Flash! Armstrong announces their was tension during the Tour de France

[thehog]

Since Armstrong black banned VeloNews at the Giro they have come up with a nice feature on Alberto. Here's a quote from the article. Quite the turnaround the former Lance loving magazine.
___

Because while the story of Armstrong’s comeback Tour was well documented daily, Contador’s personal journey to the top podium in Paris went highly unreported in English. The reasons were many: language barriers, a laser-like focus and Contador’s decision to hold his cards close to his chest. But in the days following the Tour Contador opened up, and Hood was there, in his adopted homeland of Spain, to monitor the post-race fallout.

"Strength From Strife” is a must-read for any pro cycling fan, if for no reason than to get the background on this concluding passage:

“For seven unrivaled years, Armstrong was the master at playing all the angles. One of his strengths was his ability to play a multi-level chess match at all levels of the sport, both on and off the road, turning allegiances, jealousies and self-interests from rival teams, governing bodies, race organizers and the media all toward his benefit. That sophisticated juggling act was short-circuited by a Spanish momma’s boy who ended the myth of Armstrong’s invincibility.”

 

[racerralph]

Since Armstrong black banned VeloNews at the Giro they have come up with a nice feature on Alberto. Here's a quote from the article. Quite the turnaround the former Lance loving magazine.
___

Because while the story of Armstrong’s comeback Tour was well documented daily, Contador’s personal journey to the top podium in Paris went highly unreported in English. The reasons were many: language barriers, a laser-like focus and Contador’s decision to hold his cards close to his chest. But in the days following the Tour Contador opened up, and Hood was there, in his adopted homeland of Spain, to monitor the post-race fallout.

"Strength From Strife” is a must-read for any pro cycling fan, if for no reason than to get the background on this concluding passage:

“For seven unrivaled years, Armstrong was the master at playing all the angles. One of his strengths was his ability to play a multi-level chess match at all levels of the sport, both on and off the road, turning allegiances, jealousies and self-interests from rival teams, governing bodies, race organizers and the media all toward his benefit. That sophisticated juggling act was short-circuited by a Spanish momma’s boy who ended the myth of Armstrong’s invincibility.”

Everybody off the Bus!.....Now we're back on Track!! A+ Thanks for referring us to yet another eye opening report about the Tour that has taken some, a month to properly digest.
It's coming slowly..... but it's coming!! Thanks

 

[Berzin]

I think this "newsflash" makes LA look even worse than he already does. The best thing he could do is to not discuss this year's TdF. It makes him look small(er) and petty(er).

Agreed. What Armstrong expected from Contador is antithetical to athletic competition.

It was one thing when he was making patronizing comments about Ulrich being the most talented rider in the peloton when he knew that Jan never prepared well enough to challenge him, especially in the mountains.

But when faced with someone who was better, he resorted to petty mind games, contrived and cryptic sound bites to the press and those stupid tweets.

Fair play would dictate that if you get beat fair and square you take it like a man. That is what competition is about.

You would figure seven Tours would be enough to satisfy anyone's ego, but I guess not.

 

[shawnrohrbach]

How about this: I NEVER liked the guy...

His attitude, since the begining of his career, was the absolute worst. And his treatment of former teammates and Simeoni --now that demonstrated who the real Lance is, not the cancer surviver, not the Tour champion and certainly not his so-called mission to defeat cancer, which is noneother than a cynical and disgusting coopting of the sick to cover-up his doped career and to serve his future political ambitions, but a bully and a mafia-like thug who ruled as overlord of the peleton-- his approach to the sport as exclusively the Tour and, now, all of his utter disconcern for the dignity of a man who should have been hands down the leader of his team at the Tour this year and how he has tried to demonize AC as an unscrupulous and selfish traitor who dared to take matters into his own hands and defy a team which had all but abandoned him, when it should have sacrificed everything to put him in yellow all the way to Paris.

Exhale! Exhale!

Well said. Mr. Armstrong would do well to buy Mr. Bill Gates (of Microsoft) a nice lunch sometime and ask what it takes to move from being number one in the cut throat competitive world of software to being the leader of the largest charitable organization in the world. It takes dignity, grace, maturity and above all a vision for the good of all and not the aggrandizement of self. Mr. Gates has made that transition well and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is highly respected because of this tone in leadership. Need I say more?

 

[progressor]

Well said. Mr. Armstrong would do well to buy Mr. Bill Gates (of Microsoft) a nice lunch sometime and ask what it takes to move from being number one in the cut throat competitive world of software to being the leader of the largest charitable organization in the world. It takes dignity, grace, maturity and above all a vision for the good of all and not the aggrandizement of self. Mr. Gates has made that transition well and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is highly respected because of this tone in leadership. Need I say more?

Pllleeeasse!! Bill gates the good guy?? tell me you didn't type that on a windows box!!