Susan, PLEASE delete this account like I asked.
Everyone else, here's my last shot.
I’m a tennis fan. I have been for years. Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal has evolved into a rivalry. It wasn’t one when they first played. It wasn’t much of one when Federer did most of the winning. But after numerous intense head to head battles, in the most prestigious tournaments in the world, they have a definite rivalry. They’re both top players, they’ve both been called the best in the world, and they’ve competed hard and well against each other over time. When the two of them meet in a championship match, either one of them could win.
Now let’s look at Armstrong and Contador. They’ve been in races together twice as teammates. The first was at the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon. Armstrong crashed and ended up in a ditch on the side of the road, and went home with a broken collarbone. Contador announced that the course was better suited to the characteristics of Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer than for him. Leipheimer won the race, with Contador in second place, fifteen seconds behind. Clearly there was no rivalry between Armstrong and Contador, or even Leipheimer and Contador.
Fast forward to the Tour de France. In another entry, I’ll discuss a bit about what I and many others believe took place. But for now, let’s take Armstrong and Bruyneel at their word. Don’t worry; I won’t make a habit of that. But let’s assume that they’re both telling the truth, that Lance didn’t intentionally leave Alberto behind in the wind to gain 41 seconds and leapfrog into team leadership, and that management, team and staff all worked to help Alberto to victory.
Clearly that isn’t a rivalry. Armstrong finished in third place, well back in time, and besides, they were teammates, right? If Federer and Nadal played as doubles partners against two other guys, working together to win, that wouldn’t be a rivalry. It wouldn’t be fair for their poor opponents, but it’s not a rivalry.
Alberto did have a fight on his hands against Andy Schleck at the Tour. Schleck did attack him, and did battle on the climbs. Schleck did finish second to his brother Frank on a stage, and was second in the overall classification, but more than four minutes behind Alberto. It might be the first step of towards a rivalry. Contador always mentions the young Schleck as his biggest threat for the 2010 Tour.
But Armstrong didn’t win anything on his own in 2009. He dropped out of the Tour of Ireland. And he’s the one talking loudest about how well he’s going to do at the Tour this year. Some other riders, managers and director sportifs have told the press that he can’t win. Lance just raced for a week, with both he and his coach, Chris Carmichael, saying it was the second fittest he’s ever been in January (after 2004), but he finished 25th at the Tour Down Under.
So where does the rivalry start, the one where they are on bikes in the same place working for opposite teams? Months ago it was announced that the two would meet at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. It has always been on Contador’s schedule, and for a while was considered definite for Armstrong. Now it's just been announced that he will ride the Criterium International, which is in the same time period as Catalunya, so postpone the rivalry even longer. There’s a chance the two might meet at the Dauphine Libere, but Armstrong could avoid France and race the Tour de Suisse instead – he mentioned those two as an either/or without commitment.
So far the rivalry only exists in Armstrong’s mind and the media that uses it to generate stories and interest. So what about the war of words, does that really exist, or is it a reality only to Armstrong and those who believe everything he says?
Everyone else, here's my last shot.
I’m a tennis fan. I have been for years. Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal has evolved into a rivalry. It wasn’t one when they first played. It wasn’t much of one when Federer did most of the winning. But after numerous intense head to head battles, in the most prestigious tournaments in the world, they have a definite rivalry. They’re both top players, they’ve both been called the best in the world, and they’ve competed hard and well against each other over time. When the two of them meet in a championship match, either one of them could win.
Now let’s look at Armstrong and Contador. They’ve been in races together twice as teammates. The first was at the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon. Armstrong crashed and ended up in a ditch on the side of the road, and went home with a broken collarbone. Contador announced that the course was better suited to the characteristics of Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer than for him. Leipheimer won the race, with Contador in second place, fifteen seconds behind. Clearly there was no rivalry between Armstrong and Contador, or even Leipheimer and Contador.
Fast forward to the Tour de France. In another entry, I’ll discuss a bit about what I and many others believe took place. But for now, let’s take Armstrong and Bruyneel at their word. Don’t worry; I won’t make a habit of that. But let’s assume that they’re both telling the truth, that Lance didn’t intentionally leave Alberto behind in the wind to gain 41 seconds and leapfrog into team leadership, and that management, team and staff all worked to help Alberto to victory.
Clearly that isn’t a rivalry. Armstrong finished in third place, well back in time, and besides, they were teammates, right? If Federer and Nadal played as doubles partners against two other guys, working together to win, that wouldn’t be a rivalry. It wouldn’t be fair for their poor opponents, but it’s not a rivalry.
Alberto did have a fight on his hands against Andy Schleck at the Tour. Schleck did attack him, and did battle on the climbs. Schleck did finish second to his brother Frank on a stage, and was second in the overall classification, but more than four minutes behind Alberto. It might be the first step of towards a rivalry. Contador always mentions the young Schleck as his biggest threat for the 2010 Tour.
But Armstrong didn’t win anything on his own in 2009. He dropped out of the Tour of Ireland. And he’s the one talking loudest about how well he’s going to do at the Tour this year. Some other riders, managers and director sportifs have told the press that he can’t win. Lance just raced for a week, with both he and his coach, Chris Carmichael, saying it was the second fittest he’s ever been in January (after 2004), but he finished 25th at the Tour Down Under.
So where does the rivalry start, the one where they are on bikes in the same place working for opposite teams? Months ago it was announced that the two would meet at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. It has always been on Contador’s schedule, and for a while was considered definite for Armstrong. Now it's just been announced that he will ride the Criterium International, which is in the same time period as Catalunya, so postpone the rivalry even longer. There’s a chance the two might meet at the Dauphine Libere, but Armstrong could avoid France and race the Tour de Suisse instead – he mentioned those two as an either/or without commitment.
So far the rivalry only exists in Armstrong’s mind and the media that uses it to generate stories and interest. So what about the war of words, does that really exist, or is it a reality only to Armstrong and those who believe everything he says?
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