin that is really worth coming back to.Stay tuned as I explore more destinations for the bicycle enthusiast.

The Tour de France- Who will Win?

There are many possibilites, but is there a clear favorite to win the race?

In the past there have been athletes who have dominated the world's toughest bike race. The very mention of this race conjures up images of a Armstrong/ Marco Patani duel up Mont Vonteux, a relentless and feared Eddy Merckxx tearing a 6 minute gap on the peloton, a beast of an Alberto Contador attacking on the mountains. With Lance Armstrong retired and Alberto Contador suspended, it's anyone's game this year at the 2012 Tour de France. 

This year there isn't a dominant rider in the peloton. There are many good riders, skilled in different disciplines of the sport. The victor will be determined on how the terrain matches up to the rider, as well as avoiding the common injuries which often befall the best of them. Taking these factors into consideration, who still stands out?

Let's recap on the successes of a few good riders based on their performance this year. The first day classic of the year, Strade Bianche, was dominated by Fabian Cancellara. Nicknamed "Spartacus", he held a gap for the last 10 kilometers of a ride which went through Italy's wine country in the state of Chianti. 

Michael Albasini made his day view for the newly formed team, Orica-Green Edge, When he took the Volta A Catalunya on the first stage of the race, putting a  gap of 1'30" ahead of the chase group. The gap was so devastating that for the next 6 stages no one could catch up to Albasini. 

The Green Edge team has also seen the rise of another challenger in Simon Gerrans. Gerrans overtook Cancellara in the last few meters of Milan-San Remo in what looked like a no-contest victory for Cancellara. 

This year has also seen the likes of, um, opportunistic showoffs. Good riders, well deserving of their victories, but still showoffs. One such showoff is Peter Sagan for Liquidgas Cannondale. He took the victory on stage one of the Tour De France against Fabian Cancellara by sucking on Cancellara's wheel and passing him a few feet from the finish line. This isn't the first time Sagan uses this tactic. Winning a stage in the same fashion in Terreno Adriatico, he let an Astana rider ahead of his teammate and team leader Vincenzo Nibali. He then rode a bicycle wheelie at the end of the stage. Obviously, he still hasn't learned his lesson.

"Look at my pretty muscles ladies!" Courtesy of the Gaurdian.uk

 In the 2012 showoff hall of fame we can also include Roberto Ferrari, who side swiped Mark Cavendish and Taylor Phinney hard at the Giro D' Italia. Sorry Roberto, but I'll never let you live that one down.

The 2012  tour also brings seasoned veterans to the table. Thomas Voeckler of team Europcar held the yellow jersey for  a few stages last year and impressed us with his bunny hop off a 4 foot ledge when he was run of the road. Cadel Evans is a seasoned pro who took the victory for the first time in the 2011 season. Fabian Cancellara is a time trialist's nightmare if you're not on his team. He is known to take minutes off the clock on other riders. Spartacus is known for hacking the legs off his opponents and using them as toothpicks! So rider beware (and no, I just can't shut up about it either). 

Then there is the British invasion. Mark Cavendish is expected to win a few sprint stage victories, but is not a favorite for the overall. Bradley Wiggins, who will compete in this year's Olympics, is expected to impress the fans and maybe even hold the jersey for a few stages. It has been hard to read Wiggins this year just from a spectator's point of view, so there is much that remains to be seen about his performance. Will he get the overall victory? There is a lot he needs to prove on the field. We'll see.

Who would I like to see shine this year? Yohann Gene, the first Afro-Caribbean rider of the tour. It would be nice for him to get off his domestique role and blast one to the finish line. There needs to be another Major Taylor in the world of cycling, and I think Yohann can make it happen. Johnny Hoogerland is another one I sympathize with. He almost always attacks late the the race and gets hit into barb wire fences. It's just fun to see him ride, I expect nothing more from Johnny.

This has been my assessment of this year's Tour De France. Check out the Tour and feel free to comment your insights.