Le Tour....

[brownie]

Interesting shot you dug up, Berigan!

Lance Armstrong has been taunted and even spit upon during this year's Tour. At least he was not physically attacked as happened to Belgium,'s Eddy Merckx - now we're talking about cycling's greatest all-around champion - during the 1975 Tour.

Merckx was leading the Tour de France in 1975 and aiming for a sixth victory when he was hit in the chest by an irate spectator during the 14th stage. The knock was so hard that Merckx suffered from the blow for the rest of the Tour and could only finish sixth in the overall standings. The spectator was upset because he thought Merckx - who had been dubbed 'The Cannibal' by his opponents because he won most of his races - was too often the winner!

[rockefeller center]

Arte had a good documentary on Ocana/Merckx some weeks ago. Did anyone of you record it?

[brownie]

I did not record it. Just watched it earlier this week and found it fascinating. What a great pair of enemy/friends these two were! Thought Ocana's widow impressions were froma great lady!

[ghost of miles]

Looks like they're gonna have to drive a stake through Lance's heart to finally finish him off...

[couw]

Looks like they're gonna have to drive a stake through Lance's heart to finally finish him off...

either that or remove the chip.

-_-

[Hardbopjazz]

Lance has won again. He says he'l be back again to go for number 7.

[brownie]

One very interesting - and very telling - episode of what the cycling world and the Tour de France are turning into under Lance Armstrong's reign occured in the 18th stage of the Tour from Annemasse to Lons-Le-Saunier Friday when Italian rider Fillipo Simeoni who was absolutely no threat to Armstrong rode away from the pack to join an escape group.

Armstrong followed him shortly later and the two caught up with the lead group.

Then Armstrong talked to Simeoni and the two of them eased up and let the general pack caught up with them.

When they were back in the pack, other riders asked Armstrong why he had taken the trouble to catch up with a not dangerous opponent, Armstrong seemed to give explanations and then made a zipping gesture over his lips.

The unofficial explanation is that Simeoni, an Italian with the Domina Vacanze squad, has testified against the very controversial sports doctor Michele Ferrari, with whom Armstrong has ties. Ferrari faces allegations of providing performance enhancers to riders.

A photographer on the Tour who was following the pack from the back of a motorcyle watched the scene and told me that after the discussion, other riders spat upon Simeoni.

Shades of the Godfather!

[David Ayers]

After Simeoni testified against Ferrari for showing him how to use EPO, Armstrong called him a liar, and Simeoni on the advice of his lawyers sued Armstrong for defamation (remember, Simeoni had said nothing about Armstrong, who had chosen to leap to Ferrari's defence in order indirectly to defend himself - Armstrong had also consulted Ferrari). After the talking to he gave Simeoni, Armstrong returned to the peloton and made a zip motion across his lips. After the race, he is quoted as saying he had been 'protecting the interest of the peloton' by chasing Simeoni. Simeoni said that even if 90% of the peloton were against him he felt supported by 10%.

Omertà?

It's not attractive.

[Soulstation1]

i heard shaq is gonna compete in the "tour de shaq" next year

[rockefeller center]

Is there ANY-- & I mean even ONE-- professional American athlete who has spoken their true feelings on the record?

Martina Navratilova.