Contador Isolates Self

[inputjoe]

This from Dirk Demol, JB's right hand man at Astana - AC went around to all his teammates before dinner last night to explain his thinking and to apologize for his 'mistake' in dropping Kloden by not listening to JB's instructions. He was apparently sincere and humble, according to Demol.

Makes sense. It was a mistake. There was no reason for him to be doing the Schlecks work for them.

What is your source for the statement?

 

[Amsterhammer]

Makes sense. It was a mistake. There was no reason for him to be doing the Schlecks work for them.

What is your source for the statement?

Dirk Demol himself on Dutch tv tonight.

 

[Boeing]

what exactly is it you say he has to learn?

 

[Max Cadence]

what exactly is it you say he has to learn?

The lyrics to "Ace Of Spades."

 

[Hugh Januss]

This whole Forum has been more entertaining than the actual Tour. There is two clear views on everything related to the Tour, the average cycling fans view and the view with Lance shades on.

The attacks on Contador are easy to figure, Contador has whipped Lance big time, there is no argument on that, so those with Lance shades on need to belittle Contador in whatever way they can to feed the jealousy.

Contador is 26, he was won 4 GTs ad likely many more, I dont think I have ever heard mentioned once that Contador also came back from serious illness to continue his career as a pro-cyclist. How many 3 week fans are aware of that fact.

Contador doesnt have the PR machine of Lance and his crew so he always comes out looking the bad guy when he is just doing what he wanted to do, win the Tour. If Lance had not come back, there would only ever have been one leader at the Tour this year, Contador. Kloeden would have been a deluxe domestique and Levi plan B. Only when Lance entered the picture was the 4 leaders idea mooted just so to eliminate the idea of Contador being undisputed no 1 over Lance.

Even in 1997 Bjarne Riis was official team leader of Telekom with Jan Ullrich given a free role in the case Riis wasnt up to it which he wasnt. Only then, did Ullrich become team leader. Astana should have done the same. AC no 1 with Lance, Levi in free roles and Kloeden as deluxe domestique.

What was Astanas no 1 aim, entering the Tour, TO WIN IT, everything else is secondary. They are gonna win the Tour with Contador as predicted. With the benefit of hindsight, even if Kloeden had stayed with the lead group yesterday, he still wouldnt have overhauled Andy Schleck. Only Lance or Kloeden will be on the podium, not both. Too bad for Astana, we all knew they would dominate and they have.

It has been a circus from beginning which is why I have not watched the Tour until Lance had faded from the picture and everything is not about him anymore even though a lot of it still is about him. I never at any time want to see any one team dominate the Tour and I didnt want to see it this year, why would anybody want any team to go 1-2-3 and I bet if Lance was not on Astana, nobody and I mean nobody would want to see Astana finish 1-2-3 with or without Lance..

Its not about Astana, the Tour, AC or anythings, it is and always has been about Lance which sucks.

Two? I keep seeing 3 points of view. The cycling fans, the Lance Lovers and the Lance Haters and it seems to me the second and third are equally as blind to reality.

 

[Anonymous]

This from Dirk Demol, JB's right hand man at Astana - AC went around to all his teammates before dinner last night to explain his thinking and to apologize for his 'mistake' in dropping Kloden by not listening to JB's instructions. He was apparently sincere and humble, according to Demol.

If Dirk is telling the truth, then Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel and Levi "The accessory dog" Leipheimer are the biggest *** in the history of prickdom. They twittered and made sideways comments to the media about how bad it was (Levi was talking shit this morning about it) and have said nothing about it today. That is just unbelievable. You throw your own teammate to the lions, and then when he shows contrition and humility, you just keep your mouth shut and only talk about your white trash electronics story sponsor. I truly loathe the type of men they all appear to be. I'd love to kick all 5 of their balls.

 

[scribe]

Levi wasn't at dinner to hear the Lone Ranger's excuses for his latest brain-bonk

 

[Anonymous]

Levi wasn't at dinner to hear the Lone Ranger's excuses for his latest brain-bonk

Yea, but considering he resides in Armstrong's anus with Bob Roll, they both heard what happened and chose to hammer Contador anyway

Guess Contador showed them again with his legs what he can do. All The Hog, The Uniballer, and The Accessory Dog can do is spill sour grapes out of their old and has been mouths.

 

[yourwelcome]

If Dirk is telling the truth, then Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel and Levi "The accessory dog" Leipheimer are the biggest *** in the history of prickdom. They twittered and made sideways comments to the media about how bad it was (Levi was talking shit this morning about it) and have said nothing about it today. That is just unbelievable. You throw your own teammate to the lions, and then when he shows contrition and humility, you just keep your mouth shut and only talk about your white trash electronics story sponsor. I truly loathe the type of men they all appear to be. I'd love to kick all 5 of their balls.

Yeah, you're such a model of tact and diplomacy yourself.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, you're such a model of tact and diplomacy yourself.

Why, thank you.

My welcome?

 

[yourwelcome]

Why, thank you.

My welcome?

Absolutely.

 

[klodifan]

This from Dirk Demol, JB's right hand man at Astana - AC went around to all his teammates before dinner last night to explain his thinking and to apologize for his 'mistake' in dropping Kloden by not listening to JB's instructions. He was apparently sincere and humble, according to Demol.

Well, It was obvious that AC was lying about what happened yesterday. Otherwise, we would not have been so remorseful. Too bad for Kloden.

And just for the record. This was never about fanboys etc. Too bad too many discussions on here are categorized as such. Those who know me know I loathe LA, yet I was one of the first that posted on this thread that AC made a mistake. It was not because I am a Lance fan. It was because it was a display of poor judgement.

 

[Publicus]

Well, It was obvious that AC was lying about what happened yesterday. Otherwise, we would not have been so remorseful. Too bad for Kloden.

And just for the record. This was never about fanboys etc. Too bad too many discussions on here are categorized as such. Those who know me know I loathe LA, yet I was one of the first that posted on this thread that AC made a mistake. It was not because I am a Lance fan. It was because it was a display of poor judgement.

Why is it obvious he was lying? Everything he has said has been entirely consistent. Has Kloden come out and disputed it?

 

[RockIA]

Let's leave Lance out of this for a moment...

He would have put time into the Shlecks, but he already had 2.5 minutes on Andy... I'm not sure that the risk would have been worth it. Bottom-line is it really didn't matter, and all he accomplished was knocking his team mate off the podium...

Granted, Lance coming back basically threw a grenade into the team. What should Lance have done, though? Stay retired?

Yes, he should have stayed "retired".

Was he responsible for knocking his team mates off the podium, or were the team-mates responsible for knocking themselves off the podium? If Contador didn't attack, one of the Sheks would have, and it would have been the same result. Then what would VS. have to talk about? And on the podium or not, I can remember every tour winner since 1984, but I don't think I can name any 2nd placers. Who cares whether you finish 2nd, 3rd, 18th, ... ?

The best person is winning. Maybe FoxNews can spin it up like Versus is doing. Keep it real.

 

[richwagmn]

Well, It was obvious that AC was lying about what happened yesterday. Otherwise, we would not have been so remorseful. Too bad for Kloden.

And just for the record. This was never about fanboys etc. Too bad too many discussions on here are categorized as such. Those who know me know I loathe LA, yet I was one of the first that posted on this thread that AC made a mistake. It was not because I am a Lance fan. It was because it was a display of poor judgement.

Yea, I don't like LA either, but the more I thought about AC's attack, the dumber it seemed. On an uphill finish it would have made sense. With a long downhill, I can't figure it out. Tactically it just made no sense (not even considering Kloden here).

 

[colwildcat]

Jesus, we're still talking about this?

 

[fulcrum]

Yea, I don't like LA either, but the more I thought about AC's attack, the dumber it seemed. On an uphill finish it would have made sense. With a long downhill, I can't figure it out. Tactically it just made no sense (not even considering Kloden here).

Actually, you need to consider Kloden for the tactic to make sense. Throw in the idea "stage win" keep thinking a little harder and you might be able to solve the puzzle.

Alberto is acting smarter than you guys give him credit for. He is all nice words on the media, all apologies during the dinner table. But on the road, he doesn't trust his own shadow and he attacks oponents and teammates alike. And in Ventoux, he will continue to do so. That approach is going to give him the TdF, and it will kill any chances of JB and LA scheming against him. Kloden is now 5 minutes back. That is much better than having him 3 minutes back with Mont Ventoux ahead. Anybody can have a bad day. Attack and increase margins to everybody in the GC. Ignore Lance's constant provocations, play the PR game and stick it to JB and LA on the road. Because the road is where it counts.

 

[Bagster]

Indeed and let's not forget, beyond Contador, who are the best time trialists: probably Kloden, Wiggins and Armstrong (at least traditionally).

The Wiggins threat was eliminated, while Armstrong could have eliminated his losses even more, had AC not attacked and kept Kloden hitched on. Plus Kloden even pulled for Armstrong when Contador printed away on the previous mountain stage to assist the Texan. But I didn't hear anyone compaining about that for Alberto.

By attacking, AC took LA out of the running, but Kloden too. And I'm not at all sure that had AC not attacked, that FS or AS would not have accelerated and droped Kloden anyway, who had a hunger bonk. Kloden would most likely gotten dropped anyway, therefore, with the only difference that nobody in the fanboys' camp could cry sour milk as they have because it was AC.

As far as the team pact goes, AC, not Lance or Kloden, should be complaining over how the best current stage racer in the world wasn't given total support from the begining, simply because someone with an over-inflated ego came out of retirement and told his good chum (JB) to allow him to have a go at it, even at Alberto's expense (which is exactly what resulted).

If I were in the man's shoes and had the power to do it, I'd of acted exctly the same. If anything to humiliate the two who betrayed his good pedigree and right to lead the team, as his past and present dominant performances should have given him "legal title" to. Everything else is just whining from the fanboys, who are incapable of looking at this cycling situation objectively.

Your last comment then just shows what a true dipstick you are and wouldn't know a 'cycling situation' if one came up and bit you on the bum! If you think that AC's attack was payback of some sort on Kloden and Armstrong then you are not only insulting the integrity of AC but also showing your total lack of what bike racing is all about. People like you make me sick

 

[Bagster]

Actually, you need to consider Kloden for the tactic to make sense. Throw in the idea "stage win" keep thinking a little harder and you might be able to solve the puzzle.

Alberto is acting smarter than you guys give him credit for. He is all nice words on the media, all apologies during the dinner table. But on the road, he doesn't trust his own shadow and he attacks oponents and teammates alike. And in Ventoux, he will continue to do so. That approach is going to give him the TdF, and it will kill any chances of JB and LA scheming against him. Kloden is now 5 minutes back. That is much better than having him 3 minutes back with Mont Ventoux ahead. Anybody can have a bad day. Attack and increase margins to everybody in the GC. Ignore Lance's constant provocations, play the PR game and stick it to JB and LA on the road. Because the road is where it counts.

Nice conspiracy theory but total rubbish. You people live in a fantasy land.

 

[LaBici]

Ventoux

... is where Contador will make the only statement worth making in this year's TdF.

 

[fulcrum]

Nice conspiracy theory but total rubbish. You people live in a fantasy land.

Not fantasy, here is reality: Contador put two minutes on Kloden. Contador didn't listen to JB. Contador is going to win the TdF.

Denial is not only a river in Egypt...