Leipheimer broken wrist thread

[Doug Laipple]

Do not post here.
Instead, post on the Stage 13 thread.
I just started this so Mellowyellow, Melovelo, and Msjett would not be disappointed.

 

[The Barb]

Maybe it's just me ... but is this whole "don't start new threads without checking other threads" thing getting a little over the top.

I mean, I would have thought this subject justifies its own thread and not just being buried in the Stage 13. Otherwise, perhaps we should just have one single thread called "Cycling".

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Maybe it's just me ... but is this whole "don't start new threads without checking other threads" thing getting a little over the top.

I mean, I would have thought this subject justifies its own thread and not just being buried in the Stage 13. Otherwise, perhaps we should just have one single thread called "Cycling".

I agree. I agree.

 

[Mellow Velo]

It does. I'm all for having a single thread on this. Certainly, such a big name having to abandon is worthy of comment.
Let's just hope all the comments stay together?


I think Levi's abandonment signal's the death knell to Astana's podium whitewash, if indeed, they held that lofty ambition in the first place.

My guess was Kloden and Levi were going to share, "last man standing" duties, in the Astana train, through today and the Alpine/Ventoux stages.

Now, Kloden will have to shoulder this workload alone. This will put him right out of contension.

True, Zubeldia and Popovych will be burdened with the lion's share of mountain work, but they really should not be able to put the top contenders under the severest of pressure.
If the do, well, the usual suspicions will be raised.

 

[objective skeptic]

The forum nazis are strong, here

The more interesting take here, I think, is how it changes Astana tactics and the Armstrong/Contador rivalry. You've lost a key player, can they still train them along to make it a two-horse race on Ventoux?

Does Contador now go try to lay the smack down today to subjogate Armstrong to super-domestique? And if he doesn't, can Astana trying to ride both to the top now be exploited? I think so, and I bet JB didn't get much sleep tonight.

 

[The Barb]

True, Zubeldia and Popovych will be burdened with the lion's share of mountain work, but they really should not be able to put the top contenders under the severest of pressure.
If the do, well, the usual suspicions will be raised.

Agree, how can anyone not be suspicious of Popovych already, given his awful form for Silence-Lotto and the clear improvement since returning to the care of Bruyneel ...

I still thought Levi was a rough chance for the overall. He might, for example, have been given the task of covering a Sastre attack and could have ended up gaining three minutes on Contador and Armstong on a single stage. Unlikely, but not impossible.

While I wouldn't wish injuries on any rider, it has to be agreed that this makes the GC slightly more interesting. It offers maybe the slightest opening in otherwise impenetrable Astana wall.

 

[SpeedWay]

Happy times for the Astana/Armstrong haters. If u can't beat em straight up, hope for injuries or worse to take them out.

 

[Parrot23]

Tough for Levi.

This sure does break up the Astana diesel/train. Score one prob. for a more attacking style (re Contador) and opponents:

1) Will make it harder for Lance to sit on a potential lead out of ITT.
2) Makes it more likely opponents' attacks can stick if they can drop Popo and Zubel. near finishes.

Popo is totally loyal to Lance, but I could see Kloeden shifting here.

Wasn't he sitting on the plane with Contador to or from (forgotten, LOL) Limoges the other day, while Lance sat up at the front with Bruyneel? Kloeden will be thinking of next year: Astana with Vino; Caisse etc. with Contador; or Nike/Livestrong with Bruyneel.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

Happy times for the Astana/Armstrong haters. If u can't beat em straight up, hope for injuries or worse to take them out.

Yep. My only disappointment is that it wasn't Lance.

 

[Ten Percent Grade]

Yep. My only disappointment is that it wasn't Lance.

This is just a lousy thing to say.

 

[The Barb]

Looks like this breakaway is toast. We'll start again shortly and this time I'm SURE Moncoutie won't miss the boat ...

 

[Anonymous]

and within nine posts it turns into a lance and contador thread, as opposed to a levi broken wrist thread..

which is why i think the initial poster deemed it unneeded..

 

[lostintime]

Yep. My only disappointment is that it wasn't Lance.

You must have had your fill of vegetarian bacon today. What's vegetarian bacon made of? . . . soy and hate. It looks like yours was extra with the latter.

Go away.

 

[B.Rasmussen]

Bad luck for Leipheimer and Astana.

It really is in poor taste to wish injuries on the riders. Hopefully he will recover soon and without complications.

 

[benpounder]

While I wouldn't wish injuries on any rider, it has to be agreed that this makes the GC slightly more interesting. It offers maybe the slightest opening in otherwise impenetrable Astana wall.

For some perhaps... But for those of us who were rooting for Levi, and did not really give a damn about Lance and Alberto, it makes the race less interesting.

 

[elapid]

Leipheimer abandoning the TdF will certainly change the dynamics of the race. He was the one marking yesterday's break by Evans and Andy Schleck, and he was obviously Lance's #1 man. It will hurt Astana's ability to control breaks on the mountain stages and may hurt Lance's chances of winning the TdF. I don't think Astana was aiming at sweeping the podium, but that is a very unlikely event with some tough Alp stages and the ITT to come.

 

[Parrot23]

It will hurt Astana's ability to control breaks on the mountain stages and may hurt Lance's chances of winning the TdF.

Yes, agree.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Yep. My only disappointment is that it wasn't Lance.

Je hoort je te schamen voor die uitspraak. Bah.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

Je hoort je te schamen voor die uitspraak. Bah.

Ga ik niet doen. De hele sport (van de protour naar de dikke banden wedstrijden voor de kinderen) is allemaal beter zonder Lance + zonder Omerta

 

[lostintime]

Ga ik niet doen. De hele sport (van de protour naar de dikke banden wedstrijden voor de kinderen) is allemaal beter zonder Lance + zonder Omerta

If you don't like what you see, don't watch. Complain to your mother or something.

 

[Archibald]

disappointed for Levi - poor b*stard has lived in a certain-no-longer-allowed-to-name-rider's shadow.
pity he came back to make life harder for levi, then this happens to him.

i doubt it'll mess up astana but can't be too bad a thing for the other teams.

and b0ll0cks to all this censorship/no thread rubbish...

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

I don't want to see anyone get hurt. I just loathe the man and wish he had stayed retired.

I'd like to see him gone period. whether that is positive test (fat chance), scandal, dropped in the mountains, injury. Just go home.

I certainly wouldn't want to see him getting "hurt" in the Tour anymore than say, Filipo Simeoni or Christophe Bassons.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Ga ik niet doen. De hele sport (van de protour naar de dikke banden wedstrijden voor de kinderen) is allemaal beter zonder Lance + zonder Omerta

Look, you're entitled to your opinion, but wishing an accident or injury on someone is out of order where I come from.

So, Lance = omerta? Was the world of cycling an open and honest book in the years that Lance wasn't around? I'll stop, this is the wrong topic.

 

[Irish2009]

Pity about Leipheimer, changes the team dynamic, Kloden is the only other Astana that can stay with Armstrong/Contador. Sadly this might prove to be a pivital point in a so far boring tour.

 

[Animal]

So, Lance = omerta? Was the world of cycling an open and honest book in the years that Lance wasn't around? I'll stop, this is the wrong topic.

You do not have to have started something in order to take part in it.