Radio Interview, Armstrong admits he is finished.

[Publicus]

I don't think anyone can hold AC's wheel when he goes at the end of the final climb. At some point, some combination of the other 'contenders' are going to have to try and get a surprise jump on Astana (from what we've seen so far, fat chance) and try and stay out ahead till the end. I reckon that if either Schleklet or Martin (or as you suggest, Evans or Sastre too) try it on, the other will be obliged to go too. That might finally give us a whole day's racing worth watching!

I just don't see Contador letting Schleck out of his sight before the Champs Elysee. We know he can make a long distance attack stick. Same with Sastre. So maybe we will see Tony Martin up the road or Evans.

Tomorrow should be classic USPS/Disco Train to the bottom of the mountain, with either Popo or Armstrong going in the break to pace Contador over the final climb and descent.

 

[Coach Hawk]

I would love it if Lance pulls a Landis 2004. I don't see it happening because, based on yesterday and just watching him, he doesn't have the legs to stay with either Schleck Brother or Wiggins (which is saying a whole lot at this point) when they accelerate. Maybe he will have a better day tomorrow and Wednesday and demonstrate that he can cover the attacks so Contador just has to hold his wheel. But Contador can follow wheels with the best of them (See Dauphine Libere 2009), so I don't see him waiting around for Lance to bridge over at the risk of losing contact.

That's part of the point of going off the front--you don't have to match someone else's acceleration.

 

[Jayarbie]

It's not the idea. That's a no-brainer. Just didn't know if they would come out publicly and say they're willing to sacrifice Lance's 2nd as the team has been a bit delicate with the Lance issue so far. I will be very curious to see how Lance and particularly Kloden race the next few days. Will Kloden be at AC's side protecting him and covering attacks or will he be LA's shepherd? For that matter, will we see Lance chasing down attacks for AC?

Kloden and Lance will remain at Contador's side for as long as they can. Kloden will not drop back to shepherd Lance if he falls off the pace. The issue was a delicate one when Lance was 2 seconds behind Contador and neither had really been tested. The issue is much less contentious now. I do believe that Armstrong came prepared to win, but now that he is not the strongest on his team, he is accepting his role. Cycling is a team sport anyway. If Contador wins in Paris, Armstrong will also celebrate...

 

[Publicus]

That's part of the point of going off the front--you don't have to match someone else's acceleration.

Amen. A great offensive is one hell of a defense.

 

[Jayarbie]

But what is it you learned in those 25 years of watching that makes you believe that Armstrong will beat all 3 of Wiggins, Martin and Kloeden in the TT? Or is this just a faith thing?

I just believe that Lance will go balls out (or ball out, I suppose...) in the ITT and it will be his shining moment in the sun for this Tour. Just a feeling.

 

[hfer07]

Well, if this is typical of how you interpret his words, no wonder you have trouble believing him. Of course someone is going to appear to be dishonest if you understand his words to mean something other than what he meant.

For example, Armstrong did not say he's going to take it easy.

And there's nothing in what he said that would preclude him from taking advantage of a situation that presents himself. If Alberto has a particularly bad day in the mountains, or a really bad ITT, for example, then he might still go for it on Ventoux. If he can.

well- for someone like LA who's well know to "manipulate" the media as a disguise- I think I'm not far away from the reality-and to just "surrender" his personal ambitions, just to help another team mate to archive what once was his most precious goal..... really sounds fishy to me.

 

[dgodave]

I just believe that Lance will go balls out (or ball out, I suppose...) in the ITT and it will be his shining moment in the sun for this Tour. Just a feeling.

I dont think he has a choice. He'll go as hard as he can, just like on Verbier, and it wont be enough.
.

 

[Coach Hawk]

well- for someone like LA who's well know to "manipulate" the media as a disguise- I think I'm not far away from the reality-and to just "surrender" his personal ambitions, just to help another team mate to archive what once was his most precious goal..... really sounds fishy to me.

I dunno, I saw him work his **** off for Levi in Tour of California and Tour of the Gila. That being said, if this week is status quo and then he takes time back in the ITT, it could bring the rivalry back to the fore for Ventoux. That could make for some fun racing!

 

[elapid]

I dunno, I saw him work his **** off for Levi in Tour of California and Tour of the Gila. That being said, if this week is status quo and then he takes time back in the ITT, it could bring the rivalry back to the fore for Ventoux. That could make for some fun racing!

Armstrong seems to work for people as payback (past or future). I am not saying this is a good or bad thing, but he has only ridden for Hincapie (I forget which classic and which year, but probably Paris-Roubaix) and Levi to the best of my knowledge. I wouldn't doubt that he rode for Levi on the pretext that Levi would ride for him in this TdF.

 

[*G*K*S*]

Since Columbia shot themselves in the foot with green, I think Martin will be allowed to aim for as high as he can get, but he certainly has to take the fight for white to Schleklet (if he can).

Look for Monfort and Kirchen to be in the mix as well. They both rode pretty well yesterday.

 

[DavidT]

I just believe that Lance will go balls out (or ball out, I suppose...) in the ITT and it will be his shining moment in the sun for this Tour. Just a feeling.

Well, I don't have your 25 years experience of watching pro racing, but I did see the stage 1 ITT and it looked to me that Armstrong did go all out in that stage, and mismanaged his effort by going off too hard, losing time in the fast section from the tunnel entrance to the finish line compared to those close to him in the placings. Going "balls out" is not a good strategy in a >40 min TT. Iso-power would be better.

 

[dgodave]

Armstrong seems to work for people as payback (past or future). I am not saying this is a good or bad thing, but he has only ridden for Hincapie (I forget which classic and which year, but probably Paris-Roubaix) and Levi to the best of my knowledge. I wouldn't doubt that he rode for Levi on the pretext that Levi would ride for him in this TdF.

I'm sure youre right about Levi/Lance. But Lance isnt paid to ride for other people. They are paid to ride for him... which made perfect sense until yesterday.
.

 

[Publicus]

I'm sure youre right about Levi/Lance. But Lance isnt paid to ride for other people. They are paid to ride for him... which made perfect sense until yesterday.
.

Technically, he isn't getting paid at all.

 

[rhubroma]

Lance has always stated and made it clear that he was riding to promote a global effort against cancer. He never needed another Tour win or to be drug tested every couple of weeks or have all the media hassle him. It was always about cancer. Whether you like Lance or not, 1 of 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 of 3 women. What he's working/riding for will benefit you!
The media just didn't cover the cancer part of the comeback because it's not sexy news. He is riding pretty good racing against guys much younger though!

No, for Lance the cancer thing has always been secondary when it came to the Tour. Lance even said that, when stating he would be focussing on his eighth win ahead of the cancer foundation for those three weeks. And since the entire season has been a "build up" to the Tour and he personally pocketed 1 million $ to ride the Tour Down Under and the Giro (and Tour? How much is he getting for that?), not one cent of which is going to the so-called "fight against cancer" cause he is promoting; the entire comeback has been first about himself, with Livestrong having always been just a mere pretense to stroke his own ego. I'm sorry that you went through the disease, but it has clouded your judgments here, by allowing sentiments to take the place of reason.

LA has cynically coopted the cancer community to persue his own interests and act as a cover-up to his doped career. So the sick are serving him, more than they are being served by him, which is just perverse. And his foundation, in terms of a non-profit organization, stinks. And has been officially recognized as such by the appropriate US rating organization (where Livestrong got a paultry 3, the lowest mark on its scale). Most of the money coming in is spent on his PR ( which is a rather tasteless euphemism for propaganda) machine. Then there is the parallel for-profit organization with an almost identical name, which has confused many into giving money to it instead of the non-profit one as they intended.

I have been hit by cancer in my family, so don't go branding me as insensitive in this regard. It's quite to the contrary, which is why what he's really up to just p!sses me off.

 

[Futuroscope]

Caught part of a radio grab on short wave radio last night, Armstrong was saying he thinks he cant compete with the younger riders. He is riding flat out and is not looking forward the climbs.

" I might be getting too old" was the comment.

I must admit I was a bit shocked at his honesty, maybe he really has matured as a man. Maybe he IS riding to promote his charity, not his ego?

He sounded genuine, I almost liked him for a sec. Time will tell. I think hes in for 3rd place

verbier made him see reality. up to that point he thought he could win.

 

[Futuroscope]

Lance has always stated and made it clear that he was riding to promote a global effort against cancer. He never needed another Tour win or to be drug tested every couple of weeks or have all the media hassle him. It was always about cancer. Whether you like Lance or not, 1 of 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 of 3 women. What he's working/riding for will benefit you!
The media just didn't cover the cancer part of the comeback because it's not sexy news. He is riding pretty good racing against guys much younger though!

BUT..a dollar is a dollar and lance has done alot of good things for cancer research, but i think your being VERY naive.

 

[Futuroscope]

The other problem Armstrong has is that he never faced a rider as challenging as Contador in his prime. Ullrich was a great rider, but Ullrich was a time trialist who didn't have the explosion in the mountains, and since Armstrong could beat him in both disciplines, he didn't pose as great of a challenge to Lance as he did to other riders. The coked-out, post-doping Pantani was never a real threat during Lance's run, Zulle was at the end of his career, and the real mountain goats of the peloton like Heras & Escartin of Kelme and Mayo were bound to lose multiple minutes in the time trials, even if they occassionally left Lance behind on the big climbs (like Mayo on Alpe d'Huez).

For sure, Lance has lost something since his peak in 2000-2002, but I would have loved to see the Contador of 2009 vs the Lance of 2001 head-to-head year after year. I don't think Lance would have won 7 in a row with that caliber of competition.

i think the the 99 tour could have ended differently if zulle hadnt lost 6min on one of the early stages.

 

[vrusimov]

Yesterday was a reality check for him and should be for his fans.
"Time waits for no man," and all that.
He's only 5-10% off his best, but, it's that margin that he cannot recapture and makes all the difference.
He will gradually slip out of contension on Wednesday, maybe pull back some time in the ITT, (but not on AC, Kloden or Wiggins) and the Ventoux will decide whether he just makes the top 5, or top 10.

...time waits for no one but Leipheimer will soon turn 36 and pushed Contador at the Vuelta last year...

...being away for 3 1/2 years, there's no way to come back in one year at the same level of endurance that preceded the layoff...fitness is cumulative and each offseason builds upon the next one but Lance interrupted this with the time off...plus he added upper body muscle which had to be shed while keeping hold of his power...the collarbone deal would'nt have helped him either way...he would'nt have seriously challenged at the Giro...he was still too heavy...

...Chris Carmichael, in particular, has some explaining to do as it pertains both to Lance's fitness and more importantly, his cadence...which has disappeared as many have noticed...

...he did say only that Lance had a "chance", where in previous years he was virtually guaranteeing that Lance would win...

...i would'nt have a problem with this perse except for Armstrong's comments following Verbier:

"There might be people out there that expect me to ride like I did in 2004 or 2005, that's not reality. If I do another year and get another season under my belt maybe we could see that condition come back. Right now, I don't have it. At 38 years old I am not sure that should come as a surprise," he said.

...well someone must have selective memory loss because it was none other than he himself proclaiming he was better than in 2003 and that he was "here to win"...he made that statement right before the tour, a statement i thought was based on factual performance analysis, not wishful thinking...the Armstrong i witnessed on Verbier bared no resemblance to the rider that won the 2003 Tour de France, even when Ulrich left him for a few seconds on Plateau de Bonascre...

...and he may not be able to come back to that level with just one season under his belt and i'm sure he suspects this, along with the rather sobering fact that Contador will only improve a year from now...

...he's done well considering the circumstances but there can be no doubt now that Armstrong will not win this tour and i have a feeling it won't even be close by the summit of Mont Ventoux...Lance above all people should know that you don't bring a knife to a fight with someone who's nicknamed "El Pistolero"...

 

[yourwelcome]

what a steaming pile of crotch sniffing bs.

what was he going to say after Contador stomped him and he got dropped by wiggins, schleck, evans (on his self confessed worst tour day ever!).

"yeah, I'm strong, I was just holding back. I can still win it all..."
Like Month Python's legless black knight - "it's just a flesh wound.."

it does not take class, self control or guts to admit something that 10s of millions of people just saw as fact.

He didn't have what it takes. Too bad for him, but to give him props for stating the obvious is ****ery.

Actually, I'd say it's your post that's the steaming pile here. No offence, buddy.

 

[DavidT]

I just believe that Lance will go balls out (or ball out, I suppose...) in the ITT and it will be his shining moment in the sun for this Tour. Just a feeling.

Jayarbie,
Just shows you cant trust those feelings. Some shining moment.
You should take off the livestrong wrist band and detach emotionally before making Armstrong predictions.

 

[Futuroscope]

Jayarbie,
Just shows you cant trust those feelings. Some shining moment.
You should take off the livestrong wrist band and detach emotionally before making Armstrong predictions.

lance is conserving his energy for a TFD winning attack on mount ventoux. i think he can do it because he has an aerobic capacity of 83.8 mL/kg/min .

 

[Jayarbie]

Jayarbie,
Just shows you cant trust those feelings. Some shining moment.
You should take off the livestrong wrist band and detach emotionally before making Armstrong predictions.

Yeah, ha, I was a little off on that one.