Armstrong "Race the Trace" - Personal Experiences
David Ryan
My personal experience at the Lance Armstrong "Race the Trace"
(Nashville, TN) cancer research benefit, Sep.12-13,1997
On Saturday, Sep. 13, I had the privelege of riding with Lance
Armstrong (and about 500 other riders) at the Race the Trace cancer
research benefit, and of hearing him, his doctor and others speak at
the dinner Friday evening. Mr. Armstrong was very positive about
his prospects after successfully overcoming cancer. While he was
being introduced, it was explained that Cofidis had wanted to
renegotiate his contract in light of his not having raced this year
and it was mutually decided that he would leave the team instead.
The ride itself was fairly fast paced. Mr. Armstrong (in his Cofidis
jersey) rode a Litespeed tandem with his doctor (most of the way) and
set a hard pace on the first descent. I was busy talking and almost
got stuck in the second pack from which I had to bridge, pulling a
number of others with me. The average speed was 24mph to the
turnaround on the Natchez Trace Parkway at about the 28 mile point.
His doctor, stoking the tandem, remarked that he thought that Lance
was doing well at that pace.
I also had the privelege, being the first one through the turnaround
when Mr. Armstrong announced he was not stopping, of having Mr.
Armstrong (and his doctor) spearhead a descending attack that caught
me and left me off the back of the pack for the next 25 miles, catching
back on only when Mr. Armstrong had to stop briefly near the end.
Immediately afterward, Mr. Armstrong generously allowed me to get
a picture of myself and my racing teammate Chris Mayhew with him.
One issue that I thought unfortunate was that some riders felt the need
to treat this ride as a real race. And while I bridged from the pack
to the pace/press truck a couple of times and rode 100m ahead by myself
or with small groups who quickly fell back with Mr. Armstrong who was
at a distinct disadvantage with a tandem on climbs, some late in the
ride felt the need to drop Mr. Armstrong and ride up to five minutes
ahead. I hope that this disrespect does not discourage him from
promoting and participating in these worthy events in the future.
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* David e /NO NO PACK TOO TIGHT NO CORNER Fast *
* Ryan /<> /HILL oO@O)o_@ __e IS TOO e Forward *
* aka '>(x)/THAT'S <>\<>>\<> ,\<> SHARP ,)> o Racing *
* PACKMAN! (x)/TOO HIGH (*)((*))(*)x)/(x) ===== /' ->~\\ Team *
********************************c1997*****************************LouKY
Chris S. Mayhew
David Ryan <David...@adware.com> writes:
>My personal experience at the Lance Armstrong "Race the Trace"
>(Nashville, TN) cancer research benefit, Sep.12-13,1997
<snip>
i was there for this ride and agree with all the rest of the post. i talked to
lance and said sorry about cofidis and said i hoped he could get someone. he
did not say anything about it.
man, he is competitive; he chased down anyone that got off the front for more
than a few minutes. trust me, spinning your 53x12 at 120rpm behind lance is
something i will never forget. and it happened quite a few times :)
>One issue that I thought unfortunate was that some riders felt the need
>to treat this ride as a real race. And while I bridged from the pack
agreed. i even rode to the front and asked them to slow down, they just looked
at me. so you dropped lance big deal. his stoker was _not_ a racer. i am not
even sure how much he rode. he cramped up and they had to put him on a
motorbike. lance stopped a few miles from the end of the ride to let the guy
get back on the bike because his wife was in the parking lot waiting and lance
did not want him to look bad. whatta guy.
don't drop lance. you will be watching him from the couch next season :)
oh, they promised to make this a yearly fundraiser with a lot more support.
i say GREAT!
--
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