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Payments to Horner from LA?

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Old School said:
Horner is a has been...

He's certainly old and should be on his way down but you can't call someone a has been when he's having arguably his best year and has produced these results in 2010:

Giro di Sardegna 2nd GC
Critérium International 7th GC
Vuelta al Pais Vasco 1st GC
Amstel Gold 10th
Flèche Wallonne 7th
Liège - Bastogne - Liège 7th
Tour of California 4th GC
Critérium du Dauphiné 9th GC
Tour de France 10th GC

And in three of those races he was actually working for a teammate.
 
Lance polemics aside, I find it odd that he focuses on Lance so much in that interview. I get that it'd be great to have helped a team leader win, it seems like that's what Horner is genuinely about from his past mountain domestique work and comments, but why say 'it'd have been cool for him to get his 8th'. Leipheimer was way up there after Lance crashed, and from a realistic perspective, I don't think he had any less of a chance than Armstrong did of winning the whole thing (which is to say, I think both of them were way behind Schleck and Contador, but fairly on par with the rest). Maybe it was the way the interview was edited, I don't know.

Anyway, I've always liked Horner, I like his story (ie. American racer does well in local scene and takes on Euro peloton at later age), it's interesting to see that transition play out and have various successes. It'd be cool to see him ride as a team leader next year at 39. And it'd be cool to see people stop worrying about how everything relates to Armstrong, as he's retired for good now. There are some interesting things to talk about relating to Armstrong in the Clinic, where an investigation is unfolding, but until he sponsors a race, does a random domestic appearance or we're talking about racers from a historical perspective, I don't get why there are still threads about him in this forum.
 
I like Chris and honestly can't blame the guy much. He's in the twilight of his career, and looking for maybe one more season on a top team. But it is a little odd to hear him gush about Lance like that when a few years ago he was one of the only openly critical riders of LA and JB, and confident about it.

Also notice that it said Chris gave an extensive interview. We read what amounts to about five minutes of conversation plucked out for the general reader who picks up a newspaper sports section looking for baseball scores.

I always thought it a bit amusing last year reading about Chris' TUE giving him that missing 150w, and how you can almost see a wink and a nod at the end of his explanation. But the rules are the rules, and so be it.

One way or the other I look forward to seeing him race next year, hopefully out of Lance' shadow, and I think it would be neat if he went out winning a Tour stage, or took overall GC at the Tour of California or Coors' Classic...I mean Quiznos Pro Challenge, any of which he is capable of doing.

medium_horner.jpg
 
Jul 13, 2010
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flicker said:
If Chris was the strongest in the TdF and he waited and helped he is a team player.

I agree with the general 'get a grip' tenor of your comment - if Horner likes Lance, well, at least someone does. It shouldn't be an issue. And calling top ten at the TdF 'has been'... that's just bizarre. I would call that 'is right now'.

Still, your comment plays up a problem with the RS team this year and many other cycling teams at various times. If you are the strongest, the best way to help the team is to win, or go as close to that as possible (if the team's real goal is a team result). Everyone on a team must fall in line, but fall in line behind the strongest or best placed rider. In a real team, you don't care who does best - you just try to get the best finish for the team. If RS was a real team, they would have told Horner to go. As it is, he was held back, hurting his own chances of success and the team's. As someone who has followed his career for a while and think he is a pretty decent rider, I think this is a real shame.
 
Jul 23, 2010
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me thinks his public persona does not jive with how he really feels.

I remember his constant crying for years when he was dissed by the National team.

He could not help himself telling everyone who was the best rider, and who deserved to be on what team.

I cant wait till this fake retires. Clear some room for real talent.
 
Mar 31, 2010
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maltiv said:
Obviously Chris Horner has a man-crush on Armstrong, without Armstrong's help Horner would never have been competitive, in fact better than ever, at the age of 38.

it's ironic that horner actually hated lance until they were both in astana last year
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
You guys make me laugh and puke at the same time with your Hater-Aid...
 
Jul 16, 2010
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this_is_edie said:

That's actually a pretty sensible interview. Except for the fact that he thinks Armstrong could have won(top 3 yes, won no)

He's not saying he would be the only team leader, but that it's possible for a team to have more team leaders like Leipheimer, Klöden, him, etc, but only one of them gets 100% attention.

It worked in the Vuelta of 2008 and I guess in the Tour of 2009.
 
May 13, 2009
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I can't blame Horner for his stupid comments, Uniballer signs his cheques so the severe delusional ***-kissing is understandable.

As for him being a Tour contender next year? He is daydreaming if he thinks he has what it takes, maybe he had it a few seasons ago. Moreover, he is going to be too busy helping Armstrong win his first lantern rouge as well as raising cancer awareness at the back of the peloton:eek:
 
Mar 31, 2010
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Apolitical said:
You guys do realize the riders on the top teams get extensive PR training? You really have to take anything they say with a grain of salt.

no they don't this isn't football or anything.
 
Mar 31, 2010
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I remember one time both gesink and thomas dekker were asked about this who were/are top riders at rabo and they said no I never had it and I never want it either.

I never heard any shack or us postal rider about it either. I know pena said in an interview years back he never had pr training or something, neither did lance.

perhaps riis does it. but even that I doubt considering the dumb sh*t frank schleck said about the cobble stage in the tour.
 
Angliru said:
Apparently not at HTC-Columbia, or maybe Cav was at the dentist and missed his session.;)

I thought about that when I wrote... No, HCT-Columbia definately have PR training for their riders. There's always an "outspoken" rider. He has been reprimanded (finded?), pulled from races, etc, by the team.
 
auscyclefan94 said:
Seriously, Lance must be paying Horner some big money to spurt out the crap he has said in the media recently.
For example


Lance has already won 7 tours Chris and you would take back your own success or anyone elses success for Lance?

It was also quite amusing to see how ****ed off he was about the cobbled stage when the day before that lance was the best rider on cobbles. Then after the morzine stage he tears up and walks away from an interview because he was so emotional that Lance crashed.

Either get a grip horner or well done as you put some good acting skills especially with the fake cry to make it look real.

So how much more money is LA paying horner to spurt out the rubbish.

Even for an internet forum this is a pretty shameful thread and accusation.

Horner is allowed to support LA if he likes. He seemed to be quite genuine in it. If not, he is just doing the politically correct move. Horner has been a pleasure to watch ride and his race commentary is very interesting to listen too and more candid than most. He certainly has done nothing to deserve this ridiculous attack.

It would be nice if the lance haters didn't make this forum so focused around lance armstrong.
 
offbyone said:
Even for an internet forum this is a pretty shameful thread and accusation.

Horner is allowed to support LA if he likes. He seemed to be quite genuine in it. If not, he is just doing the politically correct move. Horner has been a pleasure to watch ride and his race commentary is very interesting to listen too and more candid than most. He certainly has done nothing to deserve this ridiculous attack.

It would be nice if the lance haters didn't make this forum so focused around lance armstrong.

AGREED! Everyone else is just jealous of Horner's alleged cheques from LA.