By
Jason Faggot
Aug. 7, 2016 8:23 p.m. ET
rather awkward for him, one would think !
Posted on 08/08/2016 3:53:38 PM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
There were only a few miles left...
In cycling, one is often a condemned number. A racer on his or her own is usually no match for a group of riders working together, who can share the effort, take hiding from the wind and gasp of breath of relief. ..
Media attention is scant. Abbott has won the Giro Rosa two times, in 2010 and 2013—the Giro Rosa, the freakin’ premier women’s stage race in the world. But unless you’re a bike lunatic, you probably didn’t know any of that.
Now Abbott had audiences back in the United States—people who didn’t know a damn thing about bike racing—on their feet, screaming at their televisions.
Go, Mara, Go.
The TV helicopter dramatically appeared above the beach. Abbott was tantalizingly close, but fading.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
Long story short she came in fourth
nice quote
Don’t sell her short.
That was an epic performance.
It was heart-rending to watch, ditto the Dutch racer that wiped out.
Agreed.
General Patton would love her, I think.
I was quite inspired.
To me she won the race.
The other 3 ganged up and beat her by a small margin with just a few yards to go.
Democracy in action.
By
Jason Faggot
Aug. 7, 2016 8:23 p.m. ET
rather awkward for him, one would think !
Having my own closet of brightly colored spandex and lycra, shoes that are difficult to walk in and my very own saddle museum.
You get used to it!
Questions for any cycling fans. I watched both the men's and women's race and, in both races, the leader coming out of the kills/rain forest was caught eventually by the pack (who were working together).
Questions are: Does this happen often in races? What are the benefits of breaking away from the pack?
As noted in the article there is an advantage to drafting behind another rider, (about 15%!)
As for breaking away?
“If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.”
WS
That Dutch racer’s crash was horrific. And it probably impacted Abbot’s descent and could have been the difference - you know she saw that poor woman crumpled motionless at the side of the road and slowed down accordingly.
Unless it’s a stage race, you’ve got to have some serious legs to keep away.
In a stage race, the peloton may let one or a group of riders go out front and decide not to catch them at all as they know the rider(s) does not pose a threat because they are down in time from previous stages.
In races like this, breakaway riders generally only get out and close to winning as a result of bickering among the strong riders as to who’s going to go out and pull. There is an incredible advantage to drafting off another rider. So you get three strong riders who all get into a game of chicken because they know they have to hunt down a lone rider up front but everyone wants to save their energy for the final kick at the end.
You’re probably right about that.
“Having my own closet of brightly colored spandex and lycra, shoes that are difficult to walk in and my very own saddle museum.”
I collect antique French Rear Derailleurs.
NICE!
Takes up less space than my stuff!
And I still often ride my old Brooks (B17?) , that was gifted to me by a friend moving on, to a much better plastic saddle, in the 1970's!!!
I have a 30 year old B17N on my Soma San Marcos frame but I prefer the Brooks Professional on the old Battaglin. It just feels better and has been on 5 bikes.
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