Contador 2010

[Publicus]

I can agree with that.

...I think the cows just arrived

Mooooooo!

 

[Hugh Januss]

That's really not true. He was contesting at Verbier--he was in the group with the Schecks, Wiggins and AC before AC took off. And he was not setting pace allowing AC to gap the field--he was trying to limit his losses (at least IMO). But that's irrelevant now.

We get to see these two race in one of the early spring races (cataluyna, I believe). Which hopefully means that Versus covers it.

It looked to me for sure like AK and LA chased, and IMO it was the dumbest thing Lance did in the whole race. He seriously over estimated his own strength to the point that when others counterattacked he got dropped.
At the very least teamwork dictates that you sit on the chase when you have a teammate up the road. Even if that guy is not team leader you sit, let others wear themselves down by chasing and then counterattack.
Lance saw the leadership of the team riding away and all he could think of was to keep the pace as high as he could make it. That he was not riding defensively is evidenced by the fact that he couldn't stay with the others at the end.

 

[Publicus]

It looked to me for sure like AK and LA chased, and IMO it was the dumbest thing Lance did in the whole race. He seriously over estimated his own strength to the point that when others counterattacked he got dropped.
At the very least teamwork dictates that you sit on the chase when you have a teammate up the road. Even if that guy is not team leader you sit, let others wear themselves down by chasing and then counterattack.
Lance saw the leadership of the team riding away and all he could think of was to keep the pace as high as he could make it. That he was not riding defensively is evidenced by the fact that he couldn't stay with the others at the end.

Agree with everything you wrote. I was just finding a non-offensive way of saying that Lance was in fact chasing, without saying that he was chasing.

 

[hfer07]

Kloden and Armstrong were chasing. If you don't consider it as such then they were riding hard tempo at the head of the chasing pack. They should not have been there.

If you watch the video, Kloden was called by Bruyneel to pull the pace for LA & accompany him to create a sense of control over the chasing group, entirely to delay what later became evident: LA was at his limits & unable to contest attacks. you notice Kloden took the reigns, rode high tempo for couple of meters & later he pulled aside the road, to have the others do the job. Wiggins & Frank were recovering & noticed the group was slowing down for no reason, so they started the fireworks....the rest is history.

 

[Publicus]

Kloden and Armstrong were chasing. If you don't consider it as such then they were riding hard tempo at the head of the chasing pack. They should not have been there.

If you watch the video, Kloden was called by Bruyneel to pull the pace for LA & accompany him to create a sense of control over the chasing group, entirely to delay what later became evident: LA was at his limits & unable to contest attacks. you notice Kloden took the reigns, rode high temp & couple meters later he pulled aside the road, to have the others do the job.

In other words, trying to limit Armstrong's losses. I cannot see Bruyneel doing this with Levi or Kloden next year. But I guarantee if Levi is in contention and Armstrong pops, we'll see this scenario played out once again.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Kloden and Armstrong were chasing. If you don't consider it as such then they were riding hard tempo at the head of the chasing pack. They should not have been there.

If you watch the video, Kloden was called by Bruyneel to pull the pace for LA & accompany him to create a sense of control over the chasing group, entirely to delay what later became evident: LA was at his limits & unable to contest attacks. you notice Kloden took the reigns, rode high tempo for couple of meters & later he pulled aside the road, to have the others do the job. Wiggins & Frank were recovering & noticed the group was slowing down for no reason, so they started the fireworks....the rest is history.

Yeah sure, how do you explain the fact that when AK pulled off it was LA who came through to keep the pace up? If at that point he was "at his limit" wouldn't on the wheel of the steadiest guy in the group be a smarter place to be than at the front going hard?

 

[Rex Hunter]

So to sum up, Lance got dropped by everyone and should have finished the tour in 100th place, but somehow all the other rider then "blew themselves up", which by mistake allowed Lance to drop them, getting him up to third on the podium. And next year will be even worse for Armstrong etc etc.

Thanks for the insight guys.

 

[Publicus]

So to sum up, Lance got dropped by everyone and should have finished the tour in 100th place, but somehow all the other rider then "blew themselves up", which by mistake allowed Lance to drop them, getting him up to third on the podium. And next year will be even worse for Armstrong etc etc.

Thanks for the insight guys.

No, thank you for demonstrating your lack of reading comprehension!

Moooooooo!

 

[Mellow Velo]

I swear that individuals fabricate racing tactics to explain away Lance's downfall and subsequent, ego driven agenda, at Verbier.

Rule 1: If a team leader attacks, you sit on wheels designated as a threat and let them chase.
Lance's tactic: Put Kloeden on the front, chase and sit second wheel.
Result: Opponents (Nibali, Wiggins, Sastre, Evans) attacked from behind, one after another, with no response.
Conclusion: Lance and Bruyneel's hirlings never had any intention of riding for Contador.
So, with Lance on the rivet, he ended up both helping and therefore losing time to his adversaries.
His vain belief that he could defeat Contador, resulted in a dumb ass decision.

 

[Angliru]

I'm not sure what Lance did on Verbier was really chasing.

I believe the correct term would be: suffering.

 

[TheDude]

While I agree AC rode his own race without taking the JB advice, he also did not have JB workign against him. I think 2010 is going to be MUCH harder for him. Might be Saxo Bank's year. I almost like the odds for BMC over the Rat Shack. AC will be top 3, but it really depends is somebody can break him on one of the hills - and he is in everybody's cross-hairs.

 

[UpTheRoad]

On the way to Verbier, Kloden and Armstrong had attacks/bridge attempts come out of the chasing group by

1. Andy Schleck;
2. Frank Schleck (twice I think);
3. Wiggins and Niballi;
4. Sastre and Evans;
5. Vandenbroucke (may have been part of a Franck Schleck jump).

Kloden and Armstrong marked none of them. Zero. They also gave Sastre a nice wheel to ride to recover after his bridging effort to get back to them.

They get a pass on the Andy Schleck move, as it was a reaction to Contador's jump. But the others? Where were they? Nowhere to be found.

I cannot see how anyone would say Astana did anything but ride against Contador here.

 

[Publicus]

On the way to Verbier, Kloden and Armstrong had attacks/bridge attempts come out of the chasing group by

1. Andy Schleck;
2. Frank Schleck (twice I think);
3. Wiggins and Niballi;
4. Sastre and Evans;
5. Vandenbroucke (may have been part of a Franck Schleck jump).

Kloden and Armstrong marked none of them. Zero. They also gave Sastre a nice wheel to ride to recover after his bridging effort to get back to them.

They get a pass on the Andy Schleck move, as it was a reaction to Contador's jump. But the others? Where were they? Nowhere to be found.

I cannot see how anyone would say Astana did anything but ride against Contador here.

Just one clarification, Kloden wasn't with the Brothers Schleck, Wiggins, Armstrong and Contador when AC went.

 

[BYOP88]

Just one clarification, Kloden wasn't with the Brothers Schleck, Wiggins, Armstrong and Contador when AC went.

That's correct he was a little behind, bridged up and then went straight to the front of the group to try and pull Contador back......






.......sorry I meant rode to increase Contador's gap

 

[Publicus]

that's correct he was a little behind, bridged up and then went straight to the front of the group to try and pull contador back......






.......sorry i meant rode to increase contador's gap

lol.

 

[Deagol]

You're not a big fan of Armstrong so I don't thnk you are able to look at it rationally........

Oh, now we understand....

 

[hfer07]

In other words, trying to limit Armstrong's losses. I cannot see Bruyneel doing this with Levi or Kloden next year. But I guarantee if Levi is in contention and Armstrong pops, we'll see this scenario played out once again.

LA pops while Leechaimer is sucking his wheel-guess who's going to drag their a$$es up to the summits?

 

[Ferminal]

Go back to the clinic where you belong.

Do I know you? Must feel great to make an off-topic troll at someone who is actually agreeing with your point.

I think it's time for me to bail. After a few weeks, my ignore list is getting kind of big. While I enjoy the sharing of information and discussions, watching the personal attacks, name calling, seeing the word "troll", all of the useless threads burying the ones with some meat to them; it's not something I need to see next year. It's like when I'm watching a movie or game at justintv, and make the mistake of looking at the chat. Multiple user names, and people comparing comments to try to prove they are one person? I can watch Fringe, The Mentalist or NCIS for a better version. Happy holidays to anyone that happens across this. 2010 will be a great year for pro cycling. Remember to enjoy the positive aspects on race day. Cheers. John

Come back when the season starts, just skip July.

 

[Tom T.]

LA and Kloden rode like a couple of chumps on this stage. They pulled the group hard with a teammate up the road, burned up their energy and could only watch as everyone said "thanks for the pull!" and attacked one by one in the final kilometers. The only explanation is that they were desperately trying to pull AC back. If they were truly working for AC then they would have sat in the group, done no work and attacked them in the last couple km's.

 

[Rex Hunter]

Do I know you? Must feel great to make an off-topic troll at someone who is actually agreeing with your point.

You said something about blood bags, so I told you to take it to the clinic. I think that was fair, wasn't it? Couldn't see anything that agreed with me.

What about this thread though. It's the same issue that has been debated a million times in other threads - people are obsessed with trying to make out LA was the worst rider in the history of the Tour this year. It takes absurdism to a new level - the level of detail they go into to spin this point is deeply worrying. They must watch the tape over and over looking to find further fault with something Armstrong did - maybe he breathed the wrong way or something. I really don't get it.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

You said something about blood bags, so I told you to take it to the clinic. I think that was fair, wasn't it? Couldn't see anything that agreed with me.

What about this thread though. It's the same issue that has been debated a million times in other threads - people are obsessed with trying to make out LA was the worst rider in the history of the Tour this year. It takes absurdism to a new level - the level of detail they go into to spin this point is deeply worrying. They must watch the tape over and over looking to find further fault with something Armstrong did - maybe he breathed the wrong way or something. I really don't get it.

Everyone saw the video of Verbier. We know what happened there. At this point, the Lance fans are in denial. Everyone saw Kloden and Armstrong leading the chase for Contador. Everyone knows that if Armstrong were up the road and his teammates had done the same, they would have been sent home immediately.

If only Lance could have summoned the same enthusiasm he used to chase down Simeoni, maybe he could have done a better job of chasing down his teammate Contador.

 

[BYOP88]

Everyone saw the video of Verbier. We know what happened there. At this point, the Lance fans are in denial. Everyone saw Kloden and Armstrong leading the chase for Contador. Everyone knows that if Armstrong were up the road and his teammates had done the same, they would have been sent home immediately.

If only Lance could have summoned the same enthusiasm he used to chase down Simeoni, maybe he could have done a better job of chasing down his teammate Contador.

Great point well made

Ladies and Gentlemen thread closed, we have the winner.

 

[Rex Hunter]

Everyone saw the video of Verbier. We know what happened there. At this point, the Lance fans are in denial. Everyone saw Kloden and Armstrong leading the chase for Contador. Everyone knows that if Armstrong were up the road and his teammates had done the same, they would have been sent home immediately.

Yes, and everybody saw him comeback to out climb Wiggins and Kloden twice, and see off Sastre and Evans, to come third after four years out, at age 37. Most riders, even in their prime, take a few years to get back to top level. Nobody is buying this nonsense about the Verbier 09 being the only stage in this years tour, without any wider context. It's a lot of nonsense. Come on.

 

[Ferminal]

You said something about blood bags, so I told you to take it to the clinic. I think that was fair, wasn't it? Couldn't see anything that agreed with me.

What about this thread though. It's the same issue that has been debated a million times in other threads - people are obsessed with trying to make out LA was the worst rider in the history of the Tour this year. It takes absurdism to a new level - the level of detail they go into to spin this point is deeply worrying. They must watch the tape over and over looking to find further fault with something Armstrong did - maybe he breathed the wrong way or something. I really don't get it.

I was agreeing with kurt, who was supporting your point. You didn't tell me to take it to the clinic, you told me "to go to the clinic where you belong" which seems like quite an outlandish statement from someone who has been here less than a week to say to someone who has been here for 6 months.

 

[Rex Hunter]

I was agreeing with kurt, who was supporting your point. You didn't tell me to take it to the clinic, you told me which seems like quite an outlandish statement from someone who has been here less than a week to say to someone who has been here for 6 months.

I was going to say: "go to the clinic where you belong, you fiend." I wouldn't take it too seriously.