amillhench

This thread is so f***ing stupid. We won the war guys...twice.

botto 

nope, we only won it once. duh.

botto 

if you have to ask, you already know.

amillhench

You mistook the war reference...The topic isn't "Are Arabs faster than North Americans?"

woodduck

I'm only taking the piss man.

I thought you lived in Europe and would get the joke I made? (even if it was a bad joke)

my view is limited anyway. Still, road races overall are faster and harder in Europe depending where you go and who turns up.

so yeah it depends.

botto 

incorrect.

you mistakenly assumed that wars fought by our grandfathers, great grandfathers, and great great grandfathers were somehow relevant to the topic at hand.

rousseau

Europeans are far cooler than Americans, in any case. Proof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwlpTgbQTE

Stallionforce

Actually, the Russians defeated the Wehrmacht, probably the greatest fighting force the world had seen since Roman times.

As far as racing --in Belgium specifically-- abroad goes, there was a really interesting discussion on Eurosport during Liege-Bastogne-Liege. For Belgians, cycle racing is like hockey to Canadians -- the only sport that really matters. Hence, local businesses and private interests as well as clubs pay the necessary money to back good, young talent: bikes, travel m oney, race entry money, etc.

I'd think that American racing is almost on par with some European nations, simply due to the massive population difference; however, the sport is not funded properly in America, and this is the reason for the lack of parity between American and European riders. Symmetrics, our Canadian team, for example, who have been placing really well on the N. American pro circuit this year, are about to lose their programme due to lack of sponsorship. It's really amazing how well they're doing actually, given the amount of racing they've done.

kniprm

well if that wasnt taken out of context, then i dnt know what was.

fink

They would probably perform well against the Latvians - popn 2.2mm.

CdCf

Road cycling as a sport in Sweden is almost non-existent. We have just over 2000 licensed cyclists, and far from all of them are active (racing regularly), and a large part, probably more than half, ride mainly offroad.

We also only have two classes, so to be at all competitive, you have to be at or near elite level.

patentcad

Essentially correct. Actually it was a potent combination of the incredibly resilient and tough Russian people combined with the tougher Russian geography and weather.

fink

Gee that doesn't sound like a quote from the American Dogma Illustrated History of War. Did you cut and paste that from someone else?

patentcad

I didn't get all of my History of WWII from American Dogma. I got significant parts of it from my parents who both lived through the War in Europe as kids. Besides, everybody knows that without Stalin and the Russkies it would have taken until 1947 to beat the Nazis.

ElJamoquio

Wow, I didn't think you'd be up to the challenge. I must say you've impressed me with your succinct proof.

kenyan_boy

Thank you for the respect you give my fellow Kenyans. Although the Ethiopians and Moroccans are beating us at our game.

botto 

incorrect.

patentcad

And of course the Road Nazis still walk among us.

pb2004

It wasn't the resilience, it was the treat of being killed by their own political commissars and the willingness by Stalin to sacrifice millions of his own people that defeated the Nazis on the eastern front.

mrbUSA

It is the GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. Love it or leave it man.

patentcad

It was the resilience and the incredible toughness much more than Stalin. Don't short change the Russian people or minimize their sacrifice and suffering. Stalin's willingness to sacrifice Russians is part of it, but when there are a couple of hundred thousand cranky Nazis with Panzers blowing mortars up your ass, it's kill or be killed. Particularly when it's sub-zero for a month or two. The Nazis were deeply hated in Russia given the barbaric atrocities they inflicted on the Soviet Union during their invasion. The Russian grunts were more than willing to die fighting the Germans, and my mother personally knew a few in 1945 and can tell you that from direct experience.

botto 

I wonder if Stalin was a fan of the Peace Race?

logdrum

I see plenty Kenyans training in Santa Fe, altitude ~7000 ft. Ethiopians too. I always wondered when people of African descent start road racing. Also we have Native Americans who can or used to run all day -- but I am sure running will not translate to cycling overnight if ever.

We just need a program to start kids young.I really hope that cycling becomes more popular. I do think club ride wise it's faster in Europe and we have a long way to get there.

michaelmc

I can't tell if this is ironic or earnest, and that scares me.

pb2004

No doubt that they hated the Nazis and some were willing to die for it. But a large part had no choice, as the option was be killed by their own commisars with machine guns from the back or charge at the Nazis to the front. Charging the Nazis actually gave them a better chance at survival.