Lance sure blows as a team mate.

[erader]

yeah kinda sucks they should support him more. la is 25min down anyways he is done mentally and probably physically as well maybe he will try a stage win move but he looks pretty crushed to me.

worst part about lance is he is still flanked by domestiques.

ed rader

 

[MacRoadie]

Once again, I'm STILL trying to figure out where this magical stage is that everyone says LA is trying to win.

Stage 14 to Aix 3 Domaines? No way, second group at best. This is going to be Schleck and Contador mano a mano.

Stage 15? Casartelli died on the Col d'Aspet, but again this is a stage for the GC contenders. No chance they give a "token" win on a battleground stage.

Stage 16? This is the Queen Stage with the Cat 1 Peyresourde and Aspin, and the HC Tourmalet, and Aubisque. Third day in the mountains, massive climbing stage, final chance for Schleck to gain ground on Contador. Plus, way too hard for Armstrong after two previous days in the Pyrenees.

Stage 17? Last day in the mountains and two more Cat 1 climbs and a return up the HC Tourmalet from the opposite side. Four hard mountain days. 38 year old legs?

Stage 18? 200 K, pancake-flat. Last chance before Paris for the sprinters. Maybe he gets in a break? No matter who does, they're gonna get caught.

Stage 19? 52 K ITT. The less said, the better.

Stage 20? No one goes on the Champs unless invited and I'm not sure there's that much good will. Maybe a ceremonial lead onto the first circuit ala Ekimov, but it's Paris and the stage will again belong to the sprinters.

 

[hrotha]

Easy answer. Vino's attack yesterday forced Saxo to expend energy chasing, which helps Alberto. Today's attack was perfect and didn't distract from Alberto in any way.

Lance wants to attack in the mountains, which is exactly where Levi needs the most help.

Oh, absolutely. I'm just saying there'd be nothing wrong with LA going for a stage in a situation where it wouldn't hurt Levi and where Levi already had all the support he needed from his other teammates.

Like today's stage, for example.

But I guess that crash in the neutral zone decided everything.

 

[erader]

Don't feel bad for LL. He knew exactly what he was getting into when you signed his contract. The team revolves around LA and everybody knew that going in to the Tour. LL is not complaining about lack of support (unlike Evans the past few years) so I guess he's OK with it.

very true. when horner and levi publically badmouthed their team captain last year because he would not "follow the plan" they had already sold their souls to the devil.

erader

 

[BroDeal]

Lance sure blows as a team mate.

Looks like he has totally given up.

Finishing 5 minutes down on a midlevel stage.

Sure isn't supporting Levi on the climbs.

Good thing he doesn't care about the team comp. Good thing he isn't top five on the team.

For whatever reason the team has decided that helping Leipheimer finish in seventh or eigth place is not a worthy goal, so they are now targeting the team classification. Horner here gives a blow-by-blow of the team trying to keep ahead of Caisse.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/horner/2010/07/tour_de_france_stage_12_chris.html

It appears the team is really tired.

 

[MacRoadie]

It appears the team is really tired.

Probably from all the attacking and defending...oh, wait a minute.


Never mind...

 

[Big Doopie]

...just watched the sbs highlights of the mende stage. hysterical that anyone thinks armstrong is "saving" himself. he looked completely destroyed when being dropped.

without vitamins, this is going to get ugly in the next two days.

 

[the vagabond]

Radio Shack isn't going to win anything by playing defense here - neither a top 5 nor the team classification - there's too much hard riding left. Either Horner, Armstrong, or Kloden need to try to get in a break tomorrow. Probably won't work, but they've got to be more aggressive, fire up the troops. Seems to me Horner might want to give it a shot.

 

[isayic]

Why is Armstrong looking at trying to win a stage when his teammate is fighting to get on the podium?

It's so simple. He doesn't know how to help a team mate. Last year I watched the Giro d'Italia on TV and could see that he didn't even know how to take bottles from the team car. He was always the boss and got all help he needed or wanted but it doesn't function the other way round.

 

[bobs nob]

The guy has a lot to learn.

I think any thread that is about Lance (which is just about all of them) should trigger an automated macro that says 'They have a lot to learn.'

Either that or we need some sort of contest to reward the first person to use it correctly in a thread.

 

[indurain666]

I think he is aiming for lantern rouge this year

 

[hrotha]

I think he is aiming for lantern rouge this year

Nah, he's right where he wanted to be. 36th. Just like in 1995. He's making a statement, folks!

 

[indurain666]

Nah, he's right where he wanted to be. 36th. Just like in 1995. He's making a statement, folks!

You are right..he might be clean now.

I hope he gets arrested before the end of the Tour.

Picture headlines:

"Take him downtown boys" said Special Agent Floyd Landis who, by arresting LA, culminated an exhaustive ten-year undercover operation....

 

[bobs nob]

Radio Shack isn't going to win anything by playing defense here - neither a top 5 nor the team classification - there's too much hard riding left. Either Horner, Armstrong, or Kloden need to try to get in a break tomorrow. Probably won't work, but they've got to be more aggressive, fire up the troops. Seems to me Horner might want to give it a shot.

I expect them to give some stage at least a shot. Even if they fail miserably. What a bunch of also-rans. At least millram's team has enough sense to make their disappointment public. It's ridiculous to try and paper over this. The least they could do is make a better show of helping Levi. Freakin' guy has to wait for help after taking a pee because the boss cant spare any of his entourage....

 

[bobs nob]

You are right..he might be clean now.

I hope he gets arrested before the end of the Tour.

Picture headlines:

"Take him downtown boys" said Special Agent Floyd Landis who, by arresting LA, culminated an exhaustive ten-year undercover operation....

That would be fun on so many levels. I would just love to hear the versus spin.

Bob: 'Caisse d'espargne is behind this to knock them out of the heated team GC epic battle....!!! ' What am I saying, Bob wouldn't even be aware of it, I think it would have to be Hummer.

 

[Anonymous]

I think any thread that is about Lance (which is just about all of them) should trigger an automated macro that says 'They have a lot to learn.'

Either that or we need some sort of contest to reward the first person to use it correctly in a thread.

It'll be our Godwin law.

 

[usedtobefast]

i do recall a certain Shack rider winning the other day.

 

[Anonymous]

You are right..he might be clean now.

I hope he gets arrested before the end of the Tour.

Picture headlines:

"Take him downtown boys" said Special Agent Floyd Landis who, by arresting LA, culminated an exhaustive ten-year undercover operation....

"Full cavity search"

 

[53 x 11]

Oh........ the thread is called Lance sure blows as a team mate.

I thought there would be some real evidence of Lance making himself useful. Giving relaxation services or what not.

 

[bobs nob]

i do recall a certain Shack rider winning the other day.

I forgot all about that. And Lance played a great role, along with about 180 other guys by not trying to run down the break.

They (RS) needed a rest after all the time they have spent on the front.

 

[hrotha]

Oh........ the thread is called Lance sure blows as a team mate.

I thought there would be some real evidence of Lance making himself useful. Giving relaxation services or what not.

Lance doesn't need to do that. He has hookers.

Although I suppose the 'blow' bit could be looked at from a different angle.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh........ the thread is called Lance sure blows as a team mate.

I thought there would be some real evidence of Lance making himself useful. Giving relaxation services or what not.

Maybe the guy doing the videos in the "Days of our Lance" thread could do one without the "as" if you want...

 

[Squares]

Why is Armstrong looking at trying to win a stage when his teammate is fighting to get on the podium?

Perhaps, he wants to be able to get up the road so that if Levi needs him he is where he needs to be without killing himself to give the best assistance (kind of like Voight on Madeline).

Of course it is easier to attack him than think about the strategy.

Oh, and on the subject of strategy, I sure hope that AC doesn't end up isolated in the next few days with Vino unable to hold the wheels because he burned all his matches yesterday and today. It sure would suck to see Schreck drop AC when he has no teammates left and gain 1-2 minutes and put the time trial out of reach.

 

[bobs nob]

Lance doesn't need to do that. He has hookers.

Although I suppose the 'blow' bit could be looked at from a different angle.

But how does that make him a good teammate?

 

[hrotha]

But how does that make him a good teammate?

He can share.