Americans at the Worlds

[slcbiker]

Anyone else disappointed in the lack of representation by the top Americans at the Worlds?
No Armstrong, Leipheimer, Hincapie, Horner or Zabriskie.
Does any other country have essentially all their top riders bailing out?

Zabriskie seems to be on good form. Curious that he's not at least doing the TT.

 

[BroDeal]

Anyone else disappointed in the lack of representation by the top Americans at the Worlds?
No Armstrong, Leipheimer, Hincapie, Horner or Zabriskie.
Does any other country have essentially all their top riders bailing out?

Zabriskie seems to be on good form. Curious that he's not at least doing the TT.

Some of this is easily explained. It is the end of the season, so the stored blood supplies are running low.

It is all going to come down to Tommy D. He will, of course, get sick. Even if he could be relied upon not to get ill, I am not sure why Danielson is entered in the RR. I cannot imagine him being tactically astute enough to to have a shot at winning. He has always had problems conserving energy while riding in a group. A long, hard race of attrition does not suit him.

The Z-Man is a loss for the team. No way he beats Spartacus, but he could podium.

Horner is still recovering.

Armstrong would rather race against amateurs.

 

[Swingtop]

The Tour is all that counts for Americans, sadly, and P-R somewhat. Will there be live coverage in the States?

 

[Race Radio]

The Tour is all that counts for Americans, sadly, and P-R somewhat. Will there be live coverage in the States?

universalsports.com

Live coverage of all races, Jr, Womens, TT and mens

 

[pedaling squares]

Armstrong would rather race against amateurs.

Even Lance's biggest fans will find that funny. It is too bad to see so many top US riders conspicuous by their absences. They could put together a fantastic team. Maybe the world's will have to start paying ludicrous appearance fees to entice certain riders to show up.

 

[flicker]

USA WOrLDS' MEN Oh baby!

Why is the USA bothering to field a team in the Road Race and time trial.
There are no leaders and the more capable cyclistsare support riders not winners.
9 giant steps backwards for usa cycling. I predict 1 rider in top 20. If Farrar makes 5th he is 5th and a quitter.

 

[flicker]

pityfull

9 steps backwards for USA cycling. Why bother to show up. All support riders and US PROs riding in USA. You saw how Levi performed against them. Maybe Farrar can sprint for 5th and be on the cover of VELONEWS? Wouldn't that be impressive.

 

[issoisso]

Because clearly two topics on this were not enough. We needed a third. Thank you for answering our prayers

There's a topic whose name could not be less ambiguous: "Worlds". Post this there

 

[BikeCentric]

9 steps backwards for USA cycling. Why bother to show up. All support riders and US PROs riding in USA. You saw how Levi performed against them. Maybe Farrar can sprint for 5th and be on the cover of VELONEWS? Wouldn't that be impressive.

Even worse for the future is that the only really promising young rider we have is Phinney.

 

[Murray]

Armstrong would rather race against amateurs.

Yeah, like all the amateurs he raced against in that Tour de France thingy...

 

[Moondance]

Even worse for the future is that the only really promising young rider we have is Phinney.

Tejay Van Garderen is a pretty big prospect and he's going to ride for Columbia next season.

 

[usedtobefast]

i hate to say it...we suck.

 

[flicker]

The answer

I think I will follow womens racing from here on out. I will also get on a forum with more women because they are more intelligent, better cyclists and generally a lot more pleasant in forum.

 

[ruamruam]

Armstrong would rather race against amateurs.

It's the only way he can win a race!!!!!

ruamruam

 

[TRDean]

Even worse for the future is that the only really promising young rider we have is Phinney.

You are somewhat shortsighted. There is TJ, Stetina, King, Phinney, Holloway. There are some very good young US riders. The U23 team does not live and die with Phinney.

 

[flicker]

The best

Sorry ,none of those 23U can hold a match to young Merckx, LeMond,Armstrong,Coppi etc.
Phinney is the best of the group and he is fragile.
Stetina doesn't have the DNA of a world beater. Check out Dad and Uncs palmeres.

 

[TRDean]

Sorry ,none of those 23U can hold a match to young Merckx, LeMond,Armstrong,Coppi etc.
Phinney is the best of the group and he is fragile.
Stetina doesn't have the DNA of a world beater. Check out Dad and Uncs palmeres.

Don't be sorry, you are deluded. What young riders today can hold the jock of any of those guys you mentioned? Phinney is fragile? How so? Hitting his head? Can happen to anyone. Stetina is a heck of a rider...you realize most of the genetic potential of a rider comes from the maternal side right? Who the hell cares about dad and uncle? Was Axel Merckx a world beater? Nope!! By your train of thought we should have a couple of Armstrongs from LAs loins in a few years...BS!!! Every one of those riders I mentioned can have very successful careers. The EBH of the world are rare and don't come along all the time...no matter the nationality.

 

[WildspokeJoe]

It's pretty simple. Worlds is too late in the year.

If you've been living out of a suitcase for six months away from family and friends and you've had a fairly successful season, why go?

If you want the best riders regardless of country of origin, you need to move Worlds back to August.

Sandwich in between The Tour and The Vuelta.

Riders are dropping out one of the biggest races of the year to prepare for Worlds. If I were the organizers of the race, I'd be ****ed.

How cool would it be if a rider won Worlds then started the Tour of Spain two weeks later?

Also, here's a trivia question. Can you name the last rider to rider the tour as World Champion and truly compete for the yellow jersey?

 

[TheNJDevil]

Also, here's a trivia question. Can you name the last rider to rider the tour as World Champion and truly compete for the yellow jersey?

Lemond.

Anyhow, why are a good portion of rides the US selected for the RR not the correct type of rider for this years course? Who would be better suited (even if they aren't a big name rider)?

 

[pedaling squares]

Sorry ,none of those 23U can hold a match to young Merckx, LeMond,Armstrong,Coppi etc.

Jaysis, does someone have rather high expectations?! None of these U23 kids can hang with some of the greatest men ever to ride a bike... what's wrong with today's kids??!!

 

[flicker]

Rebuttul

what I mean about Phinney is from his blogs is he entered Tour of Utah not in the best of shape. I totally support him he is world champion on track.
If he races a gnarly climbing race like the tour of utah unprepared and has a terrible crash and concusses and breaks his neck to me he is fragile.
Better to not enter feigning illness. I read his interviews love and support him.
I do not however like to see those types of injuries.


Stetina doesn't appear to have the power to step up to the European stage. I am watching results such as recent Tour d Avelnir LE MOnd won that one.
I mentioned his family because I think the best they ever did was in Pan Am games. National championsips don't mean squat IE John Howard ,Stetina Bros,
Tyler Hamilton. Except for Hamilton the other 2 did not make it on World Stage.

If you want to see bike races on TV you need LeMonds Armstrong leipheimers

 

[FFWally]

Even worse for the future is that the only really promising young rider we have is Phinney.

Ummm... so Tejay Van Garderen, Peter Stetina, Chris Barton, Alex Howes are slackers?

Tour De l'Avenir results:

Final GC

2. Tejay Van Gaderen (USA), at 0:01
7. Peter Stetina (USA), at 1:32
20. Kirk Carlsen (USA), at 4:29

Alex top 5 in Mtns...

So we have no talent up and coming.
Wait a Jr World TT silver medalist as well...Lawson Craddock

 

[flicker]

TJ so sorry

Hey let me stand corrected. Did TJ and Pete dominate any stages?

 

[flicker]

2nd ain't good enough

Hey if he made a gutsy ride and faded at the end good.
If he took second when first was a foregone conclusion oh well.

 

[TRDean]

Hey if he made a gutsy ride and faded at the end good.
If he took second when first was a foregone conclusion oh well.

Not quite sure how to respond to your comments...WTF?