Racing in the 1980/90's, etc. – Rich McClung's blog

[Pastashop]

Some nice stories here: http://rmc43.blogspot.com

(Also, and I hesitate to note this for fear of an epic thread on the topic, an interesting story about the rise of doping in the US racing scene.)

[carpediemracing]

I read the first post and the beginning of the second post. Fantastic to read about the experiences from the gutter, if you will.

I don't know how carefully he read the "anti-Lance" books but he mentions weight loss in the post about how Lance got so much better. According to various sources (I think the Tour as well as the doctor that said Lance learned to process oxygen more efficiently or something) he only lost one or two kg pre-and post cancer. He lost a lot of weight while he was undergoing chemo, yes, but he gained it all back based on the physical fitness stats.

Second, the bit about racing in Belgium is spot on. I went to Belgium for a few weeks at what ended up being the beginning of the height of the EPO era, 1992. We got shelled the first week on the first 5km lap. We were staying with my parents and my mom asked how it went. I said that we both got pulled in one lap and that I'd hit some insane speed like 35 mph. My teammate/friend said I was exaggerating so I went and checked my cyclocomputer. 73 kph. 44+ mph. On a flat course. On the first lap. And I couldn't see the field after 4 km. Absolutely insane. After that my goal was to do one lap with the field, forget about trying to do a 100-120km race. My story here (http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2007/06/story-experiencing-belgian-kermesses.html).

Thanks for the link.

[Pastashop]

... Second, the bit about racing in Belgium is spot on. I went to Belgium for a few weeks at what ended up being the beginning of the height of the EPO era, 1992. We got shelled the first week on the first 5km lap. We were staying with my parents and my mom asked how it went. I said that we both got pulled in one lap and that I'd hit some insane speed like 35 mph. My teammate/friend said I was exaggerating so I went and checked my cyclocomputer. 73 kph. 44+ mph. On a flat course. On the first lap. And I couldn't see the field after 4 km. Absolutely insane. After that my goal was to do one lap with the field, forget about trying to do a 100-120km race. My story here (http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.com/2007/06/story-experiencing-belgian-kermesses.html).


Great story, Carpediem! I read a bit of the same in Krabbe's "The Rider". :-) McClung's other posts on racing in Europe and South America are really fun, too (no talk of doping). He's got great insights and writes well, IMO. Fun.

[Black Dog]

Very interesting.