During the Ronde von Vlaanderen, we of the 2012 Keeper’s Spring Classic Tour were right on the Oude Kwaremont climb as the women big-ringed it up the cobbles. Kristin Armstrong (US Women’s Team) was burying herself to get on Judith Arndt’s (Greenedge) wheel. It looked like the winning break was going right in front of our eyes. Seeing professional cyclists in action is always a humbling experience and seeing these women was no exception. Damn, these women looked great: fit, strong, awesome and crushing the Oude Kwaremont in the Ronde. They must have been jazzed too, anyone who gets to race these fabled climbs must get a buzz storming up, urged on by the massive throng of beer infused Belgian fans.
They will be doing it again on the Mur de Huy on Wednesday. Will they be as psyched to crush that climb? Perhaps the winner will but everyone else might find it a bit too steep the second time around. This year’s course is 123km, 13.5km longer than last year’s with two ascents of the Mur de Huy. Marianne Vos (Rabobank) was sick for the Ronde but she is the heavy favorite having won Fléche Wallonne Femmes only the last four times. Stay on her wheel until the final 30 meters and pop by for the win. How hard can that be? Bloody impossible judging from her previous record yet betting against Armstrong, Arndt or Pooley seems foolhardy.
It’s cheating to look at Cyclop’s picks. He obviously sold his soul to the devil, that might be cheating, I’m not sure. The betting office window closes early Wednesday morning so do your worst. Here is the start list.
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@frank
He means that someone who has money to start with has more time to train.
@frank
That's how they all work. Back in the day, I toed up next to Chris Horner, who was making his way thru the USCF system (now USA Cycling). Same with neo-pro Jacob Rathe (Garmin). Raced with him a lot last season.
My uncle was roommates at Stanford with Eric Heiden. Don't think I didn't try to use that connection to go to Motorola training camp. Of course it doesn't work like that.
@frank
Best thing about this site: the respect we all have for others, and our varied opinions on our shared passion. Chapeau to all; I defer to The Keepers to have the last word.
And in @Cyclops' words: "be on the lookout for a package, Frank." Isn't anywhere near as cool as what he sent, but it should be coming your way next week. I'd deliver it in person, but I have to work. My day job you know.
I think it takes balls to quit a well paying job, give up the health plan, stop contributing further to retirement funds, or buy a house, etc, etc, just to race bikes. Much less for a woman as women's racing, pro or not, doesn't get near the prize, sponsorship or contract money that the men's side does. Even most of the pro men aren't financially secure after their racing careers. Making a left turn after college and quitting a career to race bikes, holds just as much romanticism as the kid racing his/her way out of factory job life to me.
I think it's largely about distance covered & odds overcome on the way to success. Someone from a very humble background has a great deal to overcome & that makes it easy to cheer for them when they succeed. They're an underdog! The person from a privileged background doesn't have the deck stacked against them; if they lose, they have a great deal to fall back on. Against all odds, or against some odds?
Yes, the distance covered on the bike might be the same in terms of catting up, but the distance covered in life is not the same. Quitting your day job is always risky, but the level of risk is surely related to your (of your family's) bank account.
This happens in other sports too. A lot of folks don't like or think that Kaka, the footballer, isn't more liked because he came from a privileged background. Many other Brasilian footballers came from dire poverty and had to overcome many more obstacles along the way to success.
I think some folks just find it easier to rejoice in the success of underdogs.
@eightzero
Haha! What a funny point of view! It's a kind of reverse snobbery...
You have little to no idea of how most of today's cyclists come up through the ranks, and the myth of the hard working man of the soil/escaping the pit is, on the whole, just that; a myth.
In modern times (i.e. since the 50s probably) it takes a certain level of financial wherewithall to even contemplate an international cycling career, as riders travel with their expensive bikes to races to even get noticed enough to pull down their first sponsorship, etc., etc.
I'm sure there are lazy and less motivated privileged riders, as there are hard-working and motivated poor riders, but I'd suggest the reverse was also true if you take off your massive generalisation goggles and see you don't live in some Dickensian fantasy land.
Jeez - someone with more money doesn't deserve the results that they achieved with their time in the Pain Cave. HTFU and pull a Brian on them. Get sponsorship. Take their job.
@Oli
A+1.
Woohoo points!! have been flying through the night so had to make sure I got my picks in early and that has really paid off. Maybe I'll get back into this VSP after all!
@Oli
And those that did probably had a bit of a helping hand along the way, near subsistence farmers don't just go out and buy bikes on the off chance that they might make it. From memory, both Anquetil and Coppi both had bikes brought for them by richer relatives.