This is topic Le Tour de France... to honor Hobbes. One of the greatest combacks in history in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.
In honor of Hobbes, I would like to tell you all that if you are ever going to watch the Tour de France race coverage tonight is the night to do it. It is the second day climbing in the Pyrenees.
U.S. riders come in 2nd and 3rd on the stage.
The man wearing yellow at the end of the day, has a dead hip (no bloodflow to it) with the ball end that goes into the socket that looks like swiss cheese. The x-rays are hideous to an untrained observer. One of his legs is actually half a centimeter longer than the other.
It was the result of an injury sustained several years ago. It was announced on Monday that he will be having a hip replacement shortly after the Tour is over. Except when climbing he is actually in more pain off the bike, than on the bike, because the biking position actually alleviates some pressure on the joint. The doc told him two years ago that the hip was already destroyed, so anything more he did to it wouldn't matter. They would operate when he couldn't stand the pain any longer.
As no top level professional cyclist has ever rehabbed to premier competition after a hip replacement, this may be the man in yellow's only chance to win the Tour.
Who is it? Well you'll have to figure that out yourself. But the name is worth knowing.
AJ
[ July 21, 2006, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: BannaOj ]
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
That is quite the story. And terrifying. What kind of injury would cut off all blood flow to the hip without causing him to lose his leg?
I cna't watch the tour (no tv), but it'll be interesting to see what happens. Last year was still Lance, right?
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Wow, I'll be rooting for him.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
quote: Doctors said the condition - described as "avascular necrosis" - reduced blood flow to the upper part of his right femur, broken during a crash in 2003. The reduction of blood to the bone left a rotten knob grinding inside the hip socket, causing intense pain when he walks, rides and even sleeps.
"Normally, it's like a smooth ball that rides in the socket," said ...one of [his] personal physicians. "This is like a cauliflower and it grinds down the cartilage. At this stage, it's pretty much worn out."
[He] broke his hip in a crash on a training ride near his home ... in January 2003 and made a remarkable comeback to race the Tour that summer. He had three pins placed inside the femur knob, but surgery left his right leg one inch shorter than his left.
He has since had two more surgeries to try to improve blood flow to the area, the last coming in November 2004. The pain worsened through last season, after joining the Phonak team, but reached new heights following his Tour de Georgia victory in April.
And Floyd Landis, the American is back in yellow after L'Alpe d'Huez!
Posted by OSTY (Member # 1480) on :
Yeah but I am hoping Hincappie can do something soon!
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Well maybe he can win a stage. I think he hasn't held up well under the more intense spotlight this year.
AJ
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Yesterday wittnessed The Single Greatest Comeback in the history of the Tour De France.
After reclaiming yellow on Tuesday in the Alps, Wednesday in the Alps Floyd Landis "bonked". He lost almost 8 minutes of time. Went from 1st to 11th, in 10 kilometers. He was considered to be out of contention to win the Tour. Way out.
24 hours later he made the most impressive individual effort in the history of the tour (and it's a nearly 100 year history, and it isn't just me saying this, it's everyone)
He made up 7 minutes by himself, over lonely alpine roads (well the crowds were there, but riding alone is still riding alone). He simply rode away from the peloton, and never looked back. They couldn't catch him. They tried and had no answers. He won the stage. But that didn't matter to him. He sprinted to the finish like a man possesed even though there wasn't another rider in sight to race against. He only cared about the clock.
He's now in 3rd place, less than 30 seconds behind the leader. Tomorrow, the individual time trial, will determine who wins the Tour in Paris on Sunday. Landis is the best time trialist in the top 3. Barring a crash, he should be on the podium in Paris. He's got a good shot at winning the time trial. He may not be wearing yellow, but he fought like a giant in the Tour. Even if he never wins a Tour, this will never, ever be forgotten, and he has earned his place with the Greats.
AJ
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
quote: Doctors said the condition - described as "avascular necrosis" - reduced blood flow to the upper part of his right femur, broken during a crash in 2003. The reduction of blood to the bone left a rotten knob grinding inside the hip socket, causing intense pain when he walks, rides and even sleeps.
quote: He made up 7 minutes by himself, over lonely alpine roads (well the crowds were there, but riding alone is still riding alone). He simply rode away from the peloton, and never looked back. They couldn't catch him. They tried and had no answers. He won the stage. But that didn't matter to him. He sprinted to the finish like a man possesed even though there wasn't another rider in sight to race against. He only cared about the clock.
Number one: gross.
Number two: This guy exhibits the most super human will I've ever heard of, bar none.
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
ABC News made Floyd Landis it's "Person of the Week" tonight. Wow, did he earn it!
quote:Originally posted by BannaOj: Yesterday wittnessed The Single Greatest Comeback in the history of the Tour De France. . . .
24 hours later he made the most impressive individual effort in the history of the tour (and it's a nearly 100 year history, and it isn't just me saying this, it's everyone.)
It's staggering that someone could make such a comeback while needing hip replacement surgery. My neighbor had similar problems, and was in constant, severe pain.
Landis' feats this week put my own recent discomforts (pink eye, allergy attacks) into perspective. What true grit! I'll be rooting for him tomorrow.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Wait, Landis is the one who needs a new hip? Wow!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
You said that right, Dag. Wow.
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
He must be on some kind of painkiller. Is he? If so, it might numb him to the torture of pressing himself to this degree. If not... this guy's impressive beyond belief.
Hey, where is Hobbes, anyway?
Posted by Morbo (Member # 5309) on :
I miss Hobbes . He's still on a Mormon mission, I assume. I forgot when he started, don't they last about 2 years?
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
He left a little bit a after(Or before...I can't remember if someone other than hobbes did the tour posts last year) the tour last year. I think he'll still be gone for a little more than a year longer.
Posted by James Tiberius Kirk (Member # 2832) on :
*raises glass*
--j_k
Posted by Allegra (Member # 6773) on :
I would think the painkillers that would help this kind of pain would make you to out of it to be able to do this.
Posted by OSTY (Member # 1480) on :
![[Hat]](graemlins/hat.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
. He's still on a Mormon mission, I assume. I forgot when he started, don't they last about 2 years?