Cycling falls much further down the sports spectrum in the US then in most countries. To be honest, most US residents don't even realize cycling is a professional sport... they think it's completely amateur like swimming.
Plus US cyclists have really only been competing at the international level since the early 70's. (unless you count Marshall Taylor... but there's a pretty significant gap between 1910 until the 70's).
Historically as far as sprinters go, the only noteable ones might be Rodriguez, and possibly Davis Phinney (did finish second in TDF points classification in 1988) On the Track the US has Olympic sprint medals by Mark Gorski, Nelson Vails and Marty Nothstein.
Not really a ton to write home about. I think part of the issue is the type of athelete required to become a good sprinter don't make it to cycling in the US. If you have the power needed for sprints, the chances are you're pushed as a youngster toward track and field, football (american version), basketball or baseball.
Endurance atheletes though are more likely to make it to cycling. Their other options aren't as financially attractive as the ones for atheletes who'd compete in sprints. Some even "cross over" to cycling, like Erik Heiden (speed skating) or Lannce Armstrong (Triathalons).
in case you're being sarcastic: it's not my joke. in case you're not: it's still not my joke.
kebowers wrote:
Now about Fast Freddy, he won Stage 9 of the 2004 Giro d Italia against Ale-Jet!!!
Now you want to talk smack about "Fast" Freddy? Huh? Huh?
gee, you're right. he's the best in the world right now. excuse me while I go stick my head in the toilet
Macquet wrote:
Was there a hurricane or something slowing the field down or something....He is still faster then me, so i won't make fun of him too much, but he really has lost some speed in his "old" age....2004 was a long time ago.
it's normal at his age.
wildcat000 wrote:
Yeah, funny how the US is known for it's GC guys and not sprinters. It has the size in terms of population to be an all-round nation like Italy or Germany, but interest is obviously not generally there. Except for the special minority of cycling enthusiasts (raises hand). Figure over time you have LeMond, Armstrong, Landis, Hamilton, and Hampstein as great American stage racers. Not many sprinters in there.
About the US: when there aren't that many guys racing bikes you tend to train alone. So you tend to become a good time triallist more than anything.
As for the countries you mentioned, they're not that all-round. Look at italy, their time-triallists aren't that good. I'd say that has a lot to do with the fact that time trials in italian races are far less common than in other countries.
In saying Italy was more all-round I was referring to the abundace of classics, stagers, and sprinters from their nation. TTing to me isn't a form, as you can't win many races solely on time trialing. (I.E, Bradley Wiggins or Dave Z will never win the TDF). The training regiment in Italy doesn't focus on TTing at all, Damiano Cunego didn't really know how to TT until turning pro.
I would say that the greatest American sprinter was Davis Phinney, beyond that there are a lot of question marks. Fast Freddy had one solid season (2002, no major wins, but he did get 2nd in both Milano-Sanremo and Gent-Wevelgem), and he always dominated the U.S. circuit, but he never did anything else except lead out McEwen and Steels, so I really don't know.
Nydam is no sprinter
Davis Phinney has to be the best in history of elite mens racing in the US
and Jennie Reed can't do shit against my coach, Laura Charamaeda, who racked up 250 career wins, a bronze in the Worlds RR and several elite natonal titles, along with stages in Tour de Femine and other big races and even at the age of 44 is still kicking ass (4th in the pro womens RR at Merco without any serious training)
Speaking of bad ass sprinters who are my coach, in the Velonews article on Emelia Fahlin in the most recent issue there is a red and black sleeve right behind fahlon's pic of her win in Merced. That sleve has red white and blue stripes. Its my coachB)
