We continue our Six Days of the Giro series with a look at the troubled bond between Marco Pantani and the Giro.
Some were meant to be tormented, as though it were preordained that their brilliance should be balanced with fatal flaws. These are tortured souls, whose dramatic highs are equalled only by the devastating depths of their lows.
Cycling drinks its fill of these personalities, and climbing seems to attract more than its fair share. Shakespeare himself couldn’t divine a better premise; the discipline most focussed on suffering in a sport totally focussed on suffering will always attract the most enigmatic of sorts. Charley Gaul, José MarÃa Jiménez, Marco Pantani; the list goes on.
Italy’s geography seems to lend itself to climbing and therefor suffering. There are mountains from north to south, and it being a narrow stip of a country, there is no occasion to avoid them for very long before any parcourse is once again forced to go over them. Already Monday’s Stage 3 of this year’s race is a lumpy thing with two categorized climbs and Stage 4 has an uphill finish. This will be a race for those able to suffer.
Pantani in particular seemed inextricably bound to the Giro. Even before winning in 1998, he found himself winning some of the hardest mountain stages, though his temperament dictated that for every great day on the bike, he would be pay at least V bad ones. In 1999, he looked to be the sure winner before registerring a hematocrit over the UCI 50% limit at Madonna di Campiglio. In 2000, he returned once again, but was far from his best and rode in support of his teammate and eventual winner, Stefano Garzelli.
He struggled on for a few more years, but always tried to shine in Italy. In 2003, in a heart-wrenching display of defiance, he gave the last of himself in vain before disappearing from the sport for good.
It reminds me of a song written by a man who’s life was similarly tormented, Layne Staley. Perhaps Layne and Pantani were two parts of the same whole.
My pain is self-chosen
At least, so the prophet says
– Layne Stayey, River of Deceit
Maybe Layne could have been a Cyclist in another life.
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@sthilzy
Truly - give yourself a +1 Frank.
@frank
While I enjoyed AIC's music, I always leaned far more to the punk side of the Seattle scene. Early Nirvana, Early Soundgarden, The Melvins, Green River, Skin yard, Tad, The Umen and my favorite Seattle band - Mudhoney. Those were some amazing bands and seeing them play were some great times. The tinnitus in my ears is a lasting reminder of those days and though it sometimes drives me crazy... It also reminds me of many nights seeing those bands play and all the good times that went with them. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
On the Pantani-passion-love them or loathe them subject... yes I can still watch the rides of people in the Armstrong era (for want of a better description) and appreciate them tactically and mentally.
I know they were under pressures and went along with the current but, at risk of invoking Godwin's law, that's the Nuremberg defence isn't it. I was only following orders... I was only doing what everyone else did.
It's the weak way.
The strong ones are the people who didn't. Which probably also explains why Pantani, and one could argue Ullrich, showed themselves to have weak characters in other ways, by making poor decisions about who they surrounded themselves with, by lacking discipline in their training and so on. In that regard you have to admire the utter ruthlessness and dedication of COTHO.
I don't think there is any point in expunging their wins and records, but I do think we have to expunge them from our hearts. What does it say to a clean rider in a tour when he sees the names of Pantani, Ullrich, Virenque written on the road by adoring fans, or looks at a magazine or website to see a paean for their passion which ignores their fraud.
Sure it's OK to read about them or see articles but I don't like to see them immortalised. Like the way David Millar frequently says "I'm an ex-doper" , he recognises every discussion needs to start from that point and I feel the same way about those riders.
As for where you 're-start' caring... I said maybe Sastre and yes the associations are a negative but he just never seemed to fit the doping profile in his riding. He was consistent without being brilliant - a string of top tens, stage wins and podiums in grand tours over ten years but never an explosive rider, not producing anything "unbelievable". I tend to think if he was doping he would have done something to cause suspicion in his riding. I may be wrong but he gets the benefit of doubt in my book.
@TBONE think I was 2 Ulles to 1 Ully. Did the black forest gateaux crumbs get on your screen again?
@LA Dave Great work. Thanks.
@LA Dave
+infinity and beyond. Nicely put Dave.
@ChrisO
I can only look at these guy's as entertainment not as achievement, and I love to watch but.
They would not have done what they did without the drugs. They lied, they robbed, they cheated and stole, from all of us, they way the looked whilst doing so? Fuckin Awesome!
Ugh. Finally the tiring discussion is over and the subject of Ulle and Pantani's awesomeness is back on the menu. One day I'll inherit a beauty just like this one:
Except dressed in full Campag Record 10sp. Oh, baby.
@ChrisO
Indeed, that's the one thing I admire about him. During his recent foray into triathlon they interviewed one of the other professionals who remarked that standing next to Lance in transition before a race was a creepy experience. He said it felt as if he was staring through you, if you happened to stand between him and an object of focus. While other pros were walking, discussing, preparing - he simply visualized the transition with an ice-cold stare.
@frank
He's on the verge of a breakthrough. I'm just here to provide the support he needs. Much the same as I supported Marcus' breakthrough to being the biggest wankspanner on the planet, and before anyone lines up to thank me, you're all welcome.
@tessar
Inherit ? Are you the love child of Der Kaiser and Sweet Little Klodi ?
The worst thing about his fall from grace was that it killed off a really very funny parody blog of Der Jan. That was before kittens took over the internet of course.