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Letters to Cyclingnews - February 20, 2004
Special edition: Remembering Marco Pantani, part 3
The sudden death on Saturday of Italian climber and 1998 Tour de France winner Marco Pantani shocked the cycling world, and as Pantani's colleagues in the peloton paid tribute, so his achievements and the tragic end to his life were high in the minds of Cyclingnews readers too. Here are some more of your letters about Marco Pantani.
AddioThe news arrives in Italian: "Marco Pantani is dead" He was the answer to an old desire He was the rider I’d secretly wished to be, No secret to his tactics; road goes up The beauty of that cadence A grimacing visage, I’d often imagined riding as his teammate I imagined riding with him on the mountains Alone amid the scree I do not often allow myself heroes, Aldo Ross RememberRemember Remember me when I am gone away, Christini Rossetti (1830-1894) I think I will go for a bike ride and smile. Ciao Marco, Mike Kosche No wordsFor the last several weeks I have resorted to riding indoors due to winter weather. I really dislike riding inside but know I need to to keep some condition. The only thing that keeps me on the bike long enough to get any benefit is watching recordings of Marco Pantani's great moments in the Giro and the Tour. I know I'm not alone when I say that watching such inspirational rides makes me ride better, ride longer, push through pain, overcome boredom, and ignore the urge to quit. The news of Pantani's death would always come too soon for me, just like the news of his retirement from sport. To read his remarks in January proclaiming the end of Pantani the cyclist was a major disappointment but I could never imagine that weeks later I'd read of his death in these same pages. Shock, disbelief, bewilderment? None of these words, in fact no words accurately describe the overwhelming feelings of sorrow felt for such a tragic hero untimely passing. Surely we'll learn more about the exact medical cause in the days to come but who honestly doesn't attribute at least some of the cause to the tremendous mental burden placed on Marco by the venomous, incessant attacks made on him by those in the cycling world who wanted to use him as the scapegoat for all that is wrong with doping. We may never know if or to what extent doping played a role in his or other great cyclist's victories, but we can see the evidence of what constant harassment can do to a man with tremendous resolve, determination and mental fortitude. It's undeniable that he had those qualities in order to reach the level of sporting excellence he attained, yet the depth of that strength has its limits in every champion. To those who pushed him beyond any reasonable amount of punishment and suffering for any of his possible misdeeds, may you feel sorrow for your inhumanity, and learn from your mistakes and know when enough is enough the next time someone faces your tribunal. Thankfully I have the great memories of Pantani the Champion, riding gloriously over the towering summits of Europe to inspire me still, and will have those memories long after any of his detractors have any pertinence. I know I speak for many with the same feelings when I say, "Thanks, Marco, may you rest in peace." Dave Hunt CourchevelI felt absolutely the same watching that stage back in 2000. That stage and the stage to Ventoux in the same tour. What Pantani did there was not only a sport achievement but also something "higher". As I watch these stages on video again and again I see the pure passion for the sport. A feeling of happiness and excitement that I otherwise only find when I hear a beautiful piece of music or being out in the nature. It might sound very sentimental. But then true cycling is not only about rpm and pulse clocks - it is about sentiments and passion. I will miss Pantani very much, as an inspiration and hero. Johan Frössling
Huge lossWhat a huge loss for not just the cycling world but all of humankind. Pantani was more than just a great athlete, he was a great ambassador for the sport and truly loved giving back to his fans. I went to Italy this past year to see the Giro and to meet Marco Pantani. Pantani waved me in to his staging tent, through an incredibly huge crowd of fans, where we spoke briefly and took some pictures - what a gracious champion. Marco - Keep dancing on those pedals in heaven, you will forever be remembered in the hearts and minds of millions. Vincent Luongo ColorfulPantani was one of the most colorful riders to grace the sport of cycling. It tore me apart to read the news of his passing. His personality and individuality brought the fans back for more... Often imitated buy never replaced as the original. God Speed! Mark Jenne Make us dreamIn Memoriam: Marco Pantani It was just one of many slogans scrawled onto the homemade banners that floated above a sea of cheering tifosi gathered atop the Passo Mortirolo. But its truth rang though the chaos and sticks in my head today. It said, "Pirata-farci sognare" make us dream. This is the precious gift of sports heroes. Marco did make us dream-he made us dream about what humanity could be. He was a shy, elfin, bald guy who showed that ordinary men could fly... When Marco was in the race and the road tilted upwards, even the cynical eyes of wrinkled Italian men sparkled with joyous anticipation. He made anything, everything seem possible for all of us. It's as if he was a god from Olympus, holding up some magic mirror that reflected the potential in us all. And so it seemed appropriate, a year or two ago, when I read that he was training alone in those Olympian mountains of Greece. It was right that he escape to those lofty, dreamy, peaks-because the world below had done nothing but drag him down. A jeep strayed into his high-speed path on a supposedly closed race-course, mangled his leg and nearly took his life. But he rose from those ashes, first to sing poetry on the broadcast of a Giro he should have won but couldn't take part in, later to pedal perilously close to the heavens, winning the Giro and the Tour, resurrecting our dreams again. Then a legal scandal pulled him down. Guilty or innocent, he was chosen to bear the brunt of a massive backlash against the drugs that had infested his sport. For every would-be eagle inspired by his soaring, there seemed to be two vultures waiting to feed upon his wounds. And as the wounds multiplied so did the vultures - you could see them pecking at his soul in that last, valiant, return to the Giro. Well, they, we, finally killed him off. Today Marco was found dead in a hotel. He didn't die at the peak of his beauty; the modern sports machine had been sucking the life from him for years. Maybe he decided to take the last part himself. I'd like to imagine that he's really still in those hills, escaped from the world of big-time sport, soaring among the peaks of Olympian gods. You may say that's just a dream, but dreams are one of the best things we have. And Marco made us dream. Heather Reid and Larry Theobald RespectWill there be a book we can sign perhaps with our e mails as a mark of respect for Marco Pantani? Please let us know we all feel that we have lost a great character in such a tragic way. Ann, Alan and Colin Sturgess No returnWe will all miss you. For months now I have been looking at cycling websites, cycling magazines to see if Marco Pantani was planning to race in 2004 without any luck. Their was l couple of lines in the sporting section of the Guardian earlier this year Pantani father was asked if Marco was going to return to cycle racing he said in scale 1 to 10 I would put it at 1 the Marco would return to cycling. I read that and was disappointed that we may never see the great man race again but I never gave up hope and kept looking for news of Marco returning to racing. I loved a mountain climbers before Marco we had Claudio as he was coming to end of his career Marco took his place as the out and out mountain climber. I know we will say there will never be another Marco Pantani and I know he will be a very hard act or maybe impossible act to follow but we must not give up. I am that sad at the death of Marco Pantani I don't know if I can watch cycling again without Marco being there but I know I will as I love cycling but it will be very difficult to watch. When the peloton are in the mountains and moves are going on and I will I think like a lot other people if Marco was there he would attack now and not wait for the final 3 kilometres to go he would go at the bottom of a clime. We are going to miss a great cyclist Marco Pantani not being in the peloton again. Marco I like ever one that have left messages we all hope you are at peace with yourself. God bless you and my deepest sympathy to your family. Tony Flynn Before LanceBefore Lance, there was Marco. He is an inspiration to any and all who ride a bike with effort. "The little pirate" lives forever. Lee Aulisio Brightest starI too am saddened by the abrupt loss of a bigger-than-life personality. I must say that while I got satisfaction from his losses and troubles as I suspect he might have been using illegal enhancements, I always found myself rooting for him to succeed and show us all. Sport & music seem to suffer most from the tragedy of their brightest stars burning out suddenly. One never gets used to it. My condolences to the sporting community in Italy & of course his family. R. Hylle Wonderment and despairMarco Pantani created feelings of wonderment and despair, wonderment for his marvelous exploits as a supreme climber but despair at the shadow which hung over him due to implications of EPO and other dope use. Yet was he any worse than so many in the peloton? I think not, but unlike those who were able to shrug off the dope accusations and get on with their racing he seemed to take it all very personally and for that I feel very sorry for him. To spiral down into depression is terrible. He was a great talent and yet clearly needed far more support both as a racing cyclist and as a human being than perhaps anyone will ever realise. To die alone in the manner in which he did is shocking and terrible for his parents and family. Pantani will be remembered and talked about as part of the history of cycling; but even that is so sad considering he could have had so much life to live, he should still be here riding out with the peloton, or having dinner with his mum and dad. MP you were the ultimate climber, and a sensitive human being, every one will miss you. Tony Freeth Great fondnessI am shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Marco Pantani. At a young age, watching the tour de France, I always found it difficult to follow American cyclists. Aside from the greats (Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong, etc... ), good American cyclists were few and far between. But, having always enjoyed watching the great climbers, whenever the road went up. I had a great fondness for Marco Pantani. Today... I still attribute my love of the mountain... too him. Pro cycling has lost a legend. If there is a heaven... And I'm sure there is. I would like to imagine Marco, riding up and down the clouds. After all... Some clouds look quite mountainous. God rest your soul Marco... You will be greatly missed! Tim Chaille Not a fan, but...I never liked the way Pantani raced, I always rooted against him. Pantani was one of the riders in the peloton with a bad attitude, like Chiappucci, always attacking for the wrong reason and racing on emotion more than smart tactics. He has long been considered gone from cycling, but it always seemed to me that he would come back, not as a champion, but a protagonist in the races none the less if by nothing other than his presence. Now that he is truly gone I am shocked, and for someone who never like him much and never rooted for him, I sure do miss him and will always remember the way he raced his bike. Micah Morlock PantaniI loved to watch him climb. A champion. Ken A. Edwards Pantani's deathGoddamn it! Vinnie Lattanzi Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 14:23:06 -0500 A great championCiao Marco, What a great champion the cycling community has lost. Hopefully cycling will learn from this tragic loss of life, I'll miss watching Marco ride his bike the way he did, and I am sure many people will too. Ciao Marco, ti vedo quando sono sul mia bicicleta. Massimiliano Accaputo A wake-up callMarco Pantani's death is tragic, not because he was a champion, but because he aspired to do something all of us enjoy -- ride his bike -- and to make a living at it. In doing so, he had to become part of a system that turns a blind eye to its own flaws, and that system killed him. There's no question that the man had the heart of a champion, and while he did win some fantastic victories, I am forced to wonder, following his ejection from the '99 Giro whether or not any of them were won without the aid of performance enhancing drugs. This is not intended as a smear against Pantani, whom I will always admire for having the wherewithal to chase his goals. This is intended as a wake-up call to the UCI and to national governing bodies. Too many people are dropping dead from the effects of performance enhancing drugs, and while Pantani may not have been directly killed by them, the ramifications of using them led to his demise (a suicide by the sounds of things). The problem was out of control prior to 1998-1999, and it sounds like the issue is still ongoing. The UCI has taken people who have lived their whole lives chasing victory and superior performance, turned a blind eye to their indiscretions, and then turned around and made those people into scapegoats, usually resulting in the end of their careers, or as in Pantani and Jiminez's respective cases, their lives. It's time for the UCI to admit that the system of anti-drug testing is severely flawed and to allow the WADA to step in and take control of the testing and regulation. The system the UCI has put forward cannot function any longer, nor should it be allowed to when a half-dozen of its athletes die each year from "heart attacks" or "cerebral edema" or whatever the side-effect of the newest drug is. I'll miss Pantani's personality in the pro peloton, but for me, his death will only serve to remind me that the sport that I grew to love has become the equivalent of giant, rolling crack house. I may never hang up my wheels, but I'm seriously beginning to wonder if I'll ever race again -- as a clean athlete, why would I want to? So long, Marco. I hope you found the peace you were looking for and a quiet place to ride. Allez. Dan Bailey Never forgottenCela me fait beaucoup de peine d'avoir appris la triste nouvelle et toutes mes pensées vont vers ce grand champion que j'avais pu encourager à plusieurs reprises sur les routes du Tour de France. Marco nous ne t'oublierons pas. Elisabeth Harmey Overzealous policeThis is what you get when you mix a sporting legend, and I do not use the world lightly, with the overzealous ambition of Italian police looking to make a name for themselves. They tried to do the same thing to the Williams formula 1 team after the death of Ayrton Senna. Proven guilty of nothing, Marco paid the ultimate price for the ongoing, bloodthirsty witch hunt that passes for law enforcement when it comes to cycling in Italy. Tony Liokossis Breathtaking climbing skillsTruly tragic. I had the privilege of standing at the road side witnessing Marco's breathtaking climbing skills on three separate occasions. Only in the flesh could you fully appreciate his talent. To think of the thousands like myself who crowded remote mountain tops to watch him perform, and now the little man dies a very lonely death in a hotel room. The most desperate thing about it is that following the way his life has gone in recent years you could almost see such an end coming. Rory McEwan We'll miss himWe will never forget our idol. He gave us many enjoyable moments over the years that spanned his career. On the bike, he never gave up. We, as a family in the U.S. will miss him very much. I can't believe that it is over. Our condolences go out to the Pantani family. He will be missed. Frank, Judy, and Jason Rossi A halo and a nooseNot everyone who loves cycling can climb the mountains for themselves or finish on the Champs Elysées, as those who have ridden in events like the Tour 2000 randoneee or the Etape du Tour can. Many people watch from the roadside, or on telly in distant countries, admiring what is possible and what is impossible in races like the Tour, lassoed by "la Grande Boucle". For all of us, who are not Tour riders, it is not real, the Tour is a fantasy played out in front of us, whether we are alone in a cafe, a bar, at home, or among the thousands who make yearly the route a cathedral. It is a spectacle to entertain, like a Passion Play, and we are the disbelieving, entranced audience. For those who ride it however, the Tour we love it seems, sometimes, maybe a halo and a noose. Many of us will never feel we can outclimb our own labouring breath, or glance up on a long climb and confidently aim the wheel at the steepest part of the hairpin, knowing we will crest the rise. He did. He could. We will not know the adoration of thousands, feel the pain of winning alone. He did. He could. We will not be able to stand in Italy this Wednesday, mourning him, nor perhaps should we, we knew his part, what he signified, we did not know the man. Let us remember him instead, when we cheer the flickering TV screen, or stand in the Rue de Rivoli, or stare down the shimmering mountains, uncertain of what's coming up towards us; when we reach for the last gear, the final cog. We do not know how tight a halo is, how easily it slips, what it is to be undone. Simon Murray IdolMy idol, my hero! Thanks for the memories Marco. Geoffrey C. Lariosa Tragic lossIl Pirata has finally flown beyond the heights of Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux to eliminate his torture by the authorities, press, and race organizers for unproven doping. He was one of the 2 or 3 greatest personalities and pure climbers in modern cycling and ranks as possibly the greatest tragic loss in modern sports in general. His fight with depression provoked by "witch hunt" race organizers and polizia robbed the cycling and sports world of one of its most colorful and talented athletes. Add a mausoleum in his name at the top of Alpe d'Huez! Charlie Settoon One of the greatestI could not agree with you any more. Marco is one of the greatest cyclist of all times. The endless attacks and the beauty of his climbs were some of the greatest moments I have ever witnessed on a bicycle. I just hope that some day people will respect and admire him half as much as I. Mike Schopfer PeacePeace be with you soul of Marco. The future sons of Italy will lift you up again sooner than we all know. The pain and suffering will be transposed into a victorious climb. Your name will often appear in the years to come… meraviglioso arrampicarsi! Todd H Binkley CharismaticEvery so often we are touched by the actions of others. Marco has touched us. His charismatic way of ascending the mountains will never be forgotten. So often when things go wrong we so easily point the finger. In Marco's case no one stopped pointing. Right or wrong, the persecution of finding evidence against him contributed to the breakdown of not only a truly great cyclist, but also Marco the man. I did not know Marco and never had the chance to see him race in person, yet I find myself very sad when I heard of his passing. The next time I climb a hill or mountain faster than I ever did before I know that Marco's angel is right there with me. Godspeed Marco... Rob Bisch The purest climberMarco Pantani's death certainly saddens me... the day after his 34th birthday and on Valentine's day no less. My first face to face encounter with Marco came at the start village at Pau in 1995. I had spent two weeks following the Tour that year and my video shows a young man (even younger than Phil O'Connor's photo) who had captured everyone's imagination. He had already won 2 stages... his first win at the Tour on the legendary Alpe d'Huez by 1m24 sec over Indurain and over in the Pyrenees cresting a rain swept mountain at Guzet-Neige by 2m31sec also over Indurain. My lens that day not only captured Marco in full flight in the rainy conditions but also Fabio Casartelli who was to lose his life just 2 days later. His performance in last year's Giro would have satisfied almost anyone who was fighting to get back on top of his game. However, the opposite result transpired as he became it seems almost a recluse in the last few months, even his mates of many years Conti and Fontinelli unable to break into his mindset. He was the "purest climber" of his generation, with a flair that will be hard to replicate. I am sure the Italian cycling community will enshrine him (bike and jerseys) in the Maddona d'Ghisallo church near Bellagio on Lake Como. When "The race of the falling leaves" comes around in October and the group comes up the hill to ride by the church, don't be surprised to see a gesture a la the Tour at the Casartelli marker... or will the ASO finally acknowledge Pantani by erecting a monument at the top of Alpe d'Huez... in time for this year's TT... what a fitting tribute. Barry Whitworth Remembering Marco Pantani, Part 4 Recent letters pages
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