The Official LANCE ARMSTRONG Thread 2010-2011

[Mellow Velo]

Anyone know why Lance is in Austin, Texas training alone and not in Calpe with the rest of the team?

Hey, he's just coming off the mega-hard TDU, so he's probably catching up on a few doctor's appointments.
After that, it'll be a blitz on JV via twitter and a heavy training session on the LaZboy and Pro Cycling Manager.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe he's hoping some quiet time will provide the inspiration for a response to AC wheelgate. I still haven't given up hope. Where's a "hope has returned" flag when you need it?

Ps I still can't believe no-one changed that flag to "dope has returned".

 

[thehog]

Hey, he's just coming off the mega-hard TDU, so he's probably catching up on a few doctor's appointments.
After that, it'll be a blitz on JV via twitter and a heavy training session on the LaZboy and Pro Cycling Manager.

No goofing off this year.

Alberto might as well hit the cupcakes. This will be the easiest Tour win in history.

 

[Race Radio]

yeah, I dont know if she is his current baby momma, just one of the many. Do you know how many fathers day cards he got now the seed is fecund.

Sean Kemp is getting worried that Armstrong might surpass his pro sports record for baby mamma's.

 

[El Imbatido]

Maybe he's hoping some quiet time will provide the inspiration for a response to AC wheelgate. I still haven't given up hope. Where's a "hope has returned" flag when you need it?

Ps I still can't believe no-one changed that flag to "dope has returned".

Wasn't the slogan "Hope Rides Again" not "Hope has returned". Doesn't really matter as this one is still changeable as well.

 

[thehog]

Wasn't the slogan "Hope Rides Again" not "Hope has returned". Doesn't really matter as this one is still changeable as well.

It was. Along with very big Nike billboards with "Hope" & "Courage" on them.

Next time you use the word hope you'll have to pay royalties.

....and don't forget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph6Gd2Cg4gc&feature=youtube_gdata

- he's doing it for them....... and the 12million in cash.

 

[Carboncrank]

No goofing off this year.

Alberto might as well hit the cupcakes. This will be the easiest Tour win in history.

Lance doesn't win seven tours if he's on lousy teams. Astana has a lot to prove before July.

This is far from decided.

 

[Carboncrank]

It was. Along with very big Nike billboards with "Hope" & "Courage" on them.

Next time you use the word hope you'll have to pay royalties.

....and don't forget:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph6Gd2Cg4gc&feature=youtube_gdata

- he's doing it for them....... and the 12million in cash.

He pretty much expressly says he's not doing it for you.

Great commercial.. Thanks

 

[bianchigirl]

Exactly what does Astana have to prove? Contador is a totally different rider to Armstrong with different team requirements - for a start he doesn't need to be towed up the climbs until the last 2 kms as Armstrong did throughout his career. Never confuse USDiscatana tactics with the only possible tactics for winning a race - after all, had they been followed in 2009, Schlecklet would have been the winner. It was only Contador's presence of mind in attacking and riding his own race at Arcalis that saved the Tour for Astana.

BTW CC (I love this) one of the reasons CAS gave for ruling in Gusev's favour was that Bruyneel/Damsgaard could show no chain of custody for Gusev's disputed samples. Bruyneel was hoist by his own petard, methinks.

 

[Publicus]

Lance doesn't win seven tours if he's on lousy teams.

He was on a great team this year and lost, so it's not just about the strength of the team.

 

[Carboncrank]

Exactly what does Astana have to prove? Contador is a totally different rider to Armstrong with different team requirements - for a start he doesn't need to be towed up the climbs until the last 2 kms as Armstrong did throughout his career. Never confuse USDiscatana tactics with the only possible tactics for winning a race - after all, had they been followed in 2009, Schlecklet would have been the winner. It was only Contador's presence of mind in attacking and riding his own race at Arcalis that saved the Tour for Astana.

BTW CC (I love this) one of the reasons CAS gave for ruling in Gusev's favour was that Bruyneel/Damsgaard could show no chain of custody for Gusev's disputed samples. Bruyneel was hoist by his own petard, methinks.

Maybe if we were talking about Lance that actually might be clever.

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

We differ in our opinions of what happened in 2009 and my take is that every Contador Grand Tour win was supported by extremely strong team work so it is yet to be seen how he can do without it.

I also think there's more to having strong riders around you than getting towed to the last 2 km. This year, more climbing, more long descents. If Vino turn out to be great in support feel free to say I told you so, but he has to prove he can ride clean and we know how that usually works out.

I know you like to yank my chain with the thing about Gusev that you yet again don't source, but if true he deserved to win. For whatever reason CAS hasn't put the case online.

I just worry about the position it puts all teams in who have a rider in violation of in house testing. I guess if what you're saying is true then the lesson is simply do a better job of proving it. But if not I'd hate to think they'd not pull the trigger out of fear of losing a suit.

 

[Carboncrank]

He was on a great team this year and lost, so it's not just about the strength of the team.

That is true. But we've also seen lots of recent example of riders that never live up to their potential because they weren't properly supported. I think Contador is better than all of them but how much better we don't yet know.

 

[Carboncrank]

BTW CC (I love this) one of the reasons CAS gave for ruling in Gusev's favour was that Bruyneel/Damsgaard could show no chain of custody for Gusev's disputed samples. Bruyneel was hoist by his own petard, methinks.

Woops, just found it. It's on the French version of the site.

 

[Publicus]

That is true. But we've also seen lots of recent example of riders that never live up to their potential because they weren't properly supported. I think Contador is better than all of them but how much better we don't yet know.

We were talking about Lance and I don't think team strength is going to make up for his individual weakness against the other top competitors.

 

[bianchigirl]

Enjoy CC - I did give you a clue that I'd read the original in French)

Agreed Publicus - when Ullrich won in 1997, Telekom were also the best team, Ullrich took the white jersey and Zabel won the Green. Now, received wisdom post Armstrong is that you can't win the Tour unless your team are 100% dedicated to the interests of 1 rider yet Zabel won 3 stages against the mighty Mario Cipollini. Simply because Armstrong won 7 Tours using his highly effective model doesn't mean it's the only model and hopefully, now that Oldboy is in decline, we'll see a return to different ideas and tactics, teams going for more than just the MJ etc etc.

 

[ridley]

RS Training Camp

I gues the 'man' is kind of special - no need to train/team build with the rest ...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/radioshack-camp-continues-in-spain

 

[BYOP88]

Whatever happend to Gusev? I always thought he'd end up at Katusha, semi-decent TT-er and alright on the cobbles too. I guess he got blacklisted after he won his case against Lance's BFFL.

 

[Carboncrank]

BTW CC (I love this) one of the reasons CAS gave for ruling in Gusev's favour was that Bruyneel/Damsgaard could show no chain of custody for Gusev's disputed samples. Bruyneel was hoist by his own petard, methinks.

Well well, funny how yet again a claim made by you about this turns out to be false.

Chain of custody was NOT included in the reasons for it's ruling.

The finding was completely contract law.

Gusev argued that his contract was an employment contract, Olympus Sarl argued that it was a collaboration agreement with a contractor and not subject to swiss employment contract law.

CAS found in Gusev's favor and ALL of their decision is based on it being a wrongful termination of an employment contract.

Even though the contact clearly stipulated that they could fire a rider for not conforming to anti-doping policy of the Team, by doing so by immediate termination, they deprived Gusev of due process under swiss law.

In essence just putting it in the contract didn't make it legal.

 

[karlboss]

Exactly what does Astana have to prove? Contador is a totally different rider to Armstrong with different team requirements - for a start he doesn't need to be towed up the climbs until the last 2 kms as Armstrong did throughout his career. Never confuse USDiscatana tactics with the only possible tactics for winning a race - after all, had they been followed in 2009, Schlecklet would have been the winner. It was only Contador's presence of mind in attacking and riding his own race at Arcalis that saved the Tour for Astana.

BTW CC (I love this) one of the reasons CAS gave for ruling in Gusev's favour was that Bruyneel/Damsgaard could show no chain of custody for Gusev's disputed samples. Bruyneel was hoist by his own petard, methinks.

If USPS Disco tactics were followed Contador still would have won. Other places would have looked different. How would Andy have won?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lance's brain scan

I wonder what is inside that head of his???

 

[kurtinsc]

If USPS Disco tactics were followed Contador still would have won. Other places would have looked different. How would Andy have won?

Well, before Lance came back, one thing Contador credited Bruyneel with was keeping him from attacking all the time. Contador claimed that before working with Bruyneel, he would attack all the time, even in the lead. Bruyneel taught him to be conservative and save energy to only attack in key places to gain needed time.

I'm interested to see if he holds onto that bit of Bruyneel teaching... or if he attacks more this upcoming year. More attacks would make for more interesting viewing... but it might cost Contador some time if he blows up after attacking due to wasting energy.

 

[Publicus]

Well, before Lance came back, one thing Contador credited Bruyneel with was keeping him from attacking all the time. Contador claimed that before working with Bruyneel, he would attack all the time, even in the lead. Bruyneel taught him to be conservative and save energy to only attack in key places to gain needed time.

I'm interested to see if he holds onto that bit of Bruyneel teaching... or if he attacks more this upcoming year. More attacks would make for more interesting viewing... but it might cost Contador some time if he blows up after attacking due to wasting energy.

yes this is a very serious question: is Contador merely a very fancy marionette? It is impossible that he could actually learn from his mistakes, retain advice from previous DS's and other riders. Who will be there to tell him to turn his pedals fast or that to win he has to finish the race first????


All is lost without the great and powerful Oz! Oh whatever will Alberto do?!?

 

[Señor_Contador]

AC is a poor little sucker, from Spain of all places!, that has "only" won 4 grand tours.

Yet he's still got a lot to learn.

God some people are full of $hit.

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

Bruyneel taught him to be conservative and save energy to only attack in key places to gain needed time.

I could have told him that.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Methinks blowing up at Paris-Nice 2009 was the best thing that ever happened to AC. Well, that and seeing the Bruyneel/Armstrong up yer ar$e Grand Plan to get the Texan another TdF unfolding right before his eyes.

He sure learned what NOT to do.