Okay, I'm probably the one lone voice in this wilderness but, and I find this a most egregious offense, but WHERE IS THE CYCLING??!!!???

Does no one here own a bike?
Does no one here think Cycling is not an international sport with a huge fan base?
Does no one believe that Cycling is worthy of note?

Does the triple crown of cycling, the Vuelta a Espana, the Giro d'Italia and most of all, Le Tour de France, mean nothing more than a leisurely pedal through Europe?

Does Lance Armstrong not represent the highest order of sportmansship and athleticism???

Does the voice of Phil Ligget mean nothing? ((okay, perhaps that's going way over the edge, but if you're into cycling - he IS, THE voice!))

Seriously, kidding, but Cycling does merit it's own space and if I must do this alone, so be it. The rest of ya'll will have to put up with it (good naturedly I hope)!!

And finally, can anyone disagree that a large group of really fit men in spandex doesn't look SO HOT??!!

So, with permission, and hopefully a bit of participation, I will endeavor to attempt to bring a little of the cycling world here. Help is always appreciated.

Enjoy the day!

Eric

Hello Eric. There are indeed a few Outsporters who follow cycling. Earlier this year, we had a long dialogue about the Tour de France. Rick Walters wrote an engaging article for us about his love for the Tour. And Outsports featured Alessandro Pitacchi's package in their "Picture This" feature.

So you're not alone.

Up here in the northland, it's already cold and icy, so my Trek road bike is hooked up to the CycleOps trainer. Although I'm primarily a distance runner, I love riding that bike.... indoors or out. Living in California, you probably ride outside all year long.

I was delighted that VeloNews today named Tyler Hamilton (my favorite rider) as North American male rider of the year. Lance got the nod as international rider of the year. Allez Tyler!

(A suggestion: make the title of this thread more friendly.)

[ November 28, 2003, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: dasher ]

Well thank you! Nice to see some support for Cycling.

I concur, "Allez Tyler!", and not just for Cycling, but for any sport. Rare is it that an athlete is so driven to continue in the face of so much adversity, both realized and potential.

Yes, we here in Southern California do ride all year round. I would certainly argue however, that there is certainly the gear to make riding out of doors in all weather, a reality. Having said that, I do agree that the weather is Madison can be a bit, ooohh... "nasty" at times. Certainly roads are not plowed with cyclists in mind. Not to mention that image of a goose-downed, thinsulate ensconced body on a bike leaves a most amusing mental image. Regardless, heres to you lovely Madison and its surrounds, a most charming place to ride in the U.S.

I'll start a new thread on cycling soon enough. In the meantime, I wish all a very happy holiday season.

Eric