Official Lance Armstrong thread

[byu123]

It is the same reason that Hamilton and Landis are reviled. They continue to lie about it, even long after it is obvious that they are guilty. If Armstrong would man up to what he did then there would not be such revulsion for him. Instead he continues to deceive cancer patients. That is just disgusting.

The only people with revulsion against Armstrong are those that harbor it due to jealousy that either they or their favorite cyclist just can't compare. They mask this jealousy with the mantra that they revile him because he "doped" even though there is not one scintilla of reliable evidence whatsoever (not Ashenden, not the 1999 bogus samples, not the bunch of hearsay by people who have never testified under oath under penalty of perjury, etc, etc. etc. This so called evidence amounts to a bunch of cobbled together steaming pile of BS and nothing more).

How about some cold hard FACTS. Today after being tested 40+ times since his comeback, being monitored via biological passport, knowing that a autologous blood doping test is imminent (thus no mystery frozen bags of blood etc.). He climbs with the absolute very best of the peloton. Marks the acceleration of A. Schleck. Reels in the acceleration of Evans. And played the role of a responsible team mate who has a rider up the road. The marking of the accelerations by Schleck and Evans clearly indicated he had more in the tank. Who knows what would have happened if he had followed Contador's wheel. We still don't know the answer to that . . . because he wasn't being a selfish a$$ as a team mate.

Those are the facts boys. Armstrong at 37 after 3 years of retirement and riding absolutely clean matched the best of the best in the peloton. Deal with. Get over the whining . . . "but, but, but . . . its only because he dopes" tired and pathetic arguement. It makes your jealousy and naivete look all the more obvious.

 

[byu123]

Goddamit. There is a doping thread. Take it over there.

You will never again see me initiate any discussion of doping in this forum. But I will respond without reservation to those that don't have the courtesy to do the same.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Telling interview with LA at the end. The plan wasn't for AC to take the jersey today. LA doesn't look happy. He's the team guy when it suits his purpose. Love to be in on the team meeting.

....and with this is the stupidity of Armstrong. If Contador is to win he wants to do it the Armstrong way. ie make himself look good in the process. LA will get a drubbing. 21 seconds in just over 1km is massive. Imagine when he attacks on Ventoux... it will be more like 4 minutes. Tour over here folks. A.Contador take your yellow jersey back to Spain. Everyone else thanks for turning up and as a prize you get to see a guy who is going to win 8 Tours clean.

 

[dadoorsron]

Maybe we won't have to see Bob Roll kissing LA's *** every day now too. Congrats to Contador. Amazing attack.

I wouldn't put his effort in an amazing category. 21 seconds in a 4.7 percent grade in the last K. an attack yeah amazing no way. If Kloden, Levi, and Armstrong wasn't on the same team I don't think we would of crossed the line alone.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Best write up I've seen here:

With a little under 18 km to go for the leaders, the gap dropped under 8 minutes.

The points for the third intermediate sprint went to Gutierrez, Pineau and Frohlinger.

The main chasing group was down to 50 or 60 riders, with a solid representation of the G.C. contenders riding at the front. Both Leipheimer and Cavendish have recovered from their fall and are back near the front of the first peloton.

At 10km, when the climb to Arcalis starts in earnest, the gap has dropped under 7 minutes. The climb hits 8.7% right at the start and may prove to be the undoing for the leaders. The Astana contingent at the front was joined by some Saxo Bank and Silence-Lotto riders. Jens Voigt, Charlie Wegelius, Cadel Evans and Matt Lloyd have all moved up.

Kuschynski was once again in no-man’s land as the peloton moved to within 6 minutes of the leaders. Riblon and Noncentini are setting the pace in the break, while Astana’s Paulinho, Popovych and Zubeldia are pulling the peloton.

With 7km to go, the gap was about 5 and a half minutes and it was looking increasingly likely that Nocentini or Pineau would be wearing yellow tomorrow.

Brice Feillu (Agritubel) attacked the lead group and opened up a bit of a lead. His break companion Gutierrez dropped back however. The former group of nine at the front had splintered quite a bit. Then we saw Cancellara fall of the back of the peloton.

If Feillu was able to hold on, he’d be looking at a stage win, but it wouldn’t really impact the G.C. He’s a ways back. That said, a couple of his break companions may be able to take the leader’s jersey.

In the final kilometers, Cadel Evans attacked the peloton, but he was quickly marked by Andreas Kloden. Lance Armstrong jumped onto his wheel as well. Then, Andy Schleck came by. Armstrong and Contador both gave chase. Quickly, it was Contador who was being chased by Armstrong and Schleck. It appears that he was just waiting for his moment. Up front, Feillu rolls across the line for the win, but Contador raced on. Evans, Schleck, Armstrong, and now, Christian Vande Velde are on the chase.

 

[Robert Merivel]

Contador should be hanging out with the Caisse boys when he is not racing. He will get more support from them than Armstrong's crew.

Oh really?

Are you the Source, AGAIN (yawn), on this one?

 

[dadoorsron]

....and with this is the stupidity of Armstrong. If Contador is to win he wants to do it the Armstrong way. ie make himself look good in the process. LA will get a drubbing. 21 seconds in just over 1km is massive. Imagine when he attacks on Ventoux... it will be more like 4 minutes. Tour over here folks. A.Contador take your yellow jersey back to Spain. Everyone else thanks for turning up and as a prize you get to see a guy who is going to win 8 Tours clean.

Again why would you ride after a teammate? I don't see t-mobile on there jersey. 21 seconds on the top contenders in the last K at 4.7 percent grade. I think a club rider could get 21 seconds on the guys when you have a team as strong as astana dragging everyone back to the peleton.

 

[whiteboytrash]

I think a club rider could get 21 seconds on the guys when you have a team as strong as astana dragging everyone back to the peleton.

Agreed. Armstrong is a club rider.

 

[dadoorsron]

Agreed. Armstrong is a club rider.

lol yeah a club rider with 7 tour wins against riders that can be considered better competiton then current contenders.

 

[Bala Verde]

Armstrong not too happy about Contador's attack which 'wasn't the plan'

Armstrong interview after the stage

 

[richwagmn]

I wouldn't put his effort in an amazing category. 21 seconds in a 4.7 percent grade in the last K. an attack yeah amazing no way. If Kloden, Levi, and Armstrong wasn't on the same team I don't think we would of crossed the line alone.

Why didn't Evans and A Schleck respond then? Saying Kloden and Levi are better climbers than those two?

We know LL can't respond to accellerations like Contadors.

 

[dadoorsron]

Armstrong not too happy about Contador's attack which 'wasn't the plan'

Armstrong interview after the stage

I think Contador just split the team. I feel he will be riding very alone.

 

[Robert Merivel]

....and with this is the stupidity of Armstrong. If Contador is to win he wants to do it the Armstrong way. ie make himself look good in the process. LA will get a drubbing. 21 seconds in just over 1km is massive. Imagine when he attacks on Ventoux... it will be more like 4 minutes. Tour over here folks. A.Contador take your yellow jersey back to Spain. Everyone else thanks for turning up and as a prize you get to see a guy who is going to win 8 Tours clean.

Talking trash again, "white"boy. Dhat's sweet mawn.

If you don't think Lance couldn't have had the yellow jersey today, then your still out of the loop. He gave AC the opportunity and AC didn't have it today. Maybe tomorrow, ya say?

Things are just beginning to heat up. Oh, I forgot, Lance is just gonna roll over and quietly disappear, just for you.

 

[byu123]

Agreed. Armstrong is a club rider.

Guess that makes A. Schleck, Cadel, Sastre, and Menchov just "club riders" as well cuz that other "club rider" easily marked their moves today.

 

[Zen Master]

I wouldn't put his effort in an amazing category. 21 seconds in a 4.7 percent grade in the last K. an attack yeah amazing no way. If Kloden, Levi, and Armstrong wasn't on the same team I don't think we would of crossed the line alone.

Ohhh fanboys have a new mantra: No one couldn't follow Contador, only Lance could but he just don't want to be a bad teammate !?! Hilarious !!!
And we talking about same Lance Armstrong a good teammate from stage No 3 who work like a maniac with Columbia crew against more than a half of his own Astana team !!!??

 

[dadoorsron]

Why didn't Evans and A Schleck respond then? Saying Kloden and Levi are better climbers than those two?

We know LL can't respond to accellerations like Contadors.

He didn't respond to the accelleration. Contador is on team astana. You don't chase down your own team mate, Unless you are on the t-mobile team. Evans isn't a contender! Schleck I don't know. Schleck went but, astana caught him quickly. Levi is a good climber. I don't think he has the legs if he just trained to race the tour itself. Just like riders in the past. Someone would attack Ullrich and then he would be right next to you in the next 500 meters. had to get the engine running.

 

[richwagmn]

I think Contador just split the team. I feel he will be riding very alone.

Oh BS. LA has been working to split this team since his comeback. Nice to see AC has some balls and is not gonna roll over for LA.

 

[dadoorsron]

Ohhh fanboys have a new mantra: No one couldn't follow Contador, only Lance could but he just don't want to be a bad teammate !?! Hilarious !!!
And we talking about same Lance Armstrong a good teammate from stage No 3 who work like a maniac with Columbia crew against more than a half of his own Astana team !!!??

I hate to say it but Bruyneel called those guys to the front not lance. Bruyneel in an interview said that. He made the choose to work at the front. Contador missed the break because he is a young rider and doesn't know better. He wasn't paying attention.

I don't understand how people don't understand that you don't chase down your own teammate. A johan lead team has never chased down one of there team memebers.

 

[byu123]

I think Contador just split the team. I feel he will be riding very alone.

Yeah . . . I think those were some very expensive seconds he gained today in terms of turning fence sitters on Astana away from him and towards the "older guy."

The "older guy" commented its a "three week race" and there will be plenty of times in the coming weeks when there are only "two people" up the road.

Hard to believe he did it but Contador suceeded in making himself look like the a$$ on the team and Armstrong look like the responsible team player not out for his own glory.

 

[euphrades]

Yeah . . . Hard to believe he did it but Contador suceeded in making himself look like the a$$ on the team and Armstrong look like the responsible team player not out for his own glory.

How did he do that i am curious to your take?

 

[dadoorsron]

Oh BS. LA has been working to split this team since his comeback. Nice to see AC has some balls and is not gonna roll over for LA.

What evidence to do you have to support your opinion? It's just your opinion because you don't like LA for some reason. That's fine but, a 37 year old man riding at this high level is impressive.

 

[Publicus]

Yeah . . . I think those were some very expensive seconds he gained today in terms of turning fence sitters on Astana away from him and towards the "older guy."

The "older guy" commented its a "three week race" and there will be plenty of times in the coming weeks when there are only "two people" up the road.

Hard to believe he did it but Contador suceeded in making himself look like the a$$ on the team and Armstrong look like the responsible team player not out for his own glory.

What the hell are you guys smoking? Contador did what he was supposed to do once the gloves came off. If Lance had launched a counter-attack (and that's what it was) and was able to stay away, you'd be talking about the brilliant move. Lance anticipated this would happen. Contador went no one could follow and that's all she wrote. Lance played the responsible teammate by not dragging everyone up to him, but I don't think he could have if he wanted to.

What surprised me was that the other GC contenders waited so late to attack. Tomorrow should be more interesting. Contador will likely end up in yellow.

 

[richwagmn]

Yeah . . . I think those were some very expensive seconds he gained today in terms of turning fence sitters on Astana away from him and towards the "older guy."

The "older guy" commented its a "three week race" and there will be plenty of times in the coming weeks when there are only "two people" up the road.

Hard to believe he did it but Contador suceeded in making himself look like the a$$ on the team and Armstrong look like the responsible team player not out for his own glory.

Are you kidding me? After LA's antics?

Bruyneel kept saying the strongest man would win. Let em fight to the finish. Contador just has to watch LA's wheel. No way in hell LA can ride AC off his wheel.

 

[Zen Master]

If you don't think Lance couldn't have had the yellow jersey today, then your still out of the loop. He gave AC the opportunity and AC didn't have it today. Maybe tomorrow, ya say?

Yes yes yes please Bobby Muppet tell him, Lance could but he just don't want to

 

[Publicus]

What evidence to do you have to support your opinion? It's just your opinion because you don't like LA for some reason. That's fine but, a 37 year old man riding at this high level is impressive.

You should spend some time reading Lance's comments pre-stage 1, post stage 1, post stage 3. It was clear he was chaffing at the idea of Alberto being declared the leader. We'll see how he handles things going forward, but I think he will continue to chaff at the notion of not having the entire team working for him. Which is understandable. He's a 7-time Tour winner who was always the unquestioned leader.