Wow, just finished the book … yeah, I’m a late arrival.
Lance comes across as an arrogant, selfish prick … that sounds bad to say, but coming from me it’s an affectionate phrase (really, my favorite baseball player is Rickey Henderson. Nuff said). You won’t find too many guys at his status that are generous, humble, and considerate (no matter what front they put up in the media). Those traits generally are not condusive to accomplishing what he has. Some of the phrases he says to people just cracked me up, even though 98% of the population would be outright offended. Honestly, he reminds me of Michael Jordan. His image is super clean, but most folks tolerate his abrasiveness because of the immense talent.
I had no idea what a team sport cycling was. You’d never know it by the credit the teammates get. Heck, if football were cycling, you’d think Tom Brady won the Super Bowl all by himself. I appreciate how he explains that his riders “carried him up the hill” and “chased down the opponents” and “ate wind” so he could stay strong. Ya’d think the other mates might get to stand on the podium with him … or something.
I wonder what kind of triathlete he’d be? Seems like it came so easy to him, that he lost interest.
I love his attitude toward cancer. “You picked the wrong guy”. It doesn’t get better than that.
Another Jordan comparison … their work ethic. Jordan’s teammates did not like him in practice. he was always riding them relentlessly, and some (Horace Grant) got out at their first chance, and others (Steve Kerr) fought him physically. He seems to be an elite rider that literally does outwork a good number of his opponents (of course, I have only his perspective to evaluate with). His riding in weather and in areas others won’t says a lot about him
I didn’t realize how many failures (losses in racing) he’s had. I’m a cycling outsider, and read the book from more of an outside interest perspective. I was under the impression that he had won virtually everything he entered, but he had quite a few “non 1st place” finishes.
Yeah … this post in lengthy and annoying … any comments on the book? Is the 2nd on worth reading?
for what it’s worth, i read every second counts before i read it’s not about the bike. and i enjoyed the former enough to go read the latter, which i didn’t like as much. (i also like to do things bass ackwards.)
every second counts has a lot of great storytelling, if you like reading about the action of cycling. he talks about his tour victories in detail. the edition i have includes an afterword about the 2003 tour. yes, you should read it.
I wouldnt read the second if I were you, i think it would piss you off…btw…this is odd…but when I read your posts, i picture Joey Buttafuco at a keyboard…voiceover as well…thats not accurate is it?
Honestly, I’m a poor man’s Jim Carrey. I’m an utter goofball. I’m 30 going on 13.
In an athletic endeavor, I’m the guy that is trying like heck to make you look bad in front of your family. I don’t just want to win, I want you to feel beaten. It’s a whole different mindset. In real life, it’s “us”, in sports it’s “you or me”, and I’m choosing me. Since, this is an athletic forum, that’s the “me” you see most often. I’m likely too competitive for my own good.
I really, really, really like Lance Armstrong. His mindset is something I respect greatly. When the job needs done, it needs done, regardless of what the job is.
When not on-task, I’m the silliest person you’ll ever meet. I spent all summer dancing to the Wiggles with my 2-year old son … and I LIKED it!
Yeah TT, I think you should definitely read the 2nd book. And as already mentioned, be sure to get a reasonably recent copy that includes the afterword about the '03 tour.
But unlike a couple of posters already - I have to say I enjoyed the first one a little more, even though both are definitely great.
Hearing somebody saying “Lance is on drugs and just successfully hiding it”, immediately after you’ve read his books… boy that can make ya freak out!
Actually, reading his interview in the February Cycle Sport, after reading so much about Kristin in the books, can also make ya freak out a little bit.
“He seems to be an elite rider that literally does outwork a good number of his opponents (of course, I have only his perspective to evaluate with). His riding in weather and in areas others won’t says a lot about him”
That’s definitely the image he likes to portray. I’d like to hear what the average Flahute would say if you were to ask them about Armstong’s riding in bad weather. December in Belgium is a lot less palatable than in Austin or Spain. Armstrong works hard when he needs to (March - July), but I’d be surprised if he was anywhere near the top of Division 1 pros in terms of annual mileage, much less mileage in bad weather.
It’s so much of the same thing, you might as well reread the first book. It’s like seeing “sleepless in seattle” and then seeing “you’ve got mail.” Not that I saw either.
I haven’t read #2 but #1 came after I had a brush with death and am still dealing with some of that and my wife had just surg and finished chemo for ovarian cancer so the book held a special place in our lives especially the fighting back. It drew tears from both of us not so much the book but rememberances of what you go through in tough times and your GRIT to continue no matter what is thrown at you. MY wife completed several road races(running) and 3 sprint tri’s during her chemo and yes with no hair. mike
You are not alone many have the same feelings about him. However, just as many who may have seen the other side of him have nothing but great things to say about the man. It’s the risk you run being in the lime-light all the time.
Cycling is an odd sport in that it is an individual sport who’s outcome is dependant on the help and assistance of your team, or other allies during the race.
I can see how it was easy for him to walk away from triathlon at the time. Cycling was and still is a much more mature sport in the sense that it has a large and well supported group of truely professional athletes. Triathlon is still struggling to establish a professional class. The reality is that it’s only the athletes at the VERY top that are making a good living in triathlon. The money drops off pretty dramatically i.e. I suspect that there are those who finished say between 5th and 10th at Ironman Hawaii last year who are only barely covering their costs.
It’s one of the great come-back stories of all time. Man stares death in the face, beats death, then goes on to become one of the greatest athletes of all time in his chosen sport.
It’s a common trait amongst the truley great - to constantly push the envelope in all aspects of their game.
If you are going to be a professional cyclist, you better get used to loosing, because you are going to be doing way more loosing, and sometimes loosing in a very humiliating fashion, than winning. It’s the harsh reality of the game.
He’s on a team that only lives for the Tour and couldn’t care less what he does the rest of the year. So he can easily take the time to do these training camps in the Alps and Pyrennees when the rest of the peloton are out racing and earning a paycheck. There are only a couple of other riders who can afford to do that, ie Ullrich and Beloki.
He’s more talented than most.
I’m not sure that he works harder than a number of other top level riders, after hearing about the training that the top Belgians do (Museeuw, Tom Steels, Diercksens etc), in the cold and wind of Northern Europe to get ready for the spring classics (which are far more interesting to me than the TdF) There are a number of Italians who also have a reputation for brutal training schedules.
Got and read both books last month. Truly excellent. The first half of the second book is a bit weak as it repeats bits of the first. However, you get an insight into his preparations for the rest of the tours and how the US Postal Team works.