Lance to race Kona- Rumor... (Page 3)

Laurent Jalabert ex pro cycler and major force in the Tour de France competed in Kona last year and finished in something like 9:10 ish, which is very respectable.  Yes, he's not LA, but he still qualified somehow, somewhere!!

Yes, LA is or was clearly the best in his sport by far etc... but to a common man who is a fellow cancer survivor and puts in the miles, watches his nutrition, juggles training with family, work and friends, budgets for gear, training camps and races, I believe that even LA has to qualify for Kona just like the rest of us.  Even the great LA wasn't given 7 Tour de France wins...

(P.S.: Like millions of others LA has been an inspriation to me too!)

He didn't test the waters with 10Ks or half-marathons before he started running marathons.

FYI, the elite's start with the first wave, so of course he was in the first wave.  The fact that he was given an elite number is what pizzed a lot of people off ....... not a number in the 1,000's, but an elite number.  No one is criticizing his performance, it was a solid one even if not up to his potential.

And he was NOT the greatest in the sport, he was the best of his generation in the Tour.  But let's not start that debate again ..........

Heh...I think you just did.