Originally Posted by
Kommisar89
Yeah, I've always lumped them together too. Hey, wasn't there some great champion that said a good pheasant, a bottle of Champaign, and a bit of time spent with a member of the opposite sex was the best preparation? That sounds a lot better than all that nutritional mumbo-jumbo they preach today...
My point was that Northern Europeans in particular are taller than they were when Merckx rode, partly attributable to better nutrition during childhood development. I don't think it's a stretch to at least tentatively conclude that if they're growing up taller, they might well be growing up stronger as well, and with more athletic potential. Unless they intend to be jockeys.