Crowe tells writer to get on bike


Russell Crowe challenged an Australian newspaper columnist to a cycle duel after
she mocked a picture of him smoking and eating on a bike ride.

The piece, in Sydney's Daily Telegraph, was headlined "smokes and fatty foods
the fitness regime for Rusty".

The Gladiator star then called the paper to challenge Annette Sharp to a 12-mile
(19.3km) race through the city.

Video of the early morning duel showed Crowe speeding along with Ms Sharp
struggling to keep up.

Crowe is shown telling Ms Sharp she is a better cyclist than Australian film
director Baz Luhrmann.

"He holds the record for the worst cycling tourist we've ever taken for a ride -
you are twice the man Baz Luhrmann is on a bicycle."

The Telegraph mocked Crowe last week after he was photographed taking a break
from a bike ride with his personal trainer to smoke a cigarette, eat tacos and
drink a soft drink.

The paper reported that Crowe's spokesman had called the next day and said: "Get
on your bike. Russell wants you to go riding with him.

"Are you ready to die?"

At one point during the pair's cycle trip, Ms Sharp fell off her bike.

After their duel, she wrote: "I was sliding exuberantly down the track when,
with a thump, I came off the seat and landed painfully on the crossbar.

"This was surely it - his victory moment. His victory moment, with me sprawled
in the dirt.

"Yet he was gracious, concerned - the perfect gentleman as he rolled up my
trousers to check my knee."

She added: "When you make a living throwing stones you expect that one day
someone is going to lob one back.

"This was that day."


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