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Comments - Fleche-Wallone, Ridley, Versus, and Peace, Love, and Understanding

April 28, 2009

Your final words for Tyler receives my commendation. I can't even recall the amount of times I've ridden myself into complete jittery stupor, simply to not have to feel anything other than physical pain, instead of depression. I've gone on 8+ hour rides in rain and sleet just to achieve total emotional and mental numbness. I've raced at the front of the peleton just to make sure there was enough physical exertion to keep personal emotions at bay. If I was just able to tire myself out to the point of near collapse, I wouldn't have to suffer my overbearing mental anguish that used to be more or less constantly present. Anybody who've been there fully understand what Tyler is going through, and why his statement regarding not caring about repercussions rings painfully true. I don't condone any of his performance enhancing behavior, but I understand why. In the hope that glory will replace inner turmoil, a spot of cheating is cheap compared to the alternative of life long emotional chaos. I truly feel sorry for his personal suffering, because I know how awful the pain is.
- AM, Europe

April 27, 2009

Yeah, hope Tyler pulls it together. Probably shoud be on the suicide watch. Seems like it all became noticeable when his dog Tugboat died - then the divorce - the positive test (dumbass - he didn't need to cheat then) and never seemed to be able to keep the rubber side down. Bike handling was never his forte. Clinical depression is a bitch and no one can talk you out of it. Hope he's getting some help. You know, the Freds wearing the high black socks would look pretty stupid no matter what they are wearing. Legends in their own minds? But I guess that is not politically correct to say. Pretty hard to know what kind of foot apparel LA is wearing as he flashes by. But in the end it all doesn't matter much does it? I would really like to see LA and Levi kick ass in the Giro.
- Steve , Tucson

April 27, 2009

Keep up the jokes on Garmin. They are funny!
- Luke , Chicago

April 27, 2009

In Tyler's post-Olympic gold era, I think he provided a lot of people with a "wtf is an Olympic-gold medalist doing at this race??" moment. Mine was the day after the NRC Austin crit last summer when we raced around a parking lot in a local mental hospital (excuse the irony). He made the breakaway but yard-saled it halfway through the race. After taking a few free laps he was too skittish to hold the wheel and spent the remainder of the race yo-yo'ing back and forth through the rotation. It would have been a pitiful display from a rider of any level, let alone a 15-year veteran of the sport. He contested the finish but finished dead last behind a pair of local amateurs and a conti. pro. I raised an eyebrow when 7 wks later he was sprinting home to a national road race title.
- Phil, Austin

April 27, 2009

I enjoy your site and articles but why the hate-on for Garmin-Slipstream? It's been like this for a while and other than very vague innuendo I've seen no reason. Inquiring minds want to know...
- Paul, Dallas

April 26, 2009

Yes LA can text, fart and ride at the same time. Yet all the idiots that think Twitter is a modern forum for Proustian insight are well on their way for a Darwin award if they seek to emulate their insightful hero.
- peter, sydney

April 26, 2009

I'm sure if Nietzsche was around one of his famous quotes would look a little like this "God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves? Yes we shall have festivals of atonement where superhuman men battle around that nation of bakers, sometimes clockwise sometimes anticlockwise. They shall become our new gods simply to assuage our decrepit self worth, for we love our nation more than any spectacle. In their moments of misspeaking we shall believe them, especially when they banish a heathen from the evil empire and bring home gold."
- peter, sydney

April 24, 2009

I'm a New England resident, so I have always had a take on TH different that the majority of the cycling world. We're all humans as you point out, and cycling really is just a game. He didn't kill innocent children or anything. He got caught, and for months and months I did not want to believe it, I just plain stopped listening after awhile. We should not pretend like he was the big bad wolf or the only one. Just look at the past few years and remind yourself. I feel for the guy. Depression sucks. He's been through hell. Anyone of the problems he has had if you would tax any human. Divorce, job loss, court battles. Take the cycling context out of it, and people are coping with that every day, it's hard, throw all of it into a bowl and mix it up all at once, and you've got yourself a nasty mess. I like the guy, I hope he gets better. As for the Versus network, here is my take. I have a hard enough time as it is coughing up $65 a month for cable, but if I can watch my cycling with that $65 included and not have to pay extra for something like Cylingtv, then I'll deal with the at times lame commentary. I'm astute enough and have been involved in the "game" long enough to see what is going on and kind of block out the blah blah blah from the commentators. Huge fan of cyclingfans.com though. I don't care if what I am watching is in Flemish, German, Spanish or French, I can see the whole thing for free.
- Pete, Concord, NH

April 23, 2009

As usual, you pull no punches, but the high and humane road with Tyler is much appreciated. We are, after all, human.
- Steve, Austin, TX.

April 23, 2009

Regarding the whole cell phone use while riding, do you remember the good old days when we would attack the minute someone answered their phone? Good times... Props on the Tyler insight - he may have been a cheat, but he seems like a nice enough guy and his foundation has done some great things. I too hope he finds his happy place.
- Cru Doggy Dogg, Jonesboro, AR

April 23, 2009

Wow. Very good write up on Tyler. Seriously, you should pat yourself on the back for that one and there are some bike, or velo, news sites who could learn a thing or two. Well done. If I knew the ups and downs that guy has had, I wouldn't be so happy myself. I hope he finds peace.
- tom, DC

April 23, 2009

Beautiful sendoff to Hamilton. Well done.
- Matt, Palatine IL

April 23, 2009

Thank you for the kind words on Hamilton- I feel for the man. While we may all be struggling, depression can be really hard and sometime seem hopeless. And to admit the darkest of secrets in a public forum really makes my heart go out for the man. I wanted him dead after the first time, but the 2nd time around I just want him to move on and find happiness again. He needs compassion from those who knew him as a racer.
- Freedom Fries, NYC

April 23, 2009

Why so much disdain for second tier races like tour of Turkey? It's the same status as Tour of Georgia/Missouri. Just no American marketing muscle behind it. These are the races that people actually get to see. The people who live in those areas l look forward to the races every year, it's a big bump for local economies. Not quite as glamorous as Paris-Nice, not as fun to watch on TV as the Tour, but that it's the only kind of pro race most casual fans will ever see in person. The more races like these that exist, the better off the bike world will be. As for Bos? He's a bum. Minimum 1 year suspension. Nobody should cry if it's life. Looked pretty malicious. If not, and grabbing another racer's jersey is a natural reaction, that is the wrong reaction and he needs to find another line of work.
- joe, portland

April 23, 2009

"Why does Versus feel such a strong urge to create "personalities" in our sport when they only show cycling for 1 hour a week? " Simple: They figure the hardcore fans will either tune in no matter what or will ditch them altogether for some other way to satisfy their racing jones (e.g., cycling.tv). That leaves them with trying to appeal to the PBR, NHL and bass fishing crowd as the only way to try and increase viewership. Hence the focus on "personalities" rather than tactics, race history, etc. It's the same crap ABC, NBC, CBS, etc. pull whenever they show their one hour Ironman broadcasts. From their perspective I guess it makes sense but, as you say, you wind up with a lousy product. I say Bravo (no, not the network) to cycling.tv and other outlets that focus on racing and cater to real cycling fans. It's nice to have choices.
- PawleeWalnutz, NYC

April 23, 2009

I thought they were short leg warmers worn from the bottom up......guess I was wrong....
- Abe, Springfield

April 23, 2009

This is the first comment i've read about Hamilton that has made any sense. Thank you. Hope he finds peace, and some sanity in his life. Not trying to make excuses for him, but it makes me think about the stories I've heard of people who leave institutions like the Mormon Church. Once they leave, they are shunned by the community that they invested their entire lives in, and their lives are wrecked. Similiarly, Hamilton will now be seen as a scumbag among cyslists, and has in essence lost the community (or whatever you want to call it) that he devoted his entire life to. Not that I'm too concerned with his financial future (god knows mine keeps me plenty busy) but what will he do for a living? The thought of him selling cars or insurance, as many ex NFL players do is so sad. If any of you run into him at some event, whatever it may be, put aside the cycling fan in you and think of the fact that this is a human being whose life is completely wrecked at this point. yes, most of it is his own doing...but that doesn't change the brutal reality of what he's facing. Just sayin'.
- sleeper, Pittsburgh, PA

April 23, 2009

100-percent with you regarding TH. One look at before and after photos, and it's obvious that the last four years of ups and downs, suspension, divorce, ridicule, etc have taken a heavy toll (how much, only TH knows). To the haters, some perspective might be in order. This is sport, and while cheating _is_ anathema in that context, we're all humans outside the field of competition. Here's to a happy, healthy and productive post-peloton career.
- matthew, people's republic

April 23, 2009

What's worse than the shin-high socks? BLACK shin-high socks. Like on the D.B. who thought we were racing down Fort Roots yesterday...
- JustSomeGuy, Little Rock

April 23, 2009

On the tyler bit, I'd tend to agree. The first time around was huge, putting many big wins into question- all bigger than beating an 7-1 garmin sandwich in the break at uspro. Depression is a bitch, I've dealt with it and continue to fight it. What healthy people don't realize is that when things are at their lowest, you will do absolutely anything to try and haul yourself out of the hole. Your world darkens, your friends and family go to the periphery and everything feels out of sorts. Normal pleasures lose their luster and your world gets smaller and smaller. Rational thought goes out the window as the alure of a solution and a way out take you over. You will do whatever it takes. There are plenty of doctors who have been quoted in articles as saying the drug has zero performance enhancing benefits- tyler has been around the block, he would know what to take, and when to be "good". I guess the world just doesn't need more hate- so I hope the best for him.
- Jurgs, Portland, ME

April 23, 2009

I wish I could remember where I saw this, but I seem to recall hearing the real story behind the shin-high socks in an interview with a USPS rider (again, I can't recall who): The socks were provided in 1-size-fits-most, which was too big for LA. So to keep them from bunching around his toes he just pulled them up higher on his calf. Funny how a sponsor SNAFU can spawn a fashion trend. Now only if I had $1 for every LA wannabe jerking his socks nearly to his knees...
- AH, Indy