Axel!

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Yup. He deserves some kind of bonus for domestique services above and
beyond the call of duty.

Mark

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

Axel's been great; too bad even in a Eurosport article they have to
mention Eddy.
"We worked hard, the whole team did an excellent job," said Merckx, son
of Tour legend Eddy Merckx.
I'm the biggest Eddy fan in the world- but it seems they can't resist.

http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto928750.shtml

busterbaron said:

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't
quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort
that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the
rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some
great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

Axel's been great; too bad even in a Eurosport article they have to
mention Eddy.
"We worked hard, the whole team did an excellent job," said Merckx, son
of Tour legend Eddy Merckx.
I'm the biggest Eddy fan in the world- but it seems they can't resist.

http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto928750.shtml

Hope dad's proud of him.

~bob

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

I think Rasmussen's bridge up to the flailing Menchov on Alpe d'Huez
was nothing short of heroic. He had to go a long way across, and then
pulled Menchov up to within shouting distance of the lead group (can
you shout across a 1:10 gap on a mountain finish?). He gets my vote
for domestique of the Tour. Of course, he got his reward today...

yeahyeah said:

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

I think Rasmussen's bridge up to the flailing Menchov on Alpe d'Huez
was nothing short of heroic. He had to go a long way across, and then
pulled Menchov up to within shouting distance of the lead group (can
you shout across a 1:10 gap on a mountain finish?). He gets my vote
for domestique of the Tour. Of course, he got his reward today...

Dig it. That was another great ride in support.

Ron

"RonSonic" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't quite
carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort that
got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the rest
of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some
great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

I went over to a friend's house and watched the stage as he recorded it.
After being in the break all day Axel pulled Floyd up l'Alpe like he was
fresh! I heard that Eddy had said that Axel tested out with more power than
he did in his hayday. There may be something to that.

Eddy often won because he scared everyone else out of the race. Axel races
in a time when racers are a hell of a lot harder to scare.

bob sullivan said:

busterbaron said:

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't
quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort
that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the
rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing
some great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

Axel's been great; too bad even in a Eurosport article they have to
mention Eddy.
"We worked hard, the whole team did an excellent job," said Merckx,
son of Tour legend Eddy Merckx.
I'm the biggest Eddy fan in the world- but it seems they can't resist.

http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto928750.shtml

Hope dad's proud of him.

~bob

i get the impression he is.. let's face it even eddy doesn't expect axel
to be like him.

BTW, did anyone see the shot of eddy in the team car? He's looking great
these days.

in 515172 20060720 012557 bob sullivan said:

busterbaron said:

RonSonic said:

Axel Merckx has been extraordinary in helping Floyd along. He can't
quite carry
him, but that isn't his fault. The guy's making the kinds of effort
that got
Landis noticed a few years ago. Maybe he stands out more because the
rest of the
team has been missing in action, but major props to Axel on doing some
great
work in what appears to be a failed but worthy effort.

Ron

Axel's been great; too bad even in a Eurosport article they have to
mention Eddy.
"We worked hard, the whole team did an excellent job," said Merckx, son
of Tour legend Eddy Merckx.
I'm the biggest Eddy fan in the world- but it seems they can't resist.

http://eurosport.com/cycling/tour-de-france/2006/sport_sto928750.shtml

Hope dad's proud of him.

~bob

Eddy has said many times how proud he is of Axel - who wouldn't be?

in 515173 20060720 013527 'yeahyeah said:

I think Rasmussen's bridge up to the flailing Menchov on Alpe d'Huez
was nothing short of heroic. He had to go a long way across, and then
pulled Menchov up to within shouting distance of the lead group (can
you shout across a 1:10 gap on a mountain finish?). He gets my vote
for domestique of the Tour. Of course, he got his reward today...

Some of the TdF's greatest heroes have never appeared on a podium.