IT'S OFFICIAL: Contador is Astana's leader

[hillytn]

agree with you Jasper. lots of people give levi flack for finishing 6th, not attacking and whatever else. in the end he finished ahead of armstrong, no questions, and he probably did just use the last part of the giro for some training after the chance of a podium was out of reach.

i don't think there's any confusion about contador being top dog for the tour. time will tell and we'll just have to see who ends up being the strongest in the end, though my bet on team hierarchy stands as it has been stated:

1. AC
2. LL
3. LA (will be in good form, but not where he used to be)

hoping for a good, exciting tour. cheers.

 

[Merckx]

Is LL even going to the TDF this year? Or is he focusing on the vuelta instead?

 

[Delicato]

During ATOC, Levi said that he would be helping LA win his 8th Tour.

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't think it is that clear: "the Astana director added that Contador's main rivals for the Tour de France - including teammates Leipheimer, Armstrong and Andreas Klöden, plus Denis Menchov, Carlos Sastre, Andy Schleck and Cadel Evans - were "a step below" the level of the Spaniard."

He lists Leipheimer, Armstrong, and Kloden as Contador's main rivals? Clear as mud.

I can't believe that Bruyneel is talking about Kloden in the Tour. If Valverde is a long Shot Kloden is actually a longer shot to participate.

 

[BroDeal]

I can't believe that Bruyneel is talking about Kloden in the Tour. If Valverde is a long Shot Kloden is actually a longer shot to participate.

You are thinking in last year's terms. This year the UCI and ASO have come to an agreement on doping. The Way Back Machine has been set to 1997, and we are going back to the time when everyone did everything possible to protect doping riders.

Expect Armstrong to go right back to doing what he was doing in 2005. Contador should be worried.

 

[ElChingon]

I can't believe that Bruyneel is talking about Kloden in the Tour. If Valverde is a long Shot Kloden is actually a longer shot to participate.

Well if Boonen is going might as well have Valverde and then Kloden, just wondering if Rasmussen will be there

 

[Zoncolan]

Expect Armstrong to go right back to doing what he was doing in 2005. Contador should be worried.

AC should be worried only in that he might not get full team support from the start, as for LA threatening him for the overall, I don't think it's possible. Top 5 is the most LA can look for, and no amount of Hog/Ferrari fuel can change that.
He simply isn't the rider he was 4 years ago, and AC has improved tremendously over the years.
As for JB being honest, I don't think he is. He's trying to play down LA's chances in the vain hope the other contenders will let him go. That won't happen in a million years.

 

[BroDeal]

Well if Boonen is going might as well have Valverde and then Kloden, just wondering if Rasmussen will be there

I hope we can get FLandis, Basso, and Vino in there next year. If Armstrong is allowed, why not those three? Maybe Ulle could come out of retirement. And Heras.

 

[Zoncolan]

I hope we can get FLandis, Basso, and Vino in there next year. If Armstrong is allowed, why not those three? Maybe Ulle could come out of retirement. And Heras.

Doubt Landis will be there. If he is, he might get arrested. Ullrich and Heras won't be there either. The Chicken probably will though. Basso and Vino as well. Oh, and when does Ricco's ban expire?

 

[RdBiker]

I can't believe that Bruyneel is talking about Kloden in the Tour. If Valverde is a long Shot Kloden is actually a longer shot to participate.

I'm actually looking forward seeing what kind of performance Klöden can show at the TdF. He has the potential so he's kind of a wild card for Astana.

 

[luckyboy]

Doubt Landis will be there. If he is, he might get arrested. Ullrich and Heras won't be there either. The Chicken probably will though. Basso and Vino as well. Oh, and when does Ricco's ban expire?

March 17, 2010

 

[RdBiker]

I don't really remember, but when did Ulle take part in Giro? 2006? But later that year there was an OP scandal, so he didn't have a chance to start Le tour.

Edit: BTW, what about Kloden? We had the information about Freiburg clinic, but it seems like UCI or ASO don't give a damn?

I had to check that since I wrote solely from my memory and he actually did it just once in 2006. But anyway he used it as training for the TdF and dropped out on stage 19. We didn't see his performance in July but we can safely assume that especially since it was the first year without Armstrong he was certainly going to be in 100% form.

The Ullrich example was just to show that a rider can be in poor form in May and top out in July.

 

[euphrades]

I think Contador is going to be the protected rider and Armstrong is going to be free to do things like win Mt Ventoux a mountain he has regretted giving the Pantani.

 

[LugHugger]

I think Contador is going to be the protected rider and Armstrong is going to be free to do things like win Mt Ventoux a mountain he has regretted giving the Pantani.

that's hilarious. lance has zero chance of winning on ventoux. have you watched him climb this year?

 

[jonjungel]

that's hilarious. lance has zero chance of winning on ventoux. have you watched him climb this year?

I agree. The only chance he has to win on Ventoux is to be 1 hour down on GC, and go in a break.

 

[Escarabajo]

I had to check that since I wrote solely from my memory and he actually did it just once in 2006. But anyway he used it as training for the TdF and dropped out on stage 19. We didn't see his performance in July but we can safely assume that especially since it was the first year without Armstrong he was certainly going to be in 100% form.

The Ullrich example was just to show that a rider can be in poor form in May and top out in July.

In 2001 Ulrich went to Italy also.

http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro2001.html#teams and riders

 

[BigBoat]

lance was very good at the Giro, dragging Levi and finsihing what, 13th? I dont believe Contador has enough total power to overcome Lance in the flat TTs. There were none of those in the Giro and so you didnt see Lances full aerobic power in a flat TT. In past years Lance was sometimes so so right before the TDF started, like in the Dauphine where a few would out climb him.

 

[Escarabajo]

lance was very good at the Giro, dragging Levi and finsihing what, 13th? I dont believe Contador has enough total power to overcome Lance in the flat TTs. There were none of those in the Giro and so you didnt see Lances full aerobic power in a flat TT. In past years Lance was sometimes so so right before the TDF started, like in the Dauphine where a few would out climb him.

This time I don't agree with you. I think Contador is plain and simple much better than Lance at this moment. 4 years off the bike is just too much. Like somebody said, we have to assume that both are on the same stuff, not just Lance.

 

[rhubroma]

lance was very good at the Giro, dragging Levi and finsihing what, 13th? I dont believe Contador has enough total power to overcome Lance in the flat TTs. There were none of those in the Giro and so you didnt see Lances full aerobic power in a flat TT. In past years Lance was sometimes so so right before the TDF started, like in the Dauphine where a few would out climb him.

BigBoat he's 37, been out of competition for three years, has way too much upper body mass: I don't think he can compete any longer at the top level. Plus he suffers rythm change, that's the killer, not the sustained effort but the repeaded exclerations nad decelerations on the long climbs. Nor is he still capable of putting out the watts over a 50k time trial. He did allright at the Giro, but far below his previous standards, whereas Contador should be entering his golden years.

 

[The GCW]

Will Lance lose that weight?

BroDeal -quote, "Expect Armstrong to go right back to doing what he was doing in 2005. Contador should be worried."

-0-

I have seen and heard mention of Armstongs extra pounds. He is not the skinny racer of 2005.

In previous Tour years, Armstrong was consumed. Today the Tour doesn't consume Armstong like in 2005...

Armstong is not the same -high performance- person, mind or body as in 2005.

In 2005, Lance didn't have to shed weight. Did not have as many distractions on His mind.

And what Lance has done for increasing Contador's will is huge.

And finally, Lance came out of cancer survivorship with an extremely high tolorance for pain that may not exist like it did...

-0-

I'd like to see today's Lance be the Lance of old. Looking at those facts though seem to indicate Lance is not in a position to honestly win the Tour.

AND, It is not realistic for fans to believe Lance can win it.

-0-

Ah but, He served His Giro commitments... He didn't dig too deep -to hold out for July... Nah...!

Yes, there is still 4 weeks but.... but ... but...

-0-

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THAT WEIGHT / WAIT!

 

[nobody]

The power of Lance on Contador has to due with the supplement... just cut the provider or flush some bad blood into toilets!

But the Menchov, Sastre, Schlecks, and other boys would still have their suppliers and their vitamins... so Lance has to be in front of them before ruining Contador's chances.

 

[BroDeal]

And finally, Lance came out of cancer survivorship with an extremely high tolorance for pain...

That has got to be the biggest load of Armstrong propaganda ever, way bigger that the high cadence junk. It comes from Armstrong deliberately deceiving people about what his treatment was like, and leading people on to assume that it was similar to what a person goes through when they slowly die from cancer. Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[hfer07]

'Trust us' - why is it when Bruyneel delivers a statement like that you believe the exact opposite?

agreed, but has to have some insurance to cover up the almost guaranteed failure of LA in the tour by promoting Contador as a leader...

 

[The GCW]

BroDeal,

BroDeal,

I could be wrong, but I think Lance endured a lot of pain in overcoming cancer. More pain than most people experience. I believe that a person who endures a lot of physical pain may have the ability to ignore or endure pain a little better.

It is reasonable to think a person who can ignore pain better than another person has an advantage in cycling.

 

[BroDeal]

BroDeal,

I could be wrong, but I think Lance endured a lot of pain in overcoming cancer. More pain than most people experience. I believe that a person who endures a lot of physical pain may have the ability to ignore or endure pain a little better.

And you know this how? Do you have first hand experience? I do.