I’m sure I would be. It’s not a good way to write though and it makes it too easy for his critics to dismiss him. I’d question the nature of any sport that allows itself to be corrupted to that extent. I can understand Kimmage’s motivation but I would wonder if the battle he’s fighting can ever be won.
Was Kimmage really that good? Was he top ten in the world for his age or what?
Kimmage definitely loves himself a bit too. Always puts himself centre stage in his interviews in the Times. Quotes his questions and refers to himself the whole time.
Love his ‘he does in his bollix!’ comment they often play on off the ball though!
He’s no Stretch Armstrong.
[quote=“gola”]Was Kimmage really that good? Was he top ten in the world for his age or what?
Kimmage definitely loves himself a bit too. Always puts himself centre stage in his interviews in the Times. Quotes his questions and refers to himself the whole time.
Love his ‘he does in his bollix!’ comment they often play on off the ball though![/quote]
He came 6th in the amateur world championships just before he turned pro. It’s a while since I read A Rough Ride but I’m pretty sure that he was good enough as an amateur to expect to do well as a pro. And I’ve no doubt if he’d juiced up he’d have had a few wins.
He does love himself a bit. I guess that’s the ego/self confidence that professional sportsmen often have.
Vid here:
http://www.steephill.tv//embedded-clips/kimmage-armstrong-toc.html
http://www.steephill.tv/tour-of-california/
Gee, I can’t wait for Lance to kick cancer’s ass so my kids never have to worry about catching it.
[quote=“gola”]Was Kimmage really that good? Was he top ten in the world for his age or what?
Kimmage definitely loves himself a bit too. Always puts himself centre stage in his interviews in the Times. Quotes his questions and refers to himself the whole time.
Love his ‘he does in his bollix!’ comment they often play on off the ball though![/quote]
He was decent alright. As well as the worlds I think he almost won the Milk Race as well. Fucked it up on the last day I think.
Thanks for that video link Thrawneen really interesting stuff. I think Kimmage is a fantastic journalist and someone who talks an awful lot of sense. Heard him on Newstalk this morning where he was criticised for his comments about Armstrong. I am in no doubt that cycling was making considerable strides in cleaning itself up (tour de france has done far more than any other sports event to combat drugs problem)and since his return there has been a regression. Maybe cancer was an inappropriate word to use but he has had a negative influence certainly.
Eurosport are showing the Tour of California live this week
Didn’t know that thanks. I see their live coverage is starting at 5.30
Think this might be my first ever cycling related post on this board.
Armstrong to compete in Tour of Ireland
Monday, 23 February 2009 14:37
Lance Armstrong has confirmed he will compete in the Tour of Ireland in August.
The Texan, who has returned to racing four years after retiring with the aim of winning an eighth Tour de France, will use his appearance in the much lower profile Irish event to promote his cancer charity.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) have organised the first ‘Livestrong Global Cancer Summit’ from August 24 to 26 in the Dublin, the day after Armstrong completes the stage race.
‘Unless we act on a global level, cancer will be the leading cause of death by 2010,’ said Armstrong.
'Our goal is to be the catalyst that brings everyone together to fight cancer - from survivors, like me, to world leaders and policymakers who must commit completely to the effort to avoid a public health catastrophe.
‘The summit provides an invaluable opportunity to stand up for the 28 million cancer survivors worldwide and to create a unified effort to control cancer through new commitments to action.’
The 37-year-old, who has competed in the Tour of California and the Tour Down Under this year, last took part in the Irish race in 1992.
Tour of Ireland director Darach McQuaid said the global sports star can use the event to promote his cancer message all over the world.
‘The Tour of Ireland could not be more proud than to have Lance Armstrong riding once again on Irish roads in the lead-up to his global cancer summit in Dublin,’ said Mr McQuaid.
‘The massive, positive public reaction to his comeback to the sport in Australia in January and California in February indicate that, by the time Lance arrives in Ireland next August, the interest levels will be at fever pitch.’
great stuff- cant wait to see the legend
Irish Times article below. Interesting to see Stokes express doubt - he’s not one for rocking the boat usually from what I’ve read of him in the Irish Times and on cyclingnews and elsewhere. And it would have been easy for him to see this as a boost to his career and just a chance to increase cycling’s profile in the paper. So fair play to him for raising the questions at least and for expressing his own doubts.
Armstrong’s visit prompts mixed feelings
SHANE STOKES
CYCLING: AND SO Lance is back, confirmed as heading here in August for the Tour of Ireland and a Livestrong Global Cancer Summit. It’s huge news for the race, with Sunday’s announcement set to earn the kind of attention the organisers could otherwise only dream about.
An explosion of crowd numbers at the Tour Down Under and the Tour of California show the effect the Texan’s presence has on an event. That’s due in part to his winning seven consecutive Tours de France, in part to his recovery from cancer; but much is also due to a comeback story more suited to boxing than cycling.
Simply put, riders don’t come back. From injury, yes, from doping suspensions too – Floyd Landis was back in action last week in California, two-and-a-half years after testing positive in the 2006 Tour de France.
But post-retirement? It almost unknown at this level, and that’s a big reason for the headlines.
Theories abound as to why Armstrong returned, more than three years after he became the only multiple winner in the history of the event to retire undefeated.
The sceptics would put it down to boredom, ego, frustration in seeing his column inches turn from sporting matters to his dating of celebrities. Even political aspirations have been suggested,with the 37-year-old considering running for Texas governor and – it is believed – having a long-term eye on the White House.
Armstrong and his people insist otherwise, saying this return is all about the sport and, above all else, a mission to battle cancer. His Lance Armstrong/Livestrong Foundation has raised hundreds of millions in the fight against the disease, and he says this is his biggest motivation.
Sunday’s announcement focused almost exclusively on this.
The essence is that he’ll ride the Tour of Ireland, doing the August 19th-23rd event before then participating in the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit from August 24th-26th in Dublin.
According to that release, the summit “will make the case for acting urgently to address the global cancer burden and introduce new commitments to cancer control by bringing together world leaders, corporations, nongovernmental organisations and advocates in an unprecedented show of solidarity”.
Minster for Health Mary Harney and Irish Cancer Society chief executive John McCormack welcomed the news, while Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd and former US president Bill Clinton have expressed their support for the initiative.
And, as expected, race organisers Alan Rushton and Darach McQuaid are hugely satisfied.
“The global sports icon that is Lance Armstrong last raced in Ireland in the Tour of Ireland in 1992,” said the latter, brother of UCI president Pat McQuaid.
“The Tour of Ireland could not be more proud than to have Lance Armstrong riding once again on Irish roads in the lead-up to his Global Cancer Summit in Dublin.
“The massive, positive public reaction to his comeback to the sport in Australia in January and California in February indicate that by the time Lance arrives in Ireland next August, the interest levels will be at fever pitch.”
For the race, it’s undoubtedly big news. Particularly if he wins an eighth Tour de France.
Armstrong’s presence here could elevate crowd and TV figures to a level unseen since the Tour start was held in Dublin 11 years ago. From that perspective – and the fight against cancer – the news is a very considerable boost.
And, yet, there’s an element of unease. Armstrong remains a divisive figure in the sport. He’s been dogged by rumours of doping, with l’Equipe claiming in 2005 he failed retrospective tests for EPO on 1999 Tour samples.
When he announced his comeback, he said he was determined to prove he races clean. To that end, he undertook to be tested every three days by prominent anti-doping scientist Don Catlin and to publish those results.
Two weeks ago Armstrong and Catlin announced that testing would not now take place, several months after it was supposed to have started. They cited logistical and financial challenges as the reason. A back-up plan is in operation, and he’s been subjected to a large number of out-ofcompetition tests.
Yet, that unease remains.
Much as one may want to join the fight against cancer, much as one may love cycling, and much as one may want the Tour of Ireland to prosper, these enduring questions leave this writer with mixed feelings.
Lance Armstrong has been taken to hospital after crashing out on stage one of the Castilla y Leon in Spain today.
Armstrong’s team, Astana, confirmed in a brief statement on their website that the seven-time Tour de France winner had suffered a fall and was taken to hospital.
According to reports, Armstrong appears to have sustained a shoulder injury - a possible broken collarbone - and is being treated in Palencia.
Several riders were caught up in the accident, which happened 20km from the end of the 170km stage on a section of narrow roads.
If the injury is serious, it could bring into question Armstrong’s plans to compete in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France later this summer.
[quote=“Hibernian”]
"This guy, any other way but his bullying and intimidation wrapped up in this great cloak, the great cancer martyr . . . this is what he hides behind all the time. The great man who conquered cancer. Well he is the cancer in this sport. And for four years this sport has been in remission. And now the cancer’s back."[/quote]
I missed this thread at the time but I heard about this quote over the weekend .
Mother of Jaysus - that is fairly low.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]I missed this thread at the time but I heard about this quote over the weekend from Kimmage.
Mother of Jaysus - that is fairly low.[/quote]
Harsh alright. I don’t know about low. It’s not as if Armstrong has been shy about talking about it.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]I missed this thread at the time but I heard about this quote over the weekend .
Mother of Jaysus - that is fairly low.[/quote]
Sentiments are right but Kimmage should have expressed it differently perhaps.
He can forget about the Giro now I reckon. He was quite lucky as a pro up to now, never crashed very much.
Yeah I’d agree with that. What exactly does he gain from that phrasing, unlikely to appeal to a neutral audience.
Got a hell of a lot of press though.
[quote=“farmerinthecity”]I missed this thread at the time but I heard about this quote over the weekend .
Mother of Jaysus - that is fairly low.[/quote]
I fully accept that you won’t agree with me but I don’t see much wrong with the quote. Armstrong doesn’t have a monopoly on the word and it has long been used in a non-medical context.
Maybe you’d have to listen to Armstrong more but you’re not talking about a case where Kimmage just thought I’ll call him the cancer of the sport because the guy had cancer. Armstrong has consistently answered questions about doping allegations with reference to cancer and anytime he’s called to task on some of the outrageous things he’s done (LeMond incident in particular) he seems to find a way to mention his cancer in the response.
It’s a shield that Armstrong uses with the media and to be honest if you’re going to rely on it that much then I’ve no problem when someone calls you on it.