Chris Horner Interview

[biker77]

Here is my opinion. At first glance, ACs move looked dumb. However, he was clearly strong enough to ride away and looked like he was expecting AK to come across. AK was cooked. At that point he had no choice but to accept the free ride to the finish. This is not dumb, or amateurish, and sealed ACs overall win.

There is obviously a lot going on behind the scenes. If AC is riding for radioshack next year, then we will know this was all media manipulation. If not, then AC owes nothing to the "Team".

 

[Max Cadence]

What I find disingenuous about Horner's comments is that he doesn't give Armstrong crap for his bonehead move that allowed Frank to bridge up to Andy (who was isolated with AC and AK). If Lance is paying attention, Frank has to stay back with him and Wiggins, and can't help his brother. Armstrong's blunder was MUCH more costly from a tactical standpoint. Much more so.

Could you show where I can find this bonehead move? I looked at the play by play and found:

16:19 CEST
Most of the break has been caught. Frank Schleck leads behind, with Contador on his wheel. Andy was suffering, but had a break. Now he goes! Contador covers it, but the others have been dropped. Kloden gets up to them. Three together...

16:19 CEST 34km/135.5km
Andy Schleck attacks again. Contador jumps on his wheel as does Kloden.

16:19 CEST
Armstrong is back with Wiggins, then Frank Schleck went. Wiggins couldn't respond...

16:20 CEST
Frank Schleck goes now. Wiggins looks to be marking Armstrong.

I don't have the video to watch so if you show me where to look I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

 

[scribe]

Lance was slyly blocking the wheel of Wiggins. It was Wiggin's break to chase, not Armstrong's. That was a great domestique move by LA.

 

[harlond]

Let me try.

He didn't put time into his rivals (they finished same time with him). He put his rivals ahead of his team on GC. Now if he were to suffer the same fate as Leipheimer there is no teammate to jump from second to first. Astana loses it all. This is the team tactical situation people are referring to; it is not about being the winner of a strongest man competition. It is a team sport, at least it is supposed to be. Hope that helps.

Yes, I was talking about Verbier, where he did put time into all his rivals.

 

[psychlist]

Could you show where I can find this bonehead move? I looked at the play by play and found:

16:19 CEST
Most of the break has been caught. Frank Schleck leads behind, with Contador on his wheel. Andy was suffering, but had a break. Now he goes! Contador covers it, but the others have been dropped. Kloden gets up to them. Three together...

16:19 CEST 34km/135.5km
Andy Schleck attacks again. Contador jumps on his wheel as does Kloden.

16:19 CEST
Armstrong is back with Wiggins, then Frank Schleck went. Wiggins couldn't respond...

16:20 CEST
Frank Schleck goes now. Wiggins looks to be marking Armstrong.

I don't have the video to watch so if you show me where to look I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

It was here. Armstrong was setting an uptempo pace and wiggins was digging in behind him. Armstrong starts zigzagging from side to side of the road and wiggins looks like he almost crashes into him as they barely moving.

Schleck takes advantage of being the width of the road apart from the other two and jumps away.

 

[psychlist]

Lance was slyly blocking the wheel of Wiggins. It was Wiggin's break to chase, not Armstrong's. That was a great domestique move by LA.

I don't know. Maybe if he was on Saxo.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

.....As for Horner's comments, they weren't out of line at all...one of the reasons I've only slightly participated in this forum is that there are two sets of fanboys that shout down opposition, but hardly ever discuss cycling as such...

...so yes, the team DID help him, no matter what the fanboys say.

I am sorry - but is this really necessary? You make a very good argument in the first quote and then do exactly as those who you mention do.

It is flaming and does little to further what are otherwise valid points.

 

[fpcyclingn]

They call him "The Redneck". It's obvious why. Stupid pri**.

And yet, he has more money than you.

Chris Horner > you.

 

[Max Cadence]

Yes, I was talking about Verbier, where he did put time into all his rivals.

Oh yeah absolutely. I don't see how that can be criticized as a bad behavior. Had the "co-captain" felt it in his own legs, he'd have done the same. I do contend though, that teammates are not rivals.

 

[scribe]

I don't know. Maybe if he was on Saxo.

Saxo dropped a turd on Garmin and Lance with that same move. The Shreks are something else when it turns really steep.

 

[Max Cadence]

It was here. Armstrong was setting an uptempo pace and wiggins was digging in behind him. Armstrong starts zigzagging from side to side of the road and wiggins looks like he almost crashes into him as they barely moving.

Schleck takes advantage of being the width of the road apart from the other two and jumps away.

I have difficulty seeing that as a poorly executed tactical maneuver. Frank went because his legs told him he could.

 

[scribe]

Frank was drifting back with the full intention of deeping the gap from the front group to the back group before leaping the gap. He does this all the time in these critical situations.

 

[Publicus]

Could you show where I can find this bonehead move? I looked at the play by play and found:

16:19 CEST
Most of the break has been caught. Frank Schleck leads behind, with Contador on his wheel. Andy was suffering, but had a break. Now he goes! Contador covers it, but the others have been dropped. Kloden gets up to them. Three together...

16:19 CEST 34km/135.5km
Andy Schleck attacks again. Contador jumps on his wheel as does Kloden.

16:19 CEST
Armstrong is back with Wiggins, then Frank Schleck went. Wiggins couldn't respond...

16:20 CEST
Frank Schleck goes now. Wiggins looks to be marking Armstrong.

I don't have the video to watch so if you show me where to look I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

At 16:19. You have to see the video because the description there is leaving a great deal out.

Lance zig and zagged across the road (from the right hand side of the road to the left) and slowed his pedaling significantly and he looked down at his pedals. Wiggins was on his wheel and almost ran into him. Frank looks over (he was to the right of both of them), sees all of this and lights up the road. Lance just looks up and does . . . NOTHING. Doesn't try to close the gap. Just watches him ride away.

If he had been paying attention, that move doesn't happen. Wiggins is forced to set the pace and he and Frank sit on until he can't go. And Andy is left up the road with Contador and Kloden where he either slows the pace until the Wiggins group comes back to them or he goes it alone over the Romme and Colombiere. So it was a pretty big f**k up from a tactical standpoint.

 

[Publicus]

I have difficulty seeing that as a poorly executed tactical maneuver. Frank went because his legs told him he could.

Frank went because Armstrong was looking at the ground and Wiggins was trying to stay upright. Armstrong created the opportunity, Frank exploited it.

 

[Max Cadence]

Frank went because Armstrong was looking at the ground and Wiggins was trying to stay upright. Armstrong created the opportunity, Frank exploited it.

Can't wait to review it on the video. Thanks for your input.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Horner I'm afraid is blinded by his his allegiance to Lance with how he sees tactics.

When Contador attacks at the most logical time - the climb to Verbier, after he can be seen talking with Lance, he's the bad guy, but Lance's attack on Stage 3 was merely good tactics? Or did we forget about that stage?

Does anyone really think that if Contador had waited for Lance and Klodi, they would be 1, 2, 3 on the podium? Or that Lance would be winning?

 

[knewcleardaze]

Not me!

Contador and the brothers Scheck! Now there's a podium!

 

[Psalmon]

Chirs Horner is one of those guys who is nothing but positive for US cycling hopefully for a long time to come. A great bike RACER. Dominates in the US and goes over to Europe and is head and shoulders above so many guys. He was missed greatly in this Tour. Would really like to see him get a stage win. Came close, but caught in the final 100 m. Infinitely capable of it.

 

[Nobody you know]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it alot more political that they had to take the token Kazakh cyclist instead of Horner?

 

[Boeing]

real bummer this leg breaking tempo madman wasnt in this tour

horner is the man

 

[Boeing]

Chirs Horner is one of those guys who is nothing but positive for US cycling hopefully for a long time to come. A great bike RACER. Dominates in the US and goes over to Europe and is head and shoulders above so many guys. He was missed greatly in this Tour. Would really like to see him get a stage win. Came close, but caught in the final 100 m. Infinitely capable of it.

amen. he is the real deal on and off the bike.

dude has sick strength and could pull Hannibal's elephants over the alps

 

[fatandfast]

I am sure I speak for Chris on this.He does not.I repeat have more money than anybody.He wants more ,for his work and efforts in the bunch.Any team,Shack,Astana,Slipstream..... and all others that think he fits on your squad pick him up.The "All USA" team wants him here so that their twitter fingers don't get blistered.Horner has a little left in his tank, lets let him put Euros or Dollars in the bank.You should wear a pony tail like old times.