Say what you will about the man, but he sure brought a lot of spirit to the sport.
From Cycling News:
Mario Cipollini’s Liquigas-Bianchi team has announced that their star
sprinter has decided to retire, effective immediately. The 38 year-old,
nicknamed the Lion King, is stopping after 17 seasons and 189 victories.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/apr05/apr27news
Again?
…he had a good second run. There is no upside in staying around. He won the WC’s, Milano-San Remo and set the Giro Stage win record. He was great for the sport. Endurance sport needs more guys like him.
did he test positive over the weekend?
In the words of Tibbs “I will love that cry-baby Italian until the day I die.”
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I gave him a push up Brasstown Bald in last years Tour de Georgia. I asked if he wanted a push, and he said, “yes, bigga push, bigga push.” He was a big guy, I can’t believe a guy of that size could race.
I then pushed his teammate who gave me a water bottle. I never washed my hand again.
I was hoping to see him grab one more Giro stage for posterity…nevertheless…one of the great sprinters…thank God for Ale-Jet…
That’s a cool story, thanks for sharing.
I’m sad to seem him leave the sport because as others have said he was such a great personality for the sport. In this day of politically correct athletes and their cliche answers he was a breath of fresh air.
Aw nuts. I was really looking forward to his usual one off prologue skinsuit at the Giro.
All in all, to not hang on for one more week must have meant something wasn’t right…
UK Gear muncher, that would have been the perfect way to go. A one off skinsuit for the prologue, followed by a stage 1 win !
In the words of Tibbs “I will love that cry-baby Italian until the day I die.” <<
I was lucky enough to see him close up at last year’s Tour. He just has this aura around him and the buzz was many decibles higher wherever he went. Ale-Jet is the new man (and a beautiful man at that), but he isn’t close to the Lion King.
clm
What a bummer. Not many other riders would risk turning up in a Toga like he did a few years ago. Classic…
did he test positive over the weekend?
Not over the weekend… but that’s the buzz in Italy…