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Best Cyclist Ever?

#1
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6/25/09 at 7:06am
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 Jeannie Longo wins her 56th National Championship at age 50!?!?

http://www.velonews.com/article/93791/longo-wins-another-national-time-trial-title
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#2
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6/25/09 at 7:07am
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 Holy crap!

Surviving is essential, thriving is incredible!
EpicSki Academy

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#3
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6/25/09 at 10:11am
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That just goes to show what can be accomplished when you don't let the "I'm getting too old" card come into play. I was working the Mt Washington Hillclimb a few years ago when 51yo. Ned Overend came in second on the heels of Tyler Hamilton. Even though Ned is an accomplished mtbiker in his own right, that is no small accomplishment, considering the caliber of riders that come from all over the world to compete in that. I was watching a video on youtube.com of the RAAM 2008 promotional video, as some of my friends from my lbs are competing in that as we speak. Take minute to watch it. You have got to be one sick puppy to want to do that. And there is some guy that has done it for 14 years in a row! Three thousand miles form California to NJ. They said that in order to be competetive, you have to ride a minium of 21 hours a day. My buds told me that they were shooting for 450 miles a day. And we thought the TDF was tough.
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#4
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6/25/09 at 10:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac View Post

 My buds told me that they were shooting for 450 miles a day. And we thought the TDF was tough.

Of course, when TDF veteran Johnathan Boyer rode it  (and won)  he said those guys aren't really very good athletes, just good at staying awake.  (his opinion, not mine)

Edited by newfydog - 6/26/2009 at 01:58 pm GMT
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#5
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6/26/09 at 5:19am
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When you do the math, that means averaging over 20 mph for over 20 hrs per day. That's pretty tough for anybody, dam near impossible from my way of thinking, especially when you take into account the amount of climbing that's involved. And how many days in a row could you hope to do that for? Come to think of it, it takes a special kind of person to want to try and do it to begin with.
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#6
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6/26/09 at 5:30am
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 Do they novocaine their crotches or what?
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#7
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6/26/09 at 8:59am
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  • Location: Rhode Island
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I didn't ask about that, but I'm sure a good supply of chamois cream is a necessity. The guys I know that are riding it are doing it in the four man team division. They say that to have any chance on winning, they have to finish the 3000+ mile course in about seven days. www.villagebicycle.com
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#8
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6/26/09 at 9:44am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by epic View Post

 Jeannie Longo wins her 56th National Championship at age 50!?!?

http://www.velonews.com/article/93791/longo-wins-another-national-time-trial-title

That second 'X' chromosome sure comes in handy when posting gaudy numbers in competition.

... but that is still sick.

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#9
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6/26/09 at 10:34am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac View Post

I didn't ask about that, but I'm sure a good supply of chamois cream is a necessity. The guys I know that are riding it are doing it in the four man team division. They say that to have any chance on winning, they have to finish the 3000+ mile course in about seven days. www.villagebicycle.com

I used to read Keith Bontrager's blog when he started doing marathon races. One of the first things that he learned was that the top guys use a LOT of chamois cream. He said that they used so much that their saddles would be glistening and dripping with the stuff. I can't say I've ever been able to make myself go that far with it.
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#10
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6/26/09 at 1:31pm
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The RAAM finishers are rolling in.  Some times:

8-Person Open: Team Type One finished in 5 days, 9 hours, 5 minutes (23.41 mph average - wowee!)

4-Person Male 75+: Great Grand PAC Masters finished in 8 days, 14 hours, 49 minutes

Solo Male (Under 50): Dani Wyss finished in 8 days, 5 hours, 45 minutes (15.28 mph average)

Amazing feat, that ride.
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#11
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6/26/09 at 4:35pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by songfta View Post

The RAAM finishers are rolling in.  Some times:

8-Person Open: Team Type One finished in 5 days, 9 hours, 5 minutes (23.41 mph average - wowee!)

4-Person Male 75+: Great Grand PAC Masters finished in 8 days, 14 hours, 49 minutes

Solo Male (Under 50): Dani Wyss finished in 8 days, 5 hours, 45 minutes (15.28 mph average)

Amazing feat, that ride.

My company actually just finished a series of short documentaries on Team Type One. Their accomplishment is even more amazing when you consider that all the members of TT1 have, you guessed it, type 1 diabetes mellitus! (Their pharmaceutical sponsor, the maker of Apidra and Lantus, hired us to film them). I was blown away by them when we went to shoot them in Santa Barbara. There's NO WAY I could ever ride like these guys do, and I don't have diabetes!

Pretty cool stories about how they don't let it hinder anything they want to do. When they're not biking or doing triathlons, they go around talking to a lot of diabetes patients about having the same sort of mentality about whatever it is they want to do in their lives. Sad part is, though, they can't compete in the Tour de France because of their insulin intake. Never mind the fact that the drugs they take have been proven to not be performance-enhancing; doping rules have gotten a little crazy in my opinion.

I am in awe of anyone who can finish RAAM! Any word yet on the female finishers?

More Ovaltine, please!

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