Astana in disarray...?

[krebs303]

Team Astana will wear a new kit in either Thursday or Friday's stage of the Giro d'Italia to signal upcoming changes at the team, sources told VeloNews.

The team's special kit will include the names of all of the current sponsors, but the design itself will be changed.

"There is no sponsor change, just changes to how the jersey looks to represent the significant changes that are ahead for the team," said a source who is in close contact with the team.

Another source confirmed a "dramatic" design change and noted that the new kit is scheduled to arrive at the team's hotel Wednesday.

 

[quadsRme]

verrrry interesting

 

[Leopejo]

Is that allowed in stage races?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As long as it doesn't match that ugly-assed bike he's on.

I have a bad feeling about this...

 

[flyor64]

As long as it doesn't match that ugly-assed bike he's on.

I have a bad feeling about this...

Anyone know why he was on his other bike today? Which, by the way, is much better looking than yellow one...can one even call it yellow?

Has this already been answered? I didn't see it in scroll-thrus...

 

[quadsRme]

he's probably embarressed to ride it again after reading this thread

 

[whiteboytrash]

Looks like I was right again. What was going on with the team tactics today ? The whole Lance Armstrong comeback thing is a distraction and frankly he's an embarassment. Not only to the team but the sport. He has a lot to learn & new jerseys won't do a thing for this abortion.

 

[Anonymous]

Is that allowed in stage races?

if the uci approve it.. and you gotta assume this has been going on for weeks...

you can almost ensure the giro organisers will make sure its friday to get maximum publicity.. lets face it.. viewing figures for the next two days are going to be up...

any bets on colour schemes then..

oh.. and for the last time.. lance in 21 does not denote team leader.. his surname begins with A.. its alphabetical...

 

[Anonymous]

oh.. about 8pm uk time.. levi twitter...
astana team hotel hit by surpise anti doping control... "its a good thing" says levi...

 

[krebs303]

Postal/blue
Disco/ blue
Astana/blue
New Astana/ I'll bet black, mellow johnny yellow in a collage of post modern realism

 

[bianchigirl]

No, the team leader wears 1 and then the rest of the team are alphabetical, hence Garzelli is wearing 1, so are Valjavek (11), Soler (31) and Sastre (61). Unless a team really has no clear leader or GC ambitions, then who gets to wear the 1 dossard says a great deal. Armstrong is wearing it to send a clear signal that he's top dog - except that, after today, any lingering air of invincibility has long departed. The desperation was palpable.

Earlier in the commentary when he was fiddling with his bike, Harmon made his usual sycophantic remarks and Kelly said, no in those kinds of situations it's nothing to do with the bike - it's the legs that don't have it. How right he was.

Armstrong should make gracious comments about how good the top guys are and climb off so as not to embarass himself further. It was really quite a pathetic spectacle - an old man in hideous socks on an ugly bike unable to take the pace. For the sake of your legacy, Lance, get off and go home - enjoy the kids, play with the new miracle baby, have a laugh, shag a few starlets, continue to do good work for cancer and remember you can raise awareness just as much by riding with ordinary people, shaking hands, and wearing a suit. Call it quits before there are any more scenes like this, before the fan boys go completely quiet because all they really worshipped was an invincible American. Be gracious, climb off and praise the top GC guys - wish Alberto and Levi all the best for their endeavours. Realise that the comeback was never about raising awareness and was all about a mid life crisis and that the more you ride like a desperate old man wobbling all over the road, the more respect you are likely to lose.

 

[whiteboytrash]

No, the team leader wears 1 and then the rest of the team are alphabetical, hence Garzelli is wearing 1, so are Valjavek (11), Soler (31) and Sastre (61). Unless a team really has no clear leader or GC ambitions, then who gets to wear the 1 dossard says a great deal. Armstrong is wearing it to send a clear signal that he's top dog - except that, after today, any lingering air of invincibility has long departed. The desperation was palpable.

Earlier in the commentary when he was fiddling with his bike, Harmon made his usual sycophantic remarks and Kelly said, no in those kinds of situations it's nothing to do with the bike - it's the legs that don't have it. How right he was.

Armstrong should make gracious comments about how good the top guys are and climb off so as not to embarass himself further. It was really quite a pathetic spectacle - an old man in hideous socks on an ugly bike unable to take the pace. For the sake of your legacy, Lance, get off and go home - enjoy the kids, play with the new miracle baby, have a laugh, shag a few starlets, continue to do good work for cancer and remember you can raise awareness just as much by riding with ordinary people, shaking hands, and wearing a suit. Call it quits before there are any more scenes like this, before the fan boys go completely quiet because all they really worshipped was an invincible American. Be gracious, climb off and praise the top GC guys - wish Alberto and Levi all the best for their endeavours. Realise that the comeback was never about raising awareness and was all about a mid life crisis and that the more you ride like a desperate old man wobbling all over the road, the more respect you are likely to lose.

Well said. Kelly also agreed today on EuroSport that whenever a rider asked for a bike re-adjustment it meant that his legs had gone.

 

[Anonymous]

No, the team leader wears 1 and then the rest of the team are alphabetical, hence Garzelli is wearing 1, so are Valjavek (11), Soler (31) and Sastre (61). Unless a team really has no clear leader or GC ambitions, then who gets to wear the 1 dossard says a great deal. Armstrong is wearing it to send a clear signal that he's top dog - except that, after today, any lingering air of invincibility has long departed. The desperation was palpable.

and um.. bbox, garmin, columbia, milram?

its alphabetical.. it was made publicly known beforehand that this is levis race.. was never anything else.. why do people read oh so much into things..

 

[Anonymous]

Well said. Kelly also agreed today on EuroSport that whenever a rider asked for a bike re-adjustment it meant that his legs had gone.

well that wasnt quite what he said.. he was asked if a rider wanting to change his position meant they werent feeling there best, and wanted to try something different, and he agreed.. he didnt say there legs had gone (i can put the clip on youtube if you like.. lol)

im starting to think you are a troll.. youve posted the same post about "astana tactics wrong, lance an embarassment to the sport etc" in pretty much the same words, in just about every thread you can today.. its getting boring..

you dont like astana.. get over it.. if you think lance is wasteless and isnt gonna win the giro, quit talking about him.. blimey.. hes been out four years, hes merrily tootling along, better than 160 other riders are doing.. you wanna moan at someone moan at the press who keep showing him on tv every two seconds.. its not his fault hes got a camera glued to his face..

as for astana in dissaray, lacking tactics etc...

Trofeo Fast Team classification

1 Astana 48.21.36
2 Team Columbia - High Road 0.31
3 Barloworld 3.35
4 S.Diquigiovanni - Androni Gioc. 3.49
5 Caisse d'Epargne 6.04
6 Liquigas-Doimo 6.08
7 Lpr Brakes - Farnese Vini 7.23
8 Lampre - NGC 8.34
9 Cervelo Test Team 8.48
10 Silence - Lotto 13.18

 

[ckfrancis]

losers

It is so bizarre for me to hear so many negative comments about Astana and Lance from all of you who are obviously very interested in cycling. Honestly it seems a bit trite and childish. From your comments I can tell that the majority of you have never ridden at a high level and therefore can not understand.

Let me assure you that the ego of a high level athlete does not accepted inferior performance very well. Hats off to Lance putting that aside and riding because he loves it.

Glass houses you fools.

 

[whiteboytrash]

It is so bizarre for me to hear so many negative comments about Astana and Lance from all of you who are obviously very interested in cycling. Honestly it seems a bit trite and childish. From your comments I can tell that the majority of you have never ridden at a high level and therefore can not understand.

Let me assure you that the ego of a high level athlete does not accepted inferior performance very well. Hats off to Lance putting that aside and riding because he loves it.

Glass houses you fools.

Negative comments like the following or just excuses..... the man is rattled.

"Armstrong also pointed to how other riders fared, especially a handful of Italians who bet their entire season on being ready for the Giro and who ceded significant time and all but lost their chances for overall victory.

“Guys like Cunego, Bruseghin, Garzelli, guys who came here to win the Giro and – boom – one day it’s all finished for them,” he said. “You have to wonder what they’re thinking.”"

 

[Anonymous]

“Guys like Cunego, Bruseghin, Garzelli, guys who came here to win the Giro and – boom – one day it’s all finished for them,” he said. “You have to wonder what they’re thinking.”"

my thoughts exactly.. who said that..

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Well, we know what Cunego is thinking.

 

[BikeCentric]

Negative comments like the following or just excuses..... the man is rattled.

"Armstrong also pointed to how other riders fared, especially a handful of Italians who bet their entire season on being ready for the Giro and who ceded significant time and all but lost their chances for overall victory.

“Guys like Cunego, Bruseghin, Garzelli, guys who came here to win the Giro and – boom – one day it’s all finished for them,” he said. “You have to wonder what they’re thinking.”"

LOL and now after stage 6 Pharmstrong is almost a minute behind both Cunego and Bruseghin. "You have to wonder what he's thinking!"

 

[rolfrae]

Well, we know what Cunego is thinking.

We do know what Cunego thinks, he thinks why am I the only one to have stopped doping. This from Cycling Weekly:

CUNEGO CLEANS HIS CONSCIENCE

After losing time on Wednesday, Cunego asked questions about his own performance but also ruffled a few feathers at the Giro by questioning other people's performances.

After so many doping scandals in Italy in the last 20 years it was good to hear him clean his conscience.

“I'm doing what I can. And I accept the results, even the negative ones,” Cunego told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“People have physical limits. My idea is this: Do want you can, as well as you can with a clear conscience. Whatever happens, people know you, understand you, appreciate you and respect you.”

“There's a stage result that has punished me sometimes and then there's a stage result, let's say, in life, where everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror. I'm not the only who does the right thing but I do it. We've already seen some result rewritten when races have been archived and that hurts.”

 

[rolfrae]

LOL and now after stage 6 Pharmstrong is almost a minute behind both Cunego and Bruseghin. "You have to wonder what he's thinking!"

I'm stealing content from Cycling Weekly today! (sorry IPC) What's changed for Armstrong? He used to need lots of "training" and about one week of racing to be 100 percent on day one of the Tour, but now:

“I need this Giro in order to good in the Tour de France, there's no doubt about that,” he said.

“I couldn't train well enough to get the same condition. I could do other races but I think this race is critically important for my build-up.”

Answers on a postcard.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

We do know what Cunego thinks... This from Cycling Weekly.

I applaud him for his stance. I sincerely hope all he says is true. I have to say though, I remember Bernard Kohl talking last year about how it was good the sport was being cleaned up, the cheats thrown out, etc. And look what happened to him. So please, Damiano, don't let us down, even if you don't even finish in the top 50 I'll still be looking for your name.

 

[BroDeal]

I'm stealing content from Cycling Weekly today! (sorry IPC) What's changed for Armstrong? He used to need lots of "training" and about one week of racing to be 100 percent on day one of the Tour, but now:

“I need this Giro in order to good in the Tour de France, there's no doubt about that,” he said.

“I couldn't train well enough to get the same condition. I could do other races but I think this race is critically important for my build-up.”

Answers on a postcard.

Good point. The rider who used to only need some training on Tenerife with Dr. Ferrari now needs the Giro to get in top shape.

 

[perry1234]

hi

why do not show us your riding snaps? i think that will be interesting!

 

[Mellow Velo]

The latest from Bruyneel's blog.

Since the beginning of the year, our team has had to deal with delays in payment from Kazakhstan. Up till now the situation is that the Kazakh Cycling Federation (KCF) has only paid two months of salary to the management company that runs the team. The only explanation we get from Kazakhstan is that the sponsors aren’t paying because of the economic crisis. They say they are trying to find a solution, but for me it is unclear which action they will take.

The UCI told me that the KCF has a deadline of May 31st to make good on the payments; otherwise the ProTour license will be revoked. We cannot do anything else other than to wait until the end of the Giro.

First time we've heard the word revoked. Pity it's not from a more reliable source.
Perhaps handed over on a silver platter would be more apt.

One minor thought that has been nagging away at the back of my head.
Assuming the worst and Team Satana, becomes Team Hogstrong.
The ASO invite was for the former and wouldn't any new team, regardless of any license hand over, have to receive a formal invite?
Now, I'm not suggesting that Mr Prudhomme would wish to bite a hand that feeds him, but perhaps he could ask Mr Armstrong to pay a $2 million appearance fee?

Anyhow, I'm sure it will all come out in the wash.....