Originally Posted by
AlgarveCycling
Re the part I've put in bold, my wife is Belgian so I have Belgian family and friends, some avid cyclists. We visit Belgium every year...I like to talk cycling with them.
My sense from last year was that if Cav got the stage record, it would be small potatoes compared to Merckx's palmares generally. His Tour wins far outweigh stage wins for them; there is no real problem with Cav taking that record and Lefevere, if you know him, couldn't give a proverbial for what anyone thinks - he does what he needs to do for his chances of claiming victory. He has committed to Fabio, that has been clear all year. Cav only gets a look-in because he won the British Champs but outside of that, Fabio has been more impressive and he is their future, not Cav.
I say this as a Cav fan and an Englishman.
I agree re Froomey, he is one of the all-time greats. Definitely worth cheering for and we can hope he has one last hurrah.
Truly !
Cycling, and especially bike racing is such a 'story', over a long and arduous course and day, or multiple days - with everything which lies before a rider/racer being some level of unknown.
And it's great to have BFers who appreciate, understand the history and heritage of cycling and racing. As a Euro transplant to the US, who became involved in cycling as a teenager and start racing while in Uni and for long decades after; I try to keep a strong perspective for where cycling is core, as well as where cycling is finding great and enthusiastic reception and promotion!
I'm so pleased to have so much cycling now available to me, on the Tele !!! And always interested to hear more on the general tenor of fans in Europe.
Ride On
Yuri