Lance Armstrong will win stage 15...

[red_flanders]

Well it is a crappy thing to assert. They were on the same team so probably knew each other to a fair degree.

It would seem to beg for some confirmation of the Armstrong quote. I found the comment surprising, as most of Armstrong's lies are more well documented.

 

[El Pistolero]

Stop living in the past. He aint entering many those things unless for tune up, and if he does, he isn't winning many of them. He is a bonafied GT animal that peaks for the best of the best in the modern age of le tour.

Copied from wiki:

2010 season:

Volta ao Algarve
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 3
Paris-Nice
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 4
Vuelta a Castilla y León
Winner overall classification
Winner combination classification
Winner Spanish rider classification
1st, Stage 4 (ITT)
3rd, La Flèche Wallonne
Critérium du Dauphiné
2nd, overall classification
1st, Prologue (ITT)
1st, Stage 6
Winner points classification

Now compare that to Armstrong when he won his 7 Tours. Contador is riding more and winning more stages. And do you really think he got third in La Flèche Wallonne without the intention to win? He also said in some interview that he won't focus all of his career on only the Tour de France. He also said he might focus on the Vuelta/Giro in the future. I'm probably one of the only people in the world that thinks it's more impressive to win the Giro and the Vuelta in one year then just the Tour in one year, but w/e.

 

[red_flanders]

Copied from wiki:

2010 season:

Volta ao Algarve
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 3
Paris-Nice
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 4
Vuelta a Castilla y León
Winner overall classification
Winner combination classification
Winner Spanish rider classification
1st, Stage 4 (ITT)
3rd, La Flèche Wallonne
Critérium du Dauphiné
2nd, overall classification
1st, Prologue (ITT)
1st, Stage 6
Winner points classification

Now compare that to Armstrong when he won his 7 Tours. Contador is riding more and winning more stages. And do you really think he got third in La Flèche Wallonne without the intention to win? He also said in some interview that he won't focus all of his career on only the Tour de France. He also said he might focus on the Vuelta/Giro in the future. I'm probably one of the only people in the world that thinks it's more impressive to win the Giro and the Vuelta in one year then just the Tour in one your, but w/e.

But that's the past! We can't live in the past, man!

 

[scribe]

Copied from wiki:

2010 season:

Volta ao Algarve
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 3
Paris-Nice
Winner overall classification
1st, Stage 4
Vuelta a Castilla y León
Winner overall classification
Winner combination classification
Winner Spanish rider classification
1st, Stage 4 (ITT)
3rd, La Flèche Wallonne
Critérium du Dauphiné
2nd, overall classification
1st, Prologue (ITT)
1st, Stage 6
Winner points classification

Now compare that to Armstrong when he won his 7 Tours. Contador is riding more and winning more stages. And do you really think he got third in La Flèche Wallonne without the intention to win? He also said in some interview that he won't focus all of his career on only the Tour de France. He also said he might focus on the Vuelta/Giro in the future. I'm probably one of the only people in the world that thinks it's more impressive to win the Giro and the Vuelta in one year then just the Tour in one year, but w/e.

Well now, going forward, we can just assume that Contador can win multiple GTs in a season without actually having to try to do so.

 

[rhubroma]

No a lot of people say that, but they're wrong. You only have to look at how riders who win the Giro and Vuelta usually fair in the tour to see the difference in standard. I note Basso was off the back again today....

But it's not Basso pre-OP.

 

[RedsharkO]

Well now, going forward, we can just assume that Contador can win multiple GTs in a season without actually having to try to do so.

Or we can go back and review the 2008 season.

 

[saganftw]

Well now, going forward, we can just assume that Contador can win multiple GTs in a season without actually having to try to do so.

for his own good i wouldnt recommend winning too much,if LA 7 TdF wins raise questions how about contadors (im sure bigger number) by the time he retires

 

[El Pistolero]

No a lot of people say that, but they're wrong. You only have to look at how riders who win the Giro and Vuelta usually fair in the tour to see the difference in standard. I note Basso was off the back again today....

I know, the best GC contenders focus on the Tour only, but Alberto Contador is the best GC contender for any Grand Tour out there(perhaps tied with Andy Schleck)

He doesn't need to proof him self anymore. I hope he won't focus on the Tour de France for his whole career like Armstrong did. I hope he wins some more Vuelta's and Giro's as well.

 

[La Pandera]

Well it is a crappy thing to assert. They were on the same team so probably knew each other to a fair degree.

Of course "knowing each other" and being friends is not exactly the same thing. Armstrong and Contador were on the same team and I doubt anyone would ever refer to them as friends.

That applies to Ullrich and Zabel whose interests had T-Mobile divided, Hinault and Lemond, Simoni and Cunego...the list goes on.

 

[inputjoe]

The Col d porte d'aste is on this stage and im convinced he will win this stage in memory of Casartelli, i can see him losing 20 minutes on stage 14 to allow his presence in an early break away

Love him or hate him wouldn't this be a very fitting finale for him

One good day in the Pyrennes won't do, Armstrong has been riding garbage for a week. He'll need a strong showing the remaining stages to make up for all the soft pedaling he's done the last six. If he rides hard tomorrow and happens to win but soft pedals the rest of the way to Paris his overall perfomance for this Tour will still be rubbish.

 

[flicker]

When the myth is shattered, attack the messenger, eh?

Simple thing would be to ask Ed Rader to back up the claim he makes about Lance's statement. Then you could argue the content of the post, not just attack the person.

Lance is showing his true mettle now. Boo hoo!

 

[Bennyl]

how can Lance go for the win, when he should be throwing his full support behind Levi? Fact is if he was still in contention, no other Radioshack rider would be allowed to have any ambitions - they would all be riding for him.

If he is allowed, it just shows that LA is a law unto himself and cares for no one bar numero uno.

 

[ustabe]

how can Lance go for the win, when he should be throwing his full support behind Levi? Fact is if he was still in contention, no other Radioshack rider would be allowed to have any ambitions - they would all be riding for him.

I concur 100 percent. We all witnessed that show a year ago.

 

[BroDeal]

how can Lance go for the win, when he should be throwing his full support behind Levi? Fact is if he was still in contention, no other Radioshack rider would be allowed to have any ambitions - they would all be riding for him.

If he is allowed, it just shows that LA is a law unto himself and cares for no one bar numero uno.

I think RS' switch to focusing on the team classification is a good decision. No one will care if Leipheimer finishes in seventh. With Bruyneel and Armstrong's previous record, aiming for sixth or seventh would be a disappointing letdown from the past. The team classification allows the whole team to work for an objective. Armstrong is probably getting the comaraderie that he wants as everyone pulls together to fight it out with Caisse.

PR-wise it is much better to portray the whole team as winners rather than the support crew behind a seventh place finish. When the execs from Radio Shack come to France in the last week, it would be better to show them the team battling day to day with Caisse instead of defending a top ten GC position.

 

[Bennyl]

I think RS' switch to focusing on the team classification is a good decision. No one will care if Leipheimer finishes in seventh. With Bruyneel and Armstrong's previous record, aiming for sixth or seventh would be a disappointing letdown from the past. The team classification allows the whole team to work for an objective. Armstrong is probably getting the comaraderie that he wants as everyone pulls together to fight it out with Caisse.

PR-wise it is much better to portray the whole team as winners rather than the support crew behind a seventh place finish. When the execs from Radio Shack come to France in the last week, it would be better to show them the team battling day to day with Caisse instead of defending a top ten GC position.

Fair point. i'm just stumped by Lance's riding at the moment. The way he is riding he must have a big crack at a stage win over the next few days because certainly isn't as bad what we're seeing surely.

 

[kiwirider]

The Col d porte d'aste is on this stage and im convinced he will win this stage in memory of Casartelli, i can see him losing 20 minutes on stage 14 to allow his presence in an early break away

It must be true - here's confirmation from the NZ sports media!!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/3933149/Lance-Armstrong-slow-by-design-claims-manager

Or do we just call the OP "Johan" from now on ....???

Hmm, nah ... I'll stick with the theory that his rat**** form is due to being afraid to run the normal programme given the attention on him due to Landis-gate and the AFLD's general statements about increased attention on the Tour before the race started ...

 

[BroDeal]

Fair point. i'm just stumped by Lance's riding at the moment. The way he is riding he must have a big crack at a stage win over the next few days because certainly isn't as bad what we're seeing surely.

Aside from the possible--very possible--lack of the dope that he is used to taking, his form might be brittle. With the lack of race miles and, perhaps, quality training, he might be in a situation where he is quite strong when rested but has poor endurance. The day to day punishment may have added up to crush him, so his legs feel dead all the time. The massive weight loss before the Tour could not have helped him.

He is far enough back that he could get in a break and no one would care. If he could pull it off then it would be a huge win for RS. Just simply having Armstrong out front for a long break that did not succeed would bring a lot of good PR.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Aside from the possible--very possible--lack of the dope that he is used to taking, his form might be brittle. With the lack of race miles and, perhaps, quality training, he might be in a situation where he is quite strong when rested but has poor endurance. The day to day punishment may have added up to crush him, so his legs feel dead all the time. The massive weight loss before the Tour could not have helped him.

He is far enough back that he could get in a break and no one would care. If he could pull it off then it would be a huge win for RS. Just simply having Armstrong out front for a long break that did not succeed would bring a lot of good PR.

The fact than nobody would care is more an insult than anything. You're a GC contender with your own team and you're so far back that nobody gives a crap if you head off on a breakaway? That's a slap in the face. It's effectively saying sure, go for the stage win because you're irrelevant to the real race even though that's the race around which you've based your entire season.

 

[BroDeal]

The fact than nobody would care is more an insult than anything. You're a GC contender with your own team and you're so far back that nobody gives a crap if you head off on a breakaway? That's a slap in the face. It's effectively saying sure, go for the stage win because you're irrelevant to the real race even though that's the race around which you've based your entire season.

His situation is what it is. He and his team have to come up with a plan to salvage what they can. An LA stage win would give both LA and the team a large amount of publicity.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

His situation is what it is. He and his team have to come up with a plan to salvage what they can. An LA stage win would give both LA and the team a large amount of publicity.

I certainly agree with that.

 

[skidmark]

Plus, as a fan, it'd be pretty surreal and funny to see a break composed of Anthony Charteau, Sandy Casar, Remi Pauriol, some Footon guy, and Lance Armstrong. Especially if one (or more) of them drop him.

Form/'form' speculation aside, maybe age has just caught up with him. Like Gilberto Simoni. It was weird to see him being beaten to the Cima Coppi by Johan Tschopp. Sad to see, but it was great to see a formerly dominant champion try even when he knew he wasn't good enough anymore. It would increase my respect for Armstrong as a sportsman if he did that and stopped dropping off on a cat 3 and then making a show of chatting with his teammate in front of the camera.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Plus, as a fan, it'd be pretty surreal and funny to see a break composed of Anthony Charteau, Sandy Casar, Remi Pauriol, some Footon guy, and Lance Armstrong. Especially if one (or more) of them drop him.

LOL. Breakaway awesomeness for sure. Throw a Milram guy in there for good measure.

 

[rhubroma]

Plus, as a fan, it'd be pretty surreal and funny to see a break composed of Anthony Charteau, Sandy Casar, Remi Pauriol, some Footon guy, and Lance Armstrong. Especially if one (or more) of them drop him.

Form/'form' speculation aside, maybe age has just caught up with him. Like Gilberto Simoni. It was weird to see him being beaten to the Cima Coppi by Johan Tschopp. Sad to see, but it was great to see a formerly dominant champion try even when he knew he wasn't good enough anymore. It would increase my respect for Armstrong as a sportsman if he did that and stopped dropping off on a cat 3 and then making a show of chatting with his teammate in front of the camera.

Actually his plan to just "sit back and enjoy the show" is rather vile and cowardly, given that, that way, he doesn't have to risk anything. It's a perfect excuse. I'm not here to fight, just to listen to the crowds. I've had my 25 wins, 7 titles, blah, blah, blah, etc.

Trying to fight for a stage win a la Simoni, by contrast, would be the courageous thing to do, although decidedly the much, much more risky. There he would risk making an utter fool of himself, if a debacle, by letting the tifosi see how truly inadequite his form is (and/or how far away his head is from the race). LA's ego and pride clearly wouldn't stand for this. His pride is already wounded. He must realize he's a bit of a circus side-show right now and he knows that going into a break would put the spotlights on him, and pressure; while potentially getting droped by a third rank pro would be like adding insult to injury. The king is nude and affraid of having the rotten tomatoes thrown at him on the stageset of the Tour de France.

PS: LA's collapse is decidedly bizzare, at least in the dramtic nature of it. On paper he should ahve been better than last year, when he fnished third. Different course to be sure (more difficult, etc.), but, under normal circumstances, one would have expected to see him in, say, Levi's position: not ages back and sitting up practically everytime the race goes uphill. I'll bet, in contrast with his public demeanor, he's been rather affected by this federal investigation. He says he wants to make it to Paris because not a quiter, or so he says; however, I don't buy it. I bet he'd rather be anywhere else at the moment besides this race, which must be tormenting him, but can't drop out because that would be a clear sign that he is quite upset and allarmed about how this investigation is developing. He is thus truly a man who is "condemned to ride his bike," which is very, very ironic.

 

[lancaster]

is there any bad blood still with astana/conti? is it possible conti does (or has vino do) a "lance", and chases down a break that means nothing just out of spite?

 

[ErmOkk]

LA shouldn't of have soft pedalled so much yesterday if he wants to win today... I can't seem to imagine that someone can suddenly go into the red for a long period after weeks of laughing with some teammates in the back...