Heroes and Legends- Cycling Trivia by Dave Campbell

During the dark, wet days of winter,

With the long, warm days of summer a distant memory

When a dry day in the mid 40’s gets us excited, & spring sunshine

Still seems impossibly far away, we all need

some inspiration from Pro Cycling…

HEROES and LEGENDS

Q1. Who was the first American to win a major European National Tour? Think carefully…

Q2. Who is the last rider to win Paris-Roubaix and then win Liege-Bastogne-Liege the following week? Keep in mind that today almost NO rider even tows the line for both! The first being the domain of the big, strong cobbled specialists (think Boonen & Cancellara) and the latter being for the climbers (think Andy Schleck & Joaquim Rodriguez).

Q3. Who is the last rider to win the Tour de France while clad in the Rainbow stripes of World Road Champion?

A1. Marianne Martin won the first women's Tour de France in 1984. Andrew Hampsten (La Vie Claire), in the 1986 Tour de Suisse. Of course, this was overshadowed the next month when his teammate Greg Lemond (defeating his other teammate and domestique deluxe in Switzerland, Bernard Hinault) triumphed in a certain race in France.

A2. Irishman Sean Kelly, “King of the Classics” who did this unlikely double in 1984, a year in which he won a staggering 33 races.

A3. American Greg Lemond, then riding for the French ‘Z’ Team, back in 1990.

American Pioneers November Cycling Trivia with Answers

 

November 2012

Before there was Lance, Tyler, EPO, or American Tour Winners…

“In Honor of the American Pioneers”
by Dave Campbell

Q1. Who was the first American to race the Giro d’Italia? When did he complete this historic and largely unheralded feat?

Q2. Most people know that Jonathan Boyer was the first American to ride the Tour de France (an event so special and historic that he wore a Stars and Stripes jersey despite the lack of a National Championship Road Race at the time…or even enough Pros to contest one!), but what was his BEST PLACING? When did he accomplish this?

Q3. What was the first European pro win for the young phenom from Nevada Greg Lemond?

A1. Smilin’ George Mount of California rode the Giro d’Italia in 1981, 3 years before an American team, and 4 years before Greg Lemond and 7-Eleven. He rode for Sammontana-Benotto (alongside Italian legends Roberto Visentini and Moreno Argentin) and finished a solid 25^th, 39:20 down on race winner Giovanni Battaglin.

A2. Boyer, riding for Sem-Reydel-Mavic alongside Sean Kelly, was 12^th in the 1983 Tour, 19:57 down on race winner Laurent Fignon. He was actually in 9^th prior to the penultimate stage time trial.

A3. Stage One of the Tour d’Oise (A now defunct June Stage Race that was one of France’s top five stage races in the early 80s) in a small group sprint in front of his friend Australian Phil Anderson.

Dave Campbell's Trivia For March- Paris-Nice

MARCH 2010…

THE RACE TO THE SUN!!!

The first REALLY BIG Professional Stage Race of the Season

March 7-14

Q1. All of the following Americans have won stages at Paris-Nice EXCEPT one…Bobby Julich, Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong, & Andy Hampsten. BONUS: Who was the first American to WIN Paris-Nice overall?

Q2. Most die-hard cycling fans know of Sean Kelly’s record of SEVEN CONSECUTIVE Paris-Nice victories from 1982-1988 (likely could have been more but he chose to race Tirreno-Adriatico in Italy in 1989 instead) BUT he only just overcame the record. Who held it previously?

Q3. Who was the first “NON-Continental” (in other words NON EUROPEAN) to claim victory here? HINT: It wasn’t Kelly!

First person to email the correct answers to Doug@bicyclinghub.com wins a $20 gift coupon!

October Road Race Trivia By Dave Campbell

What a way to end the season…”The Race of the Falling Leaves”…beautiful autumn scenery along Lake Como in Tuscany, the heart of Italian Cycling! The major climb even goes up to “The Church of Cycling” at Madonna del Ghisallo. Test your knowledge of the only truly “mountainous classic”…

THE TOUR OF LOMBARDY

Q1: Italian, , Damiano Cunego (Lampre) joined an elite club (Italians Constante Giradengo, and Gino Bartali and Irishman Sean Kelly) by winning Lombardy for his third time last month. Three, however, is NOT the record! Who holds it and how many?

Q2: Lombardy is one of several Classics that has NEVER been won by a Spaniard. Now, in Roubaix or Flanders this is not surprising, but LOMBARDY is mountainous! Name the Iberian who has come the closest to victory here.

Q3: American Tom Danielson (Garmin-Chiptole), the “great white hope” for pretty much his entire year came in with great expectations, although Chris Horner (Astana) rode fabulous to finish 7th. What is the best ever American finish here?

Answers in December