What hppens if/when Levi & Klodi are strong than Tex in 2010 TdF?

[Bag_O_Wallet]

I wonder what the battle lines will be... if JB will still want all three to be going for the win, and if it will it end up as a battle of twitter posts and bitten tongues?

 

[Publicus]

I wonder what the battle lines will be... if JB will still want all three to be going for the win, and if it will it end up as a battle of twitter posts and bitten tongues?

Ain't never going to happen. Both Levi and Kloden know the score. Especially Kloden.

 

[Bala Verde]

the TdF...

in 2010...

involving Kloeden who is not even confirmed as a rider...

for a team that does not yet have a pro-tour license and has yet to be invited to ride the tour...

while speculating about someone's form in July 2010

Let me shake my magic eightball...

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

the TdF...

in 2010...

involving Kloeden who is not even confirmed as a rider...

for a team that does not yet have a pro-tour license and has yet to be invited to ride the tour...

while speculating about someone's form in July 2010

Let me shake my magic eightball...

how do I retract a thread?

 

[pmcg76]

RadioShack will be going to the Tour with no designated leader like this year with Astana. The main aim will be to sweep the peloton, its all for the team.

This after all is the Bruyneel way, no designated leader and let the road decide. This is the most effective way and anyone who disagrees is just stupid and knows nothing about cycling because Bruyneel is the master tactician with more GTs to his name than anyone else.

Even if one of the guys is leading the race, he will be expected to do domestique work for his lower ranked team-mates to ensure they have a shot at the podium. Just like the marines, nobody will be left behind. The team is more important than individual victory. This method has won Bruyneel 10 Tours so no questions asked.

The other plus is that because RadioShack will have 3 leaders, AC wont know who to follow and lets face it, he will be clueless without Bruyneel guiding him. You think he was stupid this year, wait until next year. If it werent for the Hog, Contador would still not have won a major Tour. I predict a RadioShack podium sweep with Lance winning and helping his team-mates onto the podium.

 

[Sprocket01]

They shouldn't have joined Lance's team, that he has set up himself, if they think they can beat him, so they can hardly complain if they are ordered to help LA. It was rumoured that LA asked Andy Schleck to join the shack but he declined. This is what the other riders should have done if they think they can beat him. You don't join Lance's own team.

However if they're obviously stronger than him then I suppose it will come through on the road, and hopefully having learnt from this year's experience LA will be careful to handle it better and gracefully step aside. However, there is no reason to think they will be stronger than him this time around - he's been better than them all his career and they are almost as old as he is. With a year of pro racing now under his belt he should be the strongest.

 

[Publicus]

They shouldn't have joined Lance's team, that he has set up himself, if they think they can beat him, so they can hardly complain if they are ordered to help LA. It was rumoured that LA asked Andy Schleck to join the shack but he declined. This is what the other riders should have done if they think they can beat him. You don't join Lance's own team.

However if they're obviously stronger than him then I suppose it will come through on the road, and hopefully having learnt from this year's experience LA will be careful to handle it better and gracefully step aside. However, there is no reason to think they will be stronger than him this time around - he's been better than them all his career and they are almost as old as he is. With a year of pro racing now under his belt he should be the strongest.

Not to beat a dead horse, but Lance joined a team with an existing team leader who was obviously stronger than him on the road, had won the last 3 GTs he had entered and had been winning all year. None of that stopped Lance from acting like a jealous 12 year old girl. Why should he expect deference from anyone else on next year's Radio Shack team? I mean without being an obvious hypocrite?

And before you go there: Levi has finished on the podium in a couple of GTs, and actually won some stage races in the past 12 months. Same with Kloden. Both of them were obviously stronger than him last year, as well. So based on recent history, they are the best potential riders, for the potential team (as I nod my head toward Bala Verde)

 

[Mellow Velo]

Levi could easily beat him, if only he could remember that it's first over the line wins, not the guy who's closest to the rear end of the guy, who is first over the line.
Kloden? Will be sent to fetch water in Evian, during the Morzine stage.

Failing that, Hogstrong will just use those handily supplied, "medical waste bins", to dispose of their problem.

 

[HL2037]

However if they're obviously stronger than him then I suppose it will come through on the road, and hopefully having learnt from this year's experience LA will be careful to handle it better and gracefully step aside. However, there is no reason to think they will be stronger than him this time around - he's been better than them all his career and they are almost as old as he is. With a year of pro racing now under his belt he should be the strongest.

Did you not see the etape to Verbier in this years tour?

 

[Race Radio]

RadioShack will be going to the Tour with no designated leader like this year with Astana. The main aim will be to sweep the peloton, its all for the team.

This after all is the Bruyneel way, no designated leader and let the road decide. This is the most effective way and anyone who disagrees is just stupid and knows nothing about cycling because Bruyneel is the master tactician with more GTs to his name than anyone else.

Even if one of the guys is leading the race, he will be expected to do domestique work for his lower ranked team-mates to ensure they have a shot at the podium. Just like the marines, nobody will be left behind. The team is more important than individual victory. This method has won Bruyneel 10 Tours so no questions asked.

The other plus is that because RadioShack will have 3 leaders, AC wont know who to follow and lets face it, he will be clueless without Bruyneel guiding him. You think he was stupid this year, wait until next year. If it werent for the Hog, Contador would still not have won a major Tour. I predict a RadioShack podium sweep with Lance winning and helping his team-mates onto the podium.

This is what it has come to, Armstrong has to pay his competitors not to beat him.

 

[Race Radio]

They shouldn't have joined Lance's team, that he has set up himself, if they think they can beat him, so they can hardly complain if they are ordered to help LA. It was rumoured that LA asked Andy Schleck to join the shack but he declined. This is what the other riders should have done if they think they can beat him. You don't join Lance's own team.

However if they're obviously stronger than him then I suppose it will come through on the road, and hopefully having learnt from this year's experience LA will be careful to handle it better and gracefully step aside. However, there is no reason to think they will be stronger than him this time around - he's been better than them all his career and they are almost as old as he is. With a year of pro racing now under his belt he should be the strongest.

This is what is has come to, Armstrong paying his competitors not to beat him.

Sad

 

[Mellow Velo]

Not to beat a dead horse, but Lance joined a team with an existing team leader who was obviously stronger than him on the road, nad won the last 3 GTs he had entered and had been winning all year. None of that stopped Lance from acting like a jealous 12 year old girl. Why should he expect deference from anyone else on next year's Radio Shack team? I mean without being an obvious hypocrite?

Don't you love the way that he wormed himself onto the team?
"I am not coming back to win, but to raise cancer awareness."
"I will fetch water for Contador, for no salary, just huge appearance fees."

Of course, he couldn't state his real intensions.

As an uncontracted guest, he immediately assumes team leadership and undermines their contracted star.
When he's piggybacked this super-strong team to third place in the Tour, he runs off with his cherry picked cronies.
Class act!

 

[Dr. Maserati]

RadioShack will be going to the Tour with no designated leader like this year with Astana. The main aim will be to sweep the peloton, its all for the team.

This after all is the Bruyneel way, no designated leader and let the road decide. This is the most effective way and anyone who disagrees is just stupid and knows nothing about cycling because Bruyneel is the master tactician with more GTs to his name than anyone else.

Even if one of the guys is leading the race, he will be expected to do domestique work for his lower ranked team-mates to ensure they have a shot at the podium. Just like the marines, nobody will be left behind. The team is more important than individual victory. This method has won Bruyneel 10 Tours so no questions asked.

The other plus is that because RadioShack will have 3 leaders, AC wont know who to follow and lets face it, he will be clueless without Bruyneel guiding him. You think he was stupid this year, wait until next year. If it werent for the Hog, Contador would still not have won a major Tour. I predict a RadioShack podium sweep with Lance winning and helping his team-mates onto the podium.

Wrong - RadioShack will not be going with the 3 men on the podium secret strategy they had at Astana this year.

Lance has said his return was all about cancer awareness - he spent a month in France this year - so next July I expect to see him ride the Tour of Austria, he could do well there.

 

[Sprocket01]

Not to beat a dead horse, but Lance joined a team with an existing team leader who was obviously stronger than him on the road, nad won the last 3 GTs he had entered and had been winning all year. None of that stopped Lance from acting like a jealous 12 year old girl. Why should he expect deference from anyone else on next year's Radio Shack team? I mean without being an obvious hypocrite?

Well that is sort of my point. LA set up his own team precisely to avoid the problems that occurred last year. There will be no mistaking who the team leader is this time. That's why it's silly to think that the other riders wouldn't know this already. They are perfectly aware and therefore have no one else to blame but themselves for joining to the Shack. They know what the deal is.

But if, in the unlikely event that one of them is significantly better than him, I hope LA will have learnt from the difficult experience this year and handle it better. To be fair to him, it can't have been easy for such a dominant champion to have to play second fiddle to anybody - it was never going to be easy. By he's now been through that experience for the first time so naturally will likely be better at dealing with it.

And before you go there: Levi has finished on the podium in a couple of GTs, and actually won some stage races in the past 12 months. Same with Kloden. Both of them were obviously stronger than him last year, as well. So based on recent history, they are the best potential riders, for the potential team (as I nod my head toward Bala Verde)

No they weren't obviously better than LA during the tour. They perhaps started a bit better but Levi was out before it got to the tough bits so we just don't know if he would have collapsed like he did in the Giro. Kloden also cracked during the last week whilst Armstrong got stronger, and LA dropped him a few times as I recall. If Armstrong can bring that last week form to the whole tour this time then there is no reason why he will not be the best in his team.

 

[pmcg76]

Wrong - RadioShack will not be going with the 3 men on the podium secret strategy they had this year.

Lance has said his return was all about cancer awareness - he spent a month in France this year - so next July I expect to see him ride the Tour of Austria, he could do well there.

Yeah, Austria is a beautiful country and they havent had the pleasure of Lance yet. Its all about cancer awareness, its just not so important August-January.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

C'mon Dr-seriously, I thought you knew me better than this.

Perhaps RS are thinking about getting all the podium places at the Tour of Austria?

 

[Race Radio]

the only person who was mistaken about the leadership of Astana this year was Armstrong. To even the casual observer AC was always the leader.

 

[Sprocket01]

Mellow Velo,

well it's obviously not something the cynical insiders here will agree with, but I really do think a large part of it this year was the cancer awareness thing. He spent a lot of time going around the world meeting prime ministers instead of training. As I said in the other thread, he seemed a bit too laid back and relaxed - we didn't see glimpses of the old Lance until he fell out with the press at the Giro. As a character he thrives on grudges and needs seige mentality to motivate him, so with all the bust ups and allegations this year, and the general upscalling of hatred against him, it should work a lot better for his focus through the whole year.

By the way he did domestique for Levi during the Giro and did the whole water bottle thing, so it's not like he is incapable of that.

 

[HL2037]

But if, in the unlikely event that one of them is significantly better than him, I hope LA will have learnt from the difficult experience this year and handle it better. To be fair to him, it can't have been easy for such a dominant champion to have to play second fiddle to anybody - it was never going to be easy. By he's now been through that experience for the first time so naturally will likely be better at dealing with it.

He had no one else to blame but himself for joining Astana.

Seriously, did you not see LA cry on Verbier in front of rolling cameras, admitting that he didn't have what it takes anymore?

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Mellow Velo,

well it's obviously not something the cynical insiders here will agree with, but I really do think a large part of it this year was the cancer awareness thing. He spent a lot of time going around the world meeting prime ministers instead of training. As I said in the other thread, he seemed a bit too laid back and relaxed - we didn't see glimpses of the old Lance until he fell out with the press at the Giro. As a character he thrives on grudges and needs seige mentality to motivate him, so with all the bust ups and allegations this year, and the general upscalling of hatred against him, it should work a lot better for his focus through the whole year.

By the way he did domestique for Levi during the Giro and did the whole water bottle thing, so it's not like he is incapable of that.

Thats an interesting theory - so, with your blind love and affection for the man not be harming his chances.
Are you to blame for Lance finishing third this year?

 

[Publicus]

Well that is sort of my point. LA set up his own team precisely to avoid the problems that occurred last year. There will be no mistaking who the team leader is this time. That's why it's silly to think that the other riders wouldn't know this already. They are perfectly aware and therefore have no one else to blame but themselves for joining to the Shack. They know what the deal is.

But if, in the unlikely event that one of them is significantly better than him, I hope LA will have learnt from the difficult experience this year and handle it better. To be fair to him, it can't have been easy for such a dominant champion to have to play second fiddle to anybody - it was never going to be easy. By he's now been through that experience for the first time so naturally will likely be better at dealing with it.


No they weren't obviously better than LA during the tour. They perhaps started a bit better but Levi was out before it got to the tough bits so we just don't know if he would have collapsed like he did in the Giro. Kloden also cracked during the last week whilst Armstrong got stronger, and LA dropped him a few times as I recall. If Armstrong can bring that last week form to the whole tour this time then there is no reason why he will not be the best in his team.

So if I follow your logic, Lance should have known the deal when he came back and STFU and rode on behalf of AC. Is that right? Finally something we agree upon. He could have stayed his **** at home if he wasn't willing or able to deal with reality. It's not like it was costing him any money in lost wages. He simply could have waited and started his own team. He chose his path and all the drama that came with it.

So you didn't watch the Tour right? Otherwise you saw the Prologue, where Lance was 4th best on his team (behind AC, Kloden and LL). Or Verbier where Kloden basically towed his **** up the mountain to his own podium position detriment. Or Stage 16 and 17 where LA couldn't make the cut, but Kloden could (well, for most of the stage). Kloden was dropped on Ventoux after 3 weeks spent shepherding LA around the mountains. Surely, the irony of that can't escape you. They both were stronger. One got injured and the other sacrificed his podium position for Lance's.

(Btw, I agree that Levi and Kloden will not put there aspirations first. But Lance has been busy trying to suggest that they will have cards to play, as if anyone believes that BS besides him. My point is that the same crap Lance was spouting this year should be thrown in his face at every turn next year. At every turn.)

 

[UpTheRoad]

I predict a RadioShack podium sweep with Lance helping his team-mates onto the podium.

There's a first time for everything.





/I fully realize the sarcasm in your post

 

[Sprocket01]

A lot of people this year were very curious as to whether LA could suddenly produce some old magic. Although on paper AC was always the favourite, the intrigue on LA was pretty intense - nobody could say for sure that he wouldn't be able to get back some of the old magic. Though they won't admit it, a lot of his critics were worried about this as well. It was a bit like watching one of those Tyson fight's where everyone couldn't help but wait to see if he could produce the goods once more. At the time it wasn't as clear as it seemed afterwards.

 

[Sprocket01]

Seriously, did you not see LA cry on Verbier in front of rolling cameras, admitting that he didn't have what it takes anymore?

No I did not see this. First time I've heard about it. Seems doubtful to be honest.

 

[Race Radio]

Mellow Velo,

well it's obviously not something the cynical insiders here will agree with, but I really do think a large part of it this year was the cancer awareness thing. He spent a lot of time going around the world meeting prime ministers instead of training.

How did the media boycott raise awareness? Armstrong is paid for his appearances, he knows his groupies will never question it.