Chris Helwig
02-16-2007, 07:06 PM
I have been watching Hell on Wheels during my training rides, it is great because it has subtitles so you can listen to music on your MP3, but still follow along on the DVD.
It talks about the start of the tour. The riders used to do 400 km a day for up to 16-20 hours or riding. But because most of the riders came from working in coal mines they didn't mind the super tough riding, and it was really there only means of escape from a life of hard labour.
Let's face it cycling is tough, especially at the pro level. There are a lot of current day examples of hard men that have come from tough backgrounds. Musseuw came from a farming background, Ekimov and others from Russia, a lot of Polish and East German riders in the pro peloton, many good riders from Kazakztan like Vino and you could even argue Lance used cycling as a way out growing up fairly poor with a single Mom.
My point is maybe we in North America should be looking for more riders that come from tough backgrounds that see cycling as a way out. They may have more drive and motivation than someone from the middle or upper class.
Some food for thought, please add comments for discussion.
It talks about the start of the tour. The riders used to do 400 km a day for up to 16-20 hours or riding. But because most of the riders came from working in coal mines they didn't mind the super tough riding, and it was really there only means of escape from a life of hard labour.
Let's face it cycling is tough, especially at the pro level. There are a lot of current day examples of hard men that have come from tough backgrounds. Musseuw came from a farming background, Ekimov and others from Russia, a lot of Polish and East German riders in the pro peloton, many good riders from Kazakztan like Vino and you could even argue Lance used cycling as a way out growing up fairly poor with a single Mom.
My point is maybe we in North America should be looking for more riders that come from tough backgrounds that see cycling as a way out. They may have more drive and motivation than someone from the middle or upper class.
Some food for thought, please add comments for discussion.