The Official LANCE ARMSTRONG Thread 2010-2011

[Old&slow]

There is no way he is 130 or 136. 140 maybe but not important.

Contador I believe was 63KG for last years TDF which is 138-139 pounds. If i recall right he is 5'9 in height. While Lance said he wanted to be 70 KG which is about 154 lbs. No idea if he made that weight. But he looks skinny.

 

[ferryman]

Giro? Some hadn't learned it by May.

The mad goddam craziness of the Giro doesn't count : But good point against mine accepted.

 

[Old&slow]

There was no prologue last year, but Lance did look better than he did in the Monaco TT.

The course did suit Lance a lot more than last year. But one thing I noticed was his bike handling looked a ton better after over a year of racing. In Monaco he had a very hard time with the turns on the descent and lost a good deal of time to Levi and AC on the downhill which one would not expect. Look at the way LA took the turns today. He looked a lot more confident than Monaco.

 

[Publicus]

There is no way he is 130 or 136. 140 maybe but not important.

They weigh them during the Pre-TdF medical exams (I believe). He's listed at 61 kg. Lance is listed at 75kg (not the 71kg he was hoping for).

 

[Publicus]

The course did suit Lance a lot more than last year. But one thing I noticed was his bike handling looked a ton better after over a year of racing. In Monaco he had a very hard time with the turns on the descent and lost a good deal of time to Levi and AC on the downhill which one would not expect. Look at the way LA took the turns today. He looked a lot more confident than Monaco.

Monaco was a lot more technical than this course (which was basically out and back).

 

[The Hitch]

How comes armstrong is seen as more of a power rider and contador more of a light rider when (according to wikipedia at least) they are the same height.

If they are the same height, doesnt that mean armstrong could have slimed down to contadors weight and become a better climber? (for this tour)

 

[SpartacusRox]

The script.

Cobbles generallly suit stronger, more powerful riders such as Boonen, FC, O'Grady. But more important I think is positioning. Lance is a better strategic rider than AC who sometimes gets caught riding a bit far back in the bunch, Armstrong is always where he needs to be to maximise his chances of being on the right side of a break. Personally I don't think that will be an issue this year as Vino will ensure that AC is where he needs to be and there are not enough cobbles to be the fatigue factor they are in the PR.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Cobbles generally suit stronger, more powerful riders such as Boonen, FC, O'Grady. But more important I think is positioning. Lance is a better strategic rider than AC who sometimes gets caught riding a bit far back in the bunch, Armstrong is always where he needs to be to maximise his chances of being on the right side of a break. Personally I don't think that will be an issue this year as Vino will ensure that AC is where he needs to be and there are not enough cobbles to be the fatigue factor they are in the PR.

The highlighted above is (IMO) exactly it for St 3.

I have read some posters saying Saxo,TRS,QS,Sky will attack - but I believe it is going to be a drag race as all the GC riders will mark each other.

However there is only so much space on the road - I do believe at least one GC rider aspirations will end on that stage - as to who, probably someone on a weaker team and by that I mean someone who cannot have 2-3 riders with them at that start of the 1st section of pave.

It will be an exciting day - but there is an element of (bad) luck also - which IMO is not the way to decide a TdF - but as you pointed out the key is positioning, the better your position the better your luck.

 

[Señor_Contador]

They weigh them during the Pre-TdF medical exams (I believe). He's listed at 61 kg. Lance is listed at 75kg (not the 71kg he was hoping for).

How in the world is Lance going to lose all that weight to make it over Alps and the Pyrenees? I mean... 75 kilos is a lot of weight. A lot.

 

[BroDeal]

I don't know how accurate that estimation is. Where would they get the info?

If true it means he's really focusing on making some time in the first week. Realistically that's his only chance anyway - if he can't pullout time in the next week on the flat then it will be very difficult. The extra weight should be extra power that will help achieve that goal. By the Pyrenees he will be closer to 71 than 75 anyway.

If Contador has similar drag numbers to Armstrong then he was cranking out about the same power as Armstrong during the prologue, and Conti weighs 14 kg less. Does not look good for Armstrong in the mountains.

No way Armstrong loses 4 kilos in two weeks He has no fat to lose. His power would drop through the floor.

 

[Publicus]

I don't know how accurate that estimation is. Where would they get the info?

If true it means he's really focusing on making some time in the first week. Realistically that's his only chance anyway - if he can't pullout time in the next week on the flat then it will be very difficult. The extra weight should be extra power that will help achieve that goal. By the Pyrenees he will be closer to 71 than 75 anyway.

Information is listed at ASO/Tour website. Throughout his career that's been his ideal Tour weight (73-75). The 71kg number came from the Radio Shack website at the start of the year. It never really materialized.

I highly doubt he can lose 4 kg during the Tour and be effective. He's not fat, so he would be losing muscle.

 

[WonderLance]

Lance gained 5 seconds in about 9kms the means that in 3000 kms he will gain about three hours over siesta boy. Its good to see that the special triaing regime of boning celebrities and charity rides it paying off.

All hail Lance winner in France.

 

[usedtobefast]

this is a great shot.

 

[derailleur]

Jeez it's too bad there's no precedent for a big guy beating the whippets in the TdF...

 

[hamperium]

4th in the prologue of the tour 2010 Rotterdam
big surprise for me
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamperium_espana/4759768806/in/photostream/

 

[lancewillwin8]

If Contador has similar drag numbers to Armstrong then he was cranking out about the same power as Armstrong during the prologue, and Conti weighs 14 kg less. Does not look good for Armstrong in the mountains.

No way Armstrong loses 4 kilos in two weeks He has no fat to lose. His power would drop through the floor.

lol are u still in denial? Lance is going to be a contender. Clearly he has way more power than contador and i bet if the course was 100% dry lance would of put more time into contador.

 

[SpartacusRox]

He blocked me from his twitter account this morning. Probably for this highly inflammatory (re)tweet:

If I can finally get a whopping 400 followers I'll "out" two of my doping doctors for @lancearmstrong's benefit. (via @joepabike)
12:52 AM Jul 1st

I'm wondering if this is optimal Tour preparation - sitting in your hotel room, iPhone (or similar) device in hand, sifting through the Twittisphere to foil those who would dare to question.

Shame, I was looking forward to seeing first hand when the cards came falling down. Guess I'll have to hear it from @cincoarmstrong instead.

Nice Troll but a number have already gone before you

 

[Oldman]

lol are u still in denial? Lance is going to be a contender. Clearly he has way more power than contador and i bet if the course was 100% dry lance would of put more time into contador.

I watched who applied effort where and there is nothing other than Cancellera's performance that had showed total commitment; other than LA. Guess what? If that's the litmus test Cancellera wins the Tour by 5 hours. LA hammering himself and only taking seconds out of the Contendor doesn't say anything more.

 

[lancewillwin8]

I watched who applied effort where and there is nothing other than Cancellera's performance that had showed total commitment; other than LA. Guess what? If that's the litmus test Cancellera wins the Tour by 5 hours. LA hammering himself and only taking seconds out of the Contendor doesn't say anything more.

I see you are also rolling out the contador fanboy excuses - contador wasnt going hard or he didnt want to beat lance or lance was going 110% and killed himself - mate admit that a 38 year old was better than a prime contador on the day there is no need for excuses.

Alberto + no johan bruyneel = donkey

 

[Oldman]

I see you are also rolling out the contador fanboy excuses - contador wasnt going hard or he didnt want to beat lance or lance was going 110% and killed himself - mate admit that a 38 year old was better than a prime contador on the day there is no need for excuses.

Alberto + no johan bruyneel = donkey

No excuses needed. Lance and Conta won nothing today. Don't start stroking too hard now or you'll be too raw when the gendarmes shut him down.

 

[lancewillwin8]

No excuses needed. Lance and Conta won nothing today. Don't start stroking too hard now or you'll be too raw when the gendarmes shut him down.

Wrong - after all the mind games last year and the in offseason its clear this prolouge was to see who had the uper hand in the psychological warfare. It is clear lance has got to alberto. Lance 1 Alberto 0

 

[Oldman]

Wrong - after all the mind games last year and the in offseason its clear this prolouge was to see who had the uper hand in the psychological warfare. It is clear lance has got to alberto. Lance 1 Alberto 0

It's clear LA has the upper hand on his PR throttle (upper has two "p's"-one more than Lance) and as for the psycho warfare-you don't know when the war starts so save your ammo.

 

[Angliru]

Given the course he should do well, probably best AC by a few seconds

Hey Nostradamus, got any stock tips? Winning lottery numbers? Spot on predictions.

 

[Angliru]

Hahahahaha. Haters! Looks like your little boy Bertie is heading for a beating in the Tour De Lance. I just finished watching the highlights ( I couldn’t watch the stage because I was riding my bike at the time, unlike haters) lance looked real good, and look who he smashed, the haters favorite little siesta boy.

Lance gained 5 seconds in about 9kms the means that in 3000 kms he will gain about three hours over siesta boy. Its good to see that the special triaing regime of boning celebrities and charity rides it paying off.

All hail Lance winner in France.

Can we implement an age limit in the forum during the Tour? Obviously this poster is still riding something of the 3 wheel variety with plastic wheels.

 

[Mellow Velo]

It is clear, from the recent postings in this thread, that one old saying is perfectly true:
Little things please little minds.