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When is a Pro rider too old?

jerry3571jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
edited August 2016 in Pro race
Just a thought I've had as it seems AC can't seem to stay on his bike these days. When in a tricky situation he doesn't seem to be quite sharp enough to stay on two wheels. Two other rider in their 30s I noticed this with is Cancellara and that most gracious of Tour winners (non winner) Lance Armstrong. When LA rode for Radioshak he couldn't seem to stay upright especially after 7 years without a scratch.
Not sure whether it's their concentration is not quite the same as is used to be or this is the very first thing to go in the ageing process. Maybe the brain goes off slightly before the legs?
I may be writing rubbish ok so any neurosurgeon who may read this may put me right. :)
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

"You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
-Jacques Anquetil

Posts

  • KajjalKajjal Posts: 3,404
    If you push yourself to your limits your balance is shot to bits.

    On road bikes this is not so bad but push yourself too hard mountain biking and you lose you bike handling skills and strength which puts you in a world of pain.
  • timothywtimothyw Posts: 2,482
    Chris Horner won his first grand tour, the Vuelta, at 41.

    Obviously you're never to old with the correct preparation...
  • ProssPross Posts: 22,145
    I suspect the regular crashing is because you suddenly have to take more risks to win.
  • ocdupalaisocdupalais Posts: 3,638
    For the old aged cyclist, as any cartoon cliche will tell you, needing a wee wee, going cross-eyed, grabbing your crotch and falling off sideways is the thing most likely to compromise your performance.

    Quintana is 48 and he won a stage the other day.
  • mm1mm1 Posts: 1,101
    Not sharp enough to avoid them. Coppi carried on too long, Hinault didn't.
  • jerry3571jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    Oh yeah, Sammy Sanchez got caught out having a pee. He was probably waiting a good ten mins for something to happen. :D
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • joelsimjoelsim Posts: 7,552
    jerry3571 wrote:
    Oh yeah, Sammy Sanchez got caught out having a pee. He was probably waiting a good ten mins for something to happen. :D

    I doubt it. He's probably had 5 already this stage.
  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    I just think Armstrong burnt all his luck in his first row of "wins".
  • philbar72philbar72 Posts: 2,216
    true. he had formidable luck in not winning those tours. best preparation all the way seemed to work very well for him, for a while.
  • yorkshirerawyorkshireraw Posts: 1,055
    Most of Armstrong's 2010 team were also getting on a bit, and may also not have had all the jelly-babies they were used to in previous years, hence why he was crashing mid-pack and not being kept well out of trouble in the front as he was used to.
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