Well, I can understand the quick comment below from Greg but I have to say, Mario loves the limelight and is quite an open and inviting sports figure when in the public eye. He is quite an accomplished rider and his attitude has brought him and certain aspects of the sport to new levels.
I have had the oppurtunity to see Lance in person, BEFORE the tour wins and the cancer chapter of his life. He was a jerk from my experience. He was supposed to sign autographs at Hershey during the Tour Dupont for the Children's Miracle Network who had brought along about a dozen kids. Most of which were pedes cancer patients.
He was too busy getting presented with sunglasses from some sponsor and was upset because he wasn't having time to focus on the stage ahead and therefore refused to cross the road to the kids. Very disappointing to witness. On the other hand, I witnessed the best in human character when the portrayed Villian of cycling, Laurent Fignon crosses over to give them autographs along with Gianni Bugno and others from his team.
Lance is an accomplished athlete who has excelled cycling to some popularity and pushed hard for great causes and benefits now. I believe he shows a new level of maturity but old habits die hard and my memory still doesn't forget some things. I guess this is what drives me to look back at some of the riders of yesteryear. There were great characters of all types from Ferdi Kubler tossing tubulars across field in frustration to those who embraced fans and welcomed their company! The new age of the sport seems so commercially driven that it has taken away some of the fun.
Walter Skrzypek Falls Creek, Pa just my 2 cents.
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> I agree. Lance is a mediocre rider at best,
> doesn't train much at all, and
> the Tour de France is a pretty insignificant
> race. If he wins it six times in
> a row, it will be a non-event, I'm sure, since
> he's only doing it for his
> sponsors' benefit!
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> Greg Parker
> A2 MI USA
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