Boonen Wins in Doha

First attempt of the year. The curse is under control.

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 108km in 2.26.24 (44.26kph)
2 Robert Hunter (SA) Phonak
3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
4 Leon van Bon (Hol) Davitamon-Lotto
5 Kenny van Hummel (Hol) Skil-Shimano
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
7 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
9 Guido Trenti (USA) Quick Step
10 Tiziano Dall’Antonia (Ita) Panaria

Well, I don't know about "under control" - the race was only 108k long.
Not much potential for disaster there. Plus, Oscar Freire tore it up at
Mallorca and Tirreno-Adriatico last year, before bone cysts took him
out of contention for another title. The curse may live on yet...

-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com

Well, I don't know about "under control" - the race was only 108k long.
Not much potential for disaster there. Plus, Oscar Freire tore it up at
Mallorca and Tirreno-Adriatico last year, before bone cysts took him
out of contention for another title. The curse may live on yet...

-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com

Geraard Spergen said:

First attempt of the year. The curse is under control.

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 108km in 2.26.24 (44.26kph)
2 Robert Hunter (SA) Phonak
3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
4 Leon van Bon (Hol) Davitamon-Lotto
5 Kenny van Hummel (Hol) Skil-Shimano
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
7 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
9 Guido Trenti (USA) Quick Step
10 Tiziano Dall’Antonia (Ita) Panaria

It's too early to talk about a no-hitter.... at least wait until the
spring classics.

Geraard Spergen said:

First attempt of the year. The curse is under control.

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 108km in 2.26.24 (44.26kph)
2 Robert Hunter (SA) Phonak
3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
4 Leon van Bon (Hol) Davitamon-Lotto
5 Kenny van Hummel (Hol) Skil-Shimano
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
7 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
9 Guido Trenti (USA) Quick Step
10 Tiziano Dall’Antonia (Ita) Panaria

It's too early to talk about a no-hitter.... at least wait until the
spring classics.

What curse, dumbass? Armstrong, Museeuw, Merckx, LeMond...were all
former world champions who already proved that so-called 'myth' wrong.

Second, winning in Doha is quite meaningless. He may as well have raced
Qatar.

Start paying attention.

Thanks,

Magilla

Geraard Spergen said:

First attempt of the year. The curse is under control.

1 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 108km in 2.26.24 (44.26kph)
2 Robert Hunter (SA) Phonak
3 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
4 Leon van Bon (Hol) Davitamon-Lotto
5 Kenny van Hummel (Hol) Skil-Shimano
6 Gert Steegmans (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto
7 Robert Forster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8 Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank
9 Guido Trenti (USA) Quick Step
10 Tiziano Dall’Antonia (Ita) Panaria

"MagillaGorilla" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What curse, dumbass? Armstrong, Museeuw, Merckx, LeMond...were all former
world champions who already proved that so-called 'myth' wrong.

Second, winning in Doha is quite meaningless. He may as well have raced
Qatar.

Start paying attention.

Thanks,

Magilla

Will he be riding Basrah to Baghdad? That's a Pro Tour race, isn't it?

B. Lafferty said:

Will he be riding Basrah to Baghdad? That's a Pro Tour race, isn't it?

Singin' an old Soldier song, goes to the tune of 'Betsy from Pike'

............... and the best sight that I ever saw of Iraq,
Was from the stern of a TroopShip that weren't coming back.

--
Le Vent à Dos
Davey Crockett

"...so-called 'myth'..."

Poor choice of words, Magilla.

Anyway:

Armstrong - cancer
Museeuw - knee injury in 1998, drug convictions now
Merckx - broke leg in post-tour crit
LeMond - shotgun blast, mitochondrial myopathy

Honestly, I don't believe in the curse. As I point out <a
href="http://cyclocosm.com/2005/08/curse-of-rainbow-jersey-rant.html">here</a>,
there's plenty of evidence (if you're looking for it) that might
suggest a curse, but it's pretty easy to explain away. That having been
said, the curse has become a part of a cycling lore, and there's no
reason to call someone a "dumbass" just for mentioning it.

-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com

Yes, their is a good reason for calling someone a dumbass for believing
in that kind of nonsense. You could list similar negative things for
riders who didn't win worlds:

Ernie Lechuga: cancer
Pantani: severe leg injury and death
Fabio Casartelli: death
Dave Zabriskie: multiple car accidents; Tour crash

So your list is quite meaningless. And why was cancer a bad thing for
Lance? It didn't kill him and obviously didn't hurt his cycling any.

Are you one of those poeple who believes in the Bermuda Triangle?

Magilla

Quoted message said:

"...so-called 'myth'..."

Poor choice of words, Magilla.

Anyway:

Armstrong - cancer
Museeuw - knee injury in 1998, drug convictions now
Merckx - broke leg in post-tour crit
LeMond - shotgun blast, mitochondrial myopathy

Honestly, I don't believe in the curse. As I point out <a
href="http://cyclocosm.com/2005/08/curse-of-rainbow-jersey-rant.html">here</a>,
there's plenty of evidence (if you're looking for it) that might
suggest a curse, but it's pretty easy to explain away. That having been
said, the curse has become a part of a cycling lore, and there's no
reason to call someone a "dumbass" just for mentioning it.

-Cosmo
http://cyclocosm.com

Quoted message said:

That having been
said, the curse has become a part of a cycling lore, and there's no
reason to call someone a "dumbass" just for mentioning it.

True, although these "curses" are just a natural consequence of a biased sampling
of participants experiencing extraordinary luck and fitness.

Quoted message said:

So your list is quite meaningless.

Honestly, Magilla, you have the reading comprehension skills of an
eight-year-old. Why don't you try reading my last post again? You can
try clicking the link again, and maybe consider reading the entire rant
this time.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So your list is quite meaningless.

Honestly, Magilla, you have the reading comprehension skills of an
eight-year-old. Why don't you try reading my last post again? You can
try clicking the link again, and maybe consider reading the entire rant
this time.

I read your link, and I agree that the world championships has been
relegated to a second-rate race. Boonen is an overglorified sprinter
who will never match the style of Cipollini nor the coolness of Museuuw.

Magilla

MagillaGorilla said:

nor the coolness of Museuuw.

dumbass,

i agree, hair plugs are very cool.

email hidden said:

Well, I don't know about "under control" - the race was only 108k long.
Not much potential for disaster there. Plus, Oscar Freire tore it up at
Mallorca and Tirreno-Adriatico last year, before bone cysts took him
out of contention for another title. The curse may live on yet...

Freire was always cursed.

JT

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Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
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MagillaGorilla said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So your list is quite meaningless.

Honestly, Magilla, you have the reading comprehension skills of an
eight-year-old. Why don't you try reading my last post again? You can
try clicking the link again, and maybe consider reading the entire rant
this time.

I read your link, and I agree that the world championships has been
relegated to a second-rate race. Boonen is an overglorified sprinter
who will never match the style of Cipollini nor the coolness of Museuuw.

Magilla

Although this is obviously a troll and because it's been a while since
i've posted the last time, i'll have to react on this one. Boonen
overglorified because YOU think the WC is overrated? I agree the WC is
a one day race and the winner is not necessarily the best rider in the
world during that seaon. But you should check out the list of former
road word champions. There are no pancakes on it. And in last year's
case, the WC title really was awared to the best rider of the year.
Period.
Since when is "being like Cipollini" a reference in Cycling? Towards
the end of his career, the only thing that was left of Cipo was the
package. When things went well, the press was very thankful of having
Cipo, but when things didn't go as Cipo wanted, he was worse than an
elephant with tooth pain (throwing bidons e.g.).
Every rational person wil obviously note that Boonen isn't even near
Museeuw's league. He is still missing 2 RvV's, 2 PR's, 1 AGR, 1
Paris-Tours, 2 Zurich, 1HEW, 2 Het Volk, 2 Kuurne-B-Kuurne, 2 Dwars
door Vlaanderen, 2 Belgian titles and 5 days in yellow. Is that a
problem? No, because he is only 25 and has much more pure talent than
Museeuw. Is he better than Museeuw? At the comparable age of 25
definitely, at the end of his career, we'll see. Museeuw is No 4 in
the ranking of best classics specialist after (Merckx, De Vlaeminck and
Van Looy). Seems to Boonen still has a long way to go to come near but
has it all to enter the top-3).

Kenny
(Even though it wasn't only Doha, winning a bunch sprint by 2 lengths
is always a good sign)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There is one ground rule here in Belgium, you never compare Eddy Merckx
to any other rider. It's a disgrace when you even think about it. So
the last thing i should do is comparing Merckx to Museeus because it's
rediculous. I just made a list topped by Merckx because that is the
one and only truth. Even RDV and RVL don't come even close. And
Museeuw doesn't come close to them eather.

Guess what? In America, we make the rules. We don't obey them. You
keep talking about Eddy Merckx's presumed greatness but you fail to
acknowledge that he raced against total amateur competition by today's
standards. Merckx, if alive today, could never do even 20% of the
stuff he did back in the 1960's. The guy isn't my idol.

Like most people, you believe in an illusion because others have told
you to. merckx raced against a very thin, weak field of amateur riders
who had no modern training knowledge at all.

Amateur field?? Ocana, Merckx, Gimondi, Poulidor, Bahamontes,
Anquetil, Godefroot, De Vlaeminck, ... were amateurs? Well well. Even
the Merckx team mates where professionals. They were paid way more
than an average employee (especially in such a succesful team). You're
a professional when you can make a living of what you're doing. Making
millions of dollars doesn't make you more professional. But i guess
that's the American definition of the word. Seeing how Ullrich or VDB
wasted their talent, how they live outside cycling; how professional
are they? In a time when their entourage does everything for them and
have only 1 thing on their mind (in comparison to the 60's)? Well an
extreme and focussed athlete like LA must have been very confident
knowing how your one and only rival lives 11 months a year.

Quoted message said:

If you look at the records of male marathon runners, swimmers, etc. from
the 1950's and 60's, you will find their times beaten by women athletes
of today.

Merckx couldn't pull that solo breakaway nonsense in today's pro peloton.

You probably believe in God too.

Quoted message said:

Have you ever asked the question how LA would do at the Tour riding on
a steel 10kg bycicle, (which he uses for TT too, no aerodynamic
advantages), no possible use of EPO or any modern medical assistance,
no teammates who had a winter sleep until may, having 6-days, 5
classics, the Giro and the Dauphiné already in your legs?

Lance would kick the [censored] out of Eddy Merckx if they ever raced together
in their respective primes. If Eddy Merckx were alive today he would be
a domestique for Axel.

If, if, if how can you ever tell???

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Riders who win one-day races are primarily sprinters. Comparing them to
Grand Tour riders is crazy. It's like comparing a funny car to an Indy
car.

Where Tchmil, Fondriest, Bugno, Tafi, Ballerini, Argentin, Bartoli,
Bettini, PVP, Dekker sprinters?

Bettini was, the rest weren't. That list looks likes a who's who of
dopers. Argentin, Bugno...Fondriest...c'mon man. Those guys still send
Christmas cards to Schumi.

LOL Bettini a sprinter? Was that before or after he was Bartoli's
domestique? Sure, he has a strong finish and he's explosive but
placing Bettini on a sprinters list together with the fastest men of
the last decade (Cipo, Petacchi, Zabel, McEwen, Steels, Blijlevens,
Minali, ...) is quite laughable. I even saw Museeuw beating Bettini
when he was 35.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Let's see Boonen win a time trial in a Grand Tour.

Let's see Amstrong win a mass sprint. Oh, better, let's see Armstrong
win Paris-Roubaux. Oh no wait, he's retired and has never made it to
the finish. You're stupid if you think that GT riders are per
definition the best riders. Especially today when cycling is all about
specializing.
LA is the best climber and TT'er for 3 weeks, Boonen wins sprints,
260km classics the from february till october. Add those 2 together
and you have a new Merckx.

Lance beats guys by minutes. Boonen beats guys by 3 feet (assuming
there are no major climbs in the race, that is).

Boonen couldn't even win Univest for Christ's sake.

Lance, can't even win by 1 feet at the end of a flat stage; how weak is
that?

Don't forget you'll be watching Boonen entering the velodrome of >1
minute ahead of the rest on 9th April; and thats' a race without any
major climb.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

As for your characterization of Cip throwing bidons, you just took that
one example that everyone remembers in a race and are trying to make it
into his routine personality. The official deserved that bottle thrown
at him.

I don't think you really saw (it wasn't during the TDF!). But there is
more than throwing bottles, don't you remember a fight?

Quoted message said:

Magilla

Every guy in the world has gotten into a fight at some point in their
life - what's your point?

You're a true American.

Quoted message said:

You want me to think Cipo is [censored] because
he tossed a water bottle at someone?

Magilla

No but i've had it with this ignorant praising of Cipo, just because he
sometimes appears at start in a tutu. Dzjeezes, is that what they
call personality?? The guy has a great career no question about it,
but that's where it ends.

K.

Dans le message de news:[email hidden],
Kenny <[email hidden]> a réfléchi, et puis a déclaré :

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

There is one ground rule here in Belgium, you never compare Eddy
Merckx to any other rider. It's a disgrace when you even think
about it. So the last thing i should do is comparing Merckx to
Museeus because it's rediculous. I just made a list topped by
Merckx because that is the one and only truth. Even RDV and RVL
don't come even close. And Museeuw doesn't come close to them
eather.

Guess what? In America, we make the rules. We don't obey them. You
keep talking about Eddy Merckx's presumed greatness but you fail to
acknowledge that he raced against total amateur competition by
today's standards. Merckx, if alive today, could never do even 20%
of the stuff he did back in the 1960's. The guy isn't my idol.

Like most people, you believe in an illusion because others have told
you to. merckx raced against a very thin, weak field of amateur
riders who had no modern training knowledge at all.

Amateur field?? Ocana, Merckx, Gimondi, Poulidor, Bahamontes,
Anquetil, Godefroot, De Vlaeminck, ... were amateurs? Well well.
Even the Merckx team mates where professionals. They were paid way
more than an average employee (especially in such a succesful team).
You're a professional when you can make a living of what you're
doing. Making millions of dollars doesn't make you more
professional. But i guess that's the American definition of the word.
Seeing how Ullrich or VDB wasted their talent, how they live outside
cycling; how professional are they? In a time when their entourage
does everything for them and have only 1 thing on their mind (in
comparison to the 60's)? Well an extreme and focussed athlete like
LA must have been very confident knowing how your one and only rival
lives 11 months a year.

Quoted message said:

If you look at the records of male marathon runners, swimmers, etc.
from the 1950's and 60's, you will find their times beaten by women
athletes of today.

Merckx couldn't pull that solo breakaway nonsense in today's pro
peloton.

You probably believe in God too.

Quoted message said:

Have you ever asked the question how LA would do at the Tour riding
on a steel 10kg bycicle, (which he uses for TT too, no aerodynamic
advantages), no possible use of EPO or any modern medical
assistance, no teammates who had a winter sleep until may, having
6-days, 5 classics, the Giro and the Dauphiné already in your legs?

Lance would kick the [censored] out of Eddy Merckx if they ever raced
together in their respective primes. If Eddy Merckx were alive
today he would be a domestique for Axel.

If, if, if how can you ever tell???

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Riders who win one-day races are primarily sprinters. Comparing
> them to Grand Tour riders is crazy. It's like comparing a funny
> car to an Indy car.

Where Tchmil, Fondriest, Bugno, Tafi, Ballerini, Argentin, Bartoli,
Bettini, PVP, Dekker sprinters?

Bettini was, the rest weren't. That list looks likes a who's who of
dopers. Argentin, Bugno...Fondriest...c'mon man. Those guys still
send Christmas cards to Schumi.

LOL Bettini a sprinter? Was that before or after he was Bartoli's
domestique? Sure, he has a strong finish and he's explosive but
placing Bettini on a sprinters list together with the fastest men of
the last decade (Cipo, Petacchi, Zabel, McEwen, Steels, Blijlevens,
Minali, ...) is quite laughable. I even saw Museeuw beating Bettini
when he was 35.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Let's see Boonen win a time trial in a Grand Tour.

Let's see Amstrong win a mass sprint. Oh, better, let's see
Armstrong win Paris-Roubaux. Oh no wait, he's retired and has never
made it to the finish. You're stupid if you think that GT riders
are per definition the best riders. Especially today when cycling
is all about specializing.
LA is the best climber and TT'er for 3 weeks, Boonen wins sprints,
260km classics the from february till october. Add those 2 together
and you have a new Merckx.

Lance beats guys by minutes. Boonen beats guys by 3 feet (assuming
there are no major climbs in the race, that is).

Boonen couldn't even win Univest for Christ's sake.

Lance, can't even win by 1 feet at the end of a flat stage; how weak
is that?

Don't forget you'll be watching Boonen entering the velodrome of >1
minute ahead of the rest on 9th April; and thats' a race without any
major climb.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> As for your characterization of Cip throwing bidons, you just took
> that one example that everyone remembers in a race and are trying
> to make it into his routine personality. The official deserved
> that bottle thrown at him.

I don't think you really saw (it wasn't during the TDF!). But
there is more than throwing bottles, don't you remember a fight?

> Magilla

Every guy in the world has gotten into a fight at some point in their
life - what's your point?

You're a true American.

Quoted message said:

You want me to think Cipo is [censored] because
he tossed a water bottle at someone?

Too short to qualify.

___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
/ __) (____) (____) (____) (____) (____) (__ \
|_| |_|
_ _ _ _ _
| | / | _ __ ___ (_)_ __ | |_ | |
| | | | | '_ \ / _ \| | '_ \| __| | |
|_| | | | |_) | (_) | | | | | |_ |_|
_ |_| | .__/ \___/|_|_| |_|\__| _
| | |_| | |
| | | |
|_| ____ _ _ |_|
_ / ___| ___ __| |_ _(_)_ __ _
| | | | _ / _ \ / _` \ \ /\ / / | '_ \ | |
| | | |_| | (_) | (_| |\ V V /| | | | | | |
|_| \____|\___/ \__,_| \_/\_/ |_|_| |_| |_|
_ _
| |__ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ __| |
\___) (____) (____) (____) (____) (____) (____/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>Kenny: > Bettini was, the rest weren't. That list looks likes a who's who of

dopers. Argentin, Bugno...Fondriest...c'mon man. Those guys still send
Christmas cards to Schumi.

LOL Bettini a sprinter? Was that before or after he was Bartoli's
domestique? Sure, he has a strong finish and he's explosive but
placing Bettini on a sprinters list together with the fastest men of
the last decade (Cipo, Petacchi, Zabel, McEwen, Steels, Blijlevens,
Minali, ...) is quite laughable. I even saw Museeuw beating Bettini
when he was 35.>>>>>>

Bettini is one of the best sprinters in the world, but most do not
realize it because he does not usually do the bunch sprints. When he
does, his win % is very high. He is simply fortunate to have other
(more prestigious) ways to win. With a toolbox like that, it's no
wonder he doesn't bother with sprinting that often.

An acid test of real cycling knowledge:
Thinking Hincapie was a sprinter* and Bettini is not = Average dumbass.
Knowing Hincape hasn't been a sprinter since he was 20, and knowing
Bettini is actually a world-class sprinter = someone who actually knows
about cycling.

-RJ

*This can now be substituted with, Thinking GH will contend for the win
in the TdF = Dumbass.