Horner' s interview

[auscyclefan94]

Yea agree, Sastre was the strongest guy in the race. You don't take 2 minutes on everyone else up Alpe d'Huez because of tactics. Also he only lost 30 seconds to Evans in the final TT...

I would probably agree with that hindsight. On Horner, he has always been a loud mouth American who just spins the cliches and crap around whenever the media talks to him so no big story here. After his win in ATOC he seems to rate himself very highly. I can't wait till he is put back in his place in 2012.

 

[Granville57]

On Horner, he has always been a loud mouth American...

We have a funny phrase for those guys around here: Loud mouth.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Maybe I am missing something but what Chris is saying is correct. I doubt his new teammates would disagree. Chris is a very astute reader of races, he will be a key help for the Schlecks.

If they are, in fact, better than him on this course.

I don't expect much from Horner GC-wise, but can't rule it out, either. One thing's for sure, though, he's definitely going for the win.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Horner has been talkin' a lot of smack the past couple of years.
I thought it a bit "interesting" when he so openly declared that Contador was the only rider capable of matching his climbing skills, which is why I was so disappointed that he crashed at the Tour. I wanted to see what he could do to back it up given his pre-Tour level of fitness and his overall confidence going in.


But the guy knows racing, there can be no doubt about that. He gives some of the most entertaining and well informed post-race interviews of any (English speaking) rider in the peloton. And he's obviously been around and knows how things work, which includes how the press works and the ramifications of saying certain things in interviews, so I'm surprised by how brazen he comes across. I do think it's difficult to fully judge out of context though—the context being the manner in which he was speaking. He's very animated and I'm not so sure that words alone accurately convey what he's expressing. But I definitely had some WTF moments from this latest one.

I hope he gets a chance to back it up this year. In this quote, "If Andy is the best guy at the Tour de France hands down..." I found the operative words to be "If" and "hands down." I'll bet that if he's even close to beating the Schlecks at the TdF he'll go for it. At his age he'd be crazy not to.

The one thing that jumped out the most for me was the, "...and I make €50,000 afterwards" remark. That's just not something that riders usually comment on when talking about a race. Maybe Chris is still healing from his concussion.

This jumped at me, too. Kinda weird.... not normal rider interview chat.

I can see him being animated and blarfing out hype but some of it, like the 'destroying the field' comment, that pushes the normal conversation envelope a tad...
a bit of brain mis-firing?

 

[Maxiton]

As far as his race reading goes, I agree with him, pretty much. Of course, his comments on Cadel's current team are mostly trash talk, but that's to be expected. His outlandish performance this last ToC was just that, outlandish. And I'm afraid that we'll see a similarly outlandish performance from his entire team this Tour upcoming. But any talk beyond that isn't for this forum, so I'll shaddup now. I just hope we see realistic performances and that the Tour isn't ruined.

 

[Granville57]

the 'destroying the field' comment, that pushes the normal conversation envelope a tad...

That's why I think some things get lost in print. I imagine him saying that with a lot of humor and enthusiasm, putting himself in the moment of just burying himself for the cause, but it reads very, very weird considering he doesn't exactly have Contador's reputation whereby every attack sends warning bells throughout the peloton. I'd be glad to see it though.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

haha, Horner get a star in my book after this

 

[Granville57]

haha, Horner get a star in my book after this

It is refreshing compared to the often canned responses we get from some riders. Not to mention that we're in the dead of the off-season and anything that brings some excitement into the mix should be welcome.

 

[cineteq]

Yea agree, Sastre was the Luckiest guy in the race.

Fixed it for ya!

You don't take 2 minutes on everyone else up Alpe d'Huez because of tactics. Also he only lost 30 seconds to Evans in the final TT...

Especially if he has a couple of his teammates on Evans' wheel

Horner knows what he's talking about.
Horner's comments are a wake up call for the Schlecks.

 

[auscyclefan94]

“Cadel had no teammates and he still has no teammates. With the exception of Tejay [Van Garderen] – and we’re not sure how he’ll do in the Grand Tours – they’ve signed no help,” Horner said incredulously. “And by signing Gilbert and Thor [Hushovd], they are effectively taking help away from him. He has less help now than he ever had in the past, and the guys that they’re paying millions of dollars to come ride during the Tour de France are going to take one or two riders themselves.”

I hope Lelangue is smart enough to send Thor to the Giro instead. Having Phil and Thor both at the tour team is problematic. Both should put aside their own personal ambitions to ride for Evans. He is the defending champion and a big favourite to win the tour.

BMC TDF team
Evans
Gilbert
Van Garderen
Cummings
Burghardt
Hincapie
Morabito
Frank
Schar/Moinard

Lets forget the time trials in the 2012 tdf and look at where Andy can get some time back on Evans.

Stage 8 - Not an overly hard stage but the final climb should be sleective. One final climb is not going to be hard enough to make any significant time gains. If anything the finish should actually suit Evans.

Stage 9 - Another medium mountain stage. I doubt it would be selective enough for Andy to do anything on the climbs but also there is a technical descent finish where if anything Andy will lose time.

Stage 10 - Another medium mountain stage that wilbe again hard for Andy to gain any time on considering how far out the main climbs are and the amount of descending.

Stage 11 - 1st MTF. A big mountain stage although in saying that the final climb to La Tousuirre is not overly difficult. It has some rather shallow gradients and suits the 'diesel' climbers like Evans a lot more. Although it is still a good chance for Andy to gain some time.

Stages 12 & 14 will result in no changes for the gc.

Stage 16 uses the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin and Peyresuode. Arguably this is the Queen stage considering how weak Peyragudes MTF is. Another descent finish. Imo Radioshack will have to set a pretty hard tempo to do any real damage. Another descent finish which will not work in Andy's favour.

Stage 17 is another MTF but ultimately it is not an overly hard stage. A few shorter climbs early in the stage until they get to the Port de Bales. The bales is a tough stage and could be a launch pad for Schleck. Peyragudes has an initial longer climb and then it dips and then goes up for a few km's to the finish. It certainly isn't the hardest climb or mountain stage going around.

We haven't even considered the mountain stages. I think Cadel's mountain goats will be more than sufficient and in a not very mountainous tour Andy's mountain goats will be redundant imo.

 

[Ripper]

Lordy lordy lordy. Chris talks smack and folks are taking it perhaps a bit too seriously.

This is typical off season smack. Lots of ifs ... "if Andy is the best rider" is a pretty big if!

A couple of corrections.

- not too sure if Horner can destroy that level of field anymore.

- I would not say Cadel has no teammates ... his team did a pretty good job making sure he was fresh for the mountains this past year. They sure protected him better than Crap Shack's protected Chris

 

[mewmewmew13]

That's why I think some things get lost in print. I imagine him saying that with a lot of humor and enthusiasm, putting himself in the moment of just burying himself for the cause, but it reads very, very weird considering he doesn't exactly have Contador's reputation whereby every attack sends warning bells throughout the peloton. I'd be glad to see it though.

Yes, I think you're right.
If half the stuff we say is taken out of how it is contextually said in animated conversation and simply scribed , then we would all sound deranged.

I will give him that. Still, I would not criticize or 'critique' my new teammate exactly in that manner.

 

[roundabout]

Acf,

Chasing down/Controlling long range attacks if and when they come should be important. Evans could relive the Alpe of 08 (and all other mountain stages of that edition basically) by having 3 or 4 Radioschack riders against him on a final climb.

Luckily the course is neutered to the extent that there are only 2 perhaps 3 such stages.

Still it's possible that he will need to rely on allies like Liquigas/Saxobank/Sky etc. Or be exposed to attacks from some of them as well

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

I hope Lelangue is smart enough to send Thor to the Giro instead.

dn`t think that Thor will do a year without the tour now, as he is arguably in his last year at his very top level

 

[Race Radio]

This jumped at me, too. Kinda weird.... not normal rider interview chat.

I can see him being animated and blarfing out hype but some of it, like the 'destroying the field' comment, that pushes the normal conversation envelope a tad...
a bit of brain mis-firing?

If Andy is on form and is the protected guy then destroying the field is exactly what Chris' job would be. He would go to the front and "Thin the herd"

Chris has kids, and ex-wife, and only a few years left. I can understand what he has already analyzed the possibilities.

 

[HL2037]

Maybe this is the teams way of motivating Andy. Maybe Johan is a tactical genius after all.

 

[The Hitch]

Fixed it for ya!

Especially if he has a couple of his teammates on Evans' wheel

Horner knows what he's talking about.
Horner's comments are a wake up call for the Schlecks.

I thought you said theres no luck to winning the Tour, best rider always wins.

Or is that only when you like the rider who is winning?

“Cadel had no teammates and he still has no teammates. With the exception of Tejay [Van Garderen] – and we’re not sure how he’ll do in the Grand Tours – they’ve signed no help,” Horner said incredulously. “And by signing Gilbert and Thor [Hushovd], they are effectively taking help away from him. He has less help now than he ever had in the past, and the guys that they’re paying millions of dollars to come ride during the Tour de France are going to take one or two riders themselves.”

I hope Lelangue is smart enough to send Thor to the Giro instead. Having Phil and Thor both at the tour team is problematic. Both should put aside their own personal ambitions to ride for Evans. He is the defending champion and a big favourite to win the tour.

BMC TDF team
Evans
Gilbert
Van Garderen
Cummings
Burghardt
Hincapie
Morabito
Frank
Schar/Moinard

Lets forget the time trials in the 2012 tdf and look at where Andy can get some time back on Evans.

Stage 8 - Not an overly hard stage but the final climb should be sleective. One final climb is not going to be hard enough to make any significant time gains. If anything the finish should actually suit Evans.

Stage 9 - Another medium mountain stage. I doubt it would be selective enough for Andy to do anything on the climbs but also there is a technical descent finish where if anything Andy will lose time.

Stage 10 - Another medium mountain stage that wilbe again hard for Andy to gain any time on considering how far out the main climbs are and the amount of descending.

Stage 11 - 1st MTF. A big mountain stage although in saying that the final climb to La Tousuirre is not overly difficult. It has some rather shallow gradients and suits the 'diesel' climbers like Evans a lot more. Although it is still a good chance for Andy to gain some time.

Stages 12 & 14 will result in no changes for the gc.

Stage 16 uses the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin and Peyresuode. Arguably this is the Queen stage considering how weak Peyragudes MTF is. Another descent finish. Imo Radioshack will have to set a pretty hard tempo to do any real damage. Another descent finish which will not work in Andy's favour.

Stage 17 is another MTF but ultimately it is not an overly hard stage. A few shorter climbs early in the stage until they get to the Port de Bales. The bales is a tough stage and could be a launch pad for Schleck. Peyragudes has an initial longer climb and then it dips and then goes up for a few km's to the finish. It certainly isn't the hardest climb or mountain stage going around.

We haven't even considered the mountain stages. I think Cadel's mountain goats will be more than sufficient and in a not very mountainous tour Andy's mountain goats will be redundant imo.

No way in hell does Thor not do the Tour. I know it might not be best for the team, but Thor is a superstar and one of those riders who wants to be on peak every year in July.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Thor want green :d

 

[maltiv]

Fixed it for ya!

Especially if he has a couple of his teammates on Evans' wheel

Horner knows what he's talking about.
Horner's comments are a wake up call for the Schlecks.

If you seriously think that Evans was stronger than Sastre when Evans gained a full 30 seconds on that little climber in the TT then you're quite delusional. Also Evans continued losing time to Sastre after starting doing all the chasing behind. Come on, be realistic. Tactics was a part of it, yes, but Sastre was the strongest. Also his timing up Alpe d'Huez (much faster than Contador this year, mind you) shows that it was no "fluke" by Sastre.

 

[maltiv]

I hope Lelangue is smart enough to send Thor to the Giro instead. Having Phil and Thor both at the tour team is problematic. Both should put aside their own personal ambitions to ride for Evans. He is the defending champion and a big favourite to win the tour.

There's a 0% chance of Hushovd starting at the Giro, he will do the Tour of Norway which runs simultaneously. Hushovd has already said he will ride for Evans, but of course he won't put aside his personal ambitions completely as that would be quite silly.

 

[cineteq]

Come on, be realistic. Tactics was a part of it

I'll give you this one, thus Sastre was not the strongest, yet he won the Tour.

 

[cineteq]

I thought you said theres no luck to winning the Tour, best rider always wins.

Sastre was the lucky guy out of the 3 teammates. Tactics won him the Tour.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I liked Horners interview because he said a lot in it, rather than just gave standard or safe responses. I am not sure why he or anyone thinks that he can be a GC force at the TDF. When has Horner EVER gone close to matching the heads of state in a grand tour? For that matter when has he even gone close to matching the heads of state in a single stage of a grand tour? Has he ever been within thirty seconds of a serious time trialer in a long ITT or been in the first or second elite groups of a major mountain stage?

Not once, and the guy has been around a VERY long time.

Being very impressive in June is a lot different to being so in May or July.

If anyone has ANY knowledge about Chris ever do anything in a GT that would suggest that he could challenge for a podium next year, please enlighten me.

 

[The Hitch]

I liked Horners interview because he said a lot in it, rather than just gave standard or safe responses. I am not sure why he or anyone thinks that he can be a GC force at the TDF. When has Horner EVER gone close to matching the heads of state in a grand tour? For that matter when has he even gone close to matching the heads of state in a single stage of a grand tour? Has he ever been within thirty seconds of a serious time trialer in a long ITT or been in the first or second elite groups of a major mountain stage?

Not once, and the guy has been around a VERY long time.

Being very impressive in June is a lot different to being so in May or July.

If anyone has ANY knowledge about Chris ever do anything in a GT that would suggest that he could challenge for a podium next year, please enlighten me.

Your right, Horner wont podium a gt.

But to the question about great performances in tts and mountains, he has some outside of gts.

In Pais Vasco he won the 24 km hilly tt. 2 days earlier he finished in the front group with 3 other riders on the queen stage. Those 3 riders were Gesink Samu and Valverde, the stars of the previous Vuelta.

He did however lose 40 to Klodi in the same tt this year.50 to Zabriskie in Cali this year 25k.

As for mountains, I would say this one was very impressive for a guy who was pulling the break over 4 mountains 2 days earlier.

1. SCHLECK Andy SAX 5h03'29" 80
2. CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto AST 50
3. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin KAT 01'18" 35
4. HESJEDAL Ryder GRM 01'27" 25
5. SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel EUS 01'32" 15
6. MENCHOV Denis RAB 01'40" 10
7. GESINK Robert RAB 01'40" 5
8. HORNER Chris RSH 01'45" 3
9. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen OLO 01'48" 2
10. KREUZIGER Roman LIQ 02'14"

 

[ghostofjoy]

I liked Horners interview because he said a lot in it, rather than just gave standard or safe responses. I am not sure why he or anyone thinks that he can be a GC force at the TDF. When has Horner EVER gone close to matching the heads of state in a grand tour? For that matter when has he even gone close to matching the heads of state in a single stage of a grand tour? Has he ever been within thirty seconds of a serious time trialer in a long ITT or been in the first or second elite groups of a major mountain stage?

Not once, and the guy has been around a VERY long time.

Being very impressive in June is a lot different to being so in May or July.

If anyone has ANY knowledge about Chris ever do anything in a GT that would suggest that he could challenge for a podium next year, please enlighten me.

most estimates put chris around 6 watts/kilo on the mt baldy climb, which would have matched the power output of the GC contenders in the tdf, or would have at least been close enough to make him an important agitator.

a quick look at his wikipedia page reminded me that he finished 10th in the 2010 tdf, after working for lance for most of the first half of the tour.

remember, horner was nearly invisible in the european peloton for his peak years, primarily because he was too stubborn to play nice with the USA cycling poobas.