Lance now Astana team leader...

[Publicus]

The people putting real money into the contest agree. Odds for AC (even money or even lessw) and LA (3 to 1) to win are tightening but odds for AC are really tightening. Smart money says AC #1 and LA #2. http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/cycling/tour-de-france/win-market

If forced to bet the house. That is what I would bet.

Doesn't mean they aren't betting on sentiment. I've seen that plenty of times, especially in sports like Boxing. My guess is the unbalanced coverage (LANCE!!!!) is skewing things for folks a bit. I mean Contador is KNOWN by hardcore cycling fans, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most Americans think he's got nothing on the Boss.

 

[Publicus]

Guess I don't take back the Horner not being selected comments. Popo must not have the form of years past if he is essentially dropped by the likes of Zubeldia and Paulhino, no disrespect to them at all. Unless he was pulling in the front extra so the final 5-6 could save a little gas for the last 2km.

Nope. Contador hit the gas hard out of a turn and he was gone off the back. But that's Popo for you. His form is hit or miss, and lately it's been a lot of missing (ask Cadel).

I saw Lance doing MONSTER pulls (he really wanted the yellow jersey IMHO going into the mountains), same with Kloden. I thought Lance was being generous with his comments about Contador until I watched the tape of the last 6KM. At 5'9 and 139 pounds (or thereabouts), the young man pumps out watts. Friday is going to plain fun to watch and I'm not leaving the house until its over.

 

[Irish2009]

2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:19
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:00:23
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0:00:31
7 Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Astana 0:00:51
11 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Astana 0:01:16

These are the "Six",Lance would be in yellow if he pushed at the finish(5th man over the line),to busy shifting gears!

 

[Anonymous]

Let me say this clearly. I RARELY come out flaming anyone. However it is a common characteristic of Armstrong fans to post barbs at those of us who are not with their first posts and many times their first few posts. Then the inevitable "you are a child" post comes along. Then the inevitable "I am above you: post comes along. Then the inevitable "I am smarter than you" post comes along. Then the inevitable "You are a sad bitter hater with no life" comes along. Then the "you are a ________ who wouldn't say that to my face" post comes along.

Funny, but you post in a respectful manner, and I will do the same. I have never flamed anyone who was posting in respectful manner. However, I am a pretty sharp tack, and when you step on me, don't blame me for being what I am. I am quick with insult and am damn good at it. I have seen may come and challenge me to an insult-a-thon, and I don't back down. Why should I when the person on the other computer took the first swing? You want to discuss cycling in a civil tone, be civil. You want to keep getting insulted by someone better at it than you, keep posting your sh!t. I got nothing but wit and time.

 

[Publicus]

2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
3 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana 0:00:19
4 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana 0:00:23
5 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0:00:31
7 Haimar Zubeldia Aguirre (Spa) Astana 0:00:51
11 Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Astana 0:01:16

These are the "Six",Lance would be in yellow if he pushed at the finish(5th man over the line),to busy shifting gears!

Too busy gasping for air. Dude laid it on the line throughtout the course (taking some monster pulls), so I ain't mad at him. I think at the end of the day, this was the best result for the Team (but not necessarily for Lance--though to be fair, I think he's moderating some of the bravado he displayed after Stage 3). Put time into all of the GC contenders but don't have responsibility for defending the yellow jersey.

 

[byu123]

Doesn't mean they aren't betting on sentiment. I've seen that plenty of times, especially in sports like Boxing. My guess is the unbalanced coverage (LANCE!!!!) is skewing things for folks a bit. I mean Contador is KNOWN by hardcore cycling fans, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most Americans think he's got nothing on the Boss.

For "Americans" that follow cycling at even a minimal level I wouldn't say so. For truely "cycling only traverses the synapses in my brain when Lance Armstrong is kicking a$$ in the TDF" types . . . probably.

I am an admitted cycling novice and "that old guy on Astana" fan but I have no delusions that AC is not going to dominate the mountains. I merely suspected as much until I watched the stage up Ventoux in the Dauphene. AC seem to be toying with Cadel. You got the impression that he could have done a sequel to the famous "the look" scene per Armstrong/Ulrich on Alp d'Huez in TDF 2001 but simply decided to wisely keep his cards close to his chest. Anyone who watched that race had to come away with the impression that AC has a deep well when in comes to power in the mountains. "That old guy on Astana" fan or not.

 

[Irish2009]

Why do people assume Saxo Bank will do the riding. If Rijis is a smart man he would let a group go up the road and sit(rest his team for friday) on it until Astana react(to give Armstrong a chance of yellow on friday). If Astana don't react some other team has to defend jersey for friday and Armstrong might lose his (only) chance of being in yellow.

 

[Publicus]

For "Americans" that follow cycling at even a minimal level I wouldn't say so. For truely "cycling only traverses the synapses in my brain when Lance Armstrong is kicking a$$ in the TDF" types . . . probably.

I am an admitted cycling novice and "that old guy on Astana" fan but I have no delusions that AC is not going to dominate the mountains. I merely suspected as much until I watched the stage up Ventoux in the Dauphene. AC seem to be toying with Cadel. You got the impression that he could have done a sequel to the famous "the look" scene per Armstrong/Ulrich on Alp d'Huez in TDF 2001 but simply decided to wisely keep his cards close to his chest. Anyone who watched that race had to come away with the impression that AC has a deep well when in comes to power in the mountains. "That old guy on Astana" fan or not.

Funny enough a number of the professionals saw the Dauphine differently. They thought the AC couldn't drop Cadel. But I was with you. It was clear that he wasn't going to go deep, but that he was having no trouble holding Cadel's wheel. I think he did a ton of psychological damage to Cadel over that 7 day period. Cadel is in the unineviable position of having to attack Contador with full knowledge that he cannot drop him. That has to suck.

 

[byu123]

Why do people assume Saxo Bank will do the riding. If Rijis is a smart man he would let a group go up the road and sit(rest his team for friday) on it until Astana react(to give Armstrong a chance of yellow on friday). If Astana don't react some other team has to defend jersey for friday and Armstrong might lose his (only) chance of being in yellow.

Columbia will be up front chasing any break as well. After giving it all for 2 Cavendish wins and paying the price in the TTT they will go back to the best shot at glory/recognition. Put the "Manx Missile" within 300m of the finish in the lead pack and hit the ignition switch.

 

[Parrot23]

You got the impression that he could have done a sequel to the famous "the look" scene per Armstrong/Ulrich on Alp d'Huez in TDF 2001 but simply decided to wisely keep his cards close to his chest.

FYI, some trivia: Lance insisted in an interview with I think Sherwin or Liggett last year that "the look" was actually not at Ullrich at all, but that he was looking farther behind him to see where his teammates were. Think he said he wanted to know if his teammates were there in case he blew up if his attack failed.

Doesn't change your point. Just trivia.

 

[byu123]

Dauphine . . . I think he did a ton of psychological damage to Cadel over that 7 day period.

Yes. Cadel did a lot of whining about Contador not racing to win. Fact of the matter is, if Cadel had any semblance of a decent team to contend the TDF he wouldn't have needed to rely on Contador so much to go after Valverde. Lotto must be paying him a ton of money to stick around.

 

[Irish2009]

If Columbia do that they ruin Martin,Monfort and Rogers chances for friday and chuck away any chance of good overall GC!

 

[byu123]

If Columbia do that they ruin Martin,Monfort and Rogers chances for friday and chuck away any chance of good overall GC!

I think that very decision was made during stage 3. Sure they gained 41 seconds but the next day they lost a lot more than that on several GC contenders to the GC men on their team. If anyone were even remotely close to Cavendish in the sprints they may have retained some GC aspirations but after completely smacking down and blowing away two of his closest contenders in the sprints (Farrar/Hushovd) they realize they have the chance to do some history making in the TDF in terms of the sprints. If they can just deliver Cavendish into the last km then its virtually a done deal for the win.

 

[Wheels Go Round and Round]

what you saw today was classic Armstrong TDF

windy day and putting the pressure on the pure climbers
these kinds of days will take the legs away from guys like Contador, Schleck and Sastre. This is perfect strategy to NOT let them recover properly.

I'm liking what I'm seeing.

 

[fpcyclingn]

Let me say this clearly. I RARELY come out flaming anyone. However it is a common characteristic of Armstrong fans to post barbs at those of us who are not with their first posts and many times their first few posts. Then the inevitable "you are a child" post comes along. Then the inevitable "I am above you: post comes along. Then the inevitable "I am smarter than you" post comes along. Then the inevitable "You are a sad bitter hater with no life" comes along. Then the "you are a ________ who wouldn't say that to my face" post comes along.

Funny, but you post in a respectful manner, and I will do the same. I have never flamed anyone who was posting in respectful manner. However, I am a pretty sharp tack, and when you step on me, don't blame me for being what I am. I am quick with insult and am damn good at it. I have seen may come and challenge me to an insult-a-thon, and I don't back down. Why should I when the person on the other computer took the first swing? You want to discuss cycling in a civil tone, be civil. You want to keep getting insulted by someone better at it than you, keep posting your sh!t. I got nothing but wit and time.

You're a has-not, can't-do, never-was. Armstrong owns you, in this life and the next.

Fail more.

 

[workingclasshero]

You're a has-not, can't-do, never-was. Armstrong owns you, in this life and the next.

Fail more.

"owns you"

a wannabe gangster i see

 

[Mellow Velo]

what you saw today was classic Armstrong TDF

windy day and putting the pressure on the pure climbers
these kinds of days will take the legs away from guys like Contador, Schleck and Sastre. This is perfect strategy to NOT let them recover properly.

I'm liking what I'm seeing.

You might see more with your eyes open, before you try to tell people what they saw.
What you should have seen was classic, Northern European, echelon riding.
Sure Astana rode smart. They took the front leeward side of the peloton all day and were allowed by everybody to hold it.
Coming to the front when they did, had nothing to do with wasting climbers, but keeping safe.
Saxo had Cancellara and, at one point, the Schlecks doing the work at the head.

The way you equate this team strategy to working over the own team's climbing ace, Contador, for the benefit of the team "guest", is quite ridiculous.

 

[Anonymous]

You're a has-not, can't-do, never-was. Armstrong owns you, in this life and the next.

Fail more.

Armstrong is an atheist.

And this is clearly schadenfreude under an new name. Why you posting under a new name you **** licking little twerp? Off to ignore land for you.

 

[Amsterhammer]

You might see more with your eyes open, before you try to tell people what they saw.
What you should have seen was classic, Northern European, echelon riding.
Sure Astana rode smart. They took the front leeward side of the peloton all day and were allowed by everybody to hold it.
Coming to the front when they did, had nothing to do with wasting climbers, but keeping safe.
Saxo had Cancellara and, at one point, the Schlecks doing the work at the head.

The way you equate this team strategy to working over the own team's climbing ace, Contador, for the benefit of the team "guest", is quite ridiculous.

Agree with all your points. You know, I couldn't hit on the English word used for a "waaijer", which is the term I've always used.

Until I joined up here, virtually all my cycling talk was in Dutch.

 

[euphrades]

You might see more with your eyes open, before you try to tell people what they saw.
What you should have seen was classic, Northern European, echelon riding.
Sure Astana rode smart. They took the front leeward side of the peloton all day and were allowed by everybody to hold it.
Coming to the front when they did, had nothing to do with wasting climbers, but keeping safe.
Saxo had Cancellara and, at one point, the Schlecks doing the work at the head.

The way you equate this team strategy to working over the own team's climbing ace, Contador, for the benefit of the team "guest", is quite ridiculous.

I actually agree with you completely for once.

This is the second stage in which I think we saw the two "leaders" working together. Armstrong said post the race that he finally thinks Contador knows what Armstrong is doing and stuck to his wheel. I am hoping the two have gotten over the leader thing and finally started working as a team.

 

[byu123]

Armstrong is an atheist.QUOTE]

Actually he's agnostic: From his book Its Not About the Bike:

I asked myself what I believed. I had never prayed a lot. I hoped hard, I wished hard, but I didn't pray. I had developed a certain distrust of organized religion growing up, but I felt I had the capacity to be a spiritual person, and to hold some fervent beliefs. Quite simply, I believed I had a responsiblity to be a good person, and that meant fair, honest, hardworking, and honorable. If I did that, if I was good to my family, true to my friends, if I gave back to my community or to some cause, if I wasn't a liar, a cheat, or a thief, then I believed that should be enough. At the end of the day, if there was indeed some Body or presence standing there to judge me, I hoped I would be judged on whether I had lived a true life, not on whther I believed in a certain book, or whether I'd been baptized. If there was indeed a God at the end of my days, I hoped he didn't say, "But you were never a Christian, so you're going the other way from heaven." If so, I was going to reply, "You know what? You're right. Fine."

. . .

Beyond that, I had no idea where to draw the line between spiritual belief and science. But I knew this much: I believed in belief, for its own shining sake. To believe in the face of utter hopelessness, every article of evidence to the contrary, to ignore apparent catastrophe--what other choice was there? We do it every day, I realized. We are so much stronger than we imagine, and belief is one of the most valiant and long-lived human characteristics. To believe, when all along we humans know that nothing can cure the briefness of this life, that there is no remedy for our basic mortality, that is a form of bravery.

To continue believing in yourself, believing in the doctors, believing in the treatment, believing in whatever I chose to believe in, that was the most important thing, I decided. It had to be.

Without belief, we would be left with nothing but an overwhelming doom, every single day. And it will beat you. I didn't fully see, until the cancer, how we fight every day gainst the creeping negatives of the world, how we struggle daily against the slow lapping of cynicism. Dispiritedness and disappointment, these were the real perils of life, not some sudden illness or cataclysmic millennium doomsday. I knew now why people fear cancer: because it is a slow and inevitable death, it is the very definition of cynicism and loss of spirit.

So, I believed.

 

[fpcyclingn]

Armstrong is an atheist.

And this is clearly schadenfreude under an new name. Why you posting under a new name you **** licking little twerp? Off to ignore land for you.

LOL. Somebody quote this so this twirp can read this. I'll bet my chromoly MTB frame that this guy is a washed-up grumpy old man whose lack of a life revolves around the INTARWEB. ROFL! And he probably has the power-to-weight ratio of a boat anchor because of all that ice cream he eats.

Second, bringing religion into the thread.... wow... you obviously never graduated college. Saying Armstrong owns "in this life and the next" is merely a way of expressing the sheer dominance of LA. It has nothing to do with religion. (On a side note, people don't have to be "religious" to believe that there is "something else" out there.)

Why don't you just stop talking? Get off these boards and go cry yourself to sleep over all that fat you've accumulated on your body from spending too much time acting like a wanna-be alpha male on da int4rn3t.