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Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand

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Bruce Hildenbrand

Lance and Leadville

Posted by Bruce Hildenbrand on Aug 7, 2008 11:35:40 PM

Lance Armstrong is, once again, racing a bike. No it's not in France it is in another garden spot, Leadville, Colorado, where the annual Leadville 100 MTB endurance race takes place this Saturday. While anytime Lance throws a leg over a bike it is interesting, what is most interesting to me is the reaction by local bike racers and fans.

 

Some people I have talked to about Lance and Leadville can only say negative things about the Texas Tornado citing rumours that he has hired a lot of riders to pace him on the course and also wondering why he is doing the race in the first place.  OMG. I just don't understand why many people in this sport don't get the big picture and seem h3ll bent on keeping this sport in the backwater. One only has to look at the bike industry and the general popularity of the sport to realize that the post-Lance years have not been great for cycling.

 

Lance transcended bicycling and put our passion on the front page of every major newspaper and magazine in the US.  Then there were the TV news and sports shows and that translates to a huge win for our sport. The guy was gold and we all benefited from his presence on a bike.  In recent years, his absence from our ranks is noticeable and I, for one, welcome him back, Kate Hudson or no Kate Hudson.

 

Welcome back Lance and as I would say to anyone who is about to embark on a race, I hope you meet your goals and have fun doing it.

 

What does everyone else think?

 

Bruce

889 Views Tags: bruce_hildenbrand, lance_armstrong, leadville_100


Comments (3)
Aug 8, 2008 8:33 AM Guest Manti  says:

I dont understand what all the hype is.   Wiens is going to kick Armstrongs butt.
Aug 11, 2008 12:13 AM Bruce Hildenbrand Bruce Hildenbrand    says:

Manti,

 

I hope you really do understand the hype, because it isn't that hard to understand.  When a seven-time Tour de France Champion and sporting icon decides, after a three year hiatus, to enter a bike race it is obviously going to make news. But, the point I was trying to make, that you seemed to have missed, is that for the good of the sport in general it is good that it makes the news. Sponsorship of mountain biking events and teams is on a downswing and if Lance's participation in the Leadville 100 brings some press to the sport then it is extremely shortsided to poo-poo the attention.  A rising tide floats all boats and Lance creates a big tide.

 

Why can't we embrace Lance? Look at the results.  The guy clearly deserved to be there and with third place finishing 30 minutes behind him, no one can say that Lance wasn't very, very competitive.  The sport of mountain biking should be getting on their knees and thanking Lance for bringing attention to their sport.

 

Bruce
Sep 1, 2008 8:49 PM Guest Craig  says:

THe mere fact that Lance showed up for this race means now 10X the number of people even know what the heck Mudville or Leadvillle is!! Too funny ,  if he won the lottery Manti would probably complain about the taxes.

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