Ivan Basso: Lance Will be the Strongest

[auscyclefan94]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/2008-12-05-armstrong-contador_N.htm

"I'm going to be very fair about it and respect Johan's orders and respect the team," the 37-year-old Armstrong said. "If that means supporting Alberto or Levi (Leipheimer) or whoever it is, I'll respect them."

"It'll be the rider who arrives there the strongest," Bruyneel said. "Right now we know that Alberto is the strongest rider, and Lance, we don't know where he's at. Those doubts will be resolved during the race anyway, so for the Tour I hope there are no surprises or problems."

There's been more recent comments too.

The rule is always the same. The team supports the strongest rider.
Contador looks stronger and I don't think has shown his hand yet and Lance hasn't been close to winning in Europe. Popo finished stronger than he did in the giro. There's no proof that Lance should be team leader and Johan is no dummy.

That all said, I'm not being naive however. Johan has said that with all he's accomplished, winning alone doesn't do it for him any more. The idea of doing the unpresidented is what motivates him. Whether that's continuing to win every TDF his teams are in, for years or seeing Lance on the top step in Paris, or both, who can say?

We shall see.

Yes Johan Bruyneel is no dummy but neither is armstrong. he will use any 'evidence' to bend in his favour to lead the team in his favour. Lance Armstrong said in his comeback video that he is aiming for an 8th tour title. He will try to win. Also in johan bruyneel's book "We might as well win" one of his chapters was 'leave some dents'. Will alberto contador be one of those dents??? Jackhammer do u believe any cyclists who have tested positive say that their innocent? If so then your naive. Didn't your mama tell you not to believe everything you hear!!!!!

 

[Trev_S]

That all said, I'm not being naive however. Johan has said that with all he's accomplished, winning alone doesn't do it for him any more. The idea of doing the unpresidented is what motivates him. Whether that's continuing to win every TDF his teams are in, for years or seeing Lance on the top step in Paris, or both, who can say?

The unpresidentent is more than likely aiming for a win with Armstrong back from retirement rather than a being a DS with a 9th TDF win under his belt.
The bigger knotch is get that 9th with Armsrtong.

As for who Horner thinks is the team leader :- This is his answer to that question.
near end of video. (from 2:25)
Do you know who is the leader going to be this year for Astana?
"Haha! Ooh now you're getting in to the questions.. On paper it's pretty easy. Alberto Contador BUT sometimes you have to look further than the cover.. "

 

[Bagster]

the idea is to be strongest in july, not june.

he did shatter that collarbone pretty good.

seemed to be getting stronger at the end of the 3 weeks of the giro.

that said.

in my mind contador is defending champion. (he is ali to saste's joefrazier)
he is the peoples champion.

that in mind lance should help the defending champion.

He didn't shatter his collarbone at all. He actually had it surgically removed and replaced with a cylindrical silicone carbon tube. During racing the tube is filled with generation 5 EPO (Lance is always a generation or so ahead of the other guys). The EPO is then allowed to drip into his bloodstream via a molecular catheter that is untraceable to any form of current testing. Lance used the Giro to fine tune the relaease rate, hence him going better near the end of the tour. This from reliable sources close to Bigboat.

 

[BigBoat]

He didn't shatter his collarbone at all. He actually had it surgically removed and replaced with a cylindrical silicone carbon tube. During racing the tube is filled with generation 5 EPO (Lance is always a generation or so ahead of the other guys). The EPO is then allowed to drip into his bloodstream via a molecular catheter that is untraceable to any form of current testing. Lance used the Giro to fine tune the relaease rate, hence him going better near the end of the tour. This from reliable sources close to Bigboat.

hahaha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MxMRmooVk0&feature=player_embedded