sprinter logic

"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?...oppibartali094

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

On Mar 27, 12:33*pm, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

You would prefer that he not speak about the nuances of sprinting? He
spoke about a flaw in his sprinting ability, "speed was too low for my
characteristics". That doesn't sound like excuse making to me.

Bret

"Bret" wrote in message
...
On Mar 27, 12:33 pm, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough
space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

You would prefer that he not speak about the nuances of sprinting? He
spoke about a flaw in his sprinting ability, "speed was too low for my
characteristics". That doesn't sound like excuse making to me.

If you aren't smart enough to know what he's talking about, you think that
he's bragging?

On Mar 27, 3:30*pm, "Tom Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:
"Bret" wrote in message

...

On Mar 27, 12:33 pm, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough
space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

You would prefer that he not speak about the nuances of sprinting? He
spoke about a flaw in his sprinting ability, "speed was too low for my
characteristics". That doesn't sound like excuse making to me.

If you aren't smart enough to know what he's talking about, you think that
he's bragging?

Geez, Tom... in your insistence to be argumentative, you completely
gloss over or misread the point of Bret's post. Bret most certainly
understands what he's talking about, and you certainly do not
understand the nuances of sprinting or anything about Napolitano's
talents.

Some sprinters are pretty explosive in their accelerations and more
often win when the speed is slower or things are bunched up just prior
to the line and others have higher top speeds and prefer a faster run-
in to the line where they're not limited by their relative lack of
explosive acceleration.

Napolitano's well-documented and self-confessed ability is in the
latter style of sprint. So, when he says the speed was too low for
his characteristics, he was essentially admitting that he doesn't have
the explosive speed for that sort of sprint. Not an excuse, just a
perfectly rational explanation for why things played out the way they
did. Not bragging, not whining, just explaining.

"Scott" wrote in message
...
On Mar 27, 3:30 pm, "Tom Kunich" cyclintom@yahoo. com wrote:
"Bret" wrote in message

...

On Mar 27, 12:33 pm, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale
but
there wasn't enough
space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

You would prefer that he not speak about the nuances of sprinting? He
spoke about a flaw in his sprinting ability, "speed was too low for my
characteristics". That doesn't sound like excuse making to me.

If you aren't smart enough to know what he's talking about, you think
that
he's bragging?

Geez, Tom... in your insistence to be argumentative, you completely
gloss over or misread the point of Bret's post. Bret most certainly
understands what he's talking about, and you certainly do not
understand the nuances of sprinting or anything about Napolitano's
talents.

Psst - I'm AGREEING with Bret. Note the question mark? I seldom disagree
with him and usually when I do it's because he's in a ****y mood and taking
pot shots. And that is rather rare.

Some sprinters are pretty explosive in their accelerations and more
often win when the speed is slower or things are bunched up just prior
to the line and others have higher top speeds and prefer a faster run-
in to the line where they're not limited by their relative lack of
explosive acceleration.

Horses for courses. The insinuation from bar that somehow sprinters are all
alike is silly to say the least.

On Mar 27, 11:33*am, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."




Dumbass -


A good example of different sprinting characteristics is easily found
in a couple of the good sprinters in N. America 7 or 8 years ago. Gord
Fraser vs. Miguel Meza.

Meza had an amazing acceleration from a slow speed. It was almost
impossible even to stay on his wheel in that situation.

In a high speed drag race, however, Meza could rarely beat Fraser. He
didn't have enough top end.

Turning over a big gear at 40+mph is different than accelerating to
that speed from a much slower speed. Don't ask me why. Some
physiologist could probably tell us.


thanks,

K. Gringioni.

K. Gringioni wrote:
On Mar 27, 11:33 am, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."




Dumbass -


A good example of different sprinting characteristics is easily found
in a couple of the good sprinters in N. America 7 or 8 years ago. Gord
Fraser vs. Miguel Meza.

Meza had an amazing acceleration from a slow speed. It was almost
impossible even to stay on his wheel in that situation.

In a high speed drag race, however, Meza could rarely beat Fraser. He
didn't have enough top end.

Turning over a big gear at 40+mph is different than accelerating to
that speed from a much slower speed. Don't ask me why. Some
physiologist could probably tell us.


thanks,

K. Gringioni.

Drag

- dave a (not a physiologist)

On Mar 27, 5:49*pm, dave a wrote:
K. Gringioni wrote:
On Mar 27, 11:33 am, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

Dumbass -

A good example of different sprinting characteristics is easily found
in a couple of the good sprinters in N. America 7 or 8 years ago. Gord
Fraser vs. Miguel Meza.

Meza had an amazing acceleration from a slow speed. It was almost
impossible even to stay on his wheel in that situation.

In a high speed drag race, however, Meza could rarely beat Fraser. He
didn't have enough top end.

Turning over a big gear at 40+mph is different than accelerating to
that speed from a much slower speed. Don't ask me why. Some
physiologist could probably tell us.

thanks,

K. Gringioni.

Drag

- dave a (not a physiologist)



Dumbass -


I think I may have at least one answer. Not really related to
physiotherapy.

One guy has a high max power output to weight ratio while the other
guy is better at max power output to frontal area ratio.


thanks,

K. Gringioni.

On Mar 28, 4:08*am, "K. Gringioni" wrote:
On Mar 27, 5:49*pm, dave a wrote:





K. Gringioni wrote:
On Mar 27, 11:33 am, bar wrote:
"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?id=road/2009/mar09/coppibartali09...

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

Dumbass -

A good example of different sprinting characteristics is easily found
in a couple of the good sprinters in N. America 7 or 8 years ago. Gord
Fraser vs. Miguel Meza.

Meza had an amazing acceleration from a slow speed. It was almost
impossible even to stay on his wheel in that situation.

In a high speed drag race, however, Meza could rarely beat Fraser. He
didn't have enough top end.

Turning over a big gear at 40+mph is different than accelerating to
that speed from a much slower speed. Don't ask me why. Some
physiologist could probably tell us.

thanks,

K. Gringioni.

Drag

- dave a (not a physiologist)

Dumbass -

I think I may have at least one answer. Not really related to
physiotherapy.

One guy has a high max power output to weight ratio while the other
guy is better at max power output to frontal area ratio.

thanks,

K. Gringioni.

jeez. all this sprinting, power, watt, ratio technobabble has me
wishing Dave Z was a sprinter ... he'd just tell it like it is, nice
and simple.

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:33:37 -0700 (PDT), bar
wrote:

"I would have liked to win again after the first stage," said
Napolitano, "but unfortunately we did a strange final sprint and the
speed was too low for my characteristics. Starting so slow
Metluschenko was more explosive and won. I was fast in the finale but
there wasn't enough space."
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road.php?...oppibartali094

why is it so hard for these guys to say "aaah, i got smoked by a
faster guy today" ... instead he says something twisted like "the
spring was so slow that I couldn't win it ... just couldn't."

You're better off taking on cycling 'journalists' that use phrases
like 'they ran out of road' to explain why one team, presumably
moderately organized, with a DS and a race bible, didn't catch
another.

Sure, they can't use 'they ****ed up' in print, but unless a road crew
went out and removed pavement or the race officiating crew in a sudden
burst of mean humor moved the finish line by a couple of kilometers
(which would be rather humorous), this phrase has to die. (Phrase has
been seen most lately used by Velonews in the ToC coverage - and don't
bother to tell me that it VeloNews isn't really journalism - I said
'cycling journalists'.)

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