Mountain Biking - Lance Armstrong Racing Leadville 100 Photos and Video

Lance Armstrong back in the saddle in Leadville 100

VIDEO and PHOTOS (http://www.superhumanmag.com/content/view/763/92/)

OUTstanding video, thanks.

Dave Wiens is one of the all time greatest.

Those guys are pushing? What a bunch of sissys!

It's weird seeing Lance on a mountain bike.

Those guys are pushing?

Only on the gnarly downhills.

Wow, and I thought some of the dh/fr movie soundtracks were bad.

Those guys are pushing? What a bunch of sissys!

Yea, they should try a ten mile loop in Dupont. That is what real men do.

A fireroad is still a road.

Lance pedaled a good number of strokes before the dismount. I bet that felt good.

lance said he is going back next year. i wonder if the race directors will allow more racers to enter.

If Lance came back at a higher fitness level. And now that he has done the race he has a more realistic concept of what it requires. IT would be great to see an all out battle between Dave and Lance in this race. Dave really is amazing. He hardly even looks tired, but I'm sure he is.

Anyone notice that Lance was riding a soft tail, while Wiens had a hard tail? Not to take anything away from Wiens, but I wonder how much the soft tail contributed to Lance's fatigue over 7 hours...

The "Lance Idolitry" is sickening though.

Wiens beat the poor guy by nearly 2minutes. He got a decent cheer when he rolled in. Nothing like the screaming welcome that Lance got.

The "Lance Idolitry" is sickening though.

Wiens beat the poor guy by nearly 2minutes. He got a decent cheer when he rolled in. Nothing like the screaming welcome that Lance got.

People inside a sport (you, cycling) so often miss the point. In the US, he is bigger than cycling has ever been and most likely bigger than it will ever be. He is a celeb with few peers. Runners hate his attention at the Boston Marathon, even though more people watch on TV than ever would without him.

People that have no idea of the difference between a road bike and a MTB or a fixie or a TT bike idolize him for many reasons. People that have no idea that you have to qualify to run Boston idolize him. He is known by 95%+ of US sport fans. The guy who won is known by <1%. Sorry, but that is going to get him a larger cheer. Just accept it and take the potential new people that MIGHT ride a bike after seeing such a story. Heck, it made PTI tonight on ESPN.

And your slam of him being a full 2 minutes back of the best rider in this event is a joke. This is a roadie who is about 30 lbs above his race weight and in a fraction of his best shape . . . and he hung with him 90% of the time.

Or short version - you are clueless and myopic.

Yea, I though Lance was looking a bit fat;) If he comes back next year it will REALLY be a race.

you are clueless and myopic.

You use that phrase a little too often Greg. Thanks though. I am what you see me to be, I guess.

( I talk too much )

The "Lance Idolitry" is sickening though.

Wiens beat the poor guy by nearly 2minutes. He got a decent cheer when he rolled in. Nothing like the screaming welcome that Lance got.

I found it a little disconcerting that the 2nd place guy (Armstrong) got a bigger cheer than the 5 time winner and course record holder (Wiens). However, I think it is as simple as Lance being a huge star and people are excited he is back racing. Most importantly though he is racing in America. The vast majority of his racing was done overseas and American fans really couldnt go watch him like they could a basketball or football player.
I am planning on entering the 50 mile version of that race next year and I would love to stick around and watch Lance race. I would also love to see a great race and if Wiens beats him I will cheer Wiens more than Lance.
Now, i just need to bust my ass and get into shape :)

I found it a little disconcerting that the 2nd place guy (Armstrong) got a bigger cheer than the 5 time winner and course record holder (Wiens). However, I think it is as simple as Lance being a huge star and people are excited he is back racing. Most importantly though he is racing in America. The vast majority of his racing was done overseas and American fans really couldnt go watch him like they could a basketball or football player.
I am planning on entering the 50 mile version of that race next year and I would love to stick around and watch Lance race. I would also love to see a great race and if Wiens beats him I will cheer Wiens more than Lance.
Now, i just need to bust my ass and get into shape :)

Gosh Sunflower, this is refreshing.

Ya see Greg, it can be said with character and not an insult.

I agree with you Sunflower. Good luck on your fiddy.

People inside a sport (you, cycling) so often miss the point. In the US, I am bigger than cycling has ever been and most likely bigger than it will ever be. I am a celeb with few peers. Runners hate my attention at the Boston Marathon, even though more people watch on TV than ever would without me.

People that have no idea of the difference between a road bike and a MTB or a fixie or a TT bike idolize me for many reasons. People that have no idea that you have to qualify to run Boston idolize me. I am known by 95%+ of US sport fans. The guy who won is known by <1%. Sorry, but that is going to get me a larger cheer. Just accept it and take the potential new people that MIGHT ride a bike after seeing such a story. Heck, I made PTI tonight on ESPN.

And your slam of me being a full 2 minutes back of the best rider in this event is a joke. I am a roadie who is about 30 lbs above my race weight and in a fraction of my best shape . . . and I hung with him 90% of the time.

Or short version - you are clueless and myopic.

Lance?

Gosh Sunflower, this is refreshing.

Ya see Greg, it can be said with character and not an insult.

I agree with you Sunflower. Good luck on your fiddy.


It is an internet forum . . . posts are SUPPOSED to lack character and generally insult. :love:

And come on, anyone with a sig pic that takes up 2 vertical inches of everyone's screen is always going to get more heat than they deserve.

Lance?


LOL. I missed the use of "ME".

Fantastic. These guys are animals. I just got back from Breckenridge, CO and rode a few 50 mile rides over 11,000 ft. passes and trails and I was totally fried. 100 miles at their pace is nuts...

This race is happening this saturday. Lance is a little fitter.

Did it seem to anyone else that he may not have had to throw in the towel with 10 miles to go? And maybe he let Wiens get a little two minute lead, take the race and the record, when he probably could have kept up? I think someone who can ride the Tour the way he can, and run a marathon in under 3 hours, probably could've pulled out the last 10 miles. It's not like Wiens attacked; Lance told him to go.

Yeah...I think Lance has far to big an ego to do that. Granted...he did show a less inflated side of himself this year on the tour, but only after he knew he wasn't up for the yellow jersey. I've noticed that he will definitely give it his "all"...and if that's not good enough, he has a backup plan to make the defeat look good. (I'm training for the tour, hence I'm not going into this mountain bike race at my peak...or "I'm gonna be the leader" until he was dethroned and really pissed about it...then it was "I'm working for my team, that's what's important") He has the "Livestrong safety net" too. When all hope of destroying the competition is lost, lets use the "Winning is secondary...Livestrong is my primary focus" excuse. Granted...it's a valiant fight and good cause, but it's also a safety net for when he isn't 3hrs ahead of his nearest rival.



I wish him well b/c he is a great competitor and icon...but I hope Dave beats him down again.

I wonder if he'll ride a hardtail this year to conserve some energy?

BTW...that pic is great. Yeah, they're pushing but if you look at the folks in the background and to the side you'll see that's a pretty steep little rise and it looks loose and rocky. That's probably the fastest way up it and in a race that's all that counts.

Check it. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=571744)

Yeah...I think Lance has far to big an ego to do that. Granted...he did show a less inflated side of himself this year on the tour, but only after he knew he wasn't up for the yellow jersey. I've noticed that he will definitely give it his "all"...and if that's not good enough, he has a backup plan to make the defeat look good. (I'm training for the tour, hence I'm not going into this mountain bike race at my peak...or "I'm gonna be the leader" until he was dethroned and really pissed about it...then it was "I'm working for my team, that's what's important") He has the "Livestrong safety net" too. When all hope of destroying the competition is lost, lets use the "Winning is secondary...Livestrong is my primary focus" excuse. Granted...it's a valiant fight and good cause, but it's also a safety net for when he isn't 3hrs ahead of his nearest rival.



I wish him well b/c he is a great competitor and icon...but I hope Dave beats him down again.


As far as ego goes, Armstrong's wasn't the only one on Astana. Some of Contador's post-Tour comments showed that pretty clearly. As far Armstrong goes, I'm willing to give him a bit of a break. Seven tour wins would give me an ego, too.

As far as ego goes, Armstrong's wasn't the only one on Astana. Some of Contador's post-Tour comments showed that pretty clearly. As far Armstrong goes, I'm willing to give him a bit of a break. Seven tour wins would give me an ego, too.

Quite true, quite true.

Thanks for that Chucky212 /Kenneth

I love athletic sports at top level. This year's Leadville is going to be great.

How come riding a hardtail give someone more energy ? From the threads I've seen here on hardtail vs. fully people always say that fully beats you up LESS than hardtail. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You can build a hardtail lighter, cheaper, and more efficient. If you're gonna spend the day climbing or riding pretty groomed trails...a hardtail will zap less energy. If you're gonna be riding some rocky/rooty trails...you will be able to stay seated more and spin smooth circles on a dual suspension ride. The hardtail will force you to stand and negotiate the terrain more, which will expend more energy.

I think it's all in the terrain you ride.

From what I've seen of the Leadville race...I agree that a hardtail would be faster.

Can we keep this up, and keep the results posted?

being over in Germany, I don't know If I will get coverage of this race.

I would like to know what the results are.
=)

I'm pulling for Lance, just because I think he's a rather amazing person with some of his accomplishments.

I am not saying this to be on the "bandwagon" But I've always marveled at Lance's performance.. And for him to go from Road to MTN seems pretty awesome to me.

if he did that well with a dual suspension with all the climbing, a hardtail outta do him good? Myabe it'd make him feel more at home, as it's closer to a road bike feel?

As I said...I wish him well...but you send him up to Crankworx to race D...then I'll be impressed!

As I said...I wish him well...but you send him up to Crankworx to race D...then I'll be impressed!

Apples and oranges......but you can send me up to Whistler to ride with D and Never.

Can we keep this up, and keep the results posted?

being over in Germany, I don't know If I will get coverage of this race.

I would like to know what the results are.
=)



This website says they are posting updates on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SuperHumanMag

Did it seem to anyone else that he may not have had to throw in the towel with 10 miles to go? And maybe he let Wiens get a little two minute lead, take the race and the record, when he probably could have kept up? I think someone who can ride the Tour the way he can, and run a marathon in under 3 hours, probably could've pulled out the last 10 miles. It's not like Wiens attacked; Lance told him to go.

Are you talking about LAST years race? Cause Lance just won this years race.....

http://www.superhumanmag.com/content/view/1565/48/

2009 video

Are you talking about LAST years race? Cause Lance just won this years race.....

If you look at how the posts in this thread are dated, you will have your answer.