The Tour de France...the Armstrong vs. Contador show

[*G*K*S*]

He's portuguese as far as I know. Not far off for Bertie, LOL.

But what's happened to his Spanish training fellow, Jesus somebody...? Good climber, but is he not in form? Haven't heard much of him lately.

Hernanadez.

His results this year:

2009: 18º in General Classification Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (ESP)
2009: 23º in General Classification Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA)

 

[RdBiker]

I personally don't see him coming out of retirement to compete in the Tour unless he knew/knows he had/has it in him - of course aside from some power profiling he wouldn't know until the action really starts. We haven't seen a lot to date race wise (collar bone) but he does seem to be improving. Then again, did we ever see much of him in previous years prior to the Tour? Regardless, Contador has to be the favourite. We shall see. The legs will do the talking.

Maybe he came back because he saw how much the average watts had dropped. The difference is noticable and maybe he thought that he could get up the levels that the top riders are outputting right now.

I don't say that he can't beat the others since I don't know how near 100% he was in the Giro but I don't find it probable. Next year I might consider him a contender but he would really have to have hell of a last minute preparation in order to win.

 

[Threshold]

Hmm

Lance...looked cooked at the Giro... seems to be upbeat for the tour... must know how he stacks up in the numbers/watts... he has shown he is a master deceiver.

Alberto.. had a good early season... is best on form... not fully mature... lacks the killer instinct of LA.

It will be a good tour for all the reasons in the previous posts...

Go Cadel!!!

 

[BigBoat]

One thing to consider is that the ease of doping during the TdF has changed since 2005.

Riders used to be able to use testosterone freely as long as they did not go over the 4:1 ratio. Using epitestosterone or other drugs, they could adjust their ratios to mask higher testosterone use than would be possible without such drugs. Now the AFLD is testing some samples with IRMS without the initial ratio screen. It is not safe to use testosterone. HGH can now be detected, although the detection window might be small. Insulin can also be detected. A lot of the drugs used for day to day recovery cannot be used like they could before Armstrong retired.

The use of chaperones eliminates some masking techniques for high hematocrits.

Kohl said that he did not dare to use anything during the Tour except blood transfusions. It may well be a a very different environment to race under than what Armstrong is used to. It could be a huge factor, especially the recovery factor.

Human adrenocorticotrophin or ACTH used in place of test... Personally, I think they can still jack all the way to 57-60% with autologous blood doping. Based on the power files we saw with Gustov.

Lance will dope with other PEDs during the Tour than just blood refills. Rest assured. Maybe their not banned yet, but all the same. Just look at the power from the riders...Its right back up there.

 

[BigBoat]

If LA wins it's an embarrassment to the sport, ..

Yeah.........

 

[richwagmn]

Human adrenocorticotrophin or ACTH used in place of test... Personally, I think they can still jack all the way to 57-60% with autologous blood doping. Based on the power files we saw with Gustov.

Lance will dope with other PEDs during the Tour than just blood refills. Rest assured. Maybe their not banned yet, but all the same. Just look at the power from the riders...Its right back up there.

What power level would indicate doping to you?

 

[yourwelcome]

It obviously kills some people here to know that to the general public, Lance is one of the few big names from his era who has never been busted, and his return to the sport is actually helping it's image recover from the doping scandals over the last few years - whether he doped and got away with it or really was clean is irrelevant.

This idea that Lance winning would lower cycling's public reputation is BS. Sponsors and audience numbers agree that he's a huge asset to cycling. If he wins the Tour, it's going to sell like hotcakes. Right now that's just how it is, regardless of the fear and loathing here.

 

[Escarabajo]

This idea that Lance winning would lower cycling's public reputation is BS.

I disagree with this statement. It will show some humiliation to the existing riders like Sastre. Remember what he said of him last year. Implying that the riders right now are not good enough. Therefore some cycling fans don't like this kind of denigration.

 

[nobody]

It obviously kills some people here to know that to the general public, Lance is one of the few big names from his era who has never been busted, and his return to the sport is actually helping it's image recover from the doping scandals over the last few years - whether he doped and got away with it or really was clean is irrelevant.

This idea that Lance winning would lower cycling's public reputation is BS. Sponsors and audience numbers agree that he's a huge asset to cycling. If he wins the Tour, it's going to sell like hotcakes. Right now that's just how it is, regardless of the fear and loathing here.

Where were the sponsors and spectators last year? Where will those guys be next year or in 2 years after Lance retirement?

In the same time a lot of real fans will have been disgusted by the Ferrari's show.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Things could change, but right now I don't see LA being able to hang with AC(or Levi for that matter) in that 1st stage TT.

Things have changed. Lance beat Levi in a TT in Colorado a week or two ago. Levi tweeted about it.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Things have changed. Lance beat Levi in a TT in Colorado a week or two ago. Levi tweeted about it.

Speaking of tweets, what Lance posted today: "Out doing TT intervals. Lots of fun. Not.".

Levi is stuck at an airport because of a storm, trying to get to Europe, while Lance is out doing TT intervals. You know anyone else planning on working for someone else out doing TT intervals?

Maybe Lance really does not have it anymore, and he's delusional, but one thing is for sure: he believes he's close enough to give it a shot, and that shot will happen in Monte Carlo. And that will make it a show not to be missed.

 

[Anonymous]

I disagree with this statement. It will show some humiliation to the existing riders like Sastre. Remember what he said of him last year. Implying that the riders right now are not good enough. Therefore some cycling fans don't like this kind of denigration.

Oh, big deal! Everything that comes out of his mouth is not of some earthshaking importance. Di Luca dissed Levi in the Giro. Levi had his chance to make him look dumb and couldn't get it done. He's not crying about it.

Lance will now have a chance to back up his mouth.

 

[Anonymous]

Things have changed. Lance beat Levi in a TT in Colorado a week or two ago. Levi tweeted about it.

they joked about it in a livestrong video. levi had no warm up a dragging brake no tt helmet and the wrong wheels or something.
levi was trying to make him pay the next day going up high mountain dirt roads.

a couple of days earlier lance did the video next to the the Woody Creek Tavern.

He says Hunter's car is still there.

 

[39*23t]

Just how far will Armstrong go to derail contador

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjjYBkTx5PI

 

[Cobblestones]

Just how far will Armstrong go to derail contador

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjjYBkTx5PI

I'm confused. Are you saying LA will show AC his man boobs?

 

[39*23t]

I'm confused. Are you saying LA will show AC his man boobs?

no have you not heard of operation robert millar

 

[Cobblestones]

no have you not heard of operation robert millar

Doh! Of course. Everything falls into place.

 

[RightWingNutJob]

Lol. If Lance wins this thing, I wonder how many of the Anti-Lance crowd will slit their wrists. I'm sure life would be unbearable at that point.

 

[richwagmn]

It obviously kills some people here to know that to the general public, Lance is one of the few big names from his era who has never been busted, and his return to the sport is actually helping it's image recover from the doping scandals over the last few years - whether he doped and got away with it or really was clean is irrelevant.

This idea that Lance winning would lower cycling's public reputation is BS. Sponsors and audience numbers agree that he's a huge asset to cycling. If he wins the Tour, it's going to sell like hotcakes. Right now that's just how it is, regardless of the fear and loathing here.

You're right. Technically, Lance was never busted (though the 99 TDF EPO positives are awfully hard to explain away).

I think LA's a big self promoter. Which is fine if he'd be sincere about his intentions. Who really believes he came back to cycling to raise awareness about cancer? He came back because he mistakenly believes he's better than all the current riders (though we've see no sign of that in any of his performances).

Contador's put his time in and demonstrated he deserves to lead this team. 3 GT wins at his age is nothing to sneeze at. Who the f*ck does LA think he is that he can show up and challenge Contador for team leadership? Would he have tolerated the same situation during his TDF winning years? No way in hell.

LA will NOT ride for Contador. Mark my words. As a matter of fact, I can see LA getting dropped on climbs and requiring some of the team domestiques to pace him back to the leaders (just like he did in the Giro). How is that fair to Contador? The team should be sacrificing themselves for Contador, not wasting their energy trying to salve LA's ego.

Go away LA. You had your glory years. Let Contador have his.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lol. If Lance wins this thing, I wonder how many of the Anti-Lance crowd will slit their wrists. I'm sure life would be unbearable at that point.

their are a lot out their... lots of slitted wrists. everyone should donate te blood lossed from slitting their wrists and donate it to the other teams so they have a chance of winning next year. LOL

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

It obviously kills some people here to know that to the general public, Lance is one of the few big names from his era who has never been busted, and his return to the sport is actually helping it's image recover from the doping scandals over the last few years - whether he doped and got away with it or really was clean is irrelevant.

This idea that Lance winning would lower cycling's public reputation is BS. Sponsors and audience numbers agree that he's a huge asset to cycling. If he wins the Tour, it's going to sell like hotcakes. Right now that's just how it is, regardless of the fear and loathing here.

it's true..

Lance winning tour for an 8th time = Huge (positive) media reaction etc
Lance gets caught doping = Cycling in major trouble... that would quite possibly be the final nail in the coffin.

 

[RdBiker]

http://www.astana-cyclingteam.com/

Watch the opening clip presenting all the riders. I laughed my *** off when I saw Armstrong's palmares: "2009 NEVADA CITY CLASSIC CHAMPION" and the champion was highlighted

That certainly warrants his team leader position

 

[Amsterhammer]

You're right. Technically, Lance was never busted (though the 99 TDF EPO positives are awfully hard to explain away).

I think LA's a big self promoter. Which is fine if he'd be sincere about his intentions. Who really believes he came back to cycling to raise awareness about cancer? He came back because he mistakenly believes he's better than all the current riders (though we've see no sign of that in any of his performances).

Contador's put his time in and demonstrated he deserves to lead this team. 3 GT wins at his age is nothing to sneeze at. Who the f*ck does LA think he is that he can show up and challenge Contador for team leadership? Would he have tolerated the same situation during his TDF winning years? No way in hell.

LA will NOT ride for Contador. Mark my words. As a matter of fact, I can see LA getting dropped on climbs and requiring some of the team domestiques to pace him back to the leaders (just like he did in the Giro). How is that fair to Contador? The team should be sacrificing themselves for Contador, not wasting their energy trying to salve LA's ego.

Go away LA. You had your glory years. Let Contador have his.

Now this is an anti-Lance post that I can respect, since it isn't only full of vicious hatred. I agree with a number of your points too, especially the last one. I would have preferred it if he had stayed retired.

Kindly explain the following in simple, factual terms to an ignorant, old, fake fan, Lance tea-bagger with failing memory

How exactly did he get away with those six positives? And please, no supposition, no opinion, hit me with verifiable facts.

 

[Mellow Velo]

it's true..
Lance winning tour for an 8th time = Huge (positive) media reaction etc
Lance gets caught doping = Cycling in major trouble... that would quite possibly be the final nail in the coffin.

Lance winning tour for an 8th time = A lot of life long, year long fans having a huge negative reaction. The final nail in their coffins, maybe.

Lance gets caught doping = Vindication for the realists. The final nail in the fanboy coffin. Cycling finally gets to move on and maybe clean up it's act. (but it'll never happen)

Out of interest, I wonder who will get to wear the Astana number 1 jersey: Designated team leader, Contador, or self-appointed to the team and self appointed team leader, Armstrong?

 

[nobody]

How exactly did he get away with those six positives? And please, no supposition, no opinion, hit me with verifiable facts.

Fact 1 : no EPO test were available for A samples... so B sample positive is not sufficient for an UCI AAF.
Fact 2 : B samples were scientifically found positive with higher standard than UCI standard. Validation a new testing procedure requiere better expertise and higher standard that regular procedures!