C
Carl Sundquist
Guest
"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>
>>> I gotta tell you Erin that there were guys out there that worked a lot
>>> harder than you did and just didn't have the genetic tools to begin
>>> with.
>>
>> Tom,
>>
>> I know this specific statement was not the overall point you were trying
>> to make, but there were probably few, very very few people who have
>> worked harder in cycling than Erin did in the peak 5 or 6 years of his
>> career.
>
> Well, maybe that didn't come out right. But there WERE a lot of people
> that worked hard, no doubt much harder than Erin, but just didn't have the
> tools to come anywhere near Erin or Marty and their like. You just never
> see them because like Fast Freddy, they never go anywhere.
>
Trying to claim a title of the Hardest Working Cyclist is about like trying
to prove a negative. I saw Erin rise from a raw talent as a junior and as an
ignorant, undisciplined first year senior. He had the good fortune of being
guided (sometimes roughly, but guided nonetheless) by people like Roger
Young, Roger's father Clair, Dan Vogt, and Curt Harnett. They helped Erin
develop as a person and an adult as much as a cyclist. Erin became the Fed's
kilo rider, but there wasn't a kilo coach to help Erin specialize. Not only
did Erin put in more physical work than anyone else, he had to become self
coached. The Feds were there as support, but Erin had to figure out things
for himself for much of his career. While other riders had coaches and
sports scientists to make their plans, Erin read the books himself to
develop his own plans. Erin dedicated every aspect of his life to becoming a
faster rider for the better part of a decade.
Erin is an intense individual whose emotions get the best of him on a number
of occasions, but you always knew where he was coming from: he was trying
his damnedest to be the best kilo rider in the world, and if you were in his
way or weren't in his camp you could possibly find yourself on the receiving
end of a verbal lashing. Erin at times could be either inspirational or a
jerk.
Once Erin found his primary goal in cycling, he focused on the kilo to a
degree I have not seen surpassed by anyone. I did not spend much time at all
around Lance, but everything I know indicates to me that they are similarly
intense, passionate, and driven to their particular objectives. It's just
that Erin chose an event that is not a glamourous one and his efforts were
rewarded with but a minute fraction of what Lance or Nothstein have earned
financially. I believe Erin did as much with his talents as he possibly
could and should be considered a 'failure' for never winning a gold medal
about as much as Shane Kelly (Aussie three time world kilo champ) would be
for never winning Olympic gold, which is to say not at all.
>>>
>>> I gotta tell you Erin that there were guys out there that worked a lot
>>> harder than you did and just didn't have the genetic tools to begin
>>> with.
>>
>> Tom,
>>
>> I know this specific statement was not the overall point you were trying
>> to make, but there were probably few, very very few people who have
>> worked harder in cycling than Erin did in the peak 5 or 6 years of his
>> career.
>
> Well, maybe that didn't come out right. But there WERE a lot of people
> that worked hard, no doubt much harder than Erin, but just didn't have the
> tools to come anywhere near Erin or Marty and their like. You just never
> see them because like Fast Freddy, they never go anywhere.
>
Trying to claim a title of the Hardest Working Cyclist is about like trying
to prove a negative. I saw Erin rise from a raw talent as a junior and as an
ignorant, undisciplined first year senior. He had the good fortune of being
guided (sometimes roughly, but guided nonetheless) by people like Roger
Young, Roger's father Clair, Dan Vogt, and Curt Harnett. They helped Erin
develop as a person and an adult as much as a cyclist. Erin became the Fed's
kilo rider, but there wasn't a kilo coach to help Erin specialize. Not only
did Erin put in more physical work than anyone else, he had to become self
coached. The Feds were there as support, but Erin had to figure out things
for himself for much of his career. While other riders had coaches and
sports scientists to make their plans, Erin read the books himself to
develop his own plans. Erin dedicated every aspect of his life to becoming a
faster rider for the better part of a decade.
Erin is an intense individual whose emotions get the best of him on a number
of occasions, but you always knew where he was coming from: he was trying
his damnedest to be the best kilo rider in the world, and if you were in his
way or weren't in his camp you could possibly find yourself on the receiving
end of a verbal lashing. Erin at times could be either inspirational or a
jerk.
Once Erin found his primary goal in cycling, he focused on the kilo to a
degree I have not seen surpassed by anyone. I did not spend much time at all
around Lance, but everything I know indicates to me that they are similarly
intense, passionate, and driven to their particular objectives. It's just
that Erin chose an event that is not a glamourous one and his efforts were
rewarded with but a minute fraction of what Lance or Nothstein have earned
financially. I believe Erin did as much with his talents as he possibly
could and should be considered a 'failure' for never winning a gold medal
about as much as Shane Kelly (Aussie three time world kilo champ) would be
for never winning Olympic gold, which is to say not at all.