Paris-Nice losing prestige?

[53x11 in DC]

I think that is the first time I have seen anyone come round Mark Cavendish. Very impressive from Farrar.

Switching to P-N now, it looks like I'm not going to win that signed jersey. Cadel is nowhere to be seen.

I think Frank is going to hang on to contador's wheel and take the stage...
just as I say that contador has dropped him. Oh well. Looks like another boring 5k of solo Contador, just like the Giro and the Vuelta last year...

Was that in T-A? Nice win for Tyler!

 

[Mr. Gipsy]

I love Paris-Nice! The only problem with it (and this is so lame) is that it should come back to its White Leader's Jersey and distance itself as part of the ASO group (and its yellow jersey).

 

[umfundisii]

Contador is amazing, but echoing ulterior threads... Can he really be that good? I have no idea..

He only won by 00:45. Yea, a gap, but not that big of a gap.

 

[umfundisii]

Great race today. Fun to see all the animators; especially Voigt. Gotta admire the guy for letting it all hang out. Always.

This was a preview of the Tour - Contador winning the stage, Evans, Schlek, and the rest left to scoop up the consolation prizes.

 

[Jamsque]

Great race today. Fun to see all the animators; especially Voigt. Gotta admire the guy for letting it all hang out. Always.

This was a preview of the Tour - Contador winning the stage, Evans, Schlek, and the rest left to scoop up the consolation prizes.

You know, I have a feeling you are right. It's going to be a boring race.

 

[Angliru]

Don't fret cycling fans! There are other strong riders that aren't competing in P-N, some of them young and quite talented. Robert Gesink, Andy Schleck, Juan Mauricio Soler and others can keep things interesting on the climbs in the Tour.

 

[Stani Kléber]

The Tour de France is a daily soap opera, it is never boring. Riders scrap for stage wins and different jerseys, there is always something of interest.

If Contador is seemingly above everyone else, there's no guarantee this happens in July.

 

[Jamsque]

The only things I can see coming between Contador and a second Tour victory are crashes, injuries and drug scandals.

 

[umfundisii]

Don't fret cycling fans! There are other strong riders that aren't competing in P-N, some of them young and quite talented. Robert Gesink, Andy Schleck, Juan Mauricio Soler and others can keep things interesting on the climbs in the Tour.

I love the Tour for that very reason. Even when Armstrong was getting his 7, I loved watching the Tour to see who was going to animate all of the other categories.

1. Sprint stages with bodies and bikes flying all over the place
2. Time Trials - especially TTT
3. Heroic escapes that last down to inside the last kilometer
4. Epic crashes - nobody does it like Pereiro. Man!
5. Crazy weather - torrential rains one day, sunny and hot the next
6. Insane fans - the devil, "Eric the camera dude", drunks from every country
7. Sherwinisms and Liggetisms - my personal favorite: "Digging deep in his suitcase of courage."

Vive le Tour!

 

[53x11 in DC]

I love Paris-Nice! The only problem with it (and this is so lame) is that it should come back to its White Leader's Jersey and distance itself as part of the ASO group (and its yellow jersey).

That would be tough, since it is run by the ASO group.

 

[53x11 in DC]

The only things I can see coming between Contador and a second Tour victory are crashes, injuries and drug scandals.

On a more positive note, I was glad to see your boy Cadel have a strong day. Congrats, Jamsque!

 

[Anonymous]

The only things I can see coming between Contador and a second Tour victory are crashes, injuries and drug scandals.

Ahh....you discount Armstrong's ego too much then.

 

[Mr.DNA]

Ahh....you discount Armstrong's ego too much then.

And Bruyneel's loyalty.

 

[53x11 in DC]

I have to disagree here. If Conta hasn't blown all his firepower by May, I think Lance is smart enough to resign himself to domestique rather than risk a rift which might relegate the team to a second or third spot behind a Sastre or a Schleck.

His detractors all call Lance "calculating", in a derogatory sense. If you believe that, then I think he's smart enough to calculate what negative publicity he would receive from pulling an "Hinault" this year.

Hey, I'm a fan of his, always will be, but I have a hard time seeing him go any better than 3rd or 4th in the Giro. I think he'll then acknowledge that Contador in 1st and he in 10th in the TdF is a HELLUVA lot better than he in 2nd and Conta in 3rd.

I hope I'm wrong about Lance's capabilities, but I think we need to give Johan and him a tiny bit more credit than it seems we're giving them. Hell, to read CycleSport (and I am a subscriber, have been for years), you'd think the two were already at each other's throats. Sells copy, but I'm not certain it's accurate.

Just my 2 cents/pence/roubles/rupees.....

 

[nvpacchi]

In preparation for the TDF, I think a question will be whether Contador has the team around him to get him up summits. If you saw today, he was once again isolated in the middle of the climb, as well as on stage 3. Popovych and Zubeldia have been nonexistent as super-domestiques, so are they gonna be there when July comes around? Because Contador will need men with him to deliver him up climbs.

 

[Jamsque]

I can't see Lance competing for the leader's role on Astana's TdF team. He's an old man, there is no way he is going to be able to keep up with Contador when the going gets steep. I'd expect to see him in the same super-domestique role he played for Levi at the ToC.

 

[Stani Kléber]

Armstrong also has the Giro. This year's route is very tough, it'll be a draining race. Several riders building up to the Tour have deliberately avoided the Giro (Evans, Andy Schleck, Valverde). I don't see him being a force, apart from a media phenomenon, in the Tour.

 

[lookkg386]

I can't see Lance competing for the leader's role on Astana's TdF team. He's an old man, there is no way he is going to be able to keep up with Contador when the going gets steep. I'd expect to see him in the same super-domestique role he played for Levi at the ToC.

Contador HAS to be leader, but for some reason I would love to see lance as a super domestique!!!, what an awesome sight it would be seeing Astana charging up Ventoux with Lance peeling off for Contador to finish it off.

 

[benpounder]

Armstrong also has the Giro.
[...]
I don't see him being a force, apart from a media phenomenon, in the Tour.

I suspect that Lance is putting all his efforts into the Giro. And I think that what he really wants to do in the TdF is win Ventoux.

But, can you imagine the head games he can play in the TdF? Especially knowing that he will have Contador, Leipheimer, and Kloden with him? You think any other GC team will let Armstrong go off in a break, or off on a solo flier? He alone could destroy Silence/Lotto (Evans) with a strong head fake.

 

[Merckx]

Gotta say.. nice move by sanchez.

 

[Merckx]

attacks comin left and right, haha

 

[Merckx]

Wow, did contador just lose P-N?

 

[Merckx]

Awesome, when it hits you.. it really hits eh?

 

[Stani Kléber]

An energy gel, my kingdom for an energy gel

Poor guy, he blew big time. Still, it puts to rest the idea that the race has lost its prestige, this year's vintage is as thrilling as last year.

 

[Jamsque]

Wow. That's the first time I've seen Contador go backwards like that. Incredible. It looked like he bonked.