"He is riding like the halcyon days of Eddy Merckx."

Regarding Lance Armstrong's solo break in the '95 TDF the day after Casartelli's death. (Quite possible the Liggettism of the century!!!)

(added 3-Aug-99)

"He’s added another page to this fairy tale that just keeps going on."

[99 Tour] after Armstrong wins the final time trial. 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"And so, the first pedal has been turned in ANGER!"

"And look at that, it's as though someone dropped a bomb in the field."

"He climbs like an angel"

Regarding Pantani in 95 tour:

"The little man with the big heart" 

Description for anyone under 6 foot (including Abdu', Laurent Roux)

"He's wearing the mask of pain"

Referring to any rider with a grimace (usually suffering up a climb.

"He's crazy. He's always been crazy. And what on EARTH is he doing?"

Probably in reference to Chiappuci!

"Ekimov is trying to get on terms!"

"Don't look back, your making the race!"

"Once again, they've stretched the elastic."

"The elastic has snapped."

All time classics!!!

"And the heads of state have come to the fore..."

"Hinault... is he a superman or a fool"

In the 1986 Tour de France, Bernie has a 5-minute lead on LeMond, but on the 2nd day in the Pyrenees, Bernie just can't help himself and attacks alone.

"A good piece of riding by Steve Bauer!! "

"Are they on the road to stardom, or are they lambs to the slaughter?" 

The early breakaway at Paris-Roubaix 1988, which stayed away for only the last 140 miles of the 166 mile classic!

"Dancing to a tune few in this group have ever heard before, the lead grew quickly to 3 minutes in as many miles."

Sometimes it really does look like they are dancing!

Along the same lines…

"Dancing on the pedals in the Polka Dot Jersey"

And of course..

"He's dancing on his pedals in a most immodest way!" 

In reference to Dag Otto Lauritzen.

"They said this Tour was too short, they said this Tour was too easy <<dramatic pause "THEY....were wrong!!" 

From the late 80's, the cameras are showing two pre-race contenders suffering up a climb.

"Having been robbed of the day's prize, you'll notice the big sprinters aren't at the front, sharpening their legs. THEY ONLY LIKE TO WIN - YOU KNOW!!"

Commenting on a slow moving field a few kilometers from the finish. (From 95 Tour I believe.)

"He's always throwing a spanner into things!"

Commenting on a Chiapucci breakaway.

There's no reason to rush into hell."

Commenting on a slow moving Paris-Roubaix Peleton. 

"And that is a big surprise, I really thought his legs had left him behind a few kilometers back, but you see: He's French, its Bastille day, and all of a sudden, they're 1000 meters from the finish. "

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"Once you pull on that golden fleece, you become two men.."

On Wednesday's (17th) stage [96]: (of Bjarne Riis pulling ahead of the field yet again)

"This is a pedigree group of men, they are holding on by the skin of their shorts"

Regarding the small group of riders who were trying to stay away in Paris on the last day.

"... his legs have turned to rubber and his effort reduced to mere survival."

"These riders, once not even considered worthy of a training ride...are about to steal the day."

Commenting on an unexpectedly successfull Paris-Roubaix break. 

"Well, I think you bring out something special in a rider when you throw in a few cobble stones!"

"...showed them a clean pair of wheels"

"It should be a real rip-snorter up the Muur de Grammont"

95 or 96 Tour of Flanders 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"(insert name of sprinter here) nips him at the line, but only just!"

"I tell you I keep coming back so as to witness one of the finest sporting events in the world."

"The best of the rest, as it were."

"And Brian, I think Sean Kelly told Fignon in broad Irish exactly what he thought of that idea."

From the 89 Worlds, following Fignon's gesture for Sean Kelly to go to the front of the chase group

"Ooh and it's Fondriest-with his legs on!" 

(added 18-Sep-97)

"...and Laurent Fignon looks down at his watch and thinks to himself 'That'll do nicely.' "

After finishing a TdF TTT. 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"Though he's bald, he's only 23 years old!" 

Used in frequent reference to Marco Pantani. 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"And again, the handsome Spaniard, Miguel Indurain is in the LeMond group." 

1990 Tour - I think Phil may beattracted to Indurain :-)

(added 1-Aug-97)

"Oh, now that was a crazy fall, that was a crazy fall."

[1993 World's - somebody crashed on yellow line]  (added 1-Aug-97)

"....and Bo Hamburger is, I dare to say it, fried."

"With a just a few turns of the pedal, Jalabert has done in seconds what most riders have tried to do all day!". 

'94 Worlds? (added 09-July-98 )

"There goes Benard Hinault, in a gear most men use only on the downhills!" 

When he attacked in the 1985 tour up a steep climb in his big ring. (Added 1-Sep-98)

"Its only a mountain, one of many you can see on this French Country morning, but for 171 young men it would be a place where they would dare to ask themselves the questions of greatness" 

(added 09-July-98 )

"The history of the Tour De France was chiseled into these walls of rock by men willing to ask more of themselves knowing that this time for some, the answers from their bodies would be...no more" 

(added 09-July-98 )

"For Andy Hampsten, at 25 years old from North Dakota, the day began with hopes of a climb to victory.... Instead, with each push of his legs, each gasp for more air, the answer would come back no....this would not be hisyear. The yellow jersey was the destiny of another....he would not be alone" 

(added 09-July-98 )

"For Stephen Roche, the cheers of the crowd would echo his response to the mountain.  As a seven year old, he earned the money for his first bicycle by sweeping Dublin Floors. Today, he would fire his answers back when themountain would ask 'How high? How long? How fast?"

(added 09-July-98 )

"For one rider, the questions were to have long since been answered. Pedro Delgado's quest for glory had long answered so cruelly in the past by close finishes and personal tragedy. Yet today, he would dare to answer again when the mountain repeated its relentless challenge: 'How high? How far? How fast?'"

(added 09-July-98 )

"Jean-Francois Bernard would face his face, carrying the heaviest load of all, the thirst of a nation longing for a hero... not just any hero, but one that would fit the classic mold of the great Bernard Hinault" 

(added 09-July-98 )

"...it's rather like holding back the flood with a little finger"

"The riders are starting to get a bit twitchy now!"

"The fox is in the hen house now"!

"That lovable little limpet, Laurent Roux"

".. has caught the big bunch by surprise

".. now this move is going to cause panic in the bunch"

".. is/are now stringing the field out"

".. the grimace is turning to a smile now"

"Do not adjust your picture. The problem is not with your picture. The interference from the (trees, buildings, exhaust...) is disturbing the signal from the motorcycles to the helicopters."

"A real workmanlike group"

"The gap is coming down all of the time!"

"He's stamping on those pedals!"

"There's nothing in it!"

"Cippolini has left it late!"

"Indurain seems to have found his second pair of legs"

"He's thrown a cat amongst the pigeons"

"Now (insert rider's name) is going to have a go at it!"

"That was a disaster at the line there!!"

"It's all together now!"

"This is NOT a made for television event."

"He's got the bit between the teeth"

Referring to a rider making a maximum effort.

"It's a viciously cruel sport". 

Uttered in the '94 Tour of Flanders, when Capiot was dropped before the finish.

"And Alcala sets off at a seemingly suicidal speed."

1990 Tour - First Time Trial

"He's running on all cylinders today!"

Regarding Marty Nothstein in 96 Olympics

"This plucky little rider is afraid of nobody!"

Regarding Richard Virenque (1994 TdF)

"And the crowd are going berserk!!"

"Outschakov has everything...."

"The shadow-boxing is over"

In reference to the last couple of hours of Paris-Roubaix.

"And this rider is going places."

"Bugno looks terrible here."

"His heart fights to catch up with the pace set by his legs.....completely exhausted, LeMond's overall lead, slips away."

Perfect music & camera work on the road to Superbagneres in 1989 make Greg's futile counterattack to Fignon in the last 2km of this stage)

"He's suffering like he's never suffered before....."

"Museeuw has made the mistake of his life here!!"

Describing the finish of the '94 Tour of Flanders, which Museeuw lost to Bugno by misjudging the sprint.

"Zabel, Zabel, Zabel, Zabel, Zabel." 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"He really did make a mess out of that one!"

Used when describing either a major tactical blunder or a fundamental error in, say, taking a turn on a descent.

"Berzin may well have the record for wearing the yellow jersey for the shortest distance!!!" 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"And hats off to him as well!" 

Anyone doing anything surprising, a la Eros Poli winning the GPM and stage at Mt. Ventoux 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"Here he comes from out of nowhere, that little man in the Green jersey, Abdoujaparov!"

(added 1-Aug-97)

"Escartin iscrawling all over his bike to get on Pantani's wheel."

 (added 3-Aug-99)

"And there's the ungainly figure of Escartin on the right"

99 Tour 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"He's ripping the legs off of him." 

In regards to Lance pulling away from Escartin. 99 Tour 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"The peloton is riding like scalded cats"

When Ullrich punctured in 97 TdF 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"Sean Kelly has the bit in his teeth … try as he may, he_cannot_ find a bigger gear on the bicycle … there IS no bigger gear to be found!!! …."

Phil's working himself into a lather watching Sean Kelly, in a two-man break into Pau in an early-80s TdF: 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"The pirate is about to board the ship."

There was another when Marco was catching up with Julich's teammate (Meier?) [98 TdF] 

(added 3-Aug-99)

Kevin L-I-V-I-N-G-S-T-O-N-E

Regarding Kevin Livingston 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"He turns around to look, but he's not going to see any riders back there, not even with glasses on, because they're all far, far behind him."

At the end of the stage won by Vasseur brought a smile 

(added 3-Aug-99)

"He is really plowing a wide furrow through the field today" 

(97 tour) (added 3-Aug-99)

"And it's another stage win for Rominger, flanked by the two beautiful signoritas." 

(added 18-Sep-97)

"And Ulrich looks behind him, goodness knows why, because the whole of the Tour de France is in front of him."

 Commentting on Ulrich in the 97 Tour, Ulrich was the last man out, in the ITT(added 1-Aug-97)

"Jalabert looks over his shoulder and -- ho ho, he does a double take!I don't think he expected to look back and see the yellow jersey!" 

 (added 1-Aug-97)

"He looks back to see who's chasing. The answer is...no one."

 (97 TDF - from stage 10 coverage, referring to Ullrich's break): (added 1-Aug-97)

"You can almost see the sweat on this man's neck. It might even be enoughto corrode that earring" 

 --This may be one of the oddest Liggettisms that I have heard (Ulrich 97 TDF) 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"..Here's the maillot jaune of the Tour De France (camera zooming in) rounding the top of this climb (camera still zooming in) just after the time spli....AND LOOK AT THE FACE ON THIS MAN!!!"

 Referring to the grimace of Ulrich 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"There is now a chief among the Indians!" 

 - Upon a famous rider-Vanderaerdan?-joining a breakaway. (Added 23-Dec-97)

"Roche has no answer to a man driven by such emotion" 

 -Upon Stephen conceeding a stage victory to Pedro Delgado on the anniversary of Delgado's mother's death. [1987 TdF] (Added 23-Dec-97)

"The drunken slopes of LaPlague" 

 (Had they been up all night partying with the spectators?) [1987 TdF] (Added 23-Dec-97)

"My goodness me!" 

 (Added 23-Dec-97)

"It's been a marvelous Tour De France"

Referring to almost every tour he's been the commentator on. (Added 23-Dec-97)

"They satelite up to eight hours a day to Columbia, waking everybody up onthe other side of the world with their persuasive tones." 

Referring to the hyperactive Columbian broadcasters in the 1988 Tour De France [broadcaster practically screaming in the background]) (Added 23-Dec-97)

"he looks between his legs and sees.....nobody there!" 

For the non-bike racers, a rider on a breakaway will frequently look between his legs to see if someone is chasing as opposed to turning around. 

(Added 23-Dec-97)

"And it's Riis causing all this pain!" 

95 Tour 

(added 27-Jan-98)

"And Riis must be feeling quite frisky today!"

95 Tour, while Riis is attacking in the Mountains.

(added 27-Jan-98)

"He's gone - and he's got the gap" 

 (added 09-July-98 )

"I'm afraid the dream is over!" 

After a rider on a long breakaway is caught near the finish line. (added 09-July-98 )

"And you know Paul, they didn't even look at him". 

When the chase group of elite climbers passes a lone breakaway rider on a long climb during the TdF. (added 09-July-98 )

"And Pedro Delgado has sprouted wings!" 

'88 TdF, Delgado attacks from a select group of climbers. (added 09-July-98 )

 "The Mapei boys have absolutely blown it!" 

Referring to the Mapei team's efforts to control the final kilometers of a 1995(?) Tour DuPont stage. (added 09-July-98 )

"And who is that in the background? That looks like Stephen Roche! IT LOOKS LIKE STEPHEN ROCHE!" 

'87 TDF, Delgado arrives at the summit of La Plagne, seemingly having left Roche standing, only for the camera to pick out the Irishman coming back from the dead to finish just a few seconds down. (added 09-July-98 )

"...and Hamburger is trying to spoil the party here, and go off the front of the group." 

The 'party' was a breakaway started by a handful of riders. [From the 98 Tour] (Added 1-Sep-98)

"And wise moves at the front." 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"Well, it had to come from Garcia, he has hardly been a driver of this breakaway, he's observed from the backseat from much of it, he's taken a flyer, if he won it would be a terrific surprise for both him and Banesto, but Stuart Ogrady has been waiting for this move to come, he has quickly marked it. "

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"He's gritting his teeth and hanging on, the race is coming at him on the far side, but they're not going to pick them up now, they've been outwitted by the move here". 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"And again they are crossing swords at the front." 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

 "And he's showing he has some speed in those legs, as they race up towards the line, but the legs have just clamped down - It was close! It was very close! - but I don't think indeed Cippolini took it on the line, but we will wait for the official result." 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"The blue jersey of George Hincapie - That swerve was violent!" 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"These riders at the front will have heard the twist of metal there - now they'll go even quicker to keep away from the group." 

From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"And it Bjarne Riis, back in full cry" 

Riis has his mouth open as he pulls through at the front (first day after the mountains - where Riis was somewhat invisible). --From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"So Pantani blazes a trail through the public here." 

Regarding the classic Tour camera shot taken from a following motorbike on a climb. --From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"He is now prepared to take violent risks on the descnt of the Col du Galibier" 

Regarding Pantani --From the 98 Tour 

(Added 1-Sep-98)

 "And the peleton has been streched across the road like a long sausage" 

99 Tour, when the field encountered a narrow strech of road. (Added 28-July-99.)

"He leaves the debris on the road behind for a change" 

Referring to Cippolini avoiding a crash. --From the 98 Tour (Added 1-Sep-98)

"His Face is a picture!"

(Added 21-Aug-99)

"The Tour chooses it's champions where the mountains bear the snows of winter" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"To wear the yellow jersey is to mingle with the gods of cycling" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"Ready, for an arduous ride into treacherous territory"

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"You cannot breach the gap between opportunism and ability"

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"Reputation can mean nothing; there's always a chance the underdogs will win" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"The mountains again have produced the truth, and produced two great men" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"Riding or helping, the endless road evokes thoughts of  hope"

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"The Tour has dealt it's first blow" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"Time lost on the climbs can be made up with skillful and daring decents" 

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"The peloton makes natural selections"

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"The weather is something of a damp squid"

(Added 18-Dec-99)

"Don't look back. You know what's going on back there because you just left."

(Added 25-May-00)

"He won't worry too much about time gains now. . .this will be remembered for a lifetime!" 

(added 1-Aug-97)

"Five and one-half hours for the winner today - think of the rest!!" 

Stage 15, 2000 TdF
(Added 30-July-00) 

"I've never seen so many tired big names in the Tour de France. These fellows have all tried and have been destroyed. Armstrong let them all do it, and then has ridden them off.

(Hautecamp - stage 10, 2000 TdF)
(Added 30-July-00) 

"He's got [insert rider name] in a bit of a bother now."

(Uttered in reference to Armstrong dropping Ulrich on Hautecamp - stage 10, 2000 TdF)
(Added 30-July-00) 

"This is a big beefy boy!" 

Regarding Lemond, 91 tour prologue 

  "And here's the REAL loser" 
 

Referring to '98 or '99 tour TT.

"and now these surgeons of cycling are navigating this rugged French countryside over 'roads made for animals...'"

I got this quote from the John Tesh fan site at:

http://www.teshmusic.com/

  A fan asked how JT came up w/ a particular song title, and the following ensued:

  "Road Made For Animals" is a song that was actually named by a fellow announcer of the Tour de France bike race. Phil Liggett was describing how the cyclists in the tour were riding at high speeds over cobblestones and was heard to say "and now these surgeons of cycling are navigating this rugged french countryside over 'roads made for animals...'" meaning, of course, roads that were originally created for oxen and wagons...not cyclists. The song I wrote for that particular segment was then easily named.

"whenever there's a crash you can be sure Zulle isn't far behind"

97 TdF (maybe)

"The roads of the Alps lay on the mountain side like discarded string......... Each with stories to tell."

87 TdF

"There she goes, the sultry Paula Pezzo"

(Added 16-June-01) 

"Jan Svorada doesn't look clever anymore" 

Following a crash.

(Added 16-June-01) 

"Marco Pantani has crashed and Alex Zulle has followed him in sympathy"

1998 Giro

(Added 16-June-01) 

 "...and that's a nasty box of tricks that <insert name of rider> has broken into..." 

When someone attacks or makes an aggressive move through the peleton.

(Added 16-June-01) 

"Alex Zule,what a cheek!"

2000 TdF

"and Franco Vona is TOTALLY SOLD!!! 

Up some mountain, and Pantani is chasing, then cruelly dropping Franco Vona.

"You can see the fire in Pantani's eyes..." <camera zooms in to reveal the Pirate and he has his Briko sunglasses on>>.."if it weren't for the sunglasses you could see the fire in his eyes". 

2000 TdF

"He is, after all, a golden retriever and just doing his job."

2001 Giro - Commenting on a dog chasing the pack

"Well there you are --never trust a dutchman!"

'86 tour. Joel Pelier and Johan Van der Velde have been in a break all day, with the Frenchman doing much of the work, until a hundred or so meters from the line when his Dutch companion jumps out from behind to take the stage. 

"He is cleaning the road on this sprint" 

2000 TdF - Referring to a sprint where the riders bike is all over the road

Paul says"I think he's gone off on a fishing trip."

Phil: "Well, that's why he's not a cyclist anymore. We can't all be  good and that's it."

Discussion on why Frank VDB wasn't in the Tour:

"Look at them! They're like goldfish out there!" 

2001 TdF TTT - Of course, referring to the heavy-breathing riders

"He's getting a little long in the
tooth, you know." 

in reference to an older rider, particularly Tchmil

"The race is no respecter of reputation, your only as good as now". 

Just after Charley Mottet quits the 1988 TdF 

"He's turned himself inside-out!" or "His face has turned inside-out!"

In reference to an grimacing rider.

"Riding like the wind, Hinault is producing an attack never
seen since the Halcyon days of Eddie Merckx, the legendary
Belgian who made a habit of achieving the impossible.
LeMond knows now that his friend at the dinner table is his
rival on the road."

1986 TdF (Added 03-Nov-02) 

the columbians are wonderful climbers, they just tend to fall off their bikes alot on the descents, though

2001 Giro (Added 03-Nov-02) 

".....and Lance is hanging the pirate on his own ship"

1999 TdF, when Armstrong passes Pantani (Added 03-Nov-02) 

He's done his job at the front and now he must concentrate on getting his enormous carcass up the rest of the way

(Added 03-Nov-02) 

"We now watch the riders make their way up the mountain road, chosen by the road department as the least arduous path. I can tell you right now these riders would disagree with their choice."

regarding the path up La Plagne (Added 03-Nov-02) 

"Every Dag has his day"

Redarding Dag Otto Lauritzen, the 7-11 domestique on winning a TdF stage (Added 03-Nov-02) 

  Smetinine was first on the Sputnik Team, a small satellite team out of Russia.

Referring to Sergei Smetinine: - Tour De France 2002 (Added 03-Nov-02) 

:  Here comes the balding pate of Levi Leipheimer

Referring to Levi Leipheimer - Vuelta A Espana 2002(Added 03-Nov-02) 

"And he's popped "

(Regarding Lance Armstrong dropping Pantani on Hautecamp - stage 10, 2000 TdF)
(Added 30-July-00) 

"These riders are glass-cranking it here"

(Regarding two breakaway compatriots taking it easy before the finishing sprint - 2000 TdF)
(Added 30-July-00) 

"He probably got a whiff of the alcohol on that man's breath and needed some fresh air."

'97 Tour / Alpe D'Huez / Pantani breaks away dramatically from Ullrich, and as he speeds up the climb, some guy dressed up as a rooster runs up along side him and gets so close that Pantani gives him an elbow.

(Added 16-June-01) 

"Well, I would have climbed off by now"

"I would never have seen the front this late in the race, but..."

"Hills like this were never much to my liking, but..."

Phil asks Paul: What was it like when you were racing this race. 

I think Phil is just having a dig... (Added 16-June-01)                 

"He's really having to dig deeply into the suitcase of courage"

2000 Tour, commenting on Pantani (who was trying to keep the wheel of Lance on the Ventoux (Added 03-Nov-02) 

“As you know, Phil, it is difficult for one Dutchman to outfox another Dutchman”

(Added 03-Nov-02) 

“He's all over his machine”

(Added 03-Nov-02) 

"That's what you get when you suffer - you get results."

"Would the top of Hautecamp please come quickly."