I almost think this had to be a troll, but I'll bite anyway.
If you pick up a copy of "Stars and Watercarriers", it shows how Merckx used his team mates to attack and exhaust Manuel Fuentes (Kas team, I think), making it easy for Merckx to dust him at the end of the climb. The high speed by the Molteni domestiques prevented any of the real threats from mounting an attack on Eddie during the early portions of the climb (sound familiar?). The film director, Jorgen Leth, holds this up as a praisworthy strategy by Eddie. Molteni was the Discovery of it's day.
And by the way, no one thinks that the 50's - 70's were lily clean as far as doping goes. Anquitel is infamous for saying that riders couldn't ride the TDF on mineral water, and Thevent nearly killed himself thru liver failure caused by Cortisone abuse. I'm not saying that Eddie was crooked or doping, and you can like Eddie better than Lance for lots of reasons (like Eddie raced everything, not just the tour), but Eddie and the riders of his era had to race a lot to make a living. To paraphrase Roger deVlaemick, given the money paid for winning the TDF today, a potential Tour winner would be crazy to ride Paris Roubaix.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
Philcycles@aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 7/24/05 5:14:36 PM, biankita@earthlink.net writes:
>Merckx is similar to the time in which he rode. Yes it is true that
>Armstrong has won more TDF, but at the expense of something very
>important. I feel that Armstrong won by the miracle of corporate
>control.
Lots snipped
Aside from being off topic this is as big a load of hooey as I've read in as long time. The only reason Armstrong looks different to you than Merckx is that you're watching it on TV. Merckx used the same type of teamwork as Armstrong. And as for the doping comments, prove it. Phil Brown Saw Merckx race but not in San Rafael, Calif. _______________________________________________
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