What happened...

[mon-goose]

This guy has had quite a career

 

Cyclist David Clinger: Marked For Success

By James Raia

Published 05/5/2008

Cycling Features

Rating: http://www.byjamesraia.com/templates/Travel/Images/GreenRatingFull.gifhttp://www.byjamesraia.com/templates/Travel/Images/GreenRatingFull.gifhttp://www.byjamesraia.com/templates/Travel/Images/GreenRatingFull.gifhttp://www.byjamesraia.com/templates/Travel/Images/GreenRatingFull.gifhttp://www.byjamesraia.com/templates/Travel/Images/GreenRatingFull.gif Unrated

(This article was originally published in the Monterey County Herald on 4/19/2008. It was updated on 5/5/08).

A decade into his professional career, David Clinger is riding for his eighth team. It's a squad that seems like a perfect fit for a cyclist who, like his new squad, has attracted as much attention off the bike as he has while pedaling.

A former teammate of Lance Armstrong, Clinger of Tarzana, Calif., returned from a unique off-season January, 2005 trip to Argentina. Enamored with lifestyle and philosophy of the Polynesian culture, he had his face and scalp emblazoned with a Maori warrior-like tattoo that took 12 hours to complete.

The rendering received global attention. But now at age 30 and two years removed from his last win, Clinger is trying to regain the form that resulted in five wins in 2003 and various other cycling successes from Spain to France.http://www.byjamesraia.com/content_images/2/clinger.jpg

Clinger, 30, is attempting a resurgence with a collection of diverse riders competing for Rock Racing. The team is owned by Michael Ball, the wealthy, controversial founder of Rock & Republic, the jean/apparel manufacturer.

Following a last-minute invitation, eight Rock Racing riders will compete beginning Monday in the weeklong Tour de Georgia. Another group of teammates competed in the men's pro road race Friday and men's pro circuit race Saturday in the Sea Otter Classic at Laguna Seca Recreation Area.

"This  year for sure I'm ramping it up real slowly," said Clinger, who rode in the front group often and eventually supported teammates who finished third and fourth.  "I don't have the form yet, but I can get to the plateau where I think I'll get four or five wins this year ? at least."

An avid cyclist, Ball began Rock Racing in 2007. This season, the squad is arguably the most unique in all of sport.

From Clinger to reigning Olympic time trial gold medalist Tyler Hamilton, and Oscar Sevilla of Spain to Santiago Botero of Colombia, the team has riders who have served drug suspensions. And it has riders who if not hired by Ball would most likely be retired.

Until recently, the team also included Mario Cipollini, perhaps the most recognizable and among the most accomplished cyclists in history. The Italian winner of nearly 200 races and former world road titlist, Cipollini, 42, came out of a two-year retirement to briefly race for team. But the flamboyant Cipollini quit abruptly after philosophical differences with Ball.http://www.byjamesraia.com/content_images/2/clinger2.jpg

Cipollini's short tenure only further added to the squad's aura.  And regardless of circumstances ? Ball's outspoken personality to the team's collective persona to riders' suc

 

< ="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" =text/>

 

cesses ? the team not only brings attention to itself, it embraces the spotlight.
Consider:

* The back of the team's black-green-and white uniforms feature a white skull with Phoenix-like wings. Smaller skulls are represented on other parts of the uniform.

Clinger, pre-tattoo, rode for the French team,

Festina, in 2000-2001.

* The team's vehicles include black Cadillac Escalades;

* At cycling events and expos like the Sea Otter Classic, the squad's merchandise booth sells logo emblazoned sweatshirts for $50, similarly decorated baseball caps for $20. It touts a version of rebel cycling not too dissimilar from the image portrayed by the Oakland Raiders.

* During the recent Tour of California (the fourth stage began in Seaside), individual stage podium ceremonies included presentations by scantily clad young women, known as Podium Girls, who represented Rock Racing.

* The team paid a substantial race sponsorship fee, but it competed with only five cyclists after Ball and race organizers bickered over the eligibility of three riders.

Clinger joined Rock Racing for three months early in the 2007 season. But he had an extended period off the bike. In short, he was chronically fatigued and had suffered muscle damage.

"It was basically just no riding and no nothing, and It was difficult for me to understand that," said Clinger. "I know how hard it is to come back. It's taken four or five months and from the off-season it's ben hard to keep my weight down."

But with Rock Racing, Clinger also feels he's allowed to be an individual. His tattoo is a not concern, a complete departure from his previous squad, Webcor. The team's management didn't like the image Clinger was portraying and asked the rider to have the tattoo removed.

Clinger agreed and began a removal process that eventually stalled after five attempts. Further removal, he was told, would painful and cost an estimated $25,000. Clinger and Webcor eventually parted company.

"I said, 'Forget, it costs too much,' " said Clinger, who with his teammates will ride Saturday in the pro circuit race. "I thought about it and I like it too much. I went back down there and had a guy put it all back on. It costs $100."

Clinger now again relishes his uniqueness. Three years ago as a tattoo newbie, he realized he might not please sponsors, family or the cycling community. But he has no regrets.

"The only thing I wish I would have done is quit Webcor when they told ne to take it off," said Clinger. "I went for it and tried to take it off,  so I compromised myself. I should have just left the team and said, 'You guys don't like it, fine.'

[Sean Badenhorst]

Individualism ? rare.

 

 

 

[AndreZA]

You think that is stupid, what about eyeball tattoo.

 

http://inventorspot.com/articles/worlds_first_eyeball_tattoo_12158

 

 

[Azonic]

Tattoos coming off, thanks to being suspended by Webcor, this was in 2005...

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/features/clinger/cnpWebcor2CMsml.jpg

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2005/features/clinger/cnpWebcor1aCMsm.jpg

 

However... in 2006...

 

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=66401

 

"Actually I think it's "worse". After he "left" Webcor he completed that monstrosity. I'm not surprised he got into a fight, he must be the laughing stock of any bar he walks into."

 

In 2007 he was riding for Rock Racing, and as you can see in mon-goose's post, he re-did the tattoos.

[TNT1]

 

Individualism ? rare.

 

 

 

 

Looking like a tosser - all too frequent...

 

[mbaymike]

that is one ugly bugger.....if you see him at night all you do is run.....and don't look back....you might just change into a puddle of who knows what

[Tumbleweed]

Individualism ? rare.

Looking like a tosser - all too frequent...

 

says the leader of the pack?

[TNT1]

 

Individualism ? rare.

 

 

 

Looking like a tosser - all too frequent...

 

says the leader of the pack?

 

Damn straight... 

 

[Slave]

One of you lot told me "Image is everything, especially when you lack results."

 

Maybe he subscribes to that theory. His "unusual looks will certainly attract more camera attention than if he was without those hideous face markings.

 

And then again, some dudes just have more money than brains. (At a guesstimate, I'd say that it only takes 5 bucks in his case.)

[hot stuff]

I hope he can restore his good looks after the removal of the tatoo

[Spud]

I saw some pics of the most tattoo'd man alive the other day' date=' this guy is nuts, he even had his finger nails pulled out so he can tattoo underneath them. He's done his whole body in black and is now starting with white paterns ontop of that.

[/quote'] OH WAIT! Was that Micheal Jac...................no it was the other way round sorry!