With thanks to 6288 - Greatest race moment ever?

Schmidthouse

Following on from 6288's great post about the riders we like, what about those great race moments?

Lemond and Hinault in 86. Indurain in the 92 Luxembourg TT. L.A on the Alpe in 01. Roche winning the 2nd triple crown.

Putting my Aussie hat on, watching Stuey win in Roubaix was so very special.

(P.S - if this has been asked before, apologies).

Kléber

There are so many moments, I can only suggest contributions to what should be a very long list, as cycling is an epic sport. Here are a couple that are not at the top of every list but great moments

1994 Paris - Roubaix comes to mind, what makes it even better is the muddy conditions and the gravel in commentator Duffield's throat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok5DktZVohk . But the rest of the race was great, the moment where Museeuw almost caught Tchmil was just gripping stuff.

Also Pantani's attack on the Galibier in 1998, in the storm, on the way to les Deux Alpes and the yellow jersey was amazing but sadly the apparent ease of his move looks too familiar with Ricco still fresh in the mind.

skavanagh.bikeradar

It's Roche, it's Stephen Roche!

disgruntledgoat

No fan of he man but the 2003 Tour and the stage to Gap... Beloki (one of my favourite riders) goes down horribly, forcing Mayo to a standstill and to hop around him on one foot, Armstrong rides through a farmers field leaps over a bank and gets on Tyler Hamilton's wheel with the greatest of ease.

I have no shame in saying I stood up, alone in my front room, and applauded.

6288

disgruntledgoat wrote:

No fan of he man but the 2003 Tour and the stage to Gap... Beloki (one of my favourite riders) goes down horribly, forcing Mayo to a standstill and to hop around him on one foot, Armstrong rides through a farmers field leaps over a bank and gets on Tyler Hamilton's wheel with the greatest of ease.

I have no shame in saying I stood up, alone in my front room, and applauded.

apart from he ran fully across the road in front of the other race leaders coming round the corner holding them up (when likely they woudl have waited anyway) ... why not get on the bike as soon as he hit tarmac ... let's hope he doesn't teach his kids to ride a bike in traffic!

(was very exciting tho ... 2nd only to Landis' efforts as cycling spectacle ...)

takethehighroad

Kléber wrote:

Also Pantani's attack on the Galibier in 1998, in the storm, on the way to les Deux Alpes and the yellow jersey was amazing but sadly the apparent ease of his move looks too familiar with Ricco still fresh in the mind.

Pantani on the Galibier is my favourtie, and in a way it doesn't matter that it's tainted now because I know how it made me feel at the time and the extra knowledge doesn't detract from that.

Also for sheer spectacle the '03 Tour stage to Ax-3-Domaines when Lance was in big difficulty and somehow pulled it out. You just didn't know what would happen.

calvjones

You have to go some way to beat Nicole in the Olympic RR.

GeorgeShaw

calvjones wrote:

You have to go some way to beat Nicole in the Olympic RR.

+1

Moomaloid

The moment that means most to me is the the Lemond v Fignon time trial... it was the defining moment for me as a kid. It completely captured me as a cyclist. Not only that it turned my completely unsporting family onto the sport too. Ahhh they don't make 'em like that anymore do they

afx237vi

calvjones wrote:

You have to go some way to beat Nicole in the Olympic RR.

She did. Three weeks later in Varese.

For me it was the 2003 Tour stage on Luz Ardiden and the musette incident. I'd been a fan of cycling for a few years before that, but that was what got me really hooked on pro cycling. That whole Tour was incredible.

Second place... 2005 Giro, the battle on the Colle della Finestre. Simoni and Rujano cracking Savoldelli on the climb and then Savo fighting to limit his losses on the way to Sestriere. Amazing stage.

Schmidthouse

Moomaloid wrote:

The moment that means most to me is the the Lemond v Fignon time trial... it was the defining moment for me as a kid. It completely captured me as a cyclist. Not only that it turned my completely unsporting family onto the sport too. Ahhh they don't make 'em like that anymore do they

For me it was that 92 T.T of Indurains, I remember sitting there watching it 'live' on T.V here in Aus, he was on that funny bike with the smaller front wheel from memory and just blew the field apart.

redvee

Mine has to be Roche and the climb to La Plagne(sp?)

DavMartinR

afx237vi wrote:

Second place... 2005 Giro, the battle on the Colle della Finestre. Simoni and Rujano cracking Savoldelli on the climb and then Savo fighting to limit his losses on the way to Sestriere. Amazing stage.

Is that the stage were Savoldelli decended like a madman :twisted: ? If so yes that was amazing.

As its still fresh in the mind Nicole at the worlds, how she managed to cover all the moves and still have the legs to come around Voss at the end fantastic.

blazing_saddles

afx237vi wrote:

Second place... 2005 Giro, the battle on the Colle della Finestre. Simoni and Rujano cracking Savoldelli on the climb and then Savo fighting to limit his losses on the way to Sestriere. Amazing stage.

One of my favourites, too. Only I seem to recall, as far as Savoldelli was concerned, it being more about "purchasing" some domestique help, in the form of Lotto duo, Ardila and van Huffel, than his usual amazing decending.
Cramp too, first Di Luca, then Simoni himself, may ultimately have cost Gibo a third Giro title.

Colle della Finestre was supposed to turn up in a Prudhomme Tour. We are still waiting....

Another favourite of mine, starring Gibo, but this time coming out of left field.
Anyone else remember this tactical masterpiece on the sort of "lumpy" parcour, only the Giro can throw up?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2003/gi ... ts/stage10

DaveyL

I think Savoldelli did make up about a minute on the descent of the Finestre, didn't he?

Cumulonimbus

Stephen Roche's climb to La Plagne in 1987. The way he just suddenly appeared behind Delgado coming round the last bend and had to be given oxygen afterwards. Probably responsible more than anything else for getting me into bike racing - still sends shivers down my spine today :oops:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sQojh-wqL04

Travis_M

I still think that this years Beijings Ladies RR was a great one, bad weather, crashes, breaks and a brilliant sprint finish.

disgruntledgoat

DavMartinR wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

Second place... 2005 Giro, the battle on the Colle della Finestre. Simoni and Rujano cracking Savoldelli on the climb and then Savo fighting to limit his losses on the way to Sestriere. Amazing stage.

Is that the stage were Savoldelli decended like a madman :twisted: ? If so yes that was amazing.

As its still fresh in the mind Nicole at the worlds, how she managed to cover all the moves and still have the legs to come around Voss at the end fantastic.

I remember them showing that on the telly. They had a split screen of Simoni and Rujano going down the other side and then a live take of Salvoldelli, so you could see them ride the same corners at the same time. He mullered them.

Greggyr

I really like the film clip of the guy who celebrates his win far too early, crashes spectacularly, and is passed by a bemused/embarrased chap who takes the win....

blazing_saddles

disgruntledgoat wrote:

DavMartinR wrote:

afx237vi wrote:

Second place... 2005 Giro, the battle on the Colle della Finestre. Simoni and Rujano cracking Savoldelli on the climb and then Savo fighting to limit his losses on the way to Sestriere. Amazing stage.

Is that the stage were Savoldelli decended like a madman :twisted: ? If so yes that was amazing.

As its still fresh in the mind Nicole at the worlds, how she managed to cover all the moves and still have the legs to come around Voss at the end fantastic.

I remember them showing that on the telly. They had a split screen of Simoni and Rujano going down the other side and then a live take of Salvoldelli, so you could see them ride the same corners at the same time. He mullered them.

Di Luca was dropped with cramp and Simoni had 49kg Rujano, so no real surprised that Il Falco was quicker in the decent.
However, he needed to keep a decent group of climbers with him, especially the Lotto boys, so he "toned it down" and was then able to let them tow him on the climb to Sestrieres.

If you want a better example of Savoldelli's decending, try this:-
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2006/gi ... s/giro0613

Took back 30" in a handful of kms, from Cunego and Di Luca, both excellent decenders and about 1'-30" on Basso.....who isn't. :oops:

disgruntledgoat

Was 06 the year that Simoni complained that Basso "goes downhill as fast as concrete" and said he could do all the work he wanted in the windtunnel but he'd still "Descend like a sack of cement"?

Arf!

edhornby

Moomaloid wrote:

The moment that means most to me is the the Lemond v Fignon time trial... it was the defining moment for me as a kid. It completely captured me as a cyclist. Not only that it turned my completely unsporting family onto the sport too. Ahhh they don't make 'em like that anymore do they

+1 Moomaloid, so thrilling to watch

DaveyL

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Di Luca was dropped with cramp and Simoni had 49kg Rujano, so no real surprised that Il Falco was quicker in the decent.
However, he needed to keep a decent group of climbers with him, especially the Lotto boys, so he "toned it down" and was then able to let them tow him on the climb to Sestrieres.

Though I agree it's not the most specatcular example, Savoldelli's descending on the Finestre actually brought him *up* to three guys - van Huffel, Gonchar and Valjavec - in time for the climb to Sestrieres. On the climb of the Finestre he was with Ardila and, I think, Atienza (of Cofidis).

takethehighroad

DaveyL wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Di Luca was dropped with cramp and Simoni had 49kg Rujano, so no real surprised that Il Falco was quicker in the decent.
However, he needed to keep a decent group of climbers with him, especially the Lotto boys, so he "toned it down" and was then able to let them tow him on the climb to Sestrieres.

Though I agree it's not the most specatcular example, Savoldelli's descending on the Finestre actually brought him *up* to three guys - van Huffel, Gonchar and Valjavec - in time for the climb to Sestrieres. On the climb of the Finestre he was with Ardila and, I think, Atienza (of Cofidis).

Wasn't it the other way round? Ardila was working for Van Huffel on the Finestre and Savo dropped them on the descent. Then they caught back up to him on the climb to Sestreieres and towed him to the maglia rosa. Still a fantastic day of racing that I remember watching even now.

My favourite bit of Savo descending came from the Giro 06 when he dropped off the Mortirolo, to see the split screen of Simoni and Basso on one side and him on the other was incredible.