tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172202953319134786.post5073272369903656249..comments2023-11-16T09:57:41.255-08:00Comments on ITALIAN CYCLING JOURNAL: Pro Training During the HolidaysAngelo senza la ohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00876175566987717150noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172202953319134786.post-50138347775665049682011-12-29T23:35:33.716-08:002011-12-29T23:35:33.716-08:00So were the riders of the past, when the season wa...So were the riders of the past, when the season was more reasonable, lazy slackers? I think they too were pretty dedicated 12 months of the year. Guys like Merckx, Gimondi, Coppi and Bartali certainly were, but the season was more humane in many ways.When things are stretched worldwide and some of the most revered races with passion and history are lost while trying to globalize the sport in places where nobody cares, is this progress? We're with Bicisport on this one.Larry and Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16346445393389942837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172202953319134786.post-62564355011981895562011-12-29T19:37:03.009-08:002011-12-29T19:37:03.009-08:00This level of dedication does not surprise me. Pr...This level of dedication does not surprise me. Professional sports of any kind requires dedication almost 12 months of the year. <br /><br />Long gone are the days when pro athletes could take two months away from their training and leave getting back into 'game shape' to a training camp. <br /><br />Athletes today must arrive at camp in top shape and ready to compete from day one. That's the nature of competition today and for the kind of money most professional athletes make, owners and fans expect little else.Robbinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172202953319134786.post-56266965757738510742011-12-29T06:24:33.784-08:002011-12-29T06:24:33.784-08:00The season is just too long these days, way too lo...The season is just too long these days, way too long. This month's Bicisport has some comments about this and the UCI's globalization chase for money as well as the idea of less races in Europe and more races in places like China. Our favorite comments were "cycling is a SPORT, not a business" and "cycling has FANS, not clients!" But the best was the one from the football (soccer) guys who are facing the same too-long season and FIFA's chase for more money, "we're not going to play at noon for China, that's the time for lunch!"Larry and Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16346445393389942837noreply@blogger.com