Who do you trust? LA & JB versus AC & Spanish media AKA Wheel Gate

[Publicus]

The only thing he was #1 at this year was some obscure race in Nevada.

That's not totally true. He was the #1 douchébag at the TdF this year. That's got to count for something right?

 

[tjwracer]

That's not totally true. He was the #1 douchébag at the TdF this year. That's got to count for something right?

HAHAHAHA that is completly true. Its a good thing we have Dave Z, Hincapie, and CV to represnt the U.S.

 

[Angliru]

That's not totally true. He was the #1 douchébag at the TdF this year. That's got to count for something right?

I stand corrected. We must give credit where credit is due. He is certainly lobbying for that title.

Vande Velde is the epitome of class. I grow more and more appreciative of his straightforward and humble interviews. I'd argue that his performance was at the Tour after his serious crash was at the Giro was far more impressive (still finished top 10) and definitely courageous and selfless.

 

[Ripper]

Oh, it's so fun having to constantly read drivel from you average nobodies who have no clue what's it like to be #1.

I know you're looking to blame somebody.. but at least blame the right person. Your parents.

Fpcyclingn, you are a district manager, aren't you? You are important and people are scared of you.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Oh, it's so fun having to constantly read drivel from you average nobodies who have no clue what's it like to be #1.

I know you're looking to blame somebody.. but at least blame the right person. Your parents.

My parents taught me that you don't become a bigger person by trying to make other people look small, or by trying to stand on the shoulders of things you didn't accomplish yourself.

They probably assumed I was clever enough to realize that trying to do both at the same time was hardly a sign of personal greatness.

 

[Ripper]

My parents taught me that you don't become a bigger person by trying to make other people look small, or by trying to stand on the shoulders of things you didn't accomplish yourself.

They probably assumed I was clever enough to realize that trying to do both at the same time was hardly a sign of personal greatness.

OK, now I feel bad!

 

[Slayer]

All you Armstrong fans been following the thermometer pill business today? We're promised an update soon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwQ45tzoGRI

 

[Francois the Postman]

OK, now I feel bad!

It's ok. I already hung my own head in shame for forgetting that there are things not worth rising to

 

[Francois the Postman]

Anyone read the second interview with Lance on the sportswereld.be site? More a reflection on his entire year.

dutch / english (sorta - good luck again)

Curious if people picked out the same things as I did.

 

[Slayer]

Anyone read the second interview with Lance on the sportswereld.be site? More a reflection on his entire year.

dutch / english (sorta - good luck again)

Curious if people picked out the same things as I did.

Thanks for posting that. Good despite the jumbled translation.

He's right that he did too much last year. He made tonns of cash for his charity but you can't be a top tour rider and have that many meetings all over the world. It was a bit silly really. I could have told him that at the time.

I believe he said that his performance in 2009 would have beaten Sastre's winning performance in 2008. That's an interesting statement. Probably true. Just unfortunate for him that AC came back with stonking form and AS stepped up. As he says, it's going to be very difficult to beat them now.

Oh yeah, he also seemed to have the precise stats on Contador's power output on the Verbier, which I thought was interesting.

 

[BYOP88]

Oh yeah, he also seemed to have the precise stats on Contador's power output on the Verbier, which I thought was interesting.

I wouldn't hold out much hope for that, after all Lance isn't the brightest bulb in the pack is he? I mean the guy couldn't even remember if he had a TUE or not.

 

[Publicus]

Thanks for posting that. Good despite the jumbled translation.

He's right that he did too much last year. He made tonns of cash for his charity but you can't be a top tour rider and have that many meetings all over the world. It was a bit silly really. I could have told him that at the time.

I believe he said that his performance in 2009 would have beaten Sastre's winning performance in 2008. That's an interesting statement. Probably true. Just unfortunate for him that AC came back with stonking form and AS stepped up. As he says, it's going to be very difficult to beat them now.

Oh yeah, he also seemed to have the precise stats on Contador's power output on the Verbier, which I thought was interesting.

He's just quoting Dr. Ferrari's estimate (1852).

 

[Slayer]

Thermometer updates from today...before it's on twitter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2cbq2PYT5I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAtVPv4SN4I

 

[Slayer]

He's just quoting Dr. Ferrari's estimate (1852).

True, that's where the modern calculation technique for power outputs comes from, I'm led to believe. Even LeMond uses it.

 

[Publicus]

True, that's where the modern calculation technique for power outputs comes from, I'm led to believe. Even LeMond uses it.

Just correcting your assumption that Lance was privy to some inside data on AC. I assume your reference to Lemond is to allude to Greg's allegations this summer. That's already been addressed and debunked (sloppy math).

 

[Slayer]

Just correcting your assumption that Lance was privy to some inside data on AC. I assume your reference to Lemond is to allude to Greg's allegations this summer. That's already been addressed and debunked (sloppy math).

I think there is still a debate about that.

Maybe Lance does have the exact numbers - he could have, given the team must have had access to the data - but the point I was making is I think LA highlighted it as a backhander, as they say. Damning praise.

 

[Publicus]

I think there is still a debate about that.

Maybe Lance does have the exact numbers - he could have, given the team must have had access to the data - but the point I was making is I think LA highlighted it as a backhander, as they say. Damning praise.

Not really.

Not likely since this was a Dr. Ferrari CALCULATION. Perhaps if he had offered up an exact power output over the climb, you might have a stronger basis to advance that line of thinking. But he didn't.

He's the last person who should be calling anyone's performance in to question. Six. 1999.

 

[Race Radio]

True, that's where the modern calculation technique for power outputs comes from, I'm led to believe. Even LeMond uses it.

VAM does not measure power it measures climbing speed. It is not new, it has been used for decades.

 

[lagartija]

I think there is still a debate about that.

Maybe Lance does have the exact numbers - he could have, given the team must have had access to the data - but the point I was making is I think LA highlighted it as a backhander, as they say. Damning praise.

no debate whatsoever, bad math,sorry dont mean to pile on , just reading through..........

 

[thehog]

VAM does not measure power it measures climbing speed. It is not new, it has been used for decades.

Impressive all the same that he doesn't know he's own VO2 max but has memorised this stat??

 

[ExRower]

I stand corrected. We must give credit where credit is due. He is certainly lobbying for that title.

Vande Velde is the epitome of class. I grow more and more appreciative of his straightforward and humble interviews. I'd argue that his performance was at the Tour after his serious crash was at the Giro was far more impressive (still finished top 10) and definitely courageous and selfless.

I will have to agree with your opinion on Vande Velde. Lance can learn a lesson or two on class from his old domestique.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Anyone read the second interview with Lance on the sportswereld.be site? More a reflection on his entire year.

Curious if people picked out the same things as I did.

Gave up after a while on the awful translation and having read this bit:

I think he was asked how often his body wouldn't respond as he wanted it to.
He answered almost all of the Giro and Tour.
Exactly what many here have been saying, as he continues to age, he will experience more of the same.

I was wondering how folks would compare the Basso of 2005, to the Contador of 2009, as Lance's Tour adversaries.
How would the 2009 version of Contador stack up, in challenging for the 2005 title against this younger Lance, considering the challenge Basso offered in that race?

 

[Francois the Postman]

Gave up after a while on the awful translation and having read this bit:

I think he was asked how often his body wouldn't respond as he wanted it to.
He answered almost all of the Giro and Tour.
Exactly what many here have been saying, as he continues to age, he will experience more of the same.

Yeah, that was pretty much the gist of that part, that he certainly had a plateau that had limits (and age won't affect natural capacity better next year).

He concedes this, but asserts that better preparation and less distraction will overall add up to a stronger performance this year. At the same time, it's obvious he has doubts himself, as he states that he will be training very hard throughout, as he won't get a chance to figure out if he can afford to take it easy for a bit, given his age. That that is certainly different from the old days. Apart from TdU, he will approach things as he did before, not as he did last year, including the self-promotion and LAF promotional appearances. Similar run-up program, all for the Tour and only the Tour. But now also minus any relaxation period. That only constant training from now til then will get him to the level he needs to be at come July.

What I found odd, that despite being obviously aware he was lacking in many departments, he still presents the entire Tour narrative as if it was screamingly obvious that all the Astana targets and goals were all about him. (I know, no surprise).

At no point in the interview does he even begin to suggest that under those circumstances Contador should have been the undisputed #1 rider. Even worse, he still berates "that guy" for not sticking to the team plan.

Now, dodging the obvious what-surprises-you-commentary, you could actually read that whole section and not even realize that Contador was the better rider on the same team. I thought the way he talked about the Tour from his (and probably Bruyneel's) POV was quite revealing, It shows quite clearly just how selfish he approached it then, and still. And how Contador was really quite justified to feel this tour team approach was totally not about him, but about a guy who struggled with fitness, and rode around with the confidence of a frightened rabbit for a substantial part of the tear (Lance's own admission). In a way you've got to admire the self-absorbed arrogance of the man.

There were a couple of other peculiar bits in it, but yeah, this was one I picked upon too.

Apart from a few Lancisms, I thought it was actually a quite frank and insightful interview, certainly compared to the earlier interview. Shame the translation is so awful, as it's worth a read.

 

[Francois the Postman]

I was wondering how folks would compare the Basso of 2005, to the Contador of 2009, as Lance's Tour adversaries. How would the 2009 version of Contador stack up, in challenging for the 2005 title against this younger Lance, considering the challenge Basso offered in that race?

Well, the weird thing is that none of us got to see the true level of the 2009 Contador. It's not like he had to race, really. So he never really did (and was told not to by Bruyneel, when he probably wanted to - extrapolating from that same interview - in which Lance said that Contador was proposing actions to Bruyneel over the radios that were - according to Lance - tactically dangerous).

The 2009 Tour was all about the third place, once andy had come to realize that #2 was safe, and #1 was not on the cards.

In a head to head square off, I would rate AC 09 above Basso 05. So then it kinda depends what team AC would bring with him, as Lance 05 certainly still had the ability to add to what his 05 team could do for him. In 05 that might have made the difference in Lance's favour, in 09 it mattered not.

This year it felt like Lance could hardly elevate himself above and beyond what the team presented him with. Dragged him up to. If the strong ones had seized their own chances, Lance would not be #3 on the podium. With them riding and tiring themselves in his service, he did indeed manage to get 3rd overall.

How do you see it Mello?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Agree on CVV. Though a bit skeptical of his gains and non-gluten diet, he showed a lot of class last year. Both off the bike in his modest tone, and on the bike giving everything to help Brad in the Tour. I'm hoping he has a good year too and would love to see him win the TOC or something that big.