Armstrong warns all his rivals!

[Bike Boy]

Armstrong’s chances next summer are slim but here are my thoughts on that matter.

I think it is too early to write him of. It’s not entirely impossible that Armstrong will improve this summer.
Now he has one season under his belt, and if we assume he doesn’t break any bones this spring, then I think it is very likely he will improve a little, despite the fact he will be almost 39 years old.

A. Schleck is probably the rider with most room for improvement. So any way you put, it is very unlikely that he (Armstrong) will do better than third again.
Unless of course………
if he rediscover his TT abilities again. You won’t expect that to happen, but less can do and it is probably in that area he has most room for improvement.

So if we only look at the physical aspects it seems very unlikely he will win. If you add experience to the equation… well you won’t hear me rule him out.

My conclusion: 2010 is Armstrong very last shot at it. He is definitely not the favourite but writing him off is a mistake.

 

[derailleur]

Nice to see he has completely given up on his "back to raise cancer awareness" propaganda bullsh8t.
No doubting what his real intent was, last year.
More evidence of his great ability to spin a yarn. (lie)

Wait. He gets about 40 words of his quoted in 150-word article, and the words they quote don't mention cancer, and you think he's a lying hypocrite? That requires quite a prejudicial assumption on your part.

And the fact that you immediately associate him with cancer awareness means he's raising cancer awareness just by being quoted about cycling.

He wins. You lose.

 

[derailleur]

To which Mayo probably replied: "Being faster a month from now won't help you win today."

How many people remember Lance won the tour 7 times in a row?

How many people know who Ibn Mayo is?

Moral: If you 're going to choose your battles, make sure they matter.

 

[derailleur]

Mmm, tasty hook. But can I has worm next time?

Fixed that for you.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

How many people remember Lance won the tour 7 times in a row?

How many people know who Ibn Mayo is?

Moral: If you 're going to choose your battles, make sure they matter.

More people know Lance than Eddy Merckx. Doesn't mean Merckx wasn't the greatest cyclist ever. Please stop using stupid logic.

 

[theyoungest]

And the fact that you immediately associate him with cancer awareness means he's raising cancer awareness just by being quoted about cycling.

He wins. You lose.

Look. Most people are aware of cancer from their direct environment. They don't need Lance Armstrong to point out to them how bad a disease it is. Livestrong is a noble initiative, but the problem is that some people (like me) associate Armstrong with hypocrisy first, and cancer awareness second.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

And it's "morale" not "moral".

Nope. "Moral" is right, as in "The moral of the story is...."

Susan

 

[Mellow Velo]

Wait. He gets about 40 words of his quoted in 150-word article, and the words they quote don't mention cancer, and you think he's a lying hypocrite? That requires quite a prejudicial assumption on your part.

And the fact that you immediately associate him with cancer awareness means he's raising cancer awareness just by being quoted about cycling.

He wins. You lose.

He's certainly raising my fanboy awareness.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lance-armstrong-radioshack-not-built-around-me

"The days of this team being built around me are done, "I'm 38 now, I'll be 39 this season - it would be irresponsible to build it around me."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100110/sp_wl_afp/cyclingtourausarmstrong
"There's going to be a lot of buzz and build-up about that in 2010, especially now that we've all left to create another team.

"I will let everyone else build that up. I will be ready, I've got to tell you."

I forgot. Lance isn't unfamiliar with the truth, he just changes his mind a lot.
Some assumption.

 

[Bike Boy]

More people know Lance than Eddy Merckx. Doesn't mean Merckx wasn't the greatest cyclist ever.

Not too convincing that argument. derailleur's point is valid considering that Mayo and Armstrong competed against each other.

if you want your own logic to be correct then your comparison should be like this.
who of the two riders (Merckx and Armstrong) was most famous 40 years after their retirement?
remains to be answered

 

[Angliru]

How many people know who Ibn Mayo is?

Moral: If you 're going to choose your battles, make sure they matter.

It's possible you may not based on your spelling of his first name.

We can admit that Armstrong learned from his mistake in 2003, to choose his battles with a bit more intelligence. Its possible he may have gotten a bit cockier than he was prior to the 2003 season and paid for it with a very hard fought battle in the Tour. IMO he was fortunate that Ullrich was riding for a thrown together Bianchi team and not the more formidable but somewhat disfunctional T-Mobile squad. I have to give Ullrich credit in 2003 for such a gallant effort while his season was in such turmoil and disarray.

 

[theyoungest]

How many people remember Lance won the tour 7 times in a row?

How many people know who Ibn Mayo is?

Moral: If you 're going to choose your battles, make sure they matter.

If the number of Americans knowing your name is the only measurement of success in cycling, most European riders might as well quit racing now. And most American riders as well, for that matter.

 

[Bike Boy]

If the number of Americans knowing your name is the only measurement of success in cycling, most European riders might as well quit racing now. And most American riders as well, for that matter.

how does that contradict his point?

 

[theyoungest]

how does that contradict his point?

What does Iban Mayo care that Lance Armstrong is more famous than him?

 

[Mellow Velo]

how does that contradict his point?

40 years from now, Merckx will still be more famous amongst European cycling fans.
In every other respect, it will be Armstrong.

So what?

All that proves is that fame doesn't necessarily equate to cycling ability.
In the modern era, it's about access to the mainstream media.
In this respect, Europe is a backwater when being viewed from the US.

 

[Bike Boy]

What does Iban Mayo care that Lance Armstrong is more famous than him?

Irrelevant. and again where is the contradiction?

 

[Bike Boy]

40 years from now, Merckx will still be more famous amongst European cycling fans.
In every other respect, it will be Armstrong.

So what?

All that proves is that fame doesn't necessarily equate to cycling ability.
In the modern era, it's about access to the mainstream media.
In this respect, Europe is a backwater when being viewed from the US.

Well i think we agree with each other

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Nope. "Moral" is right, as in "The moral of the story is...."

Susan

I stand corrected! Not the first time I've been a dumbass. Probably not the last, either!

 

[Roadhouse]

The one thing we all seem to be forgetting is that Big Lance has most of the people on either team on his team, so to speak. even if his radioshack team falls behind and can not offer assistance, it's not gonna be a problem for him to latch onto the tails of Contadors team and use the hell out of them. He knows them probably better than they know themselves and who better else suited to pull him around all day long? And that is IF Contador can even ride in the front without Big Lance's help which i doubt he can. I also doubt he will even podium this Tour.

and it is 8 Tour reigns, not seven.

my two NON arguable cents.

 

[Angliru]

The one thing we all seem to be forgetting is that Big Lance has most of the people on either team on his team, so to speak. even if his radioshack team falls behind and can not offer assistance, it's not gonna be a problem for him to latch onto the tails of Contadors team and use the hell out of them. He knows them probably better than they know themselves and who better else suited to pull him around all day long? And that is IF Contador can even ride in the front without Big Lance's help which i doubt he can. I also doubt he will even podium this Tour.

and it is 8 Tour reigns, not seven.

my two NON arguable cents.

I'm speechless. Your every post amazes me.

 

[Roadhouse]

i wish i could say the same for a lot of you all but i can't. thanks though.

 

[richwagmn]

I'm speechless. Your every post amazes me.

Lance has got his kids posting now.

 

[Bike Boy]

I have not been around long enough to know everyone but will somebody care to tell me whether Roadhouse is kidding or is it just that i he didn't follow pro cycling the last half decade ?

 

[Roadhouse]

This past decade belonged to Big Lance so what you talkin' 'bout Willis?

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

I have not been around long enough to know everyone but will somebody care to tell me whether Roadhouse is kidding or is it just that i he didn't follow pro cycling the last half decade ?

It's easy -- don't feed the troll.....

Susan

 

[Roadhouse]

Okay, so who wants to bet that Lance dominates Contador? I'll bet each one of you $1.00 and i'll take up to fifty people on. Who's in?