Legion…

[birdrider]

I have gone up in flames for admiting I like these guys.

I think they need to be looked at in context. I come from California. The good part of California. When I tell people my story, they can't fathom what i've been through. If you knew how bad the gang problem in California was there might be a different perspective on the Williams brothers. They could have easily slipped into a life of crime but they decided to pursiut cycling. They have alot of things working against them, being black is one of them but being from LA takes it to a whole other level. People don't understand California. It's hard to comprehend how *f##k* certain things are. They Don't Care About The Hoodhttps://youtu.be/c5rXrZXUjdY?si=zrNF_JQLeiq-MriQ

I've also been following Corey forever. I once saw one of his video's where a dude crashed and the guy behind him tried to ollie over him in order to avoid crashing. It didn't work in that video and dude at shit all the same. I said to myself, "If that ever happens to me I'm making it". Like a month later someone dumps it infront of me and I managed to ollie completely over the crash. Had I not seen that video, I would have ate pavement.

I also think Corey is far more humble than Justin. I think they probably have a weird time racing together at times because of the sibling dynamic.

I also just love the diversity these guys bring to the Crit scene. If it were not for Leagion we'd just be a bunch of MAMIL's lining for our families.

[Butcher]

We all make choices and it seems that the choices that we make are always blamed on someone else when they go wrong.

There are plenty of people that lived poor and in a bad neighborhood. It's their choice where they want to go. Be it a drug dealer, criminal, or Doctor. There is something really wrong with a person that chooses to hurt someone or take their stuff. Does not matter if they are robbing a store or attempting to seriously hurt someone for a stupid bike race. It's a lame excuse to blame it on their up bringing, but that is what we do. At some point, when does it kick in that it's just not right on what they are doing? I think it's around 12yo. This guy is an adult but seems like he does not care about others.

They certainly seem to be bad players in this game. Since people want to see wrecks and blood, it will be a popular sport. Does not make it right. Their sponsers are in a bad position. They can't fire them because that would looked at as unfair. They can't condone what they do, because that would not be right either.

I grew up in California, there is not any good parts of it. At least the places I saw [from Rancho Cordova to Perris] The entire State is messed up.

[birdrider]

I grew up in California, there is not any good parts of it. At least the places I saw [from Rancho Cordova to Perris] The entire State is messed up.

I mean there are less bad parts of the California. Simi Valley was Certainly less bad than the LA Valley.

I also think their are also two sides to every story. Like when Cavendish wrecked out Sagan and Sagan got booted out of the TDF. That shit still infuriates me.

[jesper2913]

I think they need to be looked at in context. I come from California. The good part of California. When I tell people my story, they can't fathom what i've been through. If you knew how bad the gang problem in California was there might be a different perspective on the Williams brothers. They could have easily slipped into a life of crime but they decided to pursiut cycling. They have alot of things working against them, being black is one of them but being from LA takes it to a whole other level. People don't understand California. It's hard to comprehend how *f##k* certain things are. They Don't Care About The Hoodhttps://youtu.be/c5rXrZXUjdY?si=zrNF_JQLeiq-MriQ

So we have to praise them for not becoming gangmembers and dealing drugs?

There are a lot af black ppl in sports all over the world. And in the US also. A lot of them are doing/did very well. Michael Jordan, LeBron, Magic, Williams sisters, Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, Tiger Woods, Muhammed Ali etc. etc.

[ooo]

Wheel stomping guy is Alec Cowan, who is white canadian L39ION member.

A legion rider broke someone’s carbon wheel by stomping on it after a crash.

Should revoke the rider's racing license.

is there video showing such an incident?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtMtPkfwEHI&t=109s

[Butcher]

It's not just sports people. I have a lot of regular clients that started out with a bad hand and they are doing extremely well. The common denominator is hard work, determination, and refusing to quit.

I have a client that used to be a big drug dealer in the Chicago area. Although he had a tough life and made bad choices, he is now a longshoreman and does well. Too bad he figured it out late in life, but he will tell you, he had to make the choice to stop what he was doing[jail time probably had something to do with it too]. He has never blamed anyone else for his past problems.

[birdrider]

I think they need to be looked at in context. I come from California. The good part of California. When I tell people my story, they can't fathom what i've been through. If you knew how bad the gang problem in California was there might be a different perspective on the Williams brothers. They could have easily slipped into a life of crime but they decided to pursiut cycling. They have alot of things working against them, being black is one of them but being from LA takes it to a whole other level. People don't understand California. It's hard to comprehend how *f##k* certain things are. They Don't Care About The Hoodhttps://youtu.be/c5rXrZXUjdY?si=zrNF_JQLeiq-MriQ

So we have to praise them for not becoming gangmembers and dealing drugs?

There are a lot af black ppl in sports all over the world. And in the US also. A lot of them are doing/did very well. Michael Jordan, LeBron, Magic, Williams sisters, Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, Tiger Woods, Muhammed Ali etc. etc.

I'm not saying we need to praise them for not being gang members. I'm saying you need to understand where they come from. When it seems like an us vs them mentality it's because they come from a different place.

I also think you need to respect their boundaries when it comes to altercations (either verbal or physical). I once got jumped after school for calling the wrong kid a bitch. I got knocked out in front of the liquor store. Now I race crits with people who think it's OK to blow snot on me purposefully. Let me tell you, it's NOT OK I'd gladly give up my racing license to defend myself.

There's also two sides to every story. Like the events that led up to the Salt Lake Crit last year. At first it looked like Corey took a dude to curb intentionally. But then for video's come out and show the other dude doing a suicide bombing into Corey. Corey has his tubeless tire burb and does everything in his power to not eat pavement.

I also find it funny that this formula isn't new. If you are old enough to remember Bahatti, it's the same exact story. Hell Bahatti even had the same sponsors (competitive cyclist). If you dig hard enough there's a video of Bahatti chucking a water bottle at a dude’s face full force. The whole thing went to shit eventually.

[spartacus]

I grew up in California, there is not any good parts of it.

Seriously? You seriously think there are no good parts of California? Lmao

[spartacus]

Let me tell you, it's NOT OK I'd gladly give up my racing license to defend myself.

You'd really throw everything away because you and another dude aren't mature enough to race bicycles with each other without resorting to violence? Jesus H

[AJS914]

I grew up there too. The good parts just cost an arm and a leg now. Now, it's $1M for what used to be a nothing fancy middle class home.

[birdrider]

Let me tell you, it's NOT OK I'd gladly give up my racing license to defend myself.

You'd really throw everything away because you and another dude aren't mature enough to race bicycles with each other without resorting to violence? Jesus H

Yes sir. There is a line and spitting in my face is firmly over the line.

Lebowski is a California story for sure. Pulling out a peice over bowling.

[Wookski]

Looking at the whole legion thing as an outsider from the other side of the world I can’t help but think it’s all one giant clown show. The US crit scene appears to be thoroughly entertaining with characters approaching WWE levels of dramatised personality. I can see why sponsors love it, especially when sprinkled with a little DEI fairy dust.

At the end of the day these people are barely relevant outside the US crit scene and simply exist to create a spectacle.

[Multebear]

Looking at the whole legion thing as an outsider from the other side of the world I can’t help but think it’s all one giant clown show. The US crit scene appears to be thoroughly entertaining with characters approaching WWE levels of dramatised personality. I can see why sponsors love it, especially when sprinkled with a little DEI fairy dust.

At the end of the day these people are barely relevant outside the US crit scene and simply exist to create a spectacle.

Agreed.

Their UCI team ranking is at the moment 101. There are a lot of small unknown teams, that have a significantly higher ranking than them. Would be interesting to se them race in europe in regular bikeraces. Do they even stand a chance?

[Maddie]

Justin Williams raced the Zuricrit in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago and came in 3rd. Good friend of mine (not pro) was 5th and spent the whole race with Williams. He told me that the sprint from him was spectacular. Everything else (tactics, lines, speed) not so impressive considering the hype around him. Stefan Bissegger from EF won BTW, he lapped the whole field all by himself

I think the Williams brothers found their perfect niche. There is a reason they are not racing grand tours in Europe and it has nothing to do with DEI.

[shakes133]

The Legion Team can't be viewed as a single layer.
If you break it apart, you'll see a clear line on the team of behavior.
Those with legitimate International experience (Kyle Murphy, Robin Carpenter, Tyler Williams, Ty Magner) are professionals. I don't hear anything about bans or videos of fistfights from them. I rarely see videos of them racing dangerously or chopping wheels either.

The original/domestic/crit focused team are the ones who routinely make their appearance for dangerous riding, bans, and inappropriate contact (on and off the bike).

I see the top group riding well in crits and road races, but the bottom group is only impacting races in crits.

It's really no different than Cavendish or Sagan. When you aren't as strong, you resort to desperation - diving into holes, elbows, leaning, shoving. And then emotion comes into it, and ego about winning the annual average criterium that happens every year and has for the last 25 because there isn't anything more important to focus on.

Also relevant to mention that the chopping/pushing/yelling is happening because the pace is allowing them to occur. No Healthnet train on the front with peak Karl Menzies spinning out his 53x11 for 3 laps.

There was talk of Kermis earlier, and it's anecdotal but I will say that in my time racing in them there was almost none of the BS that I see from Legion. Why? Cause they were full gas for 3.5 hours with 25 turns in 10k on 1 lane roads. Not enough energy to mess around, they commanded full focus.

If someone is fighting you for a wheel, it usually means they are in the wind. Let the legs do the talking and go faster so they can't.