Originally Posted by
ahsposo
OP's in Oz. It's backwards down there.
Not qite... we can at least ride all year round without three-quarters of the continent covered in great white sheets of snow. And the temps never get below -5 deg in the large population centres -- and even then, only on one or two days of the year.
Originally Posted by
Tom Pedale
Why is it so surprising that as you age, you lose speed and endurance? Both Lance and Robbie McEwen became aware of this the last two years in the tour.
While you can limit the damage, you cannot totally reclaim what you once had. If this were not true, you would see 45 year old riders winning major tours and one day classics.
For some, once they lose their competitive edge, they stop riding.
For others, cycling is more than just finishing in front so they continue riding for the sheer joy of it.
An interesting individual is Stuart O'Grady who at the age of, what? 40? has lost his edge in speed but has become the on-road commander of his team. He won't ever win a TdF stage again, but his team will because of his experience, endurance, and ability to pick the right tactics. So in a sense, he will still be a winner.