Armstrong, Merckx, Boonen, Cycling Sprints, Crashes

[nichtfinn]

1:18 Gooo Wouter!

[MatoS23445]

0:52 When??

[w4ta]

Well, if I had just titled it "Cycling" people might have been directed to a site on removing a pedal or packing a bike... etc... Each has its place... but thought a broader, more descriptive title would better suggest the content.

[LanceMcDuffy]

Why didn't you just call it simply cycling?

[nichtfinn]

0:29 this rabobank rider scares the hell out of me. who is it?

[ED4TA]

@nichtfinn

Michael Rasmussen, also known as "The Chicken"... another discredited rider...

[StefanjacksonReturn]

rumsas tossico

[knorensnor]

woooow nice vid! where did you find all these valuable images en video's?

[timewillprove]

Ahhh that poor dog, i hope it was ok?

[devidia]

armstrong will get caught. he will pay for his cheating

[zignationer]

the part from 0:15 is freaking awesome!

[alkhan]

Not bad as a compilation, but a lot of interesting images skip too fast,,,

[w4ta]

Look to the right of the linked video in the "Video Responses" section. It reads "Post a Video Response". If you wish to post a video to this or any other site, you would select the "Post a Video Response" and follow the directions. Good luck.

[Gautran7]

Nice video! But it goes very fast...

[davidisaurus]

3:53 I would kill somebody. Can't even imagine what was going through that dude's head.

[w4ta]

Very cool. In Los Angeles, a number of pro riders join local rides. Rode with Rahsaan Bahati recently. Regardless of what you might think about Rock Racing, Rahsann is a very nice individual, polite, social, and generous with his time... and freakin' skilled and fast. Good guy.

As with life... cycling embodies the good and the bad. With the intensity and celebrity of racing, it all gets magnified... sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Which I try to portray in the video.

[brenna101]

Who's passing up that hill @1:00? That's amazing.

[pittsn]

That would be Lance Armstrong

[RR1Joel]

Armstrong by the looks of it.

[pboisei]

yeah, showing nude cyclist will definitely help our reputation.

[w4ta]

This video is about the best and worst of cycling... the purity of the sport, the corruption of the sport, and the ego of the sport.

There are some questionable and contemptible characters in the cycling... the nude cyclist among them... but they add intrigue to the sport... and they get a place in this video.

In a conversation with fellow cycling enthusiasts, I'll make my positive and negative comments. With this video, I'll make them another way... it's another form of expression.

[alxr5]

who's at 0:49 ?

[w4ta]

Greg Lemond

[w4ta]

I'm in Southern California, and we certainly have our cyclists riding and racing with vigor and enthusiasm (with or without Lance in the spotlight), but any casual interest from the masses appears to begin and end with Armstrong.

Regarding Farrar, yes! Looking forward to him closing out a few of these near misses.

[asbadastv]

This is ultra-intense

[soulripper31]

Too bad cycling is not very popular in America... Where I live cycling is the main sport( Belgium)

I bet Armstrong can still go on the streets unnoticed in usa. In Europe EVERYBODY would follow him XD

[w4ta]

You are right about the popularity of cycling in the USA. However, Armstrong would likely be recognized by average Americans (his celebrity now transcends cycling).

However, most Americans would not recognize (nor would have heard of) Boonen, Cavendish, Contador, Menchov, Schlecks, etc.

When Armstrong retires again, cycling will likely become irrelevant to 99% of all U.S. citizens. Too bad.

[soulripper31]

Yeah, I guess he's very famous now there because of Livestrong, but back in 2003 no one would know him and he was a legend already back then. Armstrong is very nervous btw this tour. A belgium show I watch and they have a 5-10 minut talk with famous cyclers as part of the show. Armstrong said 2-3 lines and he was gone. What a prick, he was very rude lol. Oh well, tommorow will be Armstrongs worst day in his professional carreer :) Contador will teach him a lesson. Bye bye podium.

[soulripper31]

Well second worst day. I guess the tour of 95 was worse for him.

[matt99is]

it's even less popular in the UK, at least the USA has some major cycling events, cyclists in the UK are actively hated by the general public

[soulripper31]

Poor Cavendish

[adderseal]

so true. the attitude the english have towards cyclists is so bad

[ermigue]

Great video, congratulations

[w4ta]

I refuse to believe every cyclist is clean until he tests positive. That would be naive.

Every top rider who's tested positive could show you files of clean tests, proving they're good at beating tests... until the day they get caught (read up on Kohl).

There is enough sworn testimony concerning Armstrong and credible investigation by L'Equipe on the 6 positive '99 samples to at least have serious doubts about Armstrong.

To say "impossible" is to bury one's head in the sand.

[ermigue]

the best comment ever!!!

[w4ta]

Agreed! Probably the most memorable and curious comment for this video... brought a smile for sure.

[Truth666]

Lance = ultimate example of blindness to who are the conspirators who will execute him in the next days.

▌

Armstrong in the next days like Floyd Landis and Jan Urllrich were or like Usain Bolt will be. Victims of a conspiracy set up by WADA, or better said, by the US and EU "governments" all controlled by the illuminati.

Goals include:

- advance the BIG PHARMA agendas

- terrorize citîzens

- destroy natural sportsGoogle

doping conspiracy Matt Marriott

[phearnde]

Excellent

[speedoflite1]

accusing any athlete of doping without proof is irresponsible and wrong. real sports fans appreciate and respect athletes rather than just posting silly statements, trying to be funny somehow.

[w4ta]

Until positive for CERA following the '08 TDF, it would have been "irresponsible" to suggest Bernhard Kohl doped.

Kohl now states he was tested and cleared over 200 times, 100 times while on a banned substance (even injecting himself an hour before passing tests).

Testing is pathetic, leaving us to speculate based on deduction: e.g. LA confirmed 1999 corticosteroid positive (retroactively exempted for saddle-sores)... and 6 non-binding retroactive EPO positives (see L'Equipe article).

[magix2K7]

this is the only sport that tests this frequently

this is only sport where cheaters get caught so frequently

sport is a reflection of life

lots of cheaters , only way to control the masses is supervision

many sport don't test so they can't be caught

[Gambitgirl1974]

actually that corticosteroid cream showed traces in his blood and urine exponentially lower than the lowest limit to be considered illegal..

fact is, no matter what people say he has never been documented as testing positive or been formally accused according to the IC federation or the WADA.

just speculation and doubts of people who have a hard time believing that sometimes someone comes along who actually is that freakishly good.

[eddioarddio]

Amstrong=Doping

PANTANI=CYCLISM

[w4ta]

Agree on Armstrong; disagree on Pantani (60% hematocrit level after 1995 crash, 50% being the current cutoff)... kicked out of 1998 Giro for high levels, indicative of EPO. That was the era... and we're still living through it at some level...

[Lostinsantamonica]

Sorry if this got answers: Who does the music?

Killer vid, w4ta!!!

[w4ta]

Thanks for the comments-

There are actually three different musical tracks, each edited to fit the video.

First: (0:00 -- 1:53) Black Powder by Motor

Second: (1:54 -- 3:24) Old School Vibes by Timo Mass

Third : (3:25 -- 4:11) Remake of "Quartz" by the '70's group Quartz. Old version was theme for the Mexican Disco show "La Carabina de Ambrosio." I don't have artist info for the remake, which is in this video.

[Aston480TBE]

3:56 wdf... stupid people getting the way wdf?

[chriswatts83]

Luckily he still went on to win the stage.

[marshamk]

i love cycling but this video makes me feel like im in a gay bar

[w4ta]

Yeah, my wife was a little concerned when I put it together... but in the end, Black Powder by Motor worked better than Freebird by Lynard Skynard

[marshamk]

well, esp with the naked shot of lance....

and where did you get that fat guy in the red????

[w4ta]

Yeah, that guy in the red kills me. I found the photo floating around a cycling discussion board.

And the photo of Lance... well, part of this whole montage was to explore the ego, fandom, and cult of celebrity associated with cycling... its best and its worst. The photo of Lance is over the top, thrown in just to be provocative.

[dehaeck]

very nice vid

[dahgutone]

Oh nooo the bike!!!!

[phraud12345]

Sick!

[fisbo10011001]

Beautiful composition; 6stars if I had a choice.

[Slater071]

Eddy Merckx known as "simply the greatest rider of all time". Nicknamed the Cannibal for his insatiable appetite for victories, he won every single important race, most multiple times, also in an era when the sport was clean.

In his peak years, 1969 through 1975, Merckx won an astounding 35% of races entered...the winningest record in the history of cycling.

[butler148]

the sport wasn't clean even then, merrckx was done for drugs in 69. (i think thats the right year), and altough he still protests his innocence, he may be lying.

i do believe he was top 5 greatest cyclists ever. coppi maybe no1

[zullkin]

don't thinks so

Merckx is still no. 1 all time

won over 500 races

7x Milan-Sanremo

5x Tour de France (he won 34 (!) races in TdF)

5x Giro

3x Paris-Roubauix

2x Ronde Van Vlaanderen

3x Paris-Nice

[dahgutone]

Yeah. Merkx is by far the best cyclist. Uncompared to any other rider.

[zj541]

lol check your facts mate.

[Slater071]

lol i have mate.. lol

No-one takes cycling seriously nowadays anyways given its rife with drugs, Merckx as the greatest ever wont ever be surpassed

[M3addicted]

extremely well made!!

[chortleslug]

POOR DOG AT BEGINNING!!!!!!!!

[w4ta]

As I said in my opening comment, this video is a commentary on the good and bad elements of cycling. So, not sure why you'd view it negatively.

Original Post: Obviously, this video illustrates the positive and negative aspects of cycling... juxtaposing some incredible efforts and sacrifices along side of some disturbing excesses (cult of personality, doped riders, etc).

... While I would like to believe every extraordinary effort is the peak of physical achievement... I'm not naive...

[kahunna]

this is a well produced vid! Thanks for sharing.

[dob90210]

Hey, finally a cycling video with good music! Nice one. What's the name of the tune?

[w4ta]

Thanks---

There are actually three different musical tracks, each edited to fit the video.

First: (0:00 -- 1:53) Black Powder by Motor

Second: (1:54 -- 3:24) Old School Vibes by Timo Mass

Third : (3:25 -- 4:11) Remake of "Quartz" by the '70's group Quartz. Old version was theme for the Mexican Disco show "La Carabina de Ambrosio." I don't have artist info for the remake, which is in this video.

[edwardalexklose]

check out 1:51 thats so hard to do!!

[tgkillings]

1:40... Sean Kelly's legs.. are insane,

plus winning the World Championships with duct taped shoes? in 1984 right?

[tgkillings]

oh haha sjl62, just saw your comment.. so LBL it was

[ProPhotoSecrets]

GREAT video!! Well done. Awesome seeing Merckyx on the roller :)

[sjl62]

Thanks for including that shot of Kelly's legs at Liege '84. Note the duct tape on his shoes!

[pifko87]

@3:55 - I would have kicked that guys f*cking ass!

[edwardalexklose]

yeah i agree notice how the photographer help him on his way down .

BASTARD

[nik78391]

0:29 wtf???

[w4ta]

Who knows... I saw the image in a bike forum and figured I had to use it. For some, cycling is about performance or competition, for others its about camaraderie, and for others its about image (as it is- apparently- for the guy in the red suit).

[nik78391]

where did you get these photos?

[unmap]

What track did you use for this compilation? It's some good stuff.

[w4ta]

There are actually three different musical tracks, each edited to fit the video.

First: (0:00 -- 1:53) Black Powder by Motor

Second: (1:54 -- 3:24) Old School Vibes by Timo Mass

Third : (3:25 -- 4:11) Remake of "Quartz" by the '70's group Quartz. Old version was theme for the Mexican Disco show "La Carabina de Ambrosio." I don't have artist info for the remake, which is in this video.

[ogonzilla]

Nice job...great effects on the photos.

[crava277856]

One of the best I've ever seen... keep up the good job

[nighthawks3]

ty for movie, it's amazing

[psiturbo]

Like Cartoon Network says; "Stupid Dog"

[w4ta]

Obviously, this video illustrates the positive and negative aspects of cycling... juxtaposing some incredible efforts and sacrifices along side of some disturbing excesses (cult of personality, doped riders, etc).

As a cycling fan, I lament our inability to know who the pure riders are. While I would like to believe every extraordinary effort is the peak of physical achievement... I'm not naive...

Hope you enjoy the video.

[Cwetko92]

Armstrong Rulz!!!! LiveSTRONG