Lance in Flanders

[scura1]

Lance did nothing in the Ronde, Yet there are many photos of him, way out of proportion with his efforts. I know its like watching Sir Don Bradman play backyard cricket, but one pic is enough hey?

 

[David Suro]

There are only four photos of LA that I could count, out of about 80 total photos.

Armstrong finished with the main group and did quite a bit of chasing and work in the race. He will never be considered as an 'also rode'. He is a marquis name in the sport and many are interested in his form and second comeback. He is a rider who very few people feel neutral about. Many like to watch him succeed and even more (it seems) like to watch him struggle.

Keep up the good work, CyclingNews.

 

[cyclegeek]

There are only four photos of LA that I could count, out of about 80 total photos.

Armstrong finished with the main group and did quite a bit of chasing and work in the race. He will never be considered as an 'also rode'. He is a marquis name in the sport and many are interested in his form and second comeback. He is a rider who very few people feel neutral about. Many like to watch him succeed and even more (it seems) like to watch him struggle.

Keep up the good work, CyclingNews.

True enough, thanks.

 

[Oldman]

There are only four photos of LA that I could count, out of about 80 total photos.

Armstrong finished with the main group and did quite a bit of chasing and work in the race. He will never be considered as an 'also rode'. He is a marquis name in the sport and many are interested in his form and second comeback. He is a rider who very few people feel neutral about. Many like to watch him succeed and even more (it seems) like to watch him struggle.

Keep up the good work, CyclingNews.

He rode a credible race but had helpers around him, almost to the end. The coverage I saw had him handing off any "chasing" at a casual pace but not showing any real power; as I would expect of him at this point riding those painful short hills.

As for the second reference he is, indeed a rider who likes to see his name on the marquee'. People wondering why he chose this race and not some heads-up showdown with Contador only need to look at the sponsor/$ redemption race for Vs. coverage. It's a smart pro cashing in, nothing more.

 

[Anonymous]

On trhe subject of HELP

He rode a credible race but had helpers around him, almost to the end. The coverage I saw had him handing off any "chasing" at a casual pace but not showing any real power; as I would expect of him at this point riding those painful short hills.

As for the second reference he is, indeed a rider who likes to see his name on the marquee'. People wondering why he chose this race and not some heads-up showdown with Contador only need to look at the sponsor/$ redemption race for Vs. coverage. It's a smart pro cashing in, nothing more.

I watched extended coverage of Sparticus himself behind his team car getting illegal help. Like him or not, LA only got legal help from his paid employees.

 

[Oldman]

I watched extended coverage of Sparticus himself behind his team car getting illegal help. Like him or not, LA only got legal help from his paid employees.

I saw the same coverage and he didn't get "illegal" help. His exceptional bike change before the base of a hill and navigating through the various cars to execute the change hardly represented any advantage. He made contact with the front group, rode to the head of the peloton and began his race.

None of that had anything to do with Lance, who pretty much rode to finish the race, as did his teammates. They didn't represent an effort to affect the outcome as individuals or as a team. Unless you have some extra special coverage I didn't see none of the RS boys where side by side pulling any part of the peloton except the middle and back end.

 

[BroDeal]

Lance did nothing in the Ronde, Yet there are many photos of him, way out of proportion with his efforts. I know its like watching Sir Don Bradman play backyard cricket, but one pic is enough hey?

You always know when the cycling season is in full swing: There is an Armstrong nearly story every day. Armstrong's Ronde bike. Armstrong's Ronde hotel. Armstrong's Ronde shampoo. It would be nice if some of these stories instead featured actual contenders for the race.

 

[180mmCrank]

Not sure you can read anything in to what we saw at the weekend. All the signs are that he will be in the mix at the TdF this year (barring any accidents) but that IMHO he will do well to make the podium - I just think there are too many other good riders in the way. But top 10 yes - if he doesn't implode trying to get top spot!

Be good theatre

 

[usedtobefast]

I watched extended coverage of Sparticus himself behind his team car getting illegal help. Like him or not, LA only got legal help from his paid employees.

all true. i saw it the same as well.

 

[usedtobefast]

I saw the same coverage and he didn't get "illegal" help. His exceptional bike change before the base of a hill and navigating through the various cars to execute the change hardly represented any advantage. He made contact with the front group, rode to the head of the peloton and began his race.

None of that had anything to do with Lance, who pretty much rode to finish the race, as did his teammates. They didn't represent an effort to affect the outcome as individuals or as a team. Unless you have some extra special coverage I didn't see none of the RS boys where side by side pulling any part of the peloton except the middle and back end.

i saw the drafting off the cars and it was very borderline. if you can get away with it, no worries, but still...
Lance rode a solid race, what is the big deal?

 

[Oldman]

i saw the drafting off the cars and it was very borderline. if you can get away with it, no worries, but still...
Lance rode a solid race, what is the big deal?

No big deal. Someone equated LA's finishing in the pack with Sparto's performance and implied he "cheated" with the cars. It's pretty much understood that a major mechanical occurring to a major player allows some freedom to use the multitude of cars that string from the back of the field. Those cars are also in your way and not necessarily contributing to a productive pursuit; particularly on those roads.
And then he won.