Jan wrote:
Are those world championship jerseys real, or are they look-alike commemorative "souvenir" jerseys? Almost every jersey is represented, and many pros hold onto their jerseys (and there aren't that many world champions out there). The jerseys look like they are in unworn condition, too. I suspect these are "replicas."
Jan,
What would make one WC jersey real and another a replica? It's hard for me to pin down what would define such a distinction. At one end of the spectrum would be the actual jersey pulled over the champ's head on the WC podium (and sold with signed documentation verifying this). On the other would be an identical jersey made by the same company and in the champ's size, but purchased at Nashbar. In between would be NOS stuff from team sources, NOS stuff from team sources that passed through the WCs hands, gifts from the champ that were previously used in competition, gifts that were used for training, gifts that were never used, stuff sold by the champ for EPO money, stuff donated to a favorite cause, like drug-free sport... and any or all of this might or might not include documentation. I guess my point is that the WC probably can hand out a lotta WC jerseys on the team's dime or his own before the supply dries up, and they would carry varying levels of importance. How about a never-worn-by-Lance WC jersey that was presented to the President of the US, vs one worn by him in some race while he was reigning WC? Which is less real? Keep in mind too that he'll be using dozens of WC tops personally between winning World's and the next year's race.
Tom Dalton
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
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