How will Lance Armstrong fare in the Tour?

[royalpig180]

I know what I think, but what do you think?
Will Lance do well in the TdF?
Why or why not?

 

[Delicato]

Even though it seems you are pretty new to the forum, it is still worth to check if there is another thread discussing LA (including the discussion about his Tour chances).

As for the subject of the thread, he will definitely make top-10. Unlike other forum members I am not sceptical about his chances and don't think (mainly because I stay pretty neutral (or it is better to say-I don't really care maybe because I am not American and Armstrong was neither idol nor a subject of hate for me) when discussing him and his (apparent) doping past). His team will definitely be a factor in the race and if they combine their efforts with Saxo and Liquigas they will make life hard for Astana. Though it is impossible for him to rival Contador in terms of sheer climbing speed.

 

[Vonn Brinkman]

He will definitely be in the top ten. If he is lucky top five.

 

[ErmOkk]

I still believe he can podium, just because you can't compare him there and anywhere else, like he feels a lot more motivated to do well.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Just another sad remind that the Giro is over and the forum will become swamped with repetitive Lanceothons.

 

[theyoungest]

Look like this could go into the Lance Armstrong thread. It is, after all, about Lance Armstrong.

 

[WonderLance]

I know what I think, but what do you think?
Will Lance do well in the TdF?
Why or why not?

Hey guys. Looks like its almost July.

Time for some good old fashioned Lance Love. Did you know that he weighs his food? I mean seriously, the guy weighs his food. What a legend.

 

[Jan the Man]

He has an outside shot at the podium.

He can top 5.

He will top 10.

I think it depends on how some of the guys from the Giro go, and what effect the early stages will have on ruling out competitiors.

Clearly, Contador is one level above Schlecklet and two levels above everyone else.

Armstrong, Leipheimer, papa Schleck, Kloden, Samu Sanchez, Evans, Sastre, Basso, Nibali, Kreuziger, Wiggins, Vand Velde (?), Rogers, Menchov, Gesink can all challenge for places between 3 - 10.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Hey guys. Looks like its almost July.

Time for some good old fashioned Lance Love. Did you know that he weighs his food? I mean seriously, the guy weighs his food. What a legend.

Yeah, I heard that too. Don't Trek make weighing scales?
That Lemond one he's been using must have broken, over the winter.

Anyhow, I hear Chef Duffy serves up a mean blood sausage......

5th in the Luxembourg prologue? That's awesome. He's a sure fire cert for the Tour on that form. Contador will be quivering in his Sidis.

 

[Jamsque]

I voted 'won't finish' because I expect him to push himself way too far in a monomaniacal attempt to beat Contador and pull a Tommy Simpson on top of the Tourmalet.

 

[M Sport]

I voted he won't start. I don't think he will start, but as the days go by I'm hoping like hell he won't start.

If he does start I will take a month break from here. Will be too unbearable.

 

[lancewillwin8]

I think he will win his 8th tour. The champ has shown that he is nearing good form with his ITT in Luxembourg yesterday. And this year he hasn't had to waste his time with the giro.

I can also see contador having big problems with his really weak team.

Andy schleck has been racing like a donkey and if he starts flying up the hills in july its pretty clear he will be doped up to his eye balls.

I cant wait for the tour...

Ps I cant wait to see how stupid all you lance haters will look come july.

 

[Jamsque]

Susan, can we get a freeze on new registrations until the end of July? Thanks in advance.

 

[richo36]

I think he will win his 8th tour. The champ has shown that he is nearing good form with his ITT in Luxembourg yesterday. And this year he hasn't had to waste his time with the giro.

I can also see contador having big problems with his really weak team.

Andy schleck has been racing like a donkey and if he starts flying up the hills in july its pretty clear he will be doped up to his eye balls.

I cant wait for the tour...

Ps I cant wait to see how stupid all you lance haters will look come july.

This is a joke right????? Cos he went well on a 20km ITT, it means he is going to dominate the mountains against Contador.

Waste his time with the giro???? Your right, But at the same time that will go down as one of the greatest GT in a long time, so he has missed out on one of the most spectacular races ive ever seen. To say you top ten in that Giro would be a real achievement.

I really dont think it matters that contador has a weaker team, as long as he has someone to protect him on the flats he will be good in the mountains.

I agree with Schleck, not to the extent of doping but more to the fact i dont really rate him that much as a main GT contender just yet. Couple more years and maybe yes but at the moment there is still alot more better riders than him.

And just to let you no im not a lance hater or lover, But the chance of lance winning are like winning the lotto. Top ten, maybe top 5, really depends on how people from the giro ride.

 

[UlleGigo]

It was a 2.5km Prologue not a 3 week GT. There's a slight difference.

I think Armstrong's tour de force performance of "Armstrong versus Californian Roadway" at the ToC is a better gauge of current form. Funnily enough it also acts as a perfect allegorical representation of what we can expect from him on the Tourmalet.

 

[Delicato]

Susan, can we get a freeze on new registrations until the end of July? Thanks in advance.

I won't even read the forum come July. Tons of new threads every day, huge number of wannabe trolls trying to hijack every thread... and constant media hype about AC-LA battle.

 

[Angliru]

I think he will win his 8th tour. The champ has shown that he is nearing good form with his ITT in Luxembourg yesterday. And this year he hasn't had to waste his time with the giro.

I can also see contador having big problems with his really weak team.

Andy schleck has been racing like a donkey and if he starts flying up the hills in july its pretty clear he will be doped up to his eye balls.

I cant wait for the tour...

Ps I cant wait to see how stupid all you lance haters will look come july.

Andy Schleck gets a top ten in LBL and is "racing like a donkey" and Armstrong has shown nothing in the way of form except a top 30 in RVV, a top ten in 2.5K prologue--and you deduce that if both show good form in the Tour Andy's "doped" and Lance is just what--pure as the fresh fallen snow???

 

[Mellow Velo]

Don't waste your breath.
He's just trying out another of his self-regenerating user IPs.
This one won't be around for long, judging by this and the even dafter comment in the Armstrong thread.
A quick report to Susan and he's dead meat............yet again.

 

[Ten Percent Grade]

I say podium. The exaggerations here and on this forum can be hilarious. After he fell in the ToC I can't tell you how many people said "we'll never see him on a bike again". Give me a break. Now he's in the ToL putting in a solid performance and the Lance haters queue up every excuse in the book as to why it doesn't matter. It matters. His form is improving. He will be ready come tour time.

I read the same thing last year: "he won't be top ten, he won't finish, pharmstrong this, pharmstrong that." The truth is he dropped everyone but AC and AS on the Ventoux and he will do it again this year.

I think he has an outside chance at hanging with Andy but Alberto he will never beat. He's just too strong.

 

[jens_attacks]

I say podium.

i agree with you.but if he can't make the podium,he certainly should be able to be in the top 5.

one of my wishes for this year's le tour is a battle for the podium or a top 5 between lance and vino.it would be so much fun!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Hey guys. Looks like its almost July.

*** edited by mod ***

My prediction, if he rides, is a top 10. His form looks to be coming along okay now.

 

[Bill Lumbergh]

I agree with a top 10 finish. With the team he has around him, he will be fine for that. Anything else (top 5 or podium) would be a surprise for me.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

The truth is he dropped everyone but AC and AS on the Ventoux and he will do it again this year.

Erm, the real truth is that AC was happy to stay with Lance, and Lance and FatHog obviously managed to persuade Riis and The Schlecks not to race so that LA could stay on the podium. I assume money changed hands, or some sort of deal was planned, perhaps to do with sponsorship or offers to ride with certain teams in the future if certain teams couldn't find a new sponsor etc.

If there had actually been a genuine "race" up the Ventoux Lance would have been toast, even with his rest day heamatocrit spike.

 

[saganftw]

Erm, the real truth is that AC was happy to stay with Lance, and Lance and FatHog obviously managed to persuade Riis and The Schlecks not to race so that LA could stay on the podium. I assume money changed hands, or some sort of deal was planned, perhaps to do with sponsorship or offers to ride with certain teams in the future if certain teams couldn't find a new sponsor etc.

If there had actually been a genuine "race" up the Ventoux Lance would have been toast, even with his rest day heamatocrit spike.

after reading your post Sherlock Holmes decided to retire...

anyway i think top 10 is very posible,i even think top 5 could be done,because riders usually do mistakes and loose time...one thing that LA did well over the years is perferct control over the race

 

[redtreviso]

how bout this? Will he abandon before he loses a full hour(his rightful place anyway)?