Lance now Astana team leader...

[Robert Merivel]

at least today he is.

YES, YES, YES!

Then, in the TTT, if they beat Saxo by more than 40 sec and Hign Road by 9 seconds

VIOLA...Lance in Yellow!

GO LANCE!

 

[BikeCentric]

You are quite the saddle sniffer Robert. It's kinda creepy.

 

[Irish2009]

I think Amstrong was sending a message to Contador today(I'M BACK AND I'M STILL NUMBER 1).

 

[richwagmn]

at least today he is.

YES, YES, YES!

Then, in the TTT, if they beat Saxo by more than 40 sec and Hign Road by 9 seconds

VIOLA...Lance in Yellow!

GO LANCE!

I'm sure he wants to get as much time as possible given the dusting he's gonna get in the mountains. Can't wait for Contador to blow his doors off.

 

[Publicus]

He is leading in the GC amongst the team. It was a good day for Astana and hope Contador realizes for him directly.

 

[clydesdale]

Of course he's the team leader, always has been.

He SHOULDN'T be the team leader, but c'est la vie. I think JB is making a big mistake not catering to Contador's every whim, though. Lance won't be around for ever and Contador's the one he should hitch his wagon to if he wants to keep winning down the road.

 

[elapid]

Astana will not get 9 seconds on Highroad-HTC in the TTT, and definitely not 40 seconds on SaxoBank (even though they are not that strong). Astana are too disorganized to work effectively as a team in the TTT.

Lance did well to get in the decisive break. I agree with others on the Stage 3 thread: it would have been stupid of Lance, Popo and Zubeldia to either hold back or try to bring Contador back into the leading peloton because that would have dragged all the other favourites into the leading bunch as well. This will play well into Astana's hands because Contador has the talent to make it up in the mountains and ITT.

This definitely does not make Lance outright team leader though. To make up some time in a lucky break doesn't mean he his stronger than Contador or more likely to win. Stage 1 showed Contador's strength and he will only get stronger in the mountains.

 

[kloftus1044]

It was good for Astana that Lance and some teammates made the break. But to say Lance is the new team leader is a bit premature.

Think about it. Contador dusted Armstrong by 22 seconds in the first TT. That much power from a tiny guy like Contador is impressive. Once the Tour hits the mountains, the gaps will only become larger. We all saw Lance suffering like an animal on the climbs in the Giro. And we all saw Contador casually match every move in the Dauphine and then go on to win the Spanish TT championship.

Without a doubt, Contador is the main guy for GC on Astana.

 

[franciep10]

how was that sending a message, he was being smart, staying at the front of the pack and contador was not careful. If this was a mountain stage and it was the same situation then it would be a clear message, but when this reaches stage 7 contador will be back in business.

 

[Publicus]

Of course he's the team leader, always has been.

He SHOULDN'T be the team leader, but c'est la vie. I think JB is making a big mistake not catering to Contador's every whim, though. Lance won't be around for ever and Contador's the one he should hitch his wagon to if he wants to keep winning down the road.

He's not the team leader or a serious threat to GC. If he was considered as such by the other contenders, they would have chased (Saxo Bank, Rabo, Cervelo and Silence Lotto's leaders were all in the second group). Contador kept his eye on Cadel Evans and Menchov. If either of those two had made the break you'd better believe Astana and others would have given chase.

I will say that the press is going to have a veritable field day with this though. The Boss is back! etc., etc.,

 

[Publicus]

It was good for Astana that Lance and some teammates made the break. But to say Lance is the new team leader is a bit premature.

Think about it. Contador dusted Armstrong by 22 seconds in the first TT. That much power from a tiny guy like Contador is impressive. Once the Tour hits the mountains, the gaps will only become larger. We all saw Lance suffering like an animal on the climbs in the Giro. And we all saw Contador casually match every move in the Dauphine and then go on to win the Spanish TT championship.

Without a doubt, Contador is the main guy for GC on Astana.

+1. I think there is a lot being made of out Lance being at the right place at the right time. I guarantee if one of the Schleck Brothers made the break, then the second group would have dropped the hammer trying to catch them.

 

[aermet]

Armstrong

It sickens me to see Lance and his subtle verbal challenges, false promises of "whomever is strongest is team leader", "Alberto is leader" in interviews, and finally, Lance and his half of the team pulling on the front to gap off Contador when he was in the second group. That is such bad sportsmanship and goes back to the Hinault/Lemond days of Hinault promising to help Greg and then racing against him.
As if he's not had enough glory after winning so many tours. Alberto has proven himself in the very recent past as being capable of winning grand tours whereas Lance has not. To take advantage of a break like that and take pulls is low. In tours past, the entire postal/discovery team would have been driving to bring the break back.

Lance's stock has always been junk status with me but he's now descended to absolute worthlessness as a man.

 

[clydesdale]

He's not the team leader or a serious threat to GC. If he was considered as such by the other contenders, they would have chased (Saxo Bank, Rabo, Cervelo and Silence Lotto's leaders were all in the second group). Contador kept his eye on Cadel Evans and Menchov. If either of those two had made the break you'd better believe Astana and others would have given chase.

I will say that the press is going to have a veritable field day with this though. The Boss is back! etc., etc.,

Make no mistake, I think Lance is barely a threat for top 10 when all is said and done and will get beat handily in the mountains (not sprinter throttled, but due to the Team Time Trial, some mountain specialists will be looking to up the pace in all mountain stages and I think Lance will get dropped before a lot of other serious contenders). Contador is defniately the top Astana GC guy, no question about it. It's silly to think otherwise (although I'll admit I have no idea how Kloden will fit in to all of this)

I just think that Lance at the very least THINKS he's the team leader and that it will cause Contador to move to a team, eventually, where he is not sharing domestiques with anyone. He will win a lot of grand tours at whatever team gets him and JB will regret not bowing to his every whim.

Of course I could be wrong and Contador could be quite content. I doubt it, however. Incidentally Stage 3 at the tour de france didn't affect my opinion one way or the other.

 

[Archibald]

why does no one jerk off about Cancellara supposedly becoming the team leader of Saxo because he's now in yellow?

 

[Publicus]

Make no mistake, I think Lance is barely a threat for top 10 when all is said and done and will get beat handily in the mountains (not sprinter throttled, but due to the Team Time Trial, some mountain specialists will be looking to up the pace in all mountain stages and I think Lance will get dropped before a lot of other serious contenders). Contador is defniately the top Astana GC guy, no question about it. It's silly to think otherwise (although I'll admit I have no idea how Kloden will fit in to all of this)

I just think that Lance at the very least THINKS he's the team leader and that it will cause Contador to move to a team, eventually, where he is not sharing domestiques with anyone. He will win a lot of grand tours at whatever team gets him and JB will regret not bowing to his every whim.

Of course I could be wrong and Contador could be quite content. I doubt it, however. Incidentally Stage 3 at the tour de france didn't affect my opinion one way or the other.

I think Lance knows the deal. And he will probably move to own a team next year and take more of a back seat. He's going to need a dominate GC guy to warrant the dollars they will be investing and at 38 he has to know that he's just not the Boss anymore. At least not in the peleton.

 

[Anonymous]

why does no one jerk off about Cancellara supposedly becoming the team leader of Saxo because he's now in yellow?

Because Saxo showed who was team leader when they chased like hell with Sparticus in the break.

 

[Publicus]

why does no one jerk off about Cancellara supposedly becoming the team leader of Saxo because he's now in yellow?

Because we all know that when it comes down to it (a) he won't be there in the mountains and (b) he will definitely work for Andy or Frank. We've seen that play before and we know how it plays out. The Astana Drama is well . . . it's like Young and the Restless for cycling fans. You know it's mostly projection by the media, but you turn in any way to see what will happen next!

 

[richwagmn]

why does no one jerk off about Cancellara supposedly becoming the team leader of Saxo because he's now in yellow?

Huh? Did you watch last year's tour? Cancellara will work his *** off for the Andy when the road turns up. That's why no one jerks off about it.

LA's racing for the win. Cancellara has no illusions about winning a GT.

 

[clydesdale]

I think Lance knows the deal. And he will probably move to own a team next year and take more of a back seat. He's going to need a dominate GC guy to warrant the dollars they will be investing and at 38 he has to know that he's just not the Boss anymore. At least not in the peleton.

Perhaps. It's a tough situation and not something any other team really has to deal with. You have a 7 time winner who is back in reasonably good form competing with a young guy who won his last three grand tours. I'm no Lance expert, I just can't imagine Lance conceding to someone else even at his age. Maybe eventually after this comeback year is done, I just think he's too competitive for that.

Like I said, though, I'm no Lance expert.

 

[Pangaea]

Lance Selfish

It sickens me to see Lance and his subtle verbal challenges, false promises of "whomever is strongest is team leader", "Alberto is leader" in interviews, and finally, Lance and his half of the team pulling on the front to gap off Contador when he was in the second group. That is such bad sportsmanship and goes back to the Hinault/Lemond days of Hinault promising to help Greg and then racing against him.
As if he's not had enough glory after winning so many tours. Alberto has proven himself in the very recent past as being capable of winning grand tours whereas Lance has not. To take advantage of a break like that and take pulls is low. In tours past, the entire postal/discovery team would have been driving to bring the break back.

Lance's stock has always been junk status with me but he's now descended to absolute worthlessness as a man.

If Lance did not make the break and Contador did, you would have seen Astana pulling the second group along. At the very least, Lance should not have worked at the front of the lead group.

Lance's verbal digs, alluded to by aermet, and his actions so far at the TDF show two things:

1) Lance is ultimate not a team player unless he is the leader;
2) The multi-leader strategy for Astana (or for that matter, ano other team) can be a recipe for GC disaster.

 

[StayhomeLance]

All those years everyone sat up for Lance. 3 days in and they leave Contador behind? 7 years, no one on his team but LA was allowed to win a stage (but for Georgie in the 7th). LA is always the guy who uses his team to prep for July and then phones it it after the Tour. Where will LA be for the Vuelta? You can bet he won't be riding in support of anyone. This is no different, he's riding for his own account.

 

[Publicus]

Perhaps. It's a tough situation and not something any other team really has to deal with. You have a 7 time winner who is back in reasonably good form competing with a young guy who won his last three grand tours. I'm no Lance expert, I just can't imagine Lance conceding to someone else even at his age. Maybe eventually after this comeback year is done, I just think he's too competitive for that.

Like I said, though, I'm no Lance expert.

I think the highlighted portion is the critical difference. I think he knows that his form isn't as good as Contador's (the TT demonstrated that). I think he is going to remain competitive througout, but I think we the GC game gets into full swing on Friday (and frankly through the weekend), this is all going to play out and Lance isn't going to be there.

 

[Chomsky]

I doubt this makes lance team leader but it means that Lance will likely be ahead of Contador going in stage 15 or maybe even stage 18. The same goes for Martin. The only stage before stage 15 that Contador has much of a chance of gaining time is stage 7.

Today really set the stage for quite a lot of last week media drama. My guess is Lance's gain is more likely to threaten other riders podium positions than Alberto's eventual yellow jersey. But then again the winner of this race will be the strongest rider in week 3 not in week 1. Today just made the race better and more exciting for us all. It adds a bit of doubt when we were all believing there was little doubt that Contador would win.

really there are only two big days before the final week. Tomorrow we will see if Astana can effectively eliminate many GC rivals and we may lose a few GC contenders in stage 7. Other than that the yellow jersey race should not change until stage 15 or maybe even up to stage 18. Stage 15 is not that tough a climb, but stage 16 looks very hard and 17 looks just brutal. By the time Astana reaches stage 16 and 17 there may not be any reason for Astana to attack just respond as all the real contenders will likely be at least 1-2 minutes behind thanks to the TTT.

 

[clydesdale]

I think the highlighted portion is the critical difference. I think he knows that his form isn't as good as Contador's (the TT demonstrated that). I think he is going to remain competitive througout, but I think we the GC game gets into full swing on Friday (and frankly through the weekend), this is all going to play out and Lance isn't going to be there.

Yeah, you may be right. It will be an interesting site to see him do a little work when things fall into place after another week or so. You saw it in one stage at the Giro, but that was for Levi. It'll be interesting to see him do it for AC.

 

[blackcat]

if Lance can win, Contador's blood transfusion satchel never turns up, and he is competing blood (hemoglobin) capacity down.