Do u agree about coments of lance on twiter that contador still has to learn

[Anonymous]

Y'all are trippin'! Contador does have a lot to learn! Lance has 10+ years on him and has done the same thing so he knows what he's talking about.

Even Contador admitted he messed up but I bet he won't make the same mistake again when he's in the leader's jersey. He made an error in judgment and paid for it big time. Just be glad it's early in the season and he's still prepping for the Tour. So a loss like this won't harm him. He's in very good form and he will use this lapse in judgment to better prepare himself in the future.

Was it a dig by Lance, probably. But what seasoned pro in any sport has not taken a poke at the younger kids when they make a mistake? Plus, they'll probably joke about it when they train together again. I know I've done it to my teammates many times. It's all in jest and we all have a laugh about it later on like I'm sure they both will.

 

[Big Ring]

kick your team mate when he is down.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Yes, guys who win all 3 Grand Tours in 13 months and would probably have won a fourth, given the opportunity, have a lot to learn.
How long did it take Lance to win 3 G Tours, again?

Look at what Contador's faced this week.
Stage 3) Left isolated in crosswinds, by his "team". Fought his way back onto the chasing peloton, on his own.
Stage 4) Attacked on the final climb, when left on his own, leaving everybody in his wake.
Stage 6) Having to attack from 9kms out on the MTF, because he was, left on his own and being attacked. In the process of putting everybody to the sword, went too deep.
Stage 7) Cracked, when faced with marking the next 5 riders in the GC, on his own.

Lance has absolutely NO EXPERIENCE of these circumstances and he knows it.
He rode to 7 Tour wins in a protective bubble. Even his rouler domestiques were capable of riding most mountain climbers off their wheels in the Alps etc.

He always had plenty of support, until he decided it was time to go.

You can see from the tone of these threads, that the Armstrong/Contador alliance is a fragile thing. Cracks can be enduced. Armstrong's words were typed to that end

He didn't come back to carry water for a young Spaniard and I suspect a good few around here believed that, from the start.
They are probably quite pleased with yesterday's end result.

 

[lookkg386]

Maybe someone should point out that if Contador hadn't been left all by himself without teammates he might have been helped with food and pacing to the finish, whole team including D.S should be backing Alberto and saying we all let him down. Instead it seems as though the only thing coming out from their camp is inexperiance on Alberto's behalf.

 

[531Pro]

Ola, EL PISTOLERO!

Experience as a general concept comprises knowledge of or skill in or observation of some thing or some event gained through involvement in or exposure to that thing or event.

One of the more crucial, yet subtle aspects of racing, as you well know "EL PISTOLERO," is the conservation of energy. I believe there is no one more tapped into understanding those subtleties than Mr. Armstrong. For example, we all know when riding without team support one must be very conservative in the expenditure of energy.

While it appears on the surface that Lance may have been focusing directly in his comment on Alberto bonking, I believe he was directing his statement (of "Alberto had a lot to learn") not as much towards "the bonk" itself, but what led to Alberto's predicament in the first place. Anyone out there care to comment on what transpired before the bonk?

I think that Lance was most gracious in his entire statement in that he suggested "Alberto had a lot to learn" while praising his team mate as having "Amazing talent" and then identifying, based on his own experience, "It's miserable." Followed up with "He'll be back fightin' tomorrow" which should psychologically inspire Alberto.

Personally "EL PISTOLERO", I found Astana's team sports director Gallopin comment rather disconcerting when he said after the race “It’s over,” the Frenchman told Reuters after the rider had to be helped off his bike by a team assistant. “One minute 50 seconds (behind), there is no discussion about it."

No Alain, there is discussion about it. "He'll be back fightin' tomorrow"

Audios, amigo.

How does a Directectur Sportif let a rider bonk? The radio in the riders ear says....."Don't forget to eat and Drink Alberto............." Something far wrong there...........

 

[Anonymous]

I are not agree.

 

[531Pro]

I are not agree.

Why? You need to explain.

 

[DanBurros]

Don't forget athletes like Lance don't get to the level he's achieved by being a "nice" guy. They are the most competitive people on the planet, and don't generally mince words. His comments are no different than most highly driven people, with that "kill or be killed" instinct/attitude. I don't find his comments out of character, or surprising, could he have been "nicer" or more supportive, sure, but that's not LA. Lance is who he is. I respect him for his accomplishments, in cycling, the fight against Cancer, and his success, would the guy be a good friend of mine, probably not. That still doesn't take anything away from his achievements.

For the person who said look at what Alberto has done at such a young age, don't forget Lance won a World Championship at a very young age, and also Lance raced against a higher level of competition I think, sure they were all doping then...but THEY WERE ALL DOPING then, so in my eyes that made the playing field level at that time. Also don't forget Lance got Cancer, and not just a mild bout of Cancer, but a pretty serious, kicked his *** all over his body type of Cancer. That's gonna effect a guys performance, without a doubt.

Was he right to say what he said and how he said it, probably not, but that's Lance.

 

[Robert Merivel]

"He'll be back fightin' tomorrow"

It appears that Lance was significantly on the mark in ascertaining Alberto's mindset for the day. Whether Lance's comment motivated Alberto to "act" today or simply reflected Lance's ability to size up his team mate, remains to be seen. They both have abilities that set them apart from the peloton and we can only watch from the sidelines and conjure up our own fantasies of what is real and what is not real.

I give the edge to Lance for his mental prowess. Nevertheless, this will be an epic summer, in every way imaginable. Expect the unexpected.

Competition is for the Competent.

 

[Robert Merivel]

Lance says-

"Watching Paris Nice. Alberto going for it big time. He's a tough dude. He can still win Paris Nice with the way it's going. Go man, go."

"Hats off to Alberto. He road his guts out. Showed tons of character. 2nd on the stage."

Enough said?

 

[Bala Verde]

Why oh why does he feel the need to tell a colleague in public that he 'still has a lot to learn'. The comment itself is not only condescending, it's shows lack of intellect and social skills to use a 'social networking tool' like twitter to do it. How childish can you be, lowering yourself to the level of a high school kid trying to bully a classmate?

In addition, even in competitive settings there is no need to 'leak' to the public what you think about a colleague. I thought he was one of the fiercest oponents of media access during his career. The only ones that were able to approach him were Bruyneel and Elizabeth Kreuz and all his 'public activities' far from spontaneous.

It seems to me that he then, of all people, should not comment on a team member's performance. He is not even the directeur sportif, he is cyclist who's just came out of retirement! If anyone, but perhaps even more a teammate, would have had the nerve to comment on his performance back in the days, I don't know what he would have done...

 

[Anonymous]

Why? You need to explain.

No I don't.

 

[Bluebeard]

I are not agree.

Why? You need to explain.

No I don't.

Somebody set up you the bomb?

 

[SteveMedcroft]

Maybe someone should point out that if Contador hadn't been left all by himself without teammates he might have been helped with food and pacing to the finish, whole team including D.S should be backing Alberto and saying we all let him down. Instead it seems as though the only thing coming out from their camp is inexperiance on Alberto's behalf.

You make an excellent point. Contador was let down by his team. He is a talented young rider who joined the highest profile and arguably most successful Grand Tour organization in existence. Unless he refuses to take direction and makes decisions on the bike that thwart his team's efforts to support him, he has the benefit of the Brunyeel machine (and now Armstrong's history of successfully managing the Tour) direct experience to draw from.

 

[Stani Kléber]

Contador was tired from the previous day's success, the team mates allocated to help him crashed out (Horner and Leipheimer) and he forgot to take a couple of energy gels.

I wouldn't read much more than this into things. As far as I see, the guy's performance in Paris-Nice was exceptional and it's now up to Lance Armstrong to prove he can get a result, any result, as Contador's already got several victories this year.

 

[Flash Gordon]

Like this or no not, I think Lance is turning up the psycological mind games, more than just commenting on the facts. Make no mistake, I think they are both fantastic riders, and from an Astana-team point of view these comments shouldn't have been aired. But now they have - and imo with a specific purpose.

I've always admired how LA beat the opposition with both physical and psycological skills. And now he's fighting for the team leadership in the tour, so it will be interesting to see how it evolves from here.

Maybe others are feeling the way I do after P-N - before I was sure that Alberto was the best but now....??? I not sure

Flash

 

[karlboss]

I agree contador has a lot to learn, well maybe not too much (3 GTs). When I watched the olympic TT i couldn´t help thinking he went out way too fast. I think he is an amazing talent and is sometimes overconfident, yeah he was isolated and chasing breaks down, but he should know that it´ll take a toll. I also think his DS should have reminded him to be careful, but he´s a big boy and i hate radios making cycling a computer game for DS.

 

[JavierOtxoa]

What I find strange is the Lance would make those comments at all about a team-mate, especially Alberto.

Verrrrry strange! But not that strange if you considering these comments are comming from LA. WTF are doing Contador in the same team with LA? He have no chance in this team. Que va Alberto! He will never ever suport you Alberto, escucha me...He is just digging you...El *** esta un mentiroso. Don't give up Alberto, you know, Madrid- La suma de Todos!

 

["EL PISTOLERO"]

I ve readen all the posts and the idea who convince me more is the point about psicological war. The moment of this statement was made, few minutes after he reachs the "meta", still getting on Alberto of a tough bonk, "that was miserable", said LA,- yes a miserable behavior and any carefully i think.
The way to do this on twitter making a public declaration and showing the world who has the gallons in his team. that was sick,arrogant and inaproppiate and advantagist.
The day before Alberto had rode fantastic,won the stage, took the yellow, and make an important gap in GC, Lance´s words on Twitter was- CONGRAT ALBERTO!, just that, for me so dry , sad and soft statement, when everybody who watched the race was impresed about that huge performance.
Ok, LANCe know who is the stronger man in the team; he has said several times "Alberto is the stronger ciclist of the world, RIGHT NOW" he aways had said the same, finish with, Right NOW, here are some videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8iYXS-d23U play in 3´:15":he said it
Turn Under australian intervieW
also this link,
Spanish Tv, during Tenerife training cump
http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20081211/armstrong-contador-juntos-astana/359670.shtml play it in 2:40, at the end of his statemen, he said the same, but saying "at this day he is the stronger"
All i want to show you is this inecesary psicological war, he alway treat to leave a door open about the stronger , that for me is stupid, i dont know he want to take this in that way. Saturday he take advantages of his blonk, and show his gallons while AC was suffering

 

["EL PISTOLERO"]

PLEASE WATCH EVeRYBODY THE next video taken of spanish tv,
http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20081211/armstrong-contador-juntos-astana/359670.shtml

this video reveals many think about we talk, has a lot imformation also a lot of questions to find out

 

[BICICLON]

what can i say, i cant imagine lance saying that on Kloden,Levi or PoPovich;At Least AC has won more than all that names.
Is too young , 26 , he can learn a lot, and that is a good news for cycling wolrd, if he would had reachen his floor that would be a bad news. He can improve more in order to take decicions during the race,

 

[Angliru]

Circumstances can often dictate that a rider may not have the focus to eat at regular intervals. Isolated with attacks coming rapid fire, a rider can be singularly obsessed with just trying to maintain their position in the race. We don't know what communication was exchanged between the team car and Contador. What we do know is that wearing the leader's jersey, Contador was without the usual benefit of teammates bringing water bottles or food to him. He admits that he didn't fuel/hydrate enough but if he had the support that is common for riders wearing the leader's jersey on Postal/Discovery/Astana teams, he would likely have not been in this situation. The most recent time that a similar situation like this happened to an Astana rider in a pro tour race is the 2008 Giro. Contador was isolated on more than one occasion and was able to limit his losses. I think in this circumstance, being his initial return to France after being unable to defend his Tour and P-N titles, I believe there was a great, great deal of personal emotion involved in his making a good showing on French soil. Contador rode P-N like someone with something to prove. This in addition to his own team leadership suddenly being under threat, all the pressure is on him.

 

[Bluebeard]

Well, by the sounds of things, his attacking and never say die attitude this time around has made him very popular with the French public, especially in losing. Perhaps this was the ultimate psychological trick he has pulled, and should the Brun-Arm partnership decides that TDF 09 should be another American affair, Conti will be getting cheers on the raodside, while Armstrong is facing the jeers.

Certainly, he cycled in many of the stages like a man who was having fun and wanted to cycle his way - bonk aside, he didn't do very much wrong, especially seeing as the team was not pulling for him. Could this have been very shrewd preparation for a Hinault/LeMond or Vincenti/Roche style battle?

 

[Snake8]

Do any of you think that AC is sitting there worrying about what LA twitters? No offense meant but you all sound like a bunch of 15 yr old girls gabbing about who said what. If you put ALL of the comments (LA, AC, DS, JB) in the proper context of a bike race, there is really nothing controversial. Go back and look at some of JB's other comments, he has very dry analytical mind and doesnt pull punches, nor does LA. Like him or not, there doesnt seem to be a lot here that isnt just saying it like it is.

 

[53x11 in DC]

Do any of you think that AC is sitting there worrying about what LA twitters? No offense meant but you all sound like a bunch of 15 yr old girls gabbing about who said what. If you put ALL of the comments (LA, AC, DS, JB) in the proper context of a bike race, there is really nothing controversial. Go back and look at some of JB's other comments, he has very dry analytical mind and doesnt pull punches, nor does LA. Like him or not, there doesnt seem to be a lot here that isnt just saying it like it is.

Hear hear. I can't believe how much people are buying into this Bruyneel/Armstrong conspiracy or into the comparisons between Hinault/Lemond and Berti/Lance (being fed by publications like ProCycling and CycleSport).

Like I said on another thread.... there are many who believe Armstrong is "calculating", in a derogatory context. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, than you have to believe that he will know if he is not Berti's equal and won't risk tarnishing his legacy with Hinault-like actions. I think a little bit more of Lance than his detractors, and fully expect him to support Berti in the TdF if Berti proves to be stronger (which I think he will).

I also don't expect LA to go much better than middle of the Top 10 in the Giro. I hope I'm wrong.

I hope the cynicism around LA's comeback dissipates soon. This is shaping up to be an amazing season, one of the most wide-open and visible in years. Many great protagonists (Toni, LLS, Cav, Boonen, Bennati, Thor, Langeveld, the Schlecks... the list of potential stars is never-ending). I hope that, at a minimum, LA's comeback increases interest and viewership and opens folks' eyes to a new generation of stars and to the sport in general.