Why do people think that Alberto will be stronger next year? The guy was licking 7w/kg this year, if he still continues to improve its gonna be just ridiculous..
bianchigirl said:
I think the Tour of Georgia has folded as they couldn't get a sponsor.
Strangely when I first read about the ToG I always thought it was the country rather than the place in the US.
Don't think the ToC is trying to challenge the Giro just get a few top riders who want a stage race but not a 3 week GT before doing the TdF
biker jk said:
Not having seen the coverage, I can't say with certainty, but you may be committing a fallacy of thinking that there is only a certain amount of coverage to go around.
In other words, Armstrong's presence may boost the total coverage so that, yes, he receives the lion's share of it, but there is still more coverage for the other riders and the event.
Having him at the Giro d'Italia certainly got it extra coverage here in Italy, and that's saying something. The guy who runs my local bike shop is as skeptical of Armstrong as anyone, but he was happy to see him racing, because it generates more interest in the sport.
Exactly.lucybears said:
This is why I worry, that the UCI is building it's new home on shifting sands, while the ASO go merrily about, buying up every "established" race they can get their hands on.
The current trend for new world money and sponsors, is a financially fickle climate, IMO.
What happens when certain key figures finally ride off into the sunset?
Meantime, we have a handful of inflated budgets, that most squads cannot come near to matching.
If the big buget teams divide up all they spoils, the "old world" sponsors could be hard to keep in the game.
A potentially dangerous financial environment for the sport, or a brave new world?
+1 MV - seems the only race that can be sustained in the US is the one that Armstrong rides in. Shifting sands indeed, ready to turn into quicksands come 2011 when GeriShack retire en masse?
Meanwhile, with their acquisitions of D-L, ASO are in an ever better position to kill the PT once and for all.
Meanwhile, with their acquisitions of D-L, ASO are in an ever better position to kill the PT once and for all.
bianchigirl said:
I think the UCI are probably capable of destroying their own creation by incorporating into the PT races from all corners of the world that teams MUST attend. (BMC & Cervelo are happy to remain outside the PT, Milram & Saxo are leaving.)
Small (or even medium) budget teams do not want to spend money travelling to races in countries where they have no commercial interests and where, even if they were successful, lack of reportage of those races (in countries where they do have interests) give no return on their investment.
Runitout said:
It's the fact that it's the start of the season which makes it something.
If it was in November it would be no more prestigious than the Sun...
thehog
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Ferminal said:
Free flights and accommodation for all the teams as well. Its a training camp for most and chance to up the tan lines.
No doubt the Aussie press will think its 2nd to the Tour de France. Only the Aussie press were stupid enough not to see ****stan threw the last test.
Lance is in effect selling tickets and perhaps creating that "competitive edge" he mentioned last year.
Whether he is stronger than last year (which is to be expected) won´t make much difference as so will his rivals the difference is they are better and stronger to start with, oh and younger (better recovery ect).
Next without the TTT Shack won´t have the time advantage his teams have gained for every of his Tour victories.
He may be able to stay with some of the climbers for a couple of the mtn stages, but not all and certainly not Alberto and Andy.
So he loses in the mtns, loses in the TT. The only gains he may get will be in the cobbles, but they won´t be enough. That first week is where the Shack team will probably do all they can to try and bully their rivals off the front or off the road. We can probably look for some team alliances working together with Shack.
Ultimately his only real hope are his rivals crashing out and that seems more likely it will be Horner or Levi.
It would be nice to hear him give a tactical press conference on how he intends to win, because it´s difficult to see how.
Whether he is stronger than last year (which is to be expected) won´t make much difference as so will his rivals the difference is they are better and stronger to start with, oh and younger (better recovery ect).
Next without the TTT Shack won´t have the time advantage his teams have gained for every of his Tour victories.
He may be able to stay with some of the climbers for a couple of the mtn stages, but not all and certainly not Alberto and Andy.
So he loses in the mtns, loses in the TT. The only gains he may get will be in the cobbles, but they won´t be enough. That first week is where the Shack team will probably do all they can to try and bully their rivals off the front or off the road. We can probably look for some team alliances working together with Shack.
Ultimately his only real hope are his rivals crashing out and that seems more likely it will be Horner or Levi.
It would be nice to hear him give a tactical press conference on how he intends to win, because it´s difficult to see how.
Why is anyone surprised LA is talking smack already (or year round)?!? It's not like he suddenly changed over the last year. He's been doing it for years. Who cares? Move on... and if you don't like it, it's like a TV, don't tune in and read it. (unless you're like me and like the amusement of people getting so enraged about everything he does or says.) haha!
Actually, the early races don't matter. Lance uses these challenges to get his competition mad and competing too early. He did this years ago to Mayo, who more than willingly took the bait and beat Armstrong handily on the slopes of Mount Ventoux before the Tour. While he was still reveling in his glory, Lance quickly whipped out a statement like," Being faster today won't help you win a month from now in the Tour."
As the Tour had several days in the flat, Lance and his team attacked long before the mountains and left Mayo and Heras dazed and confused, wondering how the race was over before it started for them. Lance proved to be virtually untouchable in the mountains and never shed a tear over his 'loss' earlier in the season. That's how you use an early race to your own advantage.
True, Lance is older and can not dominate in the mountains, but the Tour isn't won by legs alone.
As the Tour had several days in the flat, Lance and his team attacked long before the mountains and left Mayo and Heras dazed and confused, wondering how the race was over before it started for them. Lance proved to be virtually untouchable in the mountains and never shed a tear over his 'loss' earlier in the season. That's how you use an early race to your own advantage.
True, Lance is older and can not dominate in the mountains, but the Tour isn't won by legs alone.
But Contador isn't Mayo or Ullrich or Pantani - he's not a fragile ego he's a well grounded kid with a belief in his own talent. The only head Armstrong is getting inside with all this idiocy is how own - and the silliest thing is he's showing everybody just how much Contador rattles him.
Armstrong's problem is that he left his myth of invulnerability and his power to intimidate on the slopes of the Alpes last summer.
Armstrong's problem is that he left his myth of invulnerability and his power to intimidate on the slopes of the Alpes last summer.
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Here is what I'd like to see Alberto reply with and repeat:
"Lance Armstrong is the greatest of all the Tour de France champions without question, and with a full year to race and train, there is no doubt he will be at his best come July with a very strong team and he should be considered the favorite to win his eighth victory. I just hope to do the best I can."
Then Alberto should go back to listening to the Danish National Anthem everyday, 172 more times. Waterboarding wouldn't scare Lance more.
Lance is so clearly terrified of this guy. He only complements the guys he's afraid of like with Jan. Bruyneel said in 2007 that Alberto looked to be the next Lance Armstrong. They know what they are up against. You have these weekly/daily complements and sniping in the media. We've seen this YouTube circus of wireless themo pills and aero telltales on his jersey. What's next, Lance's Avatar?
"Lance Armstrong is the greatest of all the Tour de France champions without question, and with a full year to race and train, there is no doubt he will be at his best come July with a very strong team and he should be considered the favorite to win his eighth victory. I just hope to do the best I can."
Then Alberto should go back to listening to the Danish National Anthem everyday, 172 more times. Waterboarding wouldn't scare Lance more.
Lance is so clearly terrified of this guy. He only complements the guys he's afraid of like with Jan. Bruyneel said in 2007 that Alberto looked to be the next Lance Armstrong. They know what they are up against. You have these weekly/daily complements and sniping in the media. We've seen this YouTube circus of wireless themo pills and aero telltales on his jersey. What's next, Lance's Avatar?
thehog
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Nah. He needs to keep saying: "Lance as a cyclist is a great champion. But as human I've got no respect for him. I will never respect him as a person. But of course as a cyclist he's a great champion"
This statment winds up Armstrong soooo much. He can't cope with the fact that someone doesn't think he's Jesus Christ.
This statment winds up Armstrong soooo much. He can't cope with the fact that someone doesn't think he's Jesus Christ.
Psalmon said:
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bianchigirl said:
If you have to "sledge" another sportsmen in general, that's basically saying your better than me so i'm going to try and beat you mentally.
Funny, his blovations remind me of Simoni talking about climbing with Lance in the Tour several years back. You read it and say to yourself "...uh...okay???"
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TShame said:
It's not all about the Tour for every rider. Mayo would likely have never won a Tour since his abilities versus the clock were far inferior to his rivals. Plus his team with its self inflicted limitations could never field a support crew to rival what Postal, T-Mobile and Once could roll out. If there was a TTT his and certain other contenders chances were nonexistent at the time of the Tour route announcement.
Mayo and others have had to take their victories where they could get them. To minimize a Dauphine win as unimportant is typical Armstrong bs.
I'll bet it was and is important to Mayo and a team like Euskatel-Euskadi.
It's only important to Armstrong if he's the one on the top step. If a rival beats him then his excuse was "this is only preparation for the Tour". It's importance is relative. You really give him way too much credit for being this tactical and strategic genius. He was as fallible as the average rider, sometimes allowing emotion to get the best of him to his own detriment. A perfect example is 2003 Dauphine where he battled Mayo for the win with such intensity that it had a detrimental effect on his Tour performance. Did Mayo bait him into this battle and thus did Armstrong learn from Mayo?
The folowing year Mayo won the Dauphine which of course was followed by the Armstrong quote that you posted. Armstrong seemed to have a dislike for any rider that was strong in the mountains and unpredictable with their attacks. Mayo/Pantani are prime examples. Not necessarily threats if they toed the line of the Armstrong/Bruyneel style of racing, but considered bothersome when they would launch their multiple attacks causing Postal to have to improvise on their preset stategy. Thus the Armstrong quote of Pantani being a "little sh!t starter". Contador falls in that same category except Armstrong has no answers for Contador's superiority other than his pathetic twittering and anemic attempts at manipulation.
Angliru, spot on. But you're on dangerous ground challenging the orthodoxy - repeat after me: there's only one race, the Tour. There's only one way to ride it, the Boss Hog way.
To which Mayo probably replied: "Being faster a month from now won't help you win today."TShame said:
wattage said:
Look out. You might actually bring the Hater's back out from their little fantasy world.
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