Garmin - I say... "F**k em!!!"

[garth7]

I was a big fan of Garmin last season by in part of being a big fan of D. Zabriskie, but this entire season has been one disappointment after another.

So much talk from J Vaughters and D Millar and very little results to back it up.

Even Brad Wiggins, who I previously liked, recently compared the Hincapie incident to 911. What the hell was he thinking? I felt like I was watching an interview with Paris Hilton. It's apparent that he has spent his whole life riding a bicycle in lieu of education. What a complete moron.

Now after seeing that interview with Matt White after the Hincapie fiasco, I've thrown off the gloves. I say F*ck Garmin.

Anyone else feel the same way?

 

[Animal]

D'you think you could be taking all this to heart a little too much?

 

[garth7]

My initial post probably could be misunderstood that way.

Basically, I'm just getting at one thing. Garmin is a team of blow hards.

 

[Animal]

It doesn't seem so.

They've put up a good performance so far. Wiggins still has his feet firmly on the ground, VdV has accepted his new role of helper. They seem like a good team.

 

[velocycling]

"Hincapie incident" ???

Do you belive there was also a Tom Watson incident too?

 

[**Uru**]

Have not liked Garmin that much. They get all kinds of media attention, especially from VS, but they do not do all that much to warrent for it --do not recall them winning a single Tour stage.

Personally, I think JV is just trying to get argyle back in style....

 

[Kennf1]

Have not liked Garmin that much. They get all kinds of media attention, especially from VS, but they do not do all that much to warrent for it --do not recall them winning a single Tour stage.

Personally, I think JV is just trying to get argyle back in style....

The initial media attention that Slipstream achieved was due, in large part, to its internal testing program. That, in itself, was a contribution to the sport. This is only their second year in the Tour, right?

 

[md2020]

I was a big fan of Garmin last season by in part of being a big fan of D. Zabriskie, but this entire season has been one disappointment after another.

So much talk from J Vaughters and D Millar and very little results to back it up.

Even Brad Wiggins, who I previously liked, recently compared the Hincapie incident to 911. What the hell was he thinking? I felt like I was watching an interview with Paris Hilton. It's apparent that he has spent his whole life riding a bicycle in lieu of education. What a complete moron.

Now after seeing that interview with Matt White after the Hincapie fiasco, I've thrown off the gloves. I say F*ck Garmin.

Anyone else feel the same way?

nope.

The "Hincapie incident" is a bunch of media contrived BS. Don't get me wrong, I've always been a fan of George and would've liked to see him in the yellow but not for a second to I blame Garmin for that not happening. It's like a golfer losing by one stroke and blaming the last shot when there were 10 other bad shots that are just as culpable.

The much bigger story is the fallout from Cavendish being relegated in the sprint and effectively losing the green jersey as a result. George lost out on the yellow that he would've held for a single say but Cav lost one of the biggest trophies in the whole tour.

After Sunday's stage Versus replayed the end of Stage 17 from 2004 where Lance chased down a last kilometer by Kloden to beat him at the line by 1/2 wheel. Here was his quote afterwards,

“When I stepped up to the podium, (Bernard) Hinault met me at the top of the steps and said: `Perfect. No gifts,'” recalled Armstrong. “No gifts this year. I have given gifts on the Tour de France and very rarely has it ever come back to help me. This is the biggest bike race in the world and it means more than any bike race in the world. It means more to me than any bike race in the world. I want to win ... no gifts.”

 

[Sneekes]

I want to win ... no gifts.”

Absolutely. Yellow should be earned, if George had had the legs to go with Ivanov he'd have got it. If Garmin or any other team want to push to minimise the time loss - that's their prerogative. The fact that it hinders another team is a by-product of trying to maximise their own performance.

This has been the most contrived tour I can remember. Sport should be played to win. Thank God Contador is there to alleviate tedium.

 

[fatandfast]

To reply to this thread I am putting a condom on right now...not.Slipknot/HTC,Columbia is so popular because they speak English.Our magazine and TV coverage in the states is a complete handjob for these guys.No matter how far off the back somebody is on this team they are are worthy of an interview.I wouldn't mind if some of the interviews started off with "why do you suck this year?"or "man you look like cat crap on a bike.what is wrong?".The sport as a whole has great athletes most of which don't live in the US or UK.To go a couple of weeks into the tour and have a daily comment by some yank who is not in the mix is wrong.Slipstream probably has a bigger PR budget than any other team.No matter what if you put a mic in a guys face after he lost there is always a chance he's going to *****.

 

[Mellow Velo]

No, on the contrary, they have so far had a great Tour.
Get a grip.
Obviously, your post has more to do with the old USPS/Disco fan club, than Garmin.
What are people like you going to do, when these old dogs finally disappear over the horizon and into the sunset?

 

[Anonymous]

The initial media attention that Slipstream achieved was due, in large part, to its internal testing program. That, in itself, was a contribution to the sport. This is only their second year in the Tour, right?

and that my freinds is the key.. second tour, two giros, and already stage wins..

performing beyond expectation i would say.. not everyone is cervelho...

and when all said and done, two years and WE ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT THEM.. whod ever heard of a garmin sat nav two years ago..

 

[Coach Hawk]

Not sure what Vaughters take on it is, and I'm certainly not going to write off the whole team, but I listening to Matt White on the issue made me want to vomit.

 

[Pot Belgique]

The sport as a whole has great athletes most of which don't live in the US or UK..

14 Medals for British Cycling at Beijing would tend to disprove your theory....but it's probably the cold of living in our shadow that has dimmed your senses.....or do them athletes not count?

 

[avantage]

Well, on the contraray, I say f**k Columbia.
Perhaps it's just me, but sprint finishes do not interest me anymore. What's there to watch? I do check the over head replays, but that's all.
In the 90s oh my, there were real sprints. Even Cipollini with his train was wurnerable. Not this Manxman. Plain boring.

And I was cheering for him earlier this year!!


As for Astana trying to slow the pace, Armstrong forgets fast. "No gifts" But that's what they did for letting Nocentini wear the yellow for a week, then trying to give it to Hincapie.

So let me finish this post with f**k Astana too...

 

[dwyatt]

I say F*ck Garmin.
Anyone else feel the same way?

Not even a little bit. They are having a good tour, are down to earth and don't shoot their mouths like riders from many other teams.

 

[biker77]

After listening to Matt White, there is no doubt that garmin deliberately chased at the end of the stage. There is no public reason why, but clearly something has happened. Anyone know?

 

[cody_57]

After listening to Matt White, there is no doubt that garmin deliberately chased at the end of the stage. There is no public reason why, but clearly something has happened. Anyone know?

Not often you see an Aussie with nothing to say! White's story was about as plausible as the riders complaining about the safety factor of racing without radios!

 

[Mr.DNA]

After listening to Matt White, there is no doubt that garmin deliberately chased at the end of the stage. There is no public reason why, but clearly something has happened. Anyone know?

Among other things, Rolf Aldag calling Garmin "a great team of losers" last Tuesday probably didn't endear them to helping George grab the jersey.

http://www.bikeradar.com/blogs/article/a-conversation-with-columbias-rolf-aldag-22405

(credit to CFA for posting that link)

 

[The Dr]

After listening to Matt White, there is no doubt that garmin deliberately chased at the end of the stage. There is no public reason why, but clearly something has happened. Anyone know?

Are you sure they chased deliberately? Did you see 2-3 Silence guys inc, Cadel riding on the front in the closing Km's? If we're to assume that Garmin did chase George down, then how do we explain Silence Lotto's presence? Garmin may well have been just keeping the peletons speed up to keep their guys safe as Silence Lotto were.

 

[elapid]

What did Garmin do that was so wrong? Why should they gift the yellow jersey to any rider, regardless of who that rider is or their nationality, not on their team or not according to their plans? Columbia haven't complained about Silence Lotto leading out the chase in the final kms. Does this mean that George and Columbia expected the yellow jersey gift from Garmin just because both teams are American-based and George is American? Columbia and Garmin have history, there is no denying it. Have Columbia done any favours for Garmin? I don't know, but I doubt it. What comes around, goes around.

IMO, George may have been able to do more to ensure the time difference was greater and Columbia should not have lead out the chase in their greedy effort to have three jerseys (yellow, green and white).

I just do not understand why Garmin should gift the jersey to anyone not on their team.

 

[Coach Hawk]

I just do not understand why Garmin should gift the jersey to anyone not on their team.

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?

It is not an issue of "gifting" the jersey--it is an issue of specifically taking it away. Were the other 18 teams trying to "gift" it to him? Nope--there was no reason for them to go to the front and pull, so they didn't. No one (that I know of) is saying that Garmin was wrong because they were pursuing a race objective that just happen to conflict with Hincapie's. The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey. That is the only benefit from their efforts. And in a 3 week GT (or any other race for that matter), a reasonable team would only be putting out efforts to achieve an actual race purpose, not on a personal vendetta.

 

[TRDean]

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?

It is not an issue of "gifting" the jersey--it is an issue of specifically taking it away. Were the other 18 teams trying to "gift" it to him? Nope--there was no reason for them to go to the front and pull, so they didn't. No one (that I know of) is saying that Garmin was wrong because they were pursuing a race objective that just happen to conflict with Hincapie's. The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey. That is the only benefit from their efforts. And in a 3 week GT (or any other race for that matter), a reasonable team would only be putting out efforts to achieve an actual race purpose, not on a personal vendetta.

Who really cares? With all the smack talk and crying throughout the first couple of weeks of the Tour by Columbia...I am surprised they think anyone would be willing to help them. They are rediculous...now Cavs remarks about Thor not winning the Green Jersey fair and square? This is a team that is hugely talented...but they really need to spend this offseason learning how to behave like adults. I understand George being upset...but it is not Astanas or Garmins problem you are not in yellow. Should have rode a little harder.

 

[Anonymous]

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?

It is not an issue of "gifting" the jersey--it is an issue of specifically taking it away. Were the other 18 teams trying to "gift" it to him? Nope--there was no reason for them to go to the front and pull, so they didn't. No one (that I know of) is saying that Garmin was wrong because they were pursuing a race objective that just happen to conflict with Hincapie's. The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey. That is the only benefit from their efforts. And in a 3 week GT (or any other race for that matter), a reasonable team would only be putting out efforts to achieve an actual race purpose, not on a personal vendetta.

The reality is that the yellow was 6 seconds up the road, and Hincapie only has himself to blame. That, and feeling sorry for a team run by a complete shit head just isn't in me. I understand a fan wanting him to win, I am a fan of his. At the same time, it wasn't anyone's to give but AG2R and the FACT is that there many factors besides Garmin sending a couple of people to help that kept him from yellow. Picking out just one like you, The Hog, and the Uniballer seem to want to do is completely ignorant of the dynamics of that or any stage. Sometimes the good story doesn't happen, just ask Tom Watson.

 

[Anonymous]

And why should they protect the jersey for another team?

It is not an issue of "gifting" the jersey--it is an issue of specifically taking it away. Were the other 18 teams trying to "gift" it to him? Nope--there was no reason for them to go to the front and pull, so they didn't. No one (that I know of) is saying that Garmin was wrong because they were pursuing a race objective that just happen to conflict with Hincapie's. The problem is, there was no reasonable objective that they were pursuing except preventing George from taking the jersey. That is the only benefit from their efforts. And in a 3 week GT (or any other race for that matter), a reasonable team would only be putting out efforts to achieve an actual race purpose, not on a personal vendetta.

Got a link to the Cav quote? I just have to read those sour grapes. Really, those guys are a bunch of little wussies. They cry like their panties are riding up every chance they get. I can see why the Uniballer likes Cav though.