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Astana 1,2,3?

May 22, 2009
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Just wondering what your thoughts were on the possibility of an Astana 1,2,3?

Contador, Armstrong, Kloden? What's the likelihood of this happening and has this been done in the Tour before?

Thoughts?

Iceman
 
Jun 16, 2009
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I doubt that Kloden can make it to the podium now. He sacrificed almost a minute in helping Lance. Kloden will need a good time trial and forget about nursing Lance anymore. Only then will Kloden have a chance.

Andre
 
Jul 9, 2009
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iceman2321 said:
Just wondering what your thoughts were on the possibility of an Astana 1,2,3?

Contador, Armstrong, Kloden? What's the likelihood of this happening and has this been done in the Tour before?

Thoughts?

Iceman

i dont think it will happen. armstrong is riding very well but not good enough and he will loose even more time on mount ventoux, which will let andy schleck move past him. i think wiggins will beat lance on the TT and ride atleast as well as lance on mount ventoux.

klöden was stronger than lance today and he could have been a top 3 guy overall if he was the captain but he will have to sacrifice himself for lance and contador on mount ventoux.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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I doubt it as well. Wiggins has been a revelation in the mountains and is obviously strong in the TT. If he continues this form, then he will at the very least hold on to third and may move into second. Andy Schleck is more of the wild card. Ventoux will be to his advantage, but he is not great in the TT. Astana has to decide what to do with Kloden - continue as a super-domestique (and he did a great job with Lance today) or make more time on stages like Ventoux to the possible detriment of Armstrong. Wiggins is the most likely to upset the Astana 1-2-3. My money is Contador, Wiggins, Armstrong.
 
Apr 20, 2009
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The only contenders left for 2nd and 3rd are Amstrong, Kloeden, Wiggins and Martin. Schleck will lose to much in the ITT to have a chance. Armstrong did not look strong today. Which might make Wiggins the favorite for 2nd with Kloden, Martin and Armstrong fighting for 3rd.

But Wiggins could still blow up on Stage 17 or Ventoux. But he looked to be the best of the four today.

If Levi had not gone down Astana's chances of sweeping the top 3 would have been much better.
 
No way. Armstrong will lose bunch of time on stages to Le Grand Bornard and Ventoux. Top 5 maximum. Klöden might get to the podium if he starts riding for himself only, but doubt that so he won't make the podium either.

Alcyon took 1,2,3,4,5 in the GC in 1909 and 1,2,3,4 in 1910. Peugeot took 1,2,3 in 1913 and Peugeot - Wolber took 1,2,3 in 1914.
 
Jul 9, 2009
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Clean sweep?

So 1914 was the last time a team swept the podium? The internets does not want to reveal that secret to me today. Any links I can look up?
 
Jul 7, 2009
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elapid said:
I doubt it as well. Wiggins has been a revelation in the mountains and is obviously strong in the TT. If he continues this form, then he will at the very least hold on to third and may move into second. Andy Schleck is more of the wild card. Ventoux will be to his advantage, but he is not great in the TT. Astana has to decide what to do with Kloden - continue as a super-domestique (and he did a great job with Lance today) or make more time on stages like Ventoux to the possible detriment of Armstrong. Wiggins is the most likely to upset the Astana 1-2-3. My money is Contador, Wiggins, Armstrong.

I agree with you Andy schleck has the potential to lose 2 minutes on the TT in Annecy. Lost a minute in 14k TT stage one. 40k can be 2 to 3 minutes. That would kill any chance of a podium for him. Wiggins is such a huge wild card right now. Its more of a shock that he is even here. This will be his first tour he finishes. This coming out of nowhere stuff will just give the cycling fans that think everyone dopes more fuel for the fire. Kloden I think will make time on Wiggins in the TT and will help himself on Ventoux for a podium spot. Armstrong and Kloden will be able to work for themselves to keep there podium spots on ventox.
 
Jun 18, 2009
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iceman2321 said:
Just wondering what your thoughts were on the possibility of an Astana 1,2,3?

Contador, Armstrong, Kloden? What's the likelihood of this happening and has this been done in the Tour before?

Thoughts?

Iceman

After seeing Lance ride today, I don't think he'll finish in the top 5. Astana will likely have 1 person on the podium, at the top, an nobody else in my opinion....
 
Jul 13, 2009
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dadoorsron said:
Wiggins is such a huge wild card right now. Its more of a shock that he is even here. This will be his first tour he finishes. This coming out of nowhere stuff will just give the cycling fans that think everyone dopes more fuel for the fire.

Me being eternally optimistic about the sport will say that the fact that a rider like wiggins can be so high in the GC would show that the sport is cleaner than it has ever been rather than that everyone dopes.
 
Jul 20, 2009
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Cobber said:
After seeing Lance ride today, I don't think he'll finish in the top 5. Astana will likely have 1 person on the podium, at the top, an nobody else in my opinion....

Given that Kloden gained six seconds on Armstrong, Lance must have decided that he was not going to win the tour a couple of hundred metres from the top of Verbier and let him go. Maybe Kloden will be given some rein in upcoming stages. Having someone on the second step of the podium allows Contador to be more agressive than Bruyneel might otherwise let him.
 
Jun 29, 2009
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Peddler said:
Given that Kloden gained six seconds on Armstrong, Lance must have decided that he was not going to win the tour a couple of hundred metres from the top of Verbier and let him go. Maybe Kloden will be given some rein in upcoming stages. Having someone on the second step of the podium allows Contador to be more agressive than Bruyneel might otherwise let him.

That's a nice thought, but based on Armstrong's post interview it is quite clear that Kloden will be ordered to continue pulling Lance up the climbs to secure a podium finish for LA while simultaneouly sabatoging his own chances. But that's Kloden...
 
Armstrong is going to end up on the podium if he can get through Tuesday and Wednesday without completely cracking. Looking at the riders behind him now Ventoux is going to end up not being much of a factor towards Armstrong making the podium. All of the riders with the exception of Wiggins who might take time on Armstrong on Ventoux are going to lose equal or more time to Armstrong in the time trial.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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elapid said:
I doubt it as well. Wiggins has been a revelation in the mountains and is obviously strong in the TT. If he continues this form, then he will at the very least hold on to third and may move into second. Andy Schleck is more of the wild card. Ventoux will be to his advantage, but he is not great in the TT. Astana has to decide what to do with Kloden - continue as a super-domestique (and he did a great job with Lance today) or make more time on stages like Ventoux to the possible detriment of Armstrong. Wiggins is the most likely to upset the Astana 1-2-3. My money is Contador, Wiggins, Armstrong.

sounds pretty plausible to me, However i think JB would really crave a 123
he can play some different tactics when AC looks so strong. The way he looked today and the other teams tactics look like the top step is locked up.
However JB could send a rider up the road. If it is Kloden the other teams have to chase and Astana gets a free ride. If you are Garmin do you chase & drag the top 2 GC riders to the finish. If Kloden stays away, later in the week Contador can make up the time on him on Ventoux and Kloden just has to keep Wiggins in his sights
lots of possibilities
if other teams don't expose themselves to try for yellow JB can exploit that by playing a different card and possibly knock the other teams off the podium.

this sucks