Chris Horner - Giro

[Parrot23]

Great ride by Horner today at Alpe di Siusi. Way to go!

Ahead of Rogers, Sastre, Pellizoti, Simoni. Chris must be pinching himself. Smart, smart rider at the top of his game despite his busted shoulder.

See his daily Giro diary at: http://blog.oregonlive.com/horner/

Best commentary I've seen. Chris has just gotta do race commentary live when he eventually retires.

 

[jaylew]

Best commentary I've seen. Chris has just gotta do race commentary live when he eventually retires.

Been saying that for years. Chris absolutely loves to talk cycling, anytime anywhere, especially race tactics.

Gotta say, I'm fairly shocked to see him in the top 10. Didn't see anything like this coming after his injury and then the Gila performance(granted, he was working for others). I don't know if he can hang on to a top 10, but it would be nice to see.

I'm biased as he's my favorite American rider, but I hope the Astana haters around here don't just lump him in with other riders/staff they dislike.

 

[benpounder]

...I hope the Astana haters around here don't just lump him in with other riders/staff they dislike.

Fat chance that!

 

[VeloBabe]

I'm new. Are there a lot of Astana haters here, and is that because of Lance/Johan?

 

[robow7]

So does JB give Horner the green light to really go after the ITT or will he be asked to hold back so as to keep something in the tank for Levi later on? Because we know the celeb won't be asked to hold anything back for anyone

 

[Rupert]

Horner at Gila

"Gotta say, I'm fairly shocked to see him in the top 10. Didn't see anything like this coming after his injury and then the Gila performance(granted, he was working for others). I don't know if he can hang on to a top 10, but it would be nice to see. "

Implies Horner didn't do good at the Gila - my impression was he worked his **** off for Levi the whole time. He was like a one-man team, with help from Lance, but I though Horner was THE MAN. Fell off occasionally on the last climb but that was after shutting down the break on the (killer) climb out of the Cliff Dwellings at the end of a long week. I saw him on the last climb and at that moment he was right there on front with Lance and Levi. Doubt he'll go for it on the TT, I think he is there to work for Levi and doing a great job of it.

Tons of Astana/Lance/Johann hate out there... Lots of people with time to do nothing but blog and spew a constant stream of Rush Limbaugh style "stuff."

 

[Kennf1]

Some of us hated Astana long before Armstrong and JB arrived. Probably has something to do with their former team leader (Vino) and the ever-vigilant Kazakh cycling federation.

 

[jaylew]

Implies Horner didn't do good at the Gila - my impression was he worked his **** off for Levi the whole time. He was like a one-man team, with help from Lance, but I though Horner was THE MAN. Fell off occasionally on the last climb but that was after shutting down the break on the (killer) climb out of the Cliff Dwellings at the end of a long week. I saw him on the last climb and at that moment he was right there on front with Lance and Levi.

Pretty much what I figured, but I wasn't there and of course, no TV coverage.
With you on the TT. I think he'll put in a solid effort, but not go into the red too much. It'll be everything for Levi. He's nothing if not a team player.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'm new. Are there a lot of Astana haters here, and is that because of Lance/Johan?

As Kennf1 said, this is rather complex. Dislike for Aastana started before Johan showed up. But a lot of us don't like him because of his soft stance on doping, hiring ex-dopers, and wanting the media silenced on doping. I'd also say we look at them like the NY Yankees - biggest payrolls, biggest stars, most attention. No underdog status in anything. Then having some guys ride at the Gila, etc.

A lot of us are long ago tired of Lance. His ego, his soft stance on doping, his 1999 tests, all the attention he gets, etc.

I'd say some of us would probably support Levi or Contador more if they were on a team like Garmin, sure.

I'd say a lot of us give Horner a pass because he seems like a good guy, "stuck" on a team a lot of us don't like, for the aforementioned reasons.

 

[benpounder]

I'd say some of us would probably support Levi or Contador more if they were on a team like Garmin, sure.

I'd say a lot of us give Horner a pass because he seems like a good guy, "stuck" on a team a lot of us don't like, for the aforementioned reasons.

Guilty by association has always bothered me - I probably come off as a Lance supporter because I dont like to see Levi or Alberto, or Chris, or anyone else, slammed mercilessly just because they have, or have had an association with LA.

Incidentally, I'm enjoying Lance's falling off the back every day. The guy should have stayed retired.

 

[BikeCentric]

As Kennf1 said, this is rather complex. Dislike for Aastana started before Johan showed up. But a lot of us don't like him because of his soft stance on doping, hiring ex-dopers, and wanting the media silenced on doping. I'd also say we look at them like the NY Yankees - biggest payrolls, biggest stars, most attention. No underdog status in anything. Then having some guys ride at the Gila, etc.

A lot of us are long ago tired of Lance. His ego, his soft stance on doping, his 1999 tests, all the attention he gets, etc.

I'd say some of us would probably support Levi or Contador more if they were on a team like Garmin, sure.

I'd say a lot of us give Horner a pass because he seems like a good guy, "stuck" on a team a lot of us don't like, for the aforementioned reasons.

Yep you summed it up just right - personally I'm a huge fan of Leipheimer, Horner, and Contador but very much dislike Astana for the aforementioned reasons. The main is reason is the "NY Yankees" factor, a close second is Lance and JB's stance on doping, i.e. "shut up about it already!"

Anywho, on to the subject at hand - no doubt Horner had a great, great ride up the Siussi yesterday, did a masterful job taking care of Levi. Right at the end there before the Sastre attack he even went right to the front and took over the pace making but he didn't last long - I'm sure everyone in that group was pretty well fried from Basso's relentless pace driving at that point. Big props to Denis Menchov for a huge anaerobic effort at the end of that long climb by the way!

Horner has been a class act for his entire career and it's really great to see him still kicking *** at the very pinnacle of the cycling world in the twilight of his career. I mean I don't think it's any exageration to say he was the riding with the best in the world yesterday - the Giro field looks to me to be a bit more competitive than Le Tour this your.

 

[benpounder]

Some over-eager fans and media accustomed to watching Armstrong crush the climbs were dismayed Wednesday at the sight of him being dropped on the 24.9km summit finish to Alpe di Suisi...

The only "over-eager fans" I know are the media.

 

[ridley]

Awesome job, Chris !!! Amazing ride and a very clear, concise commentary after the ride too !!!

Keep it up there and all the best for the rest of the Giro (and hope someone send this to you !! )

 

[Leopejo]

How good a time trialist is Chris Horner?

 

[BikeCentric]

How good a time trialist is Chris Horner?

Pretty decent, not great. He's generally in the bottom of the top third of the field. I don't know if Astana will let him ride the TT flat out though as they may want him to save energy for Levi. But with him being in the top-10 on GC, who knows? Maybe they'll let him go all-out just to have another GC option should Levi falter.

 

[jaylew]

Yep you summed it up just right - personally I'm a huge fan of Leipheimer, Horner, and Contador but very much dislike Astana for the aforementioned reasons. The main is reason is the "NY Yankees" factor, a close second is Lance and JB's stance on doping, i.e. "shut up about it already!"

Horner has been a class act for his entire career and it's really great to see him still kicking *** at the very pinnacle of the cycling world in the twilight of his career. I mean I don't think it's any exageration to say he was the riding with the best in the world yesterday - the Giro field looks to me to be a bit more competitive than Le Tour this your.

Sounds like there are several of us. I was a fan of Contador, Levi, and Horner long before they joined Astana but never been a fan of JB and LA.

TT-wise he can probably hang with Sastre/DiLuca but not most of the other main GC contenders(no telling where Basso will be).

 

[Rupert]

Astana

Some of us hated Astana long before Armstrong and JB arrived. Probably has something to do with their former team leader (Vino) and the ever-vigilant Kazakh cycling federation.

I can't say I even think of the current Astana as the same as the Vino version. The name and sponsor have not changed but about everything else has. Seems to me feelings toward the current Astana is more about Johann than anything else. The current Astana is more like Discovery than it is like the old Astana. Kind of like Columbia vs T-Mobile - different riders, director, and structure, except with Columbia here the name and sponsor changed too, eventually... I guess my point is the team's identity (in my mind) doesn't necessarily follow the name/sponsor as much as it does the DS, management, and core riders...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

If I had to guess, I'd say he'll be in the middle of the field in the ITT. Sastre had an excellent TT in last year's Tour, and DiLuca rode well in 2005 and 2007 in the ITT's, if not world-beating. No guess on Basso either. I still think Levi and Menchov have to be looking at that stage and thinking they'll take minutes away from some other riders. But this is a long and very technical ITT the kind The Chicken would have crashed numerous times on and lost a half-hour. I anticipate most riders will be on road bikes with aero bars, so who knows what's going to happen.

I think Chris' bigger issue is that he's never performed as well as he did yesterday for an entire three-week GT. I have this hunch he's going to falter some on future stages, and we'll see him finish in about 15th. But still, that would be a great accomplishment for him.

I too would love to see Chris do cycling commentary when his career is over. He'd be a natural for it.

 

[benpounder]

Interview with Levi, with Dave Z as comic relief, and Chris Horner as straight man - from this mornings sign in. Worth a watch!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Good find there Ben. Love Dave Z. Good to hear Levi be at least a little animate and the "not you!". He's usually about as bland as protein powder.

 

[Juan Pelota]

Horner finished 15th at the 2007 Tour while working for Cadel.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Thanks Juan.

Watching that interview, Levi asks the guy to ask him some tough questions. Here's what I would ask:

1. When Basso asked for help on Stage 5 about 2km from the finish, why did you and Chris choose not to pull, when Astana had two riders up front?

2. What do you think of the speeds yesterday, considering Lance comments on Twitter? Did you find it that blistering fast?

3. After the Tour of California, you said you'd support Lance in the Tour as a return of favor. Do you still think that's going to happen, with the way he's riding? Or do you feel you'll be supporting Contador? Can you do both? How?

4. Have you ridden the Stage 12 course? Do you think it suits your style, and you can take the Maglia Rosa there, plus enough time out of the pure climbers to cover any potential losses you may have on a future stage? Such as perhaps Stage 16, which may not fit your style?

5. What do you think of Cunego's comments yesterday? Not aimed at anyone specific, but implying that it sucks that we'll have to wait a few weeks until the Giro is over to find out the true order of finishers.

6. You were one of the very first riders to sign the UCI's anti-doping charter. Long before your team actually. Would you support, or even advocate, full blood volume, wattage output, and testosterone profiling as part of the biological passport in order to help stop doping?

7. You're 35 years young. This Giro may be your best shot at a GT. How many years left do you think you have to remain a top GC contender in GTs?

 

[bastigon]

Thanks Juan.

Watching that interview, Levi asks the guy to ask him some tough questions. Here's what I would ask:

1. When Basso asked for help on Stage 5 about 2km from the finish, why did you and Chris choose not to pull, when Astana had two riders up front?

2. What do you think of the speeds yesterday, considering Lance comments on Twitter? Did you find it that blistering fast?

3. After the Tour of California, you said you'd support Lance in the Tour as a return of favor. Do you still think that's going to happen, with the way he's riding? Or do you feel you'll be supporting Contador? Can you do both? How?

4. Have you ridden the Stage 12 course? Do you think it suits your style, and you can take the Maglia Rosa there, plus enough time out of the pure climbers to cover any potential losses you may have on a future stage? Such as perhaps Stage 16, which may not fit your style?

5. What do you think of Cunego's comments yesterday? Not aimed at anyone specific, but implying that it sucks that we'll have to wait a few weeks until the Giro is over to find out the true order of finishers.

6. You were one of the very first riders to sign the UCI's anti-doping charter. Long before your team actually. Would you support, or even advocate, full blood volume, wattage output, and testosterone profiling as part of the biological passport in order to help stop doping?

7. You're 35 years young. This Giro may be your best shot at a GT. How many years left do you think you have to remain a top GC contender in GTs?

8. What do you think of people hanging on a bike forum all day writing every second reply to every thread with a holier than thou aura around their head? Do you have love for them to Levi Christ?

 

[BikeCentric]

8. What do you think of people hanging on a bike forum all day writing every second reply to every thread with a holier than thou aura around their head? Do you have love for them to Levi Christ?

9. What's your take on internet forum trolls? Do you think they have mental problems in general or are they just very weak people that can only relieve their mental angst on an anonymous forum?

 

[Returnofthewolf]

Here's what I would ask:

1. When Basso asked for help on Stage 5 about 2km from the finish, why did you and Chris choose not to pull, when Astana had two riders up front?

Alpe, the burden is on Basso to drop Levi in the mountains. Levi already has time on Basso, he doesnt have to do a damn thing whether anybody likes it or not. You can bet if he started flexing and making superfluous macho attacks/accelerations (not that he would cause hes a seasoned f*cking assassin) in the mountains, JB would be screaming in his ear "what on earth are you doing!"

One could argue that they should have seized the moment and tried to put time into Michael Rogers, but A, I think they were pretty damn close to their limit LIMIT and B, Johan, Levi and Horner are all master tacticians, they know if M.Rogers is getting stretched to his limit/starting to get dropped on a relatively short mountain stage, the odds favor him losing a substantial chunk of time in at least one of the very difficult mountain days to come. Remember, they are sharks - they KNOW what they are doing, the best in the business.

Bottom line, if Levi and/or Chris are capable of setting the tempo or attacking - A N D it makes sense in the big picture (ie, GC) they will do it.

One more thing, if Horner can continue to hang in the high mountains to come - that will be INVALUABLE. If Levi gets isolated in a small group with Basso and Pellizotti on any of the brutal mountain days, those two italian goats could make it very nasty for him. Its gonna get real good...