“I have never admired Armstrong and never will.”

[thehog]

http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/should-lance-armstrongs-new-team-be-sponsored-by-marijuana/

 

[derailleur]

One thing is for sure the next director of the team will know who the leader of the team is before they start the tour.

Oh? Will it be Vino or Berto?

As for "deep pockets", the Cossacks still haven't paid their team what they're owed for this year, so bg is going to be disapponted that all the superdomestiques went to Shack and Sky (and BMC) instead of Astana.

 

[franciep10]

I once thought that guys like BPC/sprocket were the worst on this forum, but guys like derailleur and mitchman are by far the worst, to think that one athlete is bigger than the sport is ridiculous, the probably haven't watched cycling since 2005. I mean seriously either they're trolls or idiots.

 

[derailleur]

he had every opportunity to assert himself on Arcalis or Verbier, but couldn't--nobody was holding him back in either instance (LA was already not listening to JB at Arcalis (it wasn't just AC)) . I won't bring up the subsequent stages because he was never in a position to assert himself or put more time into AC's skinny **** (hard to do that when you are riding behind someone).

But next year . . . .

I believe AC eventually had to ride counter to JB's plan because he started to perceive that JB and LA might betray him in the race. He took off on Arcalis because he needed to assert the claim that he was the leader, even though JB would have wanted him to save it for later. It was blatant petulance, and reminiscent of LA attacking with unnecessary abandon in his early career.

But LA, in addition to not being ready to follow him, wasn't in a position to do so. He had to stay back and mark the Schlecks. If he'd tried to bridge, they would have come right along, and wasted AC's attack entirely. That almost certainly involved some input from JB, who would be reacting to what AC was doing to the GC gaps.

Without tapes of the radio chatter, I can't say if this is exactly accurate one way or the other, but it's what I saw going on.

I haven't seen anything of JB stating that LA wasn't listening to him. I have seen him discussing AC's actions in puzzled terms.

His quote, every year, is "the strongest rider will win the race" and I don't think anyone thought LA would be the strongest this year. But, as you say, next year...

 

[Publicus]

I believe AC eventually had to ride counter to JB's plan because he started to perceive that JB and LA might betray him in the race. He took off on Arcalis because he needed to assert the claim that he was the leader, even though JB would have wanted him to save it for later. It was blatant petulance, and reminiscent of LA attacking with unnecessary abandon in his early career.

But LA, in addition to not being ready to follow him, wasn't in a position to do so. He had to stay back and mark the Schlecks. If he'd tried to bridge, they would have come right along, and wasted AC's attack entirely. That almost certainly involved some input from JB, who would be reacting to what AC was doing to the GC gaps.

Without tapes of the radio chatter, I can't say if this is exactly accurate one way or the other, but it's what I saw going on.

I haven't seen anything of JB stating that LA wasn't listening to him. I have seen him discussing AC's actions in puzzled terms.

His quote, every year, is "the strongest rider will win the race" and I don't think anyone thought LA would be the strongest this year. But, as you say, next year...

Actually we know that LA wasn't listening to JB on the slopes of Arcalis. He was pushing the tempo up the mountain to take yellow, something that JB didn't want--go back and listen to LA and LL's post-race commentary as well as JB's, AC wasn't the only one not listening. When AC went, he went--probably because he knew what LA's plan was (get yellow, control of team and neuter AC for the rest of the TdF). If LA had gone, he would have been brought back immediately--he just doesn't have the turn of pedals like he had back in 1999/2000. I won't mention that AS went after AC and LA couldn't mark him until AS sat up. Wait, I just did...

And on Verbier, well nothing was stopping him from attacking the small group that he and AC were in . . . except him. He didn't have it. He was on his limit (per his own words).

Next year it is going to be brutal . . . for LA.

 

[Sprocket01]

Without tapes of the radio chatter, I can't say if this is exactly accurate one way or the other, but it's what I saw going on.

Of course next year they might ban the radios. In this interview when Armstrong is told anyone wearing a radio will get banned, he jokes that he will give Alberto a radio...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qldeYG83u8U

 

[derailleur]

I once thought that guys like BPC/sprocket were the worst on this forum, but guys like derailleur and mitchman are by far the worst, to think that one athlete is bigger than the sport is ridiculous, the probably haven't watched cycling since 2005.

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

When LA is in cycling, America forgets it exists. Walk up to a random person on the street and say "who is Floyd Landis?" and they'll say "didn't he walk on the moon?" Do the same with "Lance Armstrong" and most will tell you he's a bike racer. Don't even try "Fausto Coppi" or "Eddy Merckx."

I mean seriously either they're trolls or idiots.

Who was Honoré Barthélemy?

 

[BroDeal]

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

 

[Mellow Velo]

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

When LA is in cycling, America forgets it exists. Walk up to a random person on the street and say "who is Floyd Landis?" and they'll say "didn't he walk on the moon?" Do the same with "Lance Armstrong" and most will tell you he's a bike racer. Don't even try "Fausto Coppi" or "Eddy Merckx."

Do you see that there might be a slight contradiction in your two paragraphs?
I'm assuming, you mean isn't and the key word in para 1 is could.
Hope there aren't two of you, in there.

In Europe, they could start up a new sport called tarmac cyclocross and carry on as if nothing had happened.

 

[Angliru]

On Armstrong. As someone mentioned right at the top of the thread, Armstrong will have a better mentality for training this year. He thrives on grudges and the hatred expressed against him, so the bust up with Contador, the drug allegations, the media pressure and the array of haters out there mocking his defeat, couldn't be better for him. The striking thing about LA for most of this year, before the tour, is how laid back he was. He was distracted looking. We didn't see glimpses of the old Lance until the Giro when he fell out with the press, but his training plan had already been compromised by then and there was no specific enemy. This year he'll have a really good focus right through the whole year. That can only work to his favour.

I thought that it was said that he was hitting beyond all the "numbers" he used to have prior to his retirement including being lighter than at the start of the Tour than he's been since his 1st return to the sport in 1998 (or 1999)?
He will be 39 years of age you know. I agree that he is likely to be better in some respects (ITT) but like with every aging athlete there comes a point when the body just can't do what the mind tells it to no matter how fond the memories of one's past accomplishments might be. Needless to say his performance in the Tour was quite impressive but not up to his own expectations. Also as mentioned earlier, 3 of the anticipated antagonists had extremely bad Tours (Evans, Menchov and Sastre) and the youngsters (Schlecklet, Nibali, Kreuziger, Gesink) will only be getting stronger, wiser and more confident. The odds will serious be stacked against him.

 

[rhubroma]

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

When LA is in cycling, America forgets it exists. Walk up to a random person on the street and say "who is Floyd Landis?" and they'll say "didn't he walk on the moon?" Do the same with "Lance Armstrong" and most will tell you he's a bike racer. Don't even try "Fausto Coppi" or "Eddy Merckx."



Who was Honoré Barthélemy?

Yea and ask a European who the greatest NFL quarterback over the last three decades and maybe three people would know. That most in the States don't know another cyclist, simply indicates how unpopular the sport is over there. Whereas, believe it or not, in Europe they have no problems with running their sport as they have before LA and as they will continue to do so when he finally passes away into oblivion.

Armstrong isn't "cycling," all his money and sponsorship backing can't buy out the sport and he owes all of his fame to a famous bike race in France. I realize that makes you patriotic fanboys cringe to know that LA wouldn't amount to squat, were it not for those infuriating french.

 

[franciep10]

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

When LA is in cycling, America forgets it exists. Walk up to a random person on the street and say "who is Floyd Landis?" and they'll say "didn't he walk on the moon?" Do the same with "Lance Armstrong" and most will tell you he's a bike racer. Don't even try "Fausto Coppi" or "Eddy Merckx."

I've got nothing else to say to it just proves that you're bothan idiot and a lightweight troll

Who was Honoré Barthélemy?

I know who he is i just don't know why he is relevant here

 

[franciep10]

Armstrong/Nike/Trek/Oakley/Michelob/Shack could buy the entire sport of professional road cycling. Outright. Run it like NASCAR. And all it would take is for LA to say to the CEOs of those companies, "how would you like to make some money at this?"

When LA is in cycling, America forgets it exists. Walk up to a random person on the street and say "who is Floyd Landis?" and they'll say "didn't he walk on the moon?" Do the same with "Lance Armstrong" and most will tell you he's a bike racer. Don't even try "Fausto Coppi" or "Eddy Merckx."

I've got nothing else to say to you this just proves that you're both an idiot and a lightweight troll

Who was Honoré Barthélemy?

I know who he is i just don't know why he is relevant here

 

[pmcg76]

But I'm saying that I have a theory that Contador has already made the leap that other riders do slightly later, therefore he won't improve by that much. The other riders around him could well have a better chance of improving than he does.



Obviously his age is a concern, but he will only be one year older than he was this year, which was his first year back and he finished 3rd. We know it usually takes a year or two to get back up to that high level of form that it takes to do well in GC, so he is likely to be better, providing no more injuries. The problem for him is its a moving target where other riders are likely to improve as well.

You guys realise that without the TTT this year, Lance would have finished behind both Wiggins & F.Schleck and take out the time he gained on the sneaky break and he would have been barely in front of Nibali. There is no TTT next year. I would estimate Lance needs a 10 minute improvement at least, that means finishing ahead of AC and the others in the mountains and TT by a long distance.

As for Lance needing something to get him riled up, his return this year was supposed to be all about his cancer foundation etc so if he cannot do it for the millions of cancer sufferers he was supposedly riding for, then its hard to see him needing any more inspiration to perform.

On that, if his return was all about raising awareness of cancer, why did he pretty much stop after the Tour, there is a calendar until October. Is awareness of cancer not necessary August through December or perhaps it doesnt exist at this time of year.

 

[Sprocket01]

You guys realise that without the TTT this year, Lance would have finished behind both Wiggins & F.Schleck and take out the time he gained on the sneaky break and he would have been barely in front of Nibali. There is no TTT next year. I would estimate Lance needs a 10 minute improvement at least, that means finishing ahead of AC and the others in the mountains and TT by a long distance.

Well you might have a point, but you can't really say that. If it was a different race then they would have used different tactics. For instance I thought LA looked pretty comfortable on the Mont Ventoux. But by that time second place was out of his reach so he just chose to mark Frank Schleck. He still dropped Wiggins near the end. If he went earlier he could have put more time into him. And so on. You can only race the race you are given.

If the TTT was an individual time trial then Contador would still probably have won it, but he would have put less time into some of his other rivals.

 

[Sprocket01]

But you're right that Armstrong would have liked another TTT next year, if his twitter is anything to go by:

No TTT which is a bummer for @teamradioshack. I suspect the strength of our team will be a benefit in the 1st week tho.

 

[Anonymous]

Most Improved.

3rd is an improvement from winning? Well, that is one take on it... Oh, you mean because he had only done some running with his shirt off since retiring? Well, I am guessing here, but I would suggest that the narcissistic personality of Mr Armstrong would not view 3rd as anything but failure. It will be fun to watch him suffer that humiliation once again next year provided all of the major players are there.

 

[jpmcmahonjr]

3rd is an improvement from winning? Well, that is one take on it... Oh, you mean because he had only done some running with his shirt off since retiring? Well, I am guessing here, but I would suggest that the narcissistic personality of Mr Armstrong would not view 3rd as anything but failure. It will be fun to watch him suffer that humiliation once again next year provided all of the major players are there.

Your obsession with Lance is truely scarey. Almost to the point of stalking. Does it bother you knowing he is on your mind that much. Especially with your hate for him?

 

[TRDean]

Your obsession with Lance is truely scarey. Almost to the point of stalking. Does it bother you knowing he is on your mind that much. Especially with your hate for him?

Hehehehehe

 

[Hugh Januss]

Your obsession with Lance is truely scarey. Almost to the point of stalking. Does it bother you knowing he is on your mind that much. Especially with your hate for him?

Once again a post solidly on topic from jr. TFF was merely pointing out the obvious that going from 1st to 3rd in what were for him consecutive tours is hardly grounds for most improved. If it was he would be a shoe in to be "most improved" again next year when he winds up 5th -8th which is as well as he will do.

 

[pmcg76]

Well you might have a point, but you can't really say that. If it was a different race then they would have used different tactics. For instance I thought LA looked pretty comfortable on the Mont Ventoux. But by that time second place was out of his reach so he just chose to mark Frank Schleck. He still dropped Wiggins near the end. If he went earlier he could have put more time into him. And so on. You can only race the race you are given.

If the TTT was an individual time trial then Contador would still probably have won it, but he would have put less time into some of his other rivals.

No offence to Wiggins but I think he will be lucky to finish Top 10 next year, the race was tame enough this year for him to stay in contention. Personally, I think Evans and maybe Sastre will come back into contention next year.

Everyone is talking about Lance but shouldnt we be talking about no one team leader at Radioshack like at Astana this year. Shouldnt they be aiming for the podium sweep with the same riders, LA, Levi, Klodi, let the road decide, I mean if Klodi had done his own race this year there is every chance he would have finished in front of Lance too. I mean that should be their main aim, it would be something amazing, never seen before, even more amazing than seeing Lance win. No way should Klodi, Levi should be sacrificed in the name of Lance. Its all about the team.

 

[Anonymous]

Your obsession with Lance is truely scarey. Almost to the point of stalking. Does it bother you knowing he is on your mind that much. Especially with your hate for him?

Examine the content of your own posts and concentrate on what it is that is wrong with you. Me, I am not bothered in the slightest by my opinion of Mr Armstrong.

One other suggestion: While it is not incumbent upon you to learn to spell more proficiently, at least learn to use the spell check function. Hint, when there is a little red line under a word in your post, it means you need to change something. I am a horrible speller, but have the decency to make my thoughts more clear for others by correcting spelling errors. It is literally the least you could do.

 

[Anonymous]

Once again a post solidly on topic from jr. TFF was merely pointing out the obvious that going from 1st to 3rd in what were for him consecutive tours is hardly grounds for most improved. If it was he would be a shoe in to be "most improved" again next year when he winds up 5th -8th which is as well as he will do.

Not to mention the fact that I responded to a post that quoted a post of mine, but try telling snickering little girls like TRDean that...

 

[Mellow Velo]

Fact:
(Version 1)
Anti-Armstrong = Hater, obsessional, jealous, sad, anti-US, lacking evidence a life and a bike.

Pro-Armstrong = Entusiastic, heathly interest, rational, calm, Mom's apple pie, loads of evidence, a career and a Trek.

(Version 2)
Anti-Armstrong = Sane, logical, analytical, evidence rich, rides and follows pro cycling regulary .

Pro-Armstrong = Dillusional, irrational, hysterical, evidence phobia, rides a couch and follows whats in the headlines.

Take your pick.

 

[Publicus]

Fact:
(Version 1)
Anti-Armstrong = Hater, obsessional, jealous, sad, anti-US, lacking evidence a life and a bike.

Pro-Armstrong = Entusiastic, heathly interest, rational, calm, Mom's apple pie, loads of evidence, a career and a Trek.

(Version 2)
Anti-Armstrong = Sane, logical, analytical, evidence rich, rides and follows pro cycling regulary .

Pro-Armstrong = Dillusional, irrational, hysterical, evidence phobia, rides a couch and follows whats in the headlines.

Take your pick.

Can we mix and match?