Laggard

YOU decided that. YOU

monosierra

Funny there's never such acrimony in football forums, just debates in good spirit. Is it something to do with the lack of teams to support in cycling?

julian

Descending on a road bike at it's limits can be tough and dangerous, but I believe mountain bike descending ultimately takes more skill and that you can gain a lot more time. From my experience there are a lot more variables to descending on a mountain bike. Mountain bike races tend to string out more and because of the lower speeds you don't see a group staying together for very long.

monosierra

Ah thanks. I've only seen downhill MTB, and it seemed to me there's a lot of instinct involved in descending that kind of rough terrain.

ajwray

Just read the book "Born to Run", they have a few chapters about how Leadville came to be known for sporting events after the need for the local ore dried up. If you get a chance it's a good quick read and goes into the whole business about local doctors advising the local events organizers not to have marathons etc there because of the altitude. The local hospitals fill up pretty quick during the sporting events.

This one should be interesting.

Crash716

likely due to untrained fools trying to complete the race. If you know what you are doing and train at altitude then you probably wouldn't end up in the hospital.

once again...not taking away that it's a hard race, just saying.

Proteos

...And despite some of the mb guys contributing to this topic, mb'ing may be cool and dangerous and tough and all that, but in general the better bikers don't tend to gravitate to mb'ing, but rather road racing. Sorry to burst your balloons.

monosierra

Road biking is indeed the more glamorous of the two. It pays more, commands greater numbers, and produces more famous athletes. It is no wonder MTBers like Evans turn to the road.

Metzinger

Earnings are lower. Fame is less in MTB.
I recently attended the European Champs MTB and Trials.
It was like watching a local amateurs' race, in terms of spectators.
Pretty much the opposite of the fanfare and intensity surrounding Pro Road.
The Pro MTB scene is probably a bit like what road racing used to be. Tough riders pedaling desperately for modest wages.
The best riders follow the cash, when offered.

DenisMenchov

Yah, but you are really talking about grand tours.

Main issue is I don't think there are MTB Tours, probably just one day races which would be almost impossible to televise, hence the lack of sponsors.

Leadville I find interesting though since it's such a long endurance race. If they started televising it, I think people would watch.

Metzinger

Grand tours, classics, world champs. All feverishly attended. A lot of events and a lot of money.

There are MTB tours. TransAlp being the most famous. I don't see what makes a stage race easier to televise than a single day.

meb

They do have MTB stage races-Wiiens just competed in a 5 day stage race in the Alps.

meb

There's no other way to train for the altitude of Leadville than to go to Leadville-is that practical for non-Colorado natives?

meb

https://www.superhumanmag.com/content/view/763/92/

meb

https://www.velonews.com/photo/96646

https://www.velonews.com/article/96645/


In contrast to Armstrong's Trek:
https://www.velonews.com/article/96586

(also 2008 versionL https://www.velonews.com/article/81301)

or Wiens' Rotwild:
https://www.velonews.com/article/96581/

Soil_Sampler

if you would have read it, you would know the link is wrong.


bike:

https://twitpic.com/dujjh

cooker

Anybody watching the webcast? You have to pay.

www.leadville.com

dagna

@cyclingfans on Twitter is giving Leadville updates.

#leadville or #lt100 hashes will give lots of reports.

Hezz

I paid for the live but I am afraid it is poor coverage. It is not continuous coverage but I'm hoping that I will be able to see the ending of the race.

At about 9:59 AM Lance had hit the top of Columbine and had a large lead over the rest of the field. I believe this is the turnaround point of the race.

I will post periodic updates. His time on the course is unknown as the timing servers seem to be overloaded at present.

Hezz

Update:

Tinker had to drop out because of a mechanical. He said he was doing well but broke his seat clamp.

Here are some times from the Pipeline. I don't know what kind of pace this is. Keep in mind that these
times are from from more than an hour ago. The Millisecond server is back logged due to other races going
on.

Leadville100: Official times from Pipeline:

Schriver/Armstrong 1:37:41.4

Wiens: 1:37:41.9

Juarez: 1:37:42.1

Grant: 1:37:42.4

So these riders were pretty much together at 1:37:41 into the race.

Hezz

Update:

10:26 AM Leadville100: "Weins is in 6th or 7th (or so my runner tells me)".

This is from the race officials. Who are not able to get immediate updates from Millisecond.

Update:

10:30 AM Leadville100: "It's been 8 minutes and my runner hasn't seen anyone but Lance...yet...we'll let you know the second we see someone".




Update:

10:32 AM Leadville100: "Dave Wier just crossed twin lake".

Lance crossed Twin Lakes at about 10:23 AM. 9 minutes earlier.

Update:

10:37 AM Leadville100: "No problem, by the way I ment to say Dave Weins and he's 13 minutes behind my guy sees the 3rd guy but can't tell who he is one sec".

Update:

10:44 AM Leadville100: "Camera man saw Lance 5 minutes ago at the new single track, no one else in sight".

Update:

10:45 AM Leadville100: "Twin lakes guys said",

3rd place: 1504
4th: 1517
5th: 415
6th: 1084, no one else has come through

I take it that these are race numbers.

Update:

"JUST IN:

10:47 Lance past Sage Brush Gulch by himself".

Hezz

Update: (from course observer Ed. Not a race official),

10:50 AM
[Comment From Ed]
Weins riding strong, apparently. Stopping to change clothes (at Twin Lakes) knocked him back to 6th or 7th, but he quickly moved back up to 2nd. Can he catch Lance, though?!? Go Dave, go Lance!

Update:

10:52 AM Leadville100: At Twin Lakes

7th: 1515

8th: 1513

"Saw them about 3 minutes ago"

Update:

11:03 AM Leadville100: "Camera man at Sage Gulch saw Weins at 11:03".

Comment from Hezz:

11:05 AM At this point Lance seems to be way out in front at around 13-15 minutes ahead of 2nd place. Who is probably Dave Wiens.

Comment from spectator:

11:07 AM
[Comment From not really Todd]
"SB, they are at least well past mile 60 in the race probably like 70ish now. so 30ish to go. you said "some idea" ... that's some idea of where they are".

Update:

11:18 AM Leadville100: "Camera man 20 miles away (Sage Brush Gulch)"

4th: 1517

5th: 1515

Update:

11:29 AM Leadville100: "Lance just past our camera man at Poweline".

Update:

11:31 AM Leadville100: "Power line is about 15-20 miles from the finish".

Update:

11:39 AM Leadville100: "Along the powerline strech Lance has a 15 minute lead on Weins".

Update:

11:50 AM Leadville100: "Weins is at least 16 minutes behind Lance and he was pushing his bike, don't know the details".

Crash716

as i said earlier in the post...i think weins is a great guy and an incredible rider but i was pretty sure lance was going to own it based on his condition and how close he was last year. #'s don't lie, the man just road to 3rd in the TDF, Weins who has been dominating the race for 6 years is retired and doesn't have the drive, nor nearly the ego that lance has.

disclaimer: I am not a lance hater, i think the guy rocks...i just think his deep hatred for losing wouldn't allow it to happen again, so he just used his form from the TDF to come back and do some damage.

Hezz

Comment from spectator:

11:53 AM
[Comment From Kevin Pack]
"Fifth was Matt Shriver at the bottom of Columbine, by the way. he was at about 24 minutes behind Lance".

Comment from Hezz:

Sorry, I lost a couple of edits. It looks as though the 6 hour goal is not possible. Not unless they have somehow missed Lance going past the 12 mile mark.

Update:

12:38 AM Leadville100: "Lance just got on 6th street".

Update:

12:39 AM
Leadville100: Yes, he's minutes away.
12:40
Leadville100: He's 15-20 minutes ahead though
12:40
Leadville100: GUESS WHAT!!?? Lance has a flat

Comment by Hezz:

Looks like the race people missed Lance at both the 12 and 8 mile marks. They are under staffed.

Update:

12:41 AM Leadville100: "We're estimating that Lance is 10 min out".

Comment by Hezz:

He must be riding with a flat. That would be painful.

Update:

12:44 AM Leadville100: "Weins is 14 minutes behind, he's catching up!".

Update:

12:47 AM Leadville100: "Dave is riding Armstrong's tail!".

Comment by Hezz:

Armstrong might be really blown. We don't know how long that he has been riding on a flat.

Update:

12:49 AM
Leadville100: Here he comes, just around the corner

12:50 AM
Leadville100: Crowd is silent, weird


Update:

12:51 AM Leadville100: 3 minutes is the current estimate (Lance to finish)

Update:


12:52
Leadville100: Lance has been stopped by people on the street

12:53
Leadville100: I don't know about you but I'm pissed, what idiots



Below is a picture of Lance coming down Columbine with a time stamp on it.

Hezz

Lance wins, the crowds were so obnoxious he had to slow down and stop for them. The whole thing is a joke. Lance looked humiliated. They had to get the police escort so he could get to the line. He looked so tired he could hardly ride. Rear tire was flat. He seemed defeated. No one cheered for Lance that I could hear. I hoped they did because it was a monumental effort.

The organization and crowd control was a joke. I think the crowd was expecting to see Weins. Lance did not stop for an interview. Probably too tired and maybe pissed.

Unoffical time for Lance is 6:28:50.9 a new record. The whole Leadville race organization and video coverage smells of incompetence. Big fake acting by the announcers trying to cover up all the negative stuff going on. It's really aweful.

Update:

1:03 PM Leadville100: My runner said I was lied to and that Weins was actually 30 minutes behind

1:03 PM Leadville100: Last time I believe anyone but my runners, sorry about that folks