De: "Christoph Sch?fer" <[email hidden]>
Objet: Re: Lance Resentment
Date: vendredi 23 juillet 2004 12:14
Hi Paul.
Before answering your question about "the" attitudes about Lance
Armstrong in Germany I want to say that I am still shocked about how
German Fans treated him up the way to L´Alpe d´Huez. It was
disgusting.
There is no reason for such behaviour and all fans of the tour de
france will agree to me in that point.
But what seems to be a mainstream opinion about Lance Armstrong in
Germany and France is that he brakes the unwritten ethical rules of
the tour de france. The greatest sportsmen in bike racing (like
Indurain, Hinault, ...) always tried to win without humbling the
losers. People here love this art of sharing victories. One of these
unwritten rules is that you don´t go for winning an etappe if you are
the leader of the classement. Another one is that when you elope with
a group and will become the first in the classement because of the
time between the group an the second in the classement you let someone
of the group win the etappe. And still another unwritten rule is that
if you don´t do any work in a group you don´t go for the final sprint.
Lance Armstrong doesn´t care for these rules. In this year´s tour and
in the five ones before he broke every of this rule. In Germany and
France his name stands for the end of the ethical aspects in bike
racing.
The people who love the tour de france not because of someone winning
it very strong, but winning it like a great sportsman don´t like the
"every second counts"-tactic of Lance Armstrong. From their point of
view - and his statements underline that - someone who let´s another
one win looks simply foolish now. The yesterday´s Armstrong statement
in the press conference after his victory in Le Grand Bornand is a
good example for that: "When I stood on the podium I thought: Perfect.
No gifts this year." When he stood at the podium the fans where booing
at him because he won the etappe with the yellow shirt on and over 4
minutes distance to the second in the classement. They were booing at
him also when he let the CSC-team do the work in the pyrenees -
himself not driving one time in the wind - and winning this etappe
also. And they bood at him when he told his team to make higher speed
when Iban Mayo had a downfall in the first week of the tour (Mayo was
suspected to be an opponent in the classement).
There is no resentment against him because the people are envious
about his strength or him being an American who wins a european
competition. It´s just the way he wins. His image here is that of a
coldblooded guy who makes jokes about rules the people love on that
special bike race.
Christoph
Your "sportsman" Hinault (ask Lemond how much a sportsman 'the badger" was)
praised Lance for going for the stage win.
USP accelerated BEFORE Mayo fell, to avoid getting in any crash at the
entry to the pavé. Mayo and EE weren't good enough to stay at the front to
avoid the trouble. And after that T-Mobile and Phonak were setting the pace
along with Postal.
Have you forgotten the reaction of Pantani and all of Italy when Armstrong
didn't contest the stage victory at Ventoux? If he lets the other person win
he's criticized for being patronizing and not respecting the other rider. If
he tries for the stage win (and gets it) he's criticized for being ruthless
and not acting like a champion.
French were booing at Armstrong even in 1999. I was there when he crossed
the finish line on the Champs. His "image" in France is one perpetuated by
L'Equipe, Le Monde, Liberation, ...
But it's easier to rationalize disappointment by HOW he wins, than the fact
THAT he wins.