San Sebastian Predictions

On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:38:11 -0700, "Chris"
wrote:


"Davide Tosi" wrote in message


Pascal Lino

Exactly right, thanks. I forget his name a lot because he almost seems like
a composite of other French riders. He was supposed to be a big talent and I
can't recall anything he did other than borrow the yellow jersey that year.


He looked really good on a bike. Much better than Virenque.

JT

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:38:11 -0700, "Chris"
wrote:


"Davide Tosi" wrote in message


Pascal Lino

Exactly right, thanks. I forget his name a lot because he almost seems
like
a composite of other French riders. He was supposed to be a big talent
and I
can't recall anything he did other than borrow the yellow jersey that
year.


He looked really good on a bike. Much better than Virenque.

JT

Oh yeah, he had a lot going for him. He really did. Unfortunately for him
that was back in the days when there were still a lot of French fans that
expected the "next Hinault" to emerge at any moment. I don't recall that
Virenque was ever favored or placed under that kind of pressure. That may be
partly why Virenque was driven to get the attention at all costs. First to
go through that meat grinder was Jean-Francois Bernard and Chas Mottet, then
Jalabert, Gilles Delion, Lino and at least another dozen guys I can't think
of right now. I suppose even Fignon can be put in this category but since he
achieved some success, things are different for him. He brought that
pressure to himself by winning the Tour so very young and then repeating all
before Hinault even earned his 5th Tour. Things may have been so different
for Fignon if Hinault or Lemond never lost time to injuries. Guimard would
have likely got a lot more out of him if he had been allowed to grow in to
the status that came (too early) with those first 2 wins. Please note I am
not attributing virtual wins to anyone...

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 08:57:23 -0700, "Chris"
wrote:

Things may have been so different
for Fignon if Hinault or Lemond never lost time to injuries.

Or if Fignon hadn't been suffering from debilitating maladies himself,
maybe things would have been different for Hinault and Lemond. That's
definitely a sword that would cut both ways.


Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

"Chris" wrote:

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:38:11 -0700, "Chris"
wrote:


"Davide Tosi" wrote in message


Pascal Lino

Exactly right, thanks. I forget his name a lot because he almost seems
like
a composite of other French riders. He was supposed to be a big talent
and I
can't recall anything he did other than borrow the yellow jersey that
year.


He looked really good on a bike. Much better than Virenque.

JT

Oh yeah, he had a lot going for him. He really did. Unfortunately for him
that was back in the days when there were still a lot of French fans that
expected the "next Hinault" to emerge at any moment. I don't recall that
Virenque was ever favored or placed under that kind of pressure. That may be
partly why Virenque was driven to get the attention at all costs. First to
go through that meat grinder was Jean-Francois Bernard and Chas Mottet, then
Jalabert, Gilles Delion, Lino and at least another dozen guys I can't think
of right now. I suppose even Fignon can be put in this category but since he
achieved some success, things are different for him. He brought that
pressure to himself by winning the Tour so very young and then repeating all
before Hinault even earned his 5th Tour. Things may have been so different
for Fignon if Hinault or Lemond never lost time to injuries. Guimard would
have likely got a lot more out of him if he had been allowed to grow in to
the status that came (too early) with those first 2 wins.

If it wasn't for lenticular wheels and aero-bars he would have scored 2
Giro/Tour doubles and would be now ranked among the top GT riders ever.
A bit of it was just bad luck and a bit of it was Guimard not being
technologically up to date.

"Davide Tosi" wrote in message
...
"Chris" wrote:

"John Forrest Tomlinson" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 9 Aug 2004 10:38:11 -0700, "Chris"
wrote:


"Davide Tosi" wrote in message


Pascal Lino

Exactly right, thanks. I forget his name a lot because he almost seems
like
a composite of other French riders. He was supposed to be a big talent
and I
can't recall anything he did other than borrow the yellow jersey that
year.


He looked really good on a bike. Much better than Virenque.

JT

Oh yeah, he had a lot going for him. He really did. Unfortunately for him
that was back in the days when there were still a lot of French fans that
expected the "next Hinault" to emerge at any moment. I don't recall that
Virenque was ever favored or placed under that kind of pressure. That may
be
partly why Virenque was driven to get the attention at all costs. First
to
go through that meat grinder was Jean-Francois Bernard and Chas Mottet,
then
Jalabert, Gilles Delion, Lino and at least another dozen guys I can't
think
of right now. I suppose even Fignon can be put in this category but since
he
achieved some success, things are different for him. He brought that
pressure to himself by winning the Tour so very young and then repeating
all
before Hinault even earned his 5th Tour. Things may have been so
different
for Fignon if Hinault or Lemond never lost time to injuries. Guimard
would
have likely got a lot more out of him if he had been allowed to grow in
to
the status that came (too early) with those first 2 wins.

If it wasn't for lenticular wheels and aero-bars he would have scored 2
Giro/Tour doubles and would be now ranked among the top GT riders ever.
A bit of it was just bad luck and a bit of it was Guimard not being
technologically up to date.

Plus a podium finish in Paris-Roubaix.
-Mike