RS should have supported Horner

[Moose McKnuckles]

It's easy to come from no where as Wiggins found out last year.

Horner is ten times the climber Wiggins will ever be.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

Everyone seems to be forgetting that the day Horner stayed back to help Lance, costed him at least 3 minutes to the fastest.

Sure, but had he not lost those 3 mins the bunch likely wouldn't have given him as much leash on Tuesday's stage.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

Horner is ten times the climber Wiggins will ever be.

And 1/10th the time trialist

 

[Oldman]

If Horner is a team leader next year then things can change.

He'll get a job as the climber/supporter for a serious GC guy if he isn't on the next version of Shack. He's too old to be a designated leader.

 

[nowhereman]

TRS should have supported SOMEONE.

They had four riders who on their month could "easily" top 5.

Instead they played for the Teams!

Where was Popovych!?

In case you didn't notice, Team Geriatrics ended up right where they deserved to end up, individually: Nowhere.(take it from ME, I know) For all the hype, marketing and advertising, Thank Goodness they are at least taking the TEAM trophy home. And as Paul and Phil will remind you, Lance still gets a chance to stand atop the podium on the Champs Elysees. But individually, did you really expect PoPo to do ANYTHING? Puhlease! Last time he did anything was when he was with Discovery Channel, when he led Lance out in a losing effort Vs. Valverde. And at least Levi recognizes his limitations with a smile on his face. Instead of tweeting tripe, out of frustration, like he did last year. Kloden? who? Oh, Ullrich's sidekick!
By the Way.....There is NO EASY in the Tour de France.

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

He'll get a job as the climber/supporter for a serious GC guy if he isn't on the next version of Shack. He's too old to be a designated leader.

Won't he still be on RSH? I think he has another year on his contract. And RSH has another year on there's with CSE too - oh but wait, that might be moot

 

[nowhereman]

He'll get a job as the climber/supporter for a serious GC guy if he isn't on the next version of Shack. He's too old to be a designated leader.

Amen. That would be like when they thought that George Hincapie should be the team leader for the GC at the TdF in 2006. No matter how much we liked Georgie, We all saw how well that went.

 

[robow7]

Of course I was being facetious about the Shack supporting Horner but he has shown very good form and it was nice to see him finishing with the big dogs today when he himself was unleashed.

 

[theyoungest]

agreed it's been a great ride for him and he has really been an attractive racer. another talent btw that rabo let slip away.

Yes, he broke through almost immediately after leaving Rabo. I mean, it's only been 7 years...

 

[Mellow Velo]

Funny thread.
One for the hindsight DSs amongst us.
Horner team leader next year? How old is he, again?
Discovery Tour 2006 = Shack Tour 2011.
That's a prediction, btw.

 

[Train in Spain]

There's a lot to admire about Chris, he's achieved plenty of goods results in the US and in Europe and he's as honest as they come. He posts all of his race power stats for anyone to analyse and, unlike many, is racing the whole season long.

Chris was in great shape last year and missed out on a TdF spot for political reasons within the Astana team - he should have been number three. He then crashed when he got his shot as team leader in La Vuelta so missed out on that chance.

This year he has impressed when allowed to race and brilliant as the Super Domestique - came in right beside Levi at the Tour of California and look at the way he worked for Jani Brajkovic at the Dauphine - and then paced another US rider, Tejay Van garderen, from HTC, who was fighting for a podium spot.

The guy is a class act. His performances are getting better as the peloton becomes cleaner, figure that out for yourselves.

Lastly, read any of his blogs - the guy loves his job, he really loves being a pro cyclist and wants to keep going with no thoughts of retiring.

Bravo!

 

[kurtinsc]

Funny thread.
One for the hindsight DSs amongst us.
Horner team leader next year? How old is he, again?
Discovery Tour 2006 = Shack Tour 2011.
That's a prediction, btw.

Isn't Shack Tour 2010 = Discovery Tour 2006?

 

[perico]

In case you didn't notice, Team Geriatrics ended up right where they deserved to end up, individually: Nowhere.(take it from ME, I know) For all the hype, marketing and advertising, Thank Goodness they are at least taking the TEAM trophy home. And as Paul and Phil will remind you, Lance still gets a chance to stand atop the podium on the Champs Elysees. But individually, did you really expect PoPo to do ANYTHING? Puhlease! Last time he did anything was when he was with Discovery Channel, when he led Lance out in a losing effort Vs. Valverde. And at least Levi recognizes his limitations with a smile on his face. Instead of tweeting tripe, out of frustration, like he did last year. Kloden? who? Oh, Ullrich's sidekick!
By the Way.....There is NO EASY in the Tour de France.

Popo finished in the Top 10 in the 2007 tour, and rode like a beast for Contador/Leipheimer.

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

It looked as if their only goal was getting His Lanceness his bon voyage stage win (and they screwed the pooch on that deal). If it had been anyone but LA and The Hog running the team, they'd have turned Brajkovic loose in the mountains at least once. That would have been a fireworks show. Out of the other 187 riders, he was the only one who showed the potential to put pressure on AC/AS in the mountains but the Dynamic Duo kept the cork in his bottle.

 

[nowhereman]

There's a lot to admire about Chris, he's achieved plenty of goods results in the US and in Europe and he's as honest as they come. He posts all of his race power stats for anyone to analyse and, unlike many, is racing the whole season long.

Chris was in great shape last year and missed out on a TdF spot for political reasons within the Astana team - he should have been number three. He then crashed when he got his shot as team leader in La Vuelta so missed out on that chance.

This year he has impressed when allowed to race and brilliant as the Super Domestique - came in right beside Levi at the Tour of California and look at the way he worked for Jani Brajkovic at the Dauphine - and then paced another US rider, Tejay Van garderen, from HTC, who was fighting for a podium spot.

The guy is a class act. His performances are getting better as the peloton becomes cleaner, figure that out for yourselves.

Lastly, read any of his blogs - the guy loves his job, he really loves being a pro cyclist and wants to keep going with no thoughts of retiring.

Bravo!

You forgot one of RS's only wins this year, when he took Pais Vasco off of Valverde! It was one of RS's few shining moments this year, so SHOUT it!

 

[Eyeballs Out]

Horner's performance today certainly surprised me. Didn't he get dropped from the breakaway group on the Col D'Aubisque in the last stage ? (got back on the descent)

Leipheimer also surprising in the other direction

 

[nowhereman]

Popo finished in the Top 10 in the 2007 tour, and rode like a beast for Contador/Leipheimer.

Sorry, for the oversight. But still, after his initial impressions. I think he's a Dog. Just ridin' for a paycheck. That's just my opinion, please don't start a fight with me over it. This is not the proper thread for that.

 

[ruamruam]

Horner's performance today certainly surprised me. Didn't he get dropped from the breakaway group on the Col D'Aubisque in the last stage ? (got back on the descent)

Refill on the rest day!!!

 

[kurtinsc]

Refill on the rest day!!!

Why didn't Levi get his?

 

[shouldawouldacoulda]

Why didn't Levi get his?

Joking aside, the refill - or specifically lack of refill - is likely why each rider is riding the way he is.

Levi is a good rider, but needed 'gear' to ride great. I don't think anyone brought anything to this tour. And the lack of a refill yesterday is why Levi is faltering.

I think Horner has always been better than Levi - physically. I think he is a better natural climber and has better recovery. We see him riding consistently well all Tour.

I think there was a lot of pre-tour 'preparation' but all the teams left their normal transfusions supplies at home when they came to this Tour.

 

[Escarabajo]

Why didn't Levi get his?

Absorption.

Look at Flandis in 2006.

 

[Escarabajo]

...


I think horner has always been better than levi - physically. I think he is a better natural climber and has better recovery. ...

+1.

...............................

 

[Mellow Velo]

Isn't Shack Tour 2010 = Discovery Tour 2006?

Pretty much, but you are forgetting the most important competition of them all; the team classification.

 

[El Hammermeister]

Chris Horner Fans: Here's How I Remember Horner

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/phot...ul08/cascade08/cascade085/JD_08cascadestg5031

 

[Roadrage]

Instead of putting their chips on Lance and then Levi, Horner now in the top 10 could likely have finished a few spots higher if not all the work they forced the guy to do. Anyway, nice to see Chris have a nice tour.

You're absolutely right. But hindsight's 20/20. Chris is underrated and has had a great Tour.