I read the stories and the threads.
Stadler is a champion. What's more, he is the champion this sport and Ironman need.
Here is why:
Stadler is not a political PR man. He is an athlete, now a champion athlete. Stadler has been through the ringer. He was critisized by people in press before the race, had bad luck in last year's race. I for one think he would have won last year too had it not been for the flat.
People are upset because of what Stadler said in the Triathlete magazine website about Macca drafting? Good. They should be. Stadler is likely right. If he is wrong, he speaks to what was an emerging tendency of athletes at the highest level to reduce Kona to a silly card game of brinkmanship and tactics on the bike. That sucked. I wanted to see a race. Not some stupid and indecipherable game of wits on the bike that we are not privy too.
I say, thank you Normann Stadler for making it a race.
You say Stadler is arrogant? A prima-donna? I say he isn't having met him once for a short time, but if he is, fine.
I remember a man named Bernard Hinault who was France's last great Tour de France hero. I remember he was brave, opinionated and brash. One commentator, Sam Posey, said (and I can remember it like yesterday), "Hinault was rude and made enemy's easily..." There is an incindiary quality to some champions and I think we have that in Stadler.
Some champions whine. Some champions deal in "what ifs". Some champions deal in graceful philosophies.
Stadler dealt in watts and power and heart rate and pain.
I wanted a race and I got a race. Stadler destroyed the guys behind him, great athletes too. He was courageous enough to attack hard on the bike and hang on during the run. He didn't succumb even though Macca really mounted an incredible run campaign.
Let me ask you guys- who remembers a race this exciting? It's been a while. A long while.
I for one am glad Normann Stadler gave us back classic Ironman racing. We have a worthy and respectable champion, and I'm thankful for it. I also can't wait for the showdown at high noon next year. That will be a gun fight.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Stadler is a champion. What's more, he is the champion this sport and Ironman need.
Here is why:
Stadler is not a political PR man. He is an athlete, now a champion athlete. Stadler has been through the ringer. He was critisized by people in press before the race, had bad luck in last year's race. I for one think he would have won last year too had it not been for the flat.
People are upset because of what Stadler said in the Triathlete magazine website about Macca drafting? Good. They should be. Stadler is likely right. If he is wrong, he speaks to what was an emerging tendency of athletes at the highest level to reduce Kona to a silly card game of brinkmanship and tactics on the bike. That sucked. I wanted to see a race. Not some stupid and indecipherable game of wits on the bike that we are not privy too.
I say, thank you Normann Stadler for making it a race.
You say Stadler is arrogant? A prima-donna? I say he isn't having met him once for a short time, but if he is, fine.
I remember a man named Bernard Hinault who was France's last great Tour de France hero. I remember he was brave, opinionated and brash. One commentator, Sam Posey, said (and I can remember it like yesterday), "Hinault was rude and made enemy's easily..." There is an incindiary quality to some champions and I think we have that in Stadler.
Some champions whine. Some champions deal in "what ifs". Some champions deal in graceful philosophies.
Stadler dealt in watts and power and heart rate and pain.
I wanted a race and I got a race. Stadler destroyed the guys behind him, great athletes too. He was courageous enough to attack hard on the bike and hang on during the run. He didn't succumb even though Macca really mounted an incredible run campaign.
Let me ask you guys- who remembers a race this exciting? It's been a while. A long while.
I for one am glad Normann Stadler gave us back classic Ironman racing. We have a worthy and respectable champion, and I'm thankful for it. I also can't wait for the showdown at high noon next year. That will be a gun fight.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com