BumbleBeeDave
05-14-2004, 07:44 PM
From ProCycling’s web site tonight . . .
<<< Twenty-four hours after Mario Cipollini resumed his Giro d’Italia campaign "driven on by the fan’s affection", details are emerging about a remarkable subtext to the final moments before the Domina Vacanze rider took to the start-line in Civitella in Val di Chiana yesterday.
Already ailing from injuries sustained in the dying metres of Wednesday’s stage finish, Cipollini arrived at the start village yesterday also stung by some harsh criticism from journalist Beppe Conte. "Cipollini is getting old and perhaps he doesn’t have the legs to compete with Petacchi and Co any more," ventured Conte’s morning column in the Tuttosport newspaper.
Cipollini’s reaction to this was incandescent. Approaching Conte yesterday he immediately invited the journalist to accompany him onto the Domina Vacanze team bus. Once behind closed doors, Conte said that he was repeatedly threatened and manhandled by Cipollini. The scuffle was eventually broken up by one of the 37-year-old sprinter’s mechanics. Shortly afterwards, Cipollini was back in race, tucked safely into the peloton and apparently unfazed by the incident. >>>
I’m not sure if this is detestable or hilarious. I have read (and worked with!) some sports columnists who richly deserved some “manhandling” like this. I guess this just helps to cement Cipo’s title as “The Lion King” . . . king of what I’m not exactly sure, but the king nonetheless!
BBDave
<<< Twenty-four hours after Mario Cipollini resumed his Giro d’Italia campaign "driven on by the fan’s affection", details are emerging about a remarkable subtext to the final moments before the Domina Vacanze rider took to the start-line in Civitella in Val di Chiana yesterday.
Already ailing from injuries sustained in the dying metres of Wednesday’s stage finish, Cipollini arrived at the start village yesterday also stung by some harsh criticism from journalist Beppe Conte. "Cipollini is getting old and perhaps he doesn’t have the legs to compete with Petacchi and Co any more," ventured Conte’s morning column in the Tuttosport newspaper.
Cipollini’s reaction to this was incandescent. Approaching Conte yesterday he immediately invited the journalist to accompany him onto the Domina Vacanze team bus. Once behind closed doors, Conte said that he was repeatedly threatened and manhandled by Cipollini. The scuffle was eventually broken up by one of the 37-year-old sprinter’s mechanics. Shortly afterwards, Cipollini was back in race, tucked safely into the peloton and apparently unfazed by the incident. >>>
I’m not sure if this is detestable or hilarious. I have read (and worked with!) some sports columnists who richly deserved some “manhandling” like this. I guess this just helps to cement Cipo’s title as “The Lion King” . . . king of what I’m not exactly sure, but the king nonetheless!
BBDave