I used to love this sport around 1994 and those years (when Oasis came out), it was even my favourite sport, even more than football and Formula 1 in that period, there were great athletes as Bugno, Pantani, Indurain, Chiappucci, etc. later Armstrong an example for everyone. And this sport of course is very appreciated in the Alps mountains where I have some origins of my family (it's like Ireland for the Gallaghers), my father is a big fan.
But since cycling started to be more about doping, using forbidden things, it's difficult to feel excited for some athlete, knowing that many of them will be disqualified after some time. The legendary Marco Pantani even died a few years ago, because of drugs. In fact, even today's winner of the "Giro d'Italia", Italian tour, ending as usual in Milan after some hard weeks, the Spanish Contador has some problems with doping. Today was a bit more special 'cause it ended in the cathedral square, I had never seen this (usually it was in a park near there).
Anyway, it's a dangerous sport, in fact some days ago another one even died because he fell.
I think these athletes should be paid much more, 'cause their efforts are huge, while footballers have less risks but are paid so much more. And it's not always their fault when they use forbidden things. When I went to Milanello training centre for the first time, I was impressed for the place but I saw that footballers life is so easy, coming there with a big car, playing for a very short time, then going away.
When I was a kid there were some girls who liked cycling, but boys fooled me around 'cause it's supposed to be a boring sport, for old people, lol. I remember in March '94 (Oasis first single, Supersonic, was out in April, and I was planning a travel to England, by plane as in that video :), we were in Madrid in a hotel, and life in Spain is during the night only, so we were tired: we were all together in a room and I decided (big idea!) to watch on tv "la Vuelta de España" lol, the Spanish tour. Of course everybody fell asleep (as Liam at cinemas, lol). Not me, I was even fighting against a pigeon 'cause it came inside the room and I was trying to defend my friends sleeping. Maybe the pigeon wanted to see the Vuelta and didn't want to leave me alone, lol. A friend of mine saw me and if we think about that, we're still laughing :). He goes: Mark what the fuck are you doing?! lol
