who have you met
Comments
-
I raced as an age-group and junior with/against Ryder Hesjedal.0
-
A couple of years ago after watching the last stage of the 'Landis' tour I flew back to Liverpool and ended up stood behing Brad Wiggins in the queue for luggage. He was really friendly and very chatty considering how tired he must have been. He signed the Cofidis page of my TdF guide which now hangs proudly on my wall. A really nice guy.
He flew back on Easyjet too (the glamorous lifestyle of a pro cyclist)!0 -
vermooten wrote:I nearly spoke to VP at the Velodrome a few months ago but I didn't want to distract her from her pursuit of gold medals with thoughts of lust and desire.
I saw her at the velodrome today, in fact I was in the canteen queue for lunch ahead of her. I appeared to have the last two lamb koftas too, hope that doesn't cost her gold :?0 -
While out cycling in Lanzarote i tagged along Ivan Basso and the rest of the CSC team.0
-
a friend of mine was pushed into a water fountain by
Laurent Fignon0 -
Why am I not surprised that, if a pro was to push someone into a water fountain, it would be Fignon?0
-
Bumped into Bradley at Manchester Velo when the kids attended a go-ride session there.
Didn't really want to speak to him as he seemed very focused, but he was happy to pose for a picture with my son - nice guy (is he really that tall!)
______________________________________________
My Photo\'s
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsmiff/set ... 588563134/
My Video\'s
http://www.youtube.com/dnsmiff0 -
I met Zabel and Wegmann (and Ullrich and Kloden) at a do at the Carbonsports factory where Lightweight wheels are made. Nothing much to report except that the impish Wegmann looks about 12. Given how many of his attacks are at the worst possible moment that's probably a clue to his mental age. How he won a national championship is beyond me.
Kloden seemed very shy; Zabel very outgoing; Der Kaiser endlessly patient with everyone and managed to smile for his pic with me. (Shame I was so hungover and fat in it.)
Had a proper chat with Jorg Ludewig - really charming bloke.<hr>
<h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>0 -
Just read Pro Cycling magazine~August 08 and it jogged an old memory of one of the Festina guys...so if you include me being nearly laped by a rider in a nocturne race, which I remember was the Festina guy, Pascal Herve,... in a nocturne in Orange, Vaucluse... in summer 1991, then I met someone famous or infamous....0
-
I wished David Millar well on the morning of the prologue in London last year, just about to get his autograph when he was called back to the team bus. Same happened with Roger Hammond after his ToB stage win in Liverpool a couple of years ago.0
-
I crashed a tandem into the current president of the UCI many years ago. Even Aurelio never managed that!'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0
-
I met Ullrich on Majorca about 3 years ago in December... I murdered myself to catch him on a flat section into a headwind (saw a T-Mobile jersey doing about22mph up ahead) and there he was twiddling a 39x16! bastard.
He didn't speak any english and i don't speak german, but i like to think we recognised something in each other. Hem hem hem. Nice bloke
Met his brother in a bar that week too. It was like looking at Ullrich 10 years into the future, a bierkeller physique.
Got passed by two Gerolsteiner riders on a descent the same week and they looked at me with piteous contempt.
Have raced against Roger Hammond somewhere in north Wales and Magnus in the Blackpool classic last year. Worst sign on ever... Headwind? Raining? Winner of Paris Roubaix? Wow i'm looking forward to this!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Though I was only a spectator rather than a participant (thankfully) I remember a local two-man time trial where, upon arrival at the primary school that was the HQ, it was impossible not to notice the CSC team car with the most enormous bike rack fixed on top, conspicuous next to all the family cars: Sean Yates had decided to ride.
The event was a vets one, but the second rider could be younger -- so he brought along Bradley Wiggins to make sure of the result.0 -
I ran into a few lads on Tuesday in Italy - (email I sent to mates after).
On last day training I decided to start with Stelvino climb j(950m) ust out Bergamo. I wanted to see how legs were and aim for a 35-36min and hopefully see if legs could sustain LT pace after all gone before. So got stuck into climb and on early slopes spotted 2 High Road + 1 Mirlam pros on their way down the mountain – did not get a good look at them. Not uncommon to see pros in Bergamo as +20 of them. So set about my business and continued up mountain. I spotted a dude ahead u looked fit with amateur team gear and nice bike. So got passed him and he sat on my wheel. I got a bit miffed so decided to up the anti and drop him. I did this without too much hassle (3-4min at 180) and as I started in hairpins (19 of them) I was looking down to see where he was and hopefully see the gap widening. Then I noticed two lads in High Road gear flying up mountain with jerseys fully open Frank Schlek style .... hmmm them boys not hanging about. After a wee while I could see them looking up at me a few hairpins ahead so Game On!!! So +180 on heart rate and I decided to see if I could hold the lads off. Legs were tired but certainly able to motivate myself with 2 seasoned pros chasing u. I could see teh village above and knew teh climb well enough to know where u push. Near the top the hair pins stop and there is 2km to the finish. So by this stage I could not see them and was giving my all. Inside 1km to go still no sign and I reckoned Yes I have pulled it off. With about 600m to go I could see one of the lads come into view behind about 150m behind. I reckoned grand he will not catch me now and kept the pace up. Then with 20m to go I took a look to see how much I had held them off by .... ah 2m. Yer man had the afterburner on for the last 1km!! Very impressive. So at top there is a water tap the locals use so went to fill up and the two lads arrived over and got talking.
Lads were sound. I had to ask their names as reckoned one was Pinotti (only Italian I knew on High Road) other was Morris POSSONI. Pinotti was Italian TT Champ last year and won last stage of Giro this year. They were still in full high road gear they said only tour team had the new gear yet. It was there 3rd ascent. Pinoti was doing 3x30min at 340w. Given he weights slightly more than Kate Moss it was v.impressive!!! He did that last ascent in under 29min. I did 33-10. His record is 26min, so I told him if I matched that I would be sure and contact Bob Stapleton for a job
. I told him I raced Cav in Ras – unfortunately he never heard of the Ras. Lads were very friendly so after a few minutes chatting we headed our seperate ways. 0 -
I regularly see Bradley Wiggins when I out and about in West Lancs.
Even sat next to him at the cafe once, as he knows all the guys in my club.
Led the pack out after he finished his coffee and had him sitting on the wheel of my crappy winter bike - oh the shame.
See and speak to him all the time. Bloody nice bloke. Even managed to whizz right past him a few times in Bickerstaffe, leaving him for dead - although I don't suppose going in the opposite direction counts?
His missus and father in law even stopped to chat to me once about my new trek madone at the cafe. They both loved it and couldn't believe how light it was.
I am still waiting for my xmas card, tho!!!0 -
I was just taking it easy up the Ventoux and went by a struggling Ullrich. He was sweating a fair bit so I told him he could have my wheel up to the top. Anyway, about ten minutes of climbing later, I felt something moving around in my jersey pocket, looked round and saw Jan's hand in there and the remains of my biscuits around his lips. A very cunning tactic indeed.0
-
I met Sven Montgomery before the start of a stage in Spain (can't remember which race though) in March 2003. He was having a pre race espresso. He spoke perfect English. (He said he preferred Campag to Shimano as it was a European Brand).
I also Met Bernard Thevanet at the Semaine Federale in Saumur, France, this year. What a friendly bloke (speaks good English too).
Met Greg Lemond in 2001 going up a climb in France. He was about 50 metres ahead being interviewed by the pillion passenger on a motorbike, then by a guy in a car from the sunroof. He was with a group of executives who paid lots of $$$$$s to accompany him up several legendary tour climbs. All had identical jerseys. As I rode alongside Lemond (he spoke to me first) he was very chatty and friendly.
Top blokes, all 3 of them.
maander0 -
My Sister works with Bradley Wiggins Mum :oops:0
-
I was stood next to Fabian Cancellara with my son for a couple of minutes after the recent Gruyere cyclo tour. I’m sorry to say I didn’t recognise him until someone asked for his autograph. The scrum then descended and we slipped away.0
-
I got Claudio Chiapucci's autograph after the Portsmouth stage of the Tour in 1994. I was actually just leaving when I noticed a crowd around the Carrera bus. I thought I'd have a nosey and there was my favourite rider signing and chatting to all and sundry. I didn't stick around long, but he seemed a nice chap. Must dig that programme out...
I'd love to say I'd raced against him but that would be a lie. Only because I was too young, of course.0 -
We saw the whole of Lampre out training near Kortrijke day before Tour of Flanders last year - Baldato shouting obscentiies at a passing tractor. Doesn't reeeeeeally count as meeting them though does it.... Saw Matti Breschel just beforehand too, again, we're hardly like *that*.0
-
Met-rode beside Ullrich, Berzen, Bobrik, Mattan,Blilevens,Lotz, Vassuer,C Moreau, Desibiens.. .... Mercx junior in stage races 1991-1993 in Belgium and France..two I survived- the other I didn't! Still have the result sheets in a case. And have clear memory oflooking back and seeing a future festina junkie coming within yards of lapping me and main bunch in a nocturne in Orange, Vaucleuse summer 1991...Pascal Herve.0
-
4 years ago riding the Flanders sportive we caught and picked up a guy in Landbouwkrediet kit riding a shiny new Colnago who joined in the group and happy to sit in - admiring the bike and then noticing the Belgian champs bands on his jersey, it turned out to be Ludovic Capelle stretching his legs before the race on Sunday. He was quite happy to sit-in or take a pull through the first of the cobbled sectors and great to follow his wheels and check out the lines he took. Have also met Neil Stephens and Greg Lemond on bikes during LeTour and had a chat with Magnus at the bike show last weekend - his manager lives around the corner.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
-
Some really good stories there guys!
Sadly never met anyone worth mentioning although one of my best friends once got overtaken by Miguel Indurain!!!x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Commuting / Winter rides - Jamis Renegade Expert
Pootling / Offroad - All-City Macho Man Disc
Fast rides Cannondale SuperSix Ultegra0 -
shock hands with Stephen Roche back in the eighties at Kelloges city centre cycling in Bristol0
-
Sat next to Maurice Garin on a train once, many years ago ...0
-
Whilst selling tickets at Herne Hill good friday meet - 2006 Graeme Obree and his family. Let them all in for nowt, theres no way I was taking Obrees money considering all that he'd done for British cycling. A very quirky but nice bloke.
Following year I was on the front gate with a clubmate, a young lad called Scott. Yatesey steamed up in his Discovery channel logoed skoda and tried to drive into HH at about 40mph (anyone who knows the entrance will know how tw&tty this was). Little Scott jumps out in front causing him to stop sharpish. Mr Yates looked very peeved to have had to stop, wind down the window and show his ID. He gave it the big 'Sean Yates' in a very 'do you know who I am' tone to which little Scott instantly replied 'I know who you are mate, I just wanted you to stop driving like a c*nt'.
Well I laughed...\'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'0 -
I've gotten media accreditation for the past three Tour Down Unders which has allowed me to speak with quite a few different riders (granted, we don't get the BIG names down here, but hey).
Couple of personal highlights:
1. Was out for a ride and met up with the Quick Step boys who literally jetted in that morning and were just getting the jet lag out of their system on a very relaxing ride. Still struggled to keep up with them.
2. Last year, Agritubel came out, and as always happens, they have the Europeans meet our 'scary and wild animals' (read here as Koalas, Kangaroos and snakes). Anyway, I'm snapping away and Juan Miguel Mercado is getting all cute with a Koala. He comes up and (I think) asks to see picture. I show it to him and then one of the staff asks whether I could email it to him to pass onto Juan for his family.
I reckon he owes me a haircut for that!0 -
Just looking at my photos from 2007 now - ahh, the memories.
I was actually with Ellis Bacon one night at the TDU Classic and we were hanging out around Team CSC.
Anyway, Bjarne comes up and Ellis knows a bit of Danish and so was having a conversation with him. But Bjarne was spending a bit of time 'sussing' me out.
Bjarne is especially suspicious of anyone he hasn't seen before in the media. I've heard he has a black book for those he refuses to speak with. So he's probably trying to work out who the hell this guy is from a no-name website.
All I wanted to ask him was why he was called Mr 60%.0
