There is a new story circulating today that a former assistant—Paul
Re: Armstrong doping question
Tue, 5 Apr 2005 15:11:24 +0100
"wafflycat" <wafflesATv21netDOTcoDOTuk>

Guy didn’t say the TdF is a minor race.

Methinks, Pat, you have a spot of anti-European prejudice showing ;-)

Cheers, helen s—wafflycat

Re: Armstrong doping question
Tue, 5 Apr 2005 10:11:04 -0500
"Pat" <P...@newstime.com>

So, if I disagree with a European, I am automatically "anti-European" with "anti-European prejudice"? Gee, I guess that pretty much preempts me from disagreeing with any European about anything! What I meant was, winning the TDF 6 times makes him the greatest TDF rider, period. It doesn’t make him the greatest sprinter or the greatest winner of the Vuelta or the Paris-Nice race. It is what it is: the TDF. Period. That Guy put it as "one race" instead of the great race that it is, sounds as if he were trying to minimize it. He didn’t even identify the "one race" as if it weren’t worth mentioning the name. That makes me think he was saying it was a minor race.

Pat in TX :—Pat

This is a guy who lives in Europe, but nevermind that. As I understand it, you admit you resent Lance for winning the TDF. Oh, and nevermind the other races he rides in. They don’t count. Only the ones he wins count. Yeah, I understand.—Pat

Ah, I see. So absurd anti-European generalisations from an American is fair comment, but scepticism from a European about a cyclist who happens to be American is prejudice. Thanks for clearing that up.—Just

I don’t recall giving any "anti-European generalisations". Show me where. I merely responded to you saying that he "parachutes" in to win the one race a year he rides. That statement is not true, and you know it. You wrote it, though. He does live in Europe most of the year and trains in Europe. To me, that is not "parachuting" in.—Pat

Nope. What I said was, if he /is/ unpopular with European pro cyclists, then the fact that he takes the trophy in the most famous cycle race in the world without "paying his dues" in the minor races would account for it without the need to invoke any nationalism at all.

And the other thing I said was, Eddy Merckx was (is) the greatest cyclist who ever lived. And I stand by that. You seem to think that preference for Merck is indicative of pro-European bias. You have a lot to learn about Europe. If you think the French hate the Americans, you should hear what they think about the English, Germans, Flemings and so on. In fact there is more animosity between French and Flemish speakers in Belgium than between most people of different nationalities.—Just

Glad you cleared that up. It sounded as if you were resenting him because of the "parachuting in" sentence. Have you noticed, though, that he does participate in minor races?—Pat

No, sweetie, you don’t. Let me explain in words of few syllables ;-)

1. Lance is a great cyclist

2. There are quite a few significant races in the world cycling calendar of which the TdF is one; albeit it an extremely important one.

3. Not everyone who doesn’t grovel at the feet of LA is anti-American.

4. Not American does not equate to no good and of no worth.

5. Being American does not mean you are automatically the best in the world.

6. You are most excellently demonstrating the arrogance which can get Americans a bad name. Thankfully not all are as arrogant.

Cheers, helen s—wafflycat

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I didn’t say that "Preference for Merck is indicative of pro-European bias". Show me where I did. I lived in Germany for 7 years, so I have been around Europe a bit. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t try to interpolate between the lines. Just respond to what I wrote, not what you imagined I thought.—Pat