Dag-Otto Lauritzen now dance-Otto?

Years ago, cycling commentator Phil Liggett exclaimed, "He's dancing on the pedals in a most immodest way!" when describing the climbing style of Norwegian rider Dag Otto Lauritzen. Since retiring in 1994, Lauritzen has picked up dancing in different but more traditional manner. He and his partner Gyda Svela-Thorsen took part in the Norwegian version of the television programme Dancing with the Stars (Skal vi Danse) this year, and made it as far as third place before being eliminated in November.

Lauritzen did well to make the podium in the dance competition, but described the experience as frightening, "Dancing was good, I was third place and very happy." He described his partner as "lovely and fun", but said the competition was "very scary, but okay". After being eliminated, he went on a ski holiday.

Lauritzen is most famous as a cyclist for his stage win in the 1987 Tour de France, which inspired Liggett to invent one of his signature phrases, "dancing on the pedals". He also won a stage of the Vuelta a España and Olympic bronze medal (1984) as well as numerous Norwegian championships. He was a professional cyclist for ten years, spending a good portion of his career racing for the American teams 7-eleven and Motorola.

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