I can ride a bike but would not choose to ride up here. The Stelvio pass was part of the Giro this year.
I'm a keen cyclist, as a lot on here know, in fact I've just been on a short ride, and I'd love to cycle up there
Its not just ‘driving a car’. The ‘sportsman’ comes with dealing with g-force into corners that would snap most of our necks, for hours at a time. Everytime they brake hard that like one of us being smashed in the chest, with a heavy weight. It’s bordering on endurance, all whilst having to retain focus and clarity doing 200mph, knowing one split second drop in calculation could end your life. It’s absolutely a bonafide ‘sport’ and he is indeed right up there. His achievements are magnificent, he will always be decisive as he has a voice and uses it but what he has done is beyond question. He’s a very special talent, and he’s proved it hundreds of times over.
Hamilton is a magnificent driver, but an unappealing person. 35 mill a year tax-free not enough, apparently. Then there's the VAT-dodging on the private jet, the clothes, the virtue-signalling, etc. Still deserves a knighthood though. What he has achieved is incredible...
At times I wondered what this 'ability to drive fast was all about. A few years ago a mate of mine was a part time rally driver. I sat in the passenger seat when he drove a stage (not in a race mind), I thought he was brilliant. Then I had a ago and could not get any where near his time. He said the gap between me and him was similar to the gap between him and the top drivers, he said they were truly awesome. F1 is so special us ordinary drivers would not be able to even drive the car.. Hamilton, I think it was last season, in Q3 it was raining a little, he won pole, and was asked how he did it. His reply was when I was going round (at 100mph) I spotted where there were dry spots and 2nd time round i used them... awesome
