The only question I have is...to who?

Definitely didn't catch that. I'm with Francois...gotta know who that was, ahem, directed to.

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Michael in Fresno
"Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man" V. Corleone

So which person do you think deserved that gesture? Just wondering.

I would think it was aimed towards "the man" who has been trying to hold him down and saying he can't run.

If it were towards a specific person who said he couldn't run I might guess peter reid?

Dan
http://www.aiatriathlon.com

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http://www.aiatriathlon.com

I remember hearing one pro triathlete who said that Norman can't run and will never place better than top 5 so I guess Norman expressed his opinion about that comment at the finish line.

He's flipping the finger to ultra tri guy who'd just told him that aero helmets were not for slow triathletes ;-)

I think that he is looking at Peter Reid somewhere in the crowd. I have to believe that his stupid, classless comments about Norman before the race, were great motivation in the last miles when he was hurting.....

It's German sign language for my boyfriend/girlfriend should have made the team!

I don't know if Stadler would say that anyone "deserved" it per se. My guess (and it's purely speculation on my part) would be that the salute was directed at one of the many detractors who said that Norman, while a outstanding cyclist, can't run for the win.

There's something to be said for being a gracious winner. If I want to see behavior like that I can just watch (American) football on Sundays :)

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Michael in Fresno
"Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man" V. Corleone

PRICELESS!!! :-D

SwimFan was probably taunting him.

On a related note.....

I once heard a rumor that such a gesture originated in one of the Anglo-Franco wars (hundred years war perhaps?), where the French would cut the middle fingers off English prisoners - something to do with the digit being necessary to fire a certain type of weapon. In response, the English would give the now well-known "F-You" gesture to the French after/during a battle.

True? Who the heck knows....

meh... it's an urban myth.

see, e.g., http://www.snopes.com/...pocryph/pluckyew.htm

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there was no one chasing us... distance is its own reward.

"I think that he is looking at Peter Reid somewhere in the crowd. I have to believe that his stupid, classless comments about Norman before the race"
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Peter was not in the crowd; being the "classless" guy he is, he was at an aid station in the NEL supporting all of the AGers out there.

As for his comments about Norman. Peter said the dude can't run, and he was right about that in the context of Kona champions over the past 20 years. Very few have won Kona running as "slow" as Normann. What Peter didn't anticipate was how well Normann was able to swim and bike on that day relative to the field. He was wrong about Normann not being able to win again, and I believe he took full responsibility for the comment.

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

That is German for I'm number #1

It gets lost in translation in the US

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"This wheel definitely beat the 808 in this test, no question, and I do commend Hed on producing a really fast wheel...the wheel is fast, I am not disputing that." - joshatzipp on the Stinger 9
My Website
HEDmafia.com

Stadler is a idiot for doing something like this.

stef

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Formely stef32

...and people on this forum called Macca classless?!?!?!?

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

You know you're a true world champion when you look to a retired athlete for motivation and then all you can talk about after the race is the guy who finished 2nd.

I know Peter was out on the course doing good things, it was a symbolic flip of the bird to him...He is not a classless guy, he just made classless remarks about Norman. And don't get me wrong here, Norman is just as much of a prick as any of the pro crybaby, grumblers this year... Norman can't run??? Give me a break...He was world duathlon champion, and I think a 2:55 after riding the most spectatcular ride in Kona history, is pretty dam good.. Is there any doubt that if he rode 4:25 to 4:30, that he would also be running under the 2:50 mark??? I think so, and in todays climate of running triathletes, that is a top 2 or 3 run split in Hawaii. He choses to ride the legs off his competition, and makes them come get him, and so far I'd have to say that it is a valid stragedy.....Two wins, and a very probable 3rd win inbetween, if things hadn't gone bad for him on the mechanical issues......

While I agree with the rest of your post, I think the statement above is a bit of a stretch. He wasn't as if he flatted from 1st place. He couldn't ride Lieto off his wheel in '05. This year he rode an even stronger Lieto right off his wheel from the start. IMO, Faris would have still won in '05. Next year should be another good race, between Normann, Macca, al-Sultan, and hopefully Alexander (big stretch to inlcude him with those 3, but hopefully).

If I remember correctly, he had just dropped the lead group, and was closing in on Faris and Sinablle when he got the first flat. It appeared to me that he probably would have eventually caught the leaders, and only Faris had legs to run, a 2:55..The same time Norman has done in both of his wins...I think we were cheated out of an epic Mark/Dave Ironwar run battle for the win that year, only this time, dueling Germans at the front.

monty...this is sport..... peter made a honest comment that was in perfect timing to provoque normann 2 days before the race. Peter had the same thing done to him by dave scott that said peter could not win hawaii because he isnt a runner. Peter just served him a full plate of motivation a few hours before the world championship.

IT as not much to do with class.....just smack talking before a race. Peter is a classy guy.....from the 4 years i train around him.....just very intense!!!

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

Along those same lines...another point I think people miss about Norman's running ability. In his 2 IMH wins he only had to run fast enough not to be caught. He did it both times. Is it possible that even if he were caught he could pull away from the chaser? Or better yet would he actually even be able to be caught? I don't think he could have been overtaken. In his two wins he looked as though there was still gas in the tank. Esp. in '06 the way he looked compared to Macca crossing the finish line speaks volumes to the ability of anyone to run him down-except for Sergio of course. Just my 2 cents.
Aloha,
Matt