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Pantani 99 vs Armstrong 99

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Aug 13, 2009
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djpbaltimore said:
Looking back on the 1999 TDF route, it definitely plays into the hands of the TTer with 2 TTs of over 50kms

True. Also a short Prologue......Pantani lost 48 seconds in an even short prolouge in 1998.

Lance would likely win
 
Jul 10, 2013
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WillemS said:
That does not tell me much. If Pantani were allowed to continue during the '99 Giro, then he probably would have dominated for a while. However, that was not the case and he never regained his former level. Armstrong never had to deal with such a major blow to his program.

Doesn't tell me me much... LOL.

:D

God bless you brother.
 
Sep 25, 2010
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Archibald said:
physically Pantani would have topped him.
mentally, with Wonderboy's games and antics, I'm not so sure...

this is my first thought. armstrong would have been close-ish on the climbs, probably superior in the tt, and would have mind f---ed pantani to death in between.
 
Jun 4, 2014
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No way,in Lance we trust :p I'm not convinced that a top shape Pantani could have beat Lance,that guy was so focused on his goals,don't think even a top Pantani would have stopped him.
 
Jun 4, 2014
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jens_attacks said:
he wasn't that strong in 1999 though. 2000 was something else...

Hard to say if Lance was ever forced to ride to his limits.I seen some stages with the actual top guys,where they give the impression they could go even faster but they hold back for the obvious reasons.
 
May 11, 2014
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MBotero said:
Hard to say if Lance was ever forced to ride to his limits.I seen some stages with the actual top guys,where they give the impression they could go even faster but they hold back for the obvious reasons.

I say he absolutely was pushed to his limits in 2003
 
After Sestriers in 99, his Lanceness took his foot off the gas so he wouldn't look too suspicious. In all likelihood, he was as strong as he was in 2000-01 that year. I was a Pirate fan back in those days, but there was no way he would've beaten Armstrong. Armstrong would've pushed him over the mental edge.
 
Jul 9, 2009
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I completely disagree that Lance could have gotten Pantani off his game by playing mindgames. Pantani wasn't the most mentally stable person but when he was on the bike, in shape and focused Lance wouldn't have been able to intimidate him. It would only have made Pantani better!
 
roundabout said:
Only Zülle finished within 90 seconds basically on Sestriere.

Game over from there.


yes but lance didn't give any sign of very high wattage. actually even vayer i think has him at green! level lol in 1999
on the other hand, marco was flying to absolut limit and above it in giro 1999. 7 w/kg and above only. it would have been a slaughter i'm sure

one year later, the texan boss came prepared to the teeth though, no more "just some jet fuel but a litttle not much".
 
Jul 9, 2009
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I think Pantani '99 beats every version of Lance. And there is no way he could have controlled the races the way he wanted to with an in shape Pantani in the race.
 
They climbed Alpe d'Huez in about 42 minutes that year, I think?

I did not watch most of the climb and tuned in when Heulot was almost caught. I remember being surprised that there were 10 people or so still in the group.

Then again, I don't remember if it was the wind, or they genuinely could not go any faster.
 

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