Professional Cycling For the Fans - Lance gets a record he does not want.

With his finish he shatters the record for worst finish by a rider after winning 5 or more titles in the TDF.

The previous worst finish was 11th.

There was one abandon by a sick Anquetil, but he was in 8th at the time and abandoned only after he was content with the lead of a teamate.

Another useless thread!

Another useless thread!

Another useless post.

Considering there are only 4 others who have won the tour 5 or more times, I'd say he's in good company on that merit alone.

Im sure everyone will rememeber him the most for this years performance. His other 7 consecutive victories cannot overcome the magnitude of his failure in this years tour.

He did a lot better 2 years after his 5th Tour then the rest of them did.

Im sure everyone will rememeber him the most for this years performance. His other 7 consecutive victories cannot overcome the magnitude of his failure in this years tour.

Most people that don't really follow professional cycling only know about the American that won the greatest bike race in the world seven times, they could care less about what happened after that.

With his finish he shatters the record for worst finish by a rider after winning 5 or more titles in the TDF.

The previous worst finish was 11th.

There was one abandon by a sick Anquetil, but he was in 8th at the time and abandoned only after he was content with the lead of a teamate.

Hey, what was the answer to the question about the tained Tour in 1947?

Most people that don't really follow professional cycling only know about the American that won the greatest bike race in the world seven times, they could care less about what happened after that.

my sarcasm didnt come through so well. ;)

He did a lot better 2 years after his 5th Tour then the rest of them did.

Most likely because the rest of them did more GTs in a year than he did.

Hey, what was the answer to the question about the tained Tour in 1947?

The Italian team was not from Italy, it was men of italian decent living in France. When the top 2 riders in the world are excluded for reasons having nothing to do with cycling I call the Tour tainted.

Actually he also ties the record for most Tours after his last win at 2, same as Merckx. All the rest had only one more Tour start after their final TDF win.

On the other hand he also has the record of the best placing after winning 7 tours...

On the other hand he also has the record of the best placing after winning 7 tours...

Yes he has that. And I find his continuing to the end better than an abandon. A Lantern Rouge of champions deserves honor just as the lantern rouge does (or at least did). It indicates someone who did not quit when things went poorly.

He may also have the worst record prior to winning one. Strange book ends to the dominance in between. Agree he toughed it out, and anyone who has raced a bike knows that counts for something.

Im sure everyone will rememeber him the most for this years performance. His other 7 consecutive victories cannot overcome the magnitude of his failure in this years tour.

I wouldn't say that this Tour was a total failure for LA. Yes, he came in 23rd, when he was expected to place higher. But if you look at the big picture, he still finished ahead of the other apporoximately 150 cyclists in the field. It might not have been the way he wanted to go out, but that's the nature of sports.

Yes he has that. And I find his continuing to the end better than an abandon. A Lantern Rouge of champions deserves honor just as the lantern rouge does (or at least did). It indicates someone who did not quit when things went poorly.

As they say, it's better to be the last place finisher than to be the first DNF.

my sarcasm didnt come through so well. ;)

Was pretty sure it was sarcasm but wasn't positive. I figured my reply worked either way. :D

What insanity is this?

Finishing among the top 25 in the grandest of the grand tours is "failure" and somehow worse than a DNF?

Who cares what place Anquetil was in before he DNF'd - he still failed to finish.


There are about 150 professional cyclists who spent 3 weeks busting their asses to try to finish 23rd or higher in the TdF and who couldn't do it. He did finish ahead of the winners of the green & polka-dot jerseys so it's not like he was dogging it out there!

Lance has no reason to be unhappy with his performance.


I find it funny how people do enjoy watching a young rider develop and improve and ride with heart and emotion even when they're not finishing in the top, but have no patience for someone who's on the other side of the curve.

He may also have the worst record prior to winning one. Strange book ends to the dominance in between. Agree he toughed it out, and anyone who has raced a bike knows that counts for something.

I'm pretty sure he does, only Mig might be close.

Of course looking at the list it is like being the last in a group of contenders 5 minutes off the front.

Yes he has that. And I find his continuing to the end better than an abandon. A Lantern Rouge of champions deserves honor just as the lantern rouge does (or at least did). It indicates someone who did not quit when things went poorly.

Well if we count "virtual" 5-time winners, Lemond went from 1st in 1990 (win #3, virtual win #6), to 7th in 1991, and abandoned in 1992.



I'm pretty sure he does (have the record for worst first Tours of the 5-timers), only Mig might be close.




Armstrong's first Tour was 1993 when he won a stage in the rainbow jersey but later abandoned. He also had the white jersey for a while in 1994.
1993, DNF
1994, DNF
1995, 36th
1996, DNF - the cancer year.

It used to be more common for young promising GC contenders (like Mig) to abandon before they overextended themselves, and for bad climbers (like early Lance) to abandon before the mountains got too high.


Armstrong
1993, DNF
1994, DNF
1995, 36th
1996, DNF
1999, 1st
2000, 1st
2001, 1st
2002, 1st
2003, 1st
2004, 1st
2005, 1st
2009, 3rd
2010, 23rd


Indurain
1985: DNF
1986: DNF
1987: 97th
1988: 47th
1989: 17th
1990: 10th
1991: 1st
1992: 1st
1993: 1st
1994: 1st
1995: 1st
1996: 11th

Jealousy is unbecoming. He has so many records and accomplishments I doubt this even shows up on his radar. He must have a wing on his house just for the yellow jerseys. There's a statistic for everything and this one is quite possibly the least important and interesting.

Jealousy is unbecoming. He has so many records and accomplishments I doubt this even shows up on his radar. He must have a wing on his house just for the yellow jerseys. There's a statistic for everything and this one is quite possibly the least important and interesting.

Well considering the number of fanboys who thought Lance would podium this year I think it is farily interesting and important, esp. with What DiabloScott added.

All the 5 or more time winners dropped off or had only one more tour or both. Those who followed cycling and are aware of how others have fared did far better in predicting how Lance would perform than fanboys with no such awareness.

All the 5 or more time winners dropped off or had only one more tour or both. Those who followed cycling and are aware of how others have fared did far better in predicting how Lance would perform than fanboys with no such awareness.

Just for the record... I had him on my podium list too.
:o

also Wiggins
:o :o

Just for the record... I had him on my podium list too.
:o

also Wiggins
:o :o

This year? Which of AC and AS did you leave off?

This year (and last also) my Lance position pick ws conditional. last year I said if he tries for a podium he will be close, if he tries for a win he will blow up. Similar this year, if he tries for a good result then about top 10, tries for a podium he will blow up. I thnik his crash pushed him into the kind of actions I was thinking of with trying for a podium. He had to go hard enough to risk blowing up or fall out of any contention. I don;t fault him, he was forced into a gamble, better to take it than to lose for sure.

This year? Which of AC and AS did you leave off?


I figgered Andy to crash in the cobbles.

I never was much good at predicting races... did pretty well on an old UseNet fantasy game one year though. I think I over-estimate long shots more than under-estimate favorites but it goes both ways. Said Cavendish would never win M-SR for example. Much better at analyzing ex-post facto.

Generally I go to Unibet and pick 3 out of the 5 top favorites; works good enough for office bragging rights... and I've already accepted sucking at such things.

Well if we count "virtual" 5-time winners, Lemond went from 1st in 1990 (win #3, virtual win #6), to 7th in 1991, and abandoned in 1992.





Armstrong's first Tour was 1993 when he won a stage in the rainbow jersey but later abandoned. He also had the white jersey for a while in 1994.
1993, DNF
1994, DNF
1995, 36th
1996, DNF - the cancer year.

It used to be more common for young promising GC contenders (like Mig) to abandon before they overextended themselves, and for bad climbers (like early Lance) to abandon before the mountains got too high.


Armstrong
1993, DNF
1994, DNF
1995, 36th
1996, DNF
1999, 1st
2000, 1st
2001, 1st
2002, 1st
2003, 1st
2004, 1st
2005, 1st
2009, 3rd
2010, 23rd


Indurain
1985: DNF
1986: DNF
1987: 97th
1988: 47th
1989: 17th
1990: 10th
1991: 1st
1992: 1st; Giro 1st
1993: 1st; Giro 1st
1994: 1st
1995: 1st; WC ITT
1996: 11th; OC ITT

Fixed that

On the other hand he also has the record of the best placing after winning 7 tours...:lol: