You are Bruyneel: What's your plan? What are your tricks?

[frizzlefry]

alright, as one of the few people on the board with fewer posts than me, i'm allowed to call you a jerk-off.
also, i find it interesting that in this thread i've been called both a lance-lover and a lance-hater. i think it speaks to the rational thought process that takes place on this board.

LMFAO....
This place is great isnt it?

 

[fpcyclingn]

alright, as one of the few people on the board with fewer posts than me, i'm allowed to call you a jerk-off.

some advice: read the entire thread and note the date stamps. before the start of the tour it was unclear what form lance would be in. clearly now the strategy would be different. i still don't think it's a bad idea to attack with (at this point) either lance or contador. if the attack works you get a stage win, if it doesn't you wear down the other teams' contenders/ climbing domestiques and attack again with the rider that didn't go. make sense?

also, i find it interesting that in this thread i've been called both a lance-lover and a lance-hater. i think it speaks to the rational thought process that takes place on this board.

Maybe it just shows your foresight fails? Maybe you should have actually considered the pre-tour evidence instead of making ridiculous assumptions like all the haters on this board do (whether you are a hater or not).

It was beyond obvious before the tour even started that LA was going to be a contender. He said it himself, and former podium finishers said it as well.

Oh, but I forgot... CN armchair warriors are apparently smarter than LA and the peleton.

P.S. Post count means nothing, except that you waste more valuable life time on the internet running your mouth than I do.

 

[Publicus]

Maybe it just shows your foresight fails? Maybe you should have actually considered the pre-tour evidence instead of making ridiculous assumptions like all the haters on this board do (whether you are a hater or not).

It was beyond obvious before the tour even started that LA was going to be a contender. He said it himself, and former podium finishers said it as well.

Oh, but I forgot... CN armchair warriors are apparently smarter than LA and the peleton.

P.S. Post count means nothing, except that you waste more valuable life time on the internet running your mouth than I do.

I guess you are just looking for fights and chances to show up anyone who had the temerity to doubt Lance's abilities. You've come to the right place. Hopefully you'll be around everyday and just not when the sun is shining in Livestrong World (for a lack of a better term for his fans who believe he can do no wrong or that viewing him and his comeback objectively is proof that one is a hater). Enjoy!

 

[frizzlefry]

P.S. Post count means nothing, except that you waste more valuable life time on the internet running your mouth than I do.

Blasphemy!!!!

 

[ilillillli]

Maybe it just shows your foresight fails? Maybe you should have actually considered the pre-tour evidence instead of making ridiculous assumptions like all the haters on this board do (whether you are a hater or not).

It was beyond obvious before the tour even started that LA was going to be a contender. He said it himself, and former podium finishers said it as well.

Oh, but I forgot... CN armchair warriors are apparently smarter than LA and the peleton.

P.S. Post count means nothing, except that you waste more valuable life time on the internet running your mouth than I do.

1. pre-tour evidence: 12th in the giro with mediocre climbing and a fairly underwhelming time trial.

2. calling yourself a contender ≠ being a contender. wiggins just picked himself for the top 10. remember when basso was going to win the giro this year?

3. beyond obvious? here's a quote form a new york times article (from lance himself): "The trick is trying to be a responsible teammate and co-leader and understand that Alberto could not just be stronger, but could be a lot stronger,” Armstrong said of Contador.
here's the link. lance himself had doubts. or is playing mad psych-ops. either way. it's hardly obvious.

4. smarter than LA? never claimed to be. but i did offer opinions on strategy on a forum topic soliciting opinions on strategy. was that wrong?

5. i type with my hands, not my mouth. so it's not running.

6. is criticizing message board commenting via message board commenting better than message board commenting itself? the world may never know.

7. so what's your point? no one should offer opinions on anything ever? come on, scro.

 

[dadoorsron]

Tactics for Firdays mountian top finish will be the same as usual for a Johan buryneel team. Astana will control tempo at the front of the race. As soon as the pavement starts to move upwards the tempo will be increased. The Pretenders will fall and the real GC leaders will be there. Now will there be any attacks. Well, in 2004 and 2005 GC contenders attacked armstrongs team because the tempo riding his team put in usually put everyone in the red or near it. I think this will be the same tactic and Astana will control the pace of the race and will only let non GC contenders off the front. It will be a day for the Polka dot hunters not the GC men.

Crap I put this in the wrong thread. I'll keep it here though.

 

[ilillillli]

Tactics for Firdays mountian top finish will be the same as usual for a Johan buryneel team. Astana will control tempo at the front of the race. As soon as the pavement starts to move upwards the tempo will be increased. The Pretenders will fall and the real GC leaders will be there. Now will there be any attacks. Well, in 2004 and 2005 GC contenders attacked armstrongs team because the tempo riding his team put in usually put everyone in the red or near it. I think this will be the same tactic and Astana will control the pace of the race and will only let non GC contenders off the front. It will be a day for the Polka dot hunters not the GC men.

Crap I put this in the wrong thread. I'll keep it here though.

no, i think it works well. and it's easily the most intelligent post on this thread. nice work.

 

[richwagmn]

He will have his team ride a blistering pace and send AC and LA up to the front on the final climb. Have you people been paying attention the last 10 years?

Yea, but aren't Levi and Kloden "contendors"? Has Levi been sold a bill of goods here? Hey Levi, go (as someone else said) barf your balls up your lungs for AC/LA. He might do it for LA. Not so sure about AC though.

I still think Levi harbors some resentment against AC over the Vuelta. AC's whining about LL's performance in last TT was not something a team leader should do in front of the press.

 

[blaxland]

Tactics for Firdays mountian top finish will be the same as usual for a Johan buryneel team. Astana will control tempo at the front of the race. As soon as the pavement starts to move upwards the tempo will be increased. The Pretenders will fall and the real GC leaders will be there. Now will there be any attacks. Well, in 2004 and 2005 GC contenders attacked armstrongs team because the tempo riding his team put in usually put everyone in the red or near it. I think this will be the same tactic and Astana will control the pace of the race and will only let non GC contenders off the front. It will be a day for the Polka dot hunters not the GC men.

Crap I put this in the wrong thread. I'll keep it here though.

good thread.Then when there are only the team leaders left(except astana)cadel evans will attack.What i would like to now is who will take up the chase Lance or contador?I guess this will tell us who is the team leader?

 

[Anonymous]

Someone suggested in another thread that Contador will be on home soil and I think he might like to take yellow there. Maybe he will ride all cool and collected; however, if it is from JB's playbook, the first big mountain is where you put your foot on everyone's neck. If Contador is as strong as it appears, this would be the first place to do so.

Then again, as has been stated, and is obvious from the profile, that HC has more to do with where the climb is in relation to the km prior to it, and it's length. Maybe they all come in together and Lance will take the yellow? I would suggest to Contador that he not let that happen.

 

[Snake8]

CN armchair warriors are apparently smarter than LA and the peleton.

P.S. Post count means nothing, except that you waste more valuable life time on the internet running your mouth than I do.

Yes we are, and good on ya to figure that out!

Wait, if you stick around here long enough someone will point out that you are spelling peloton wrong.

And post count is directly related to penis size. You can decide for yourself whether it is an inverse or direct relationship by looking. Whatever you think it is, it is the opposite.

Welcome.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes we are, and good on ya to figure that out!

Wait, if you stick around here long enough someone will point out that you are spelling peloton wrong.

And post count is directly related to penis size. You can decide for yourself whether it is an inverse or direct relationship by looking. Whatever you think it is, it is the opposite.

Welcome.

I am starting to like you....in a purely platonic way. Another hatchet buried?

 

[Snake8]

I am starting to like you....in a purely platonic way. Another hatchet buried?

I think we share a common disdain for the moron. Lucky for us both that there are plenty around these days...

 

[Anonymous]

I think we share a common disdain for the moron. Lucky for us both that there are plenty around these days...

Yea, pretty easy pickin's ain't it?

 

[PACONi]

Maybe they all come in together and Lance will take the yellow? I would suggest to Contador that he not let that happen.

No way can AC let LA get into yellow. I think this will be the most interesting aspect to this tour, especially after the TTT. I'm waiting to see if LA has the legs to go with the attacks which have to come. All the guys who lost out in the TTT have no other option but to attack.

So does AC bank on his opponents dropping LA, or does he instigate something himself?

What would make me smile is if the Astana train dropped LA.

 

[UTFan2]

No way can AC let LA get into yellow. I think this will be the most interesting aspect to this tour, especially after the TTT. I'm waiting to see if LA has the legs to go with the attacks which have to come. All the guys who lost out in the TTT have no other option but to attack.

So does AC bank on his opponents dropping LA, or does he instigate something himself?

What would make me smile is if the Astana train dropped LA.

That would most definitely not make ME smile. You don't ride on a team with a 7 time TDF winner and drop him. He is a stong member of ther team, still at least a top 20 rider over-all at the very very least. If he cant' hang, I think they let him bow out gracefully. I can almost guarantee they don't leave him hanging out alone - you don't disrespect a 7 time winner like that. Send 6 in support of AC, let Popo drop back to try and keep Lance in it and not lose respect (No way the Borat F makes it to help in the mountains - it is a team of 8).

AC lead the TTT at the end pulling to gain time on other GCers and to prove he was man enough to "allow" the yellow to go to Lance (for now). Lance rode out front with AC on his wheel for quite a while today.

I think AC ends to tour in Yellow. It could help him to have the yellow on someone else's back for a while. Why not Lance? But I gotta tell ya, AC can NOT make mistakes this year or the yellow, that is his to lose, will be on the back of one of his team mates.

I think this is an exciting TDF. I almost hesitate to ask, but......we're on stage 6 and no one has been yanked for doping. When was the last time we made it this far without at least a mini-scandal?

 

[Futuroscope]

i think this can happen (obviously things can change depending on what happens on the 'early' mountain stages) :

astana will try to control the tempo because they have so many in the top of the GC (and the capacity) but schleck, sastre and others will attack and form an informal alliance inorder to put pressure on astana.

another tactic astana can use is to let klöden or zubeldia (i think they want to keep leipheimer close to lance and AC) attack pretty early in the mountains inorder to put pressure on the other top riders...and force them to chase..then...armstrong, leipheimer and/or contador can counter attack when klöden and/or zubeldia are brought in. in other word astana can use 'zig-zag' attacking. i also think lance armstrong will make early attacks (inorder to help AC and potentially himself) on the later mountain stages IF he looses time on the early mountain stages. leipheimer wont attack he will be used as a 'motor' by lance and AC.

but i also think astana can run into problems if (until) they know who their no 1 guy is. i think a bad scenario for astana is if lance somehow gets the yellow jersey on the early mountain stages because all of the other top riders are watching contador. in this scenario JB would have to hold back attacks from AC and i dont think lance can keep the yellow jersey to the finish line. so in that scenario they would ride for lance and not their best rider, AC. so they would be suboptimizing their performance and thus opening up for the other teams.

i think if astana clearly rides for contador, he will win but if they dont they may very well be their own worst enemies.

 

[dadoorsron]

good thread.Then when there are only the team leaders left(except astana)cadel evans will attack.What i would like to now is who will take up the chase Lance or contador?I guess this will tell us who is the team leader?

I don't think Cadel Evans will ever attack. Last year he just sat on and rode to second in the GC. He seems to be on the limit when teams that aren't even close to the strength of Astana are at the front pulling the peleton. I really don't see a podium finish for Cadel. Maybe, a top ten though.

 

[dadoorsron]

Someone suggested in another thread that Contador will be on home soil and I think he might like to take yellow there. Maybe he will ride all cool and collected; however, if it is from JB's playbook, the first big mountain is where you put your foot on everyone's neck. If Contador is as strong as it appears, this would be the first place to do so.

Then again, as has been stated, and is obvious from the profile, that HC has more to do with where the climb is in relation to the km prior to it, and it's length. Maybe they all come in together and Lance will take the yellow? I would suggest to Contador that he not let that happen.

Johan's playbook is to set a high tempo then ride away if you have the gas. I really don't see any of the Astana riders going off the front friday. Unless, Levi and Kloden go on a break away and if the rest of the team isn't strong enough Armstrong and Contador can ride to them. It's going to be a Polka dot Jersey hunter day not a GC day. Unless, Astana blows the peleton apart and catch the break away that's the only other option I see. Now like in 05 and discovery channel feel apart on the first mountian stage and lance was alone. Then I can see some problems. The start of the climb is the hardest then it gets easier towards the top. Unless the GC contenders are more talk then action I see most of them together at the finish.

 

[dadoorsron]

i think this can happen (obviously things can change depending on what happens on the 'early' mountain stages) :

astana will try to control the tempo because they have so many in the top of the GC (and the capacity) but schleck, sastre and others will attack and form an informal alliance inorder to put pressure on astana.

another tactic astana can use is to let klöden or zubeldia (i think they want to keep leipheimer close to lance and AC) attack pretty early in the mountains inorder to put pressure on the other top riders...and force them to chase..then...armstrong, leipheimer and/or contador can counter attack when klöden and/or zubeldia are brought in. in other word astana can use 'zig-zag' attacking. i also think lance armstrong will make early attacks (inorder to help AC and potentially himself) on the later mountain stages IF he looses time on the early mountain stages. leipheimer wont attack he will be used as a 'motor' by lance and AC.

but i also think astana can run into problems if (until) they know who their no 1 guy is. i think a bad scenario for astana is if lance somehow gets the yellow jersey on the early mountain stages because all of the other top riders are watching contador. in this scenario JB would have to hold back attacks from AC and i dont think lance can keep the yellow jersey to the finish line. so in that scenario they would ride for lance and not their best rider, AC. so they would be suboptimizing their performance and thus opening up for the other teams.

i think if astana clearly rides for contador, he will win but if they dont they may very well be their own worst enemies.

More then likely one of the Astana riders will be wearing yellow Friday. Even though Cancellara is a monster he will not finish with the main contenders friday.

More then Likely since the schleck brothers haven't done anything, Sastre always is better the Last week of the race. Cadel will sit on and pray to stay in contact with the astana train. I don't see anyone attacking. Now why would Astana force the issue of trying to attack the race? Friday's stage will not win the tour for anyone who takes over the yellow jersey. Losing 30-50 seconds at the finish won't put you back that far. Now if a major Contender is in trouble I can see the remaining astana riders increasing the speed to put more time into the rival. Putting several minutes into a contender will basically kill there podium chances. Now if there is a rider that has potential of keeping yellow for a very long time and can TT well. I can see the astana team and GC conteders going after the individual. It will be a day for that rider that wants the Polka dot jersey. GC riders will have to watch who goes off the front and who gets dropped. I don't see huge fireworks friday. I see Astana train killing the rivals and someone from team Astana get the yellow jersey. If Johan has his way and It would be good for the tour and cycling as a whole Lance armstrong will probably be wearing yellow friday.

 

[Futuroscope]

More then likely one of the Astana riders will be wearing yellow Friday. Even though Cancellara is a monster he will not finish with the main contenders friday.

More then Likely since the schleck brothers haven't done anything, Sastre always is better the Last week of the race. Cadel will sit on and pray to stay in contact with the astana train. I don't see anyone attacking. Now why would Astana force the issue of trying to attack the race? Friday's stage will not win the tour for anyone who takes over the yellow jersey. Losing 30-50 seconds at the finish won't put you back that far. Now if a major Contender is in trouble I can see the remaining astana riders increasing the speed to put more time into the rival. Putting several minutes into a contender will basically kill there podium chances. Now if there is a rider that has potential of keeping yellow for a very long time and can TT well. I can see the astana team and GC conteders going after the individual. It will be a day for that rider that wants the Polka dot jersey. GC riders will have to watch who goes off the front and who gets dropped. I don't see huge fireworks friday. I see Astana train killing the rivals and someone from team Astana get the yellow jersey. If Johan has his way and It would be good for the tour and cycling as a whole Lance armstrong will probably be wearing yellow friday.

good stuff..but i still think astana may use the zig-zag attack...maybe not on the first mountain stage..also they can use it as a tool to counter the attacks of other top riders.

i think you are correct about the first mountain stage. high even tempo with no attacks from the top GC contenders...(unless someone cracks..and maybe not even then) atleast not until the very end of the stage.

personally i hope lance doesnt get the yellow (although i think he will loose it on the other mountain stages if he does) but i think you are right.

i think contador will win, unless he does something stupid.

 

[Futuroscope]

I don't think Cadel Evans will ever attack. Last year he just sat on and rode to second in the GC. He seems to be on the limit when teams that aren't even close to the strength of Astana are at the front pulling the peleton. I really don't see a podium finish for Cadel. Maybe, a top ten though.

i think he will attack but not on the first mountain stage. too bad he lost so much time already. i think he will def be in the top 10.

 

[dadoorsron]

good stuff..but i still think astana may use the zig-zag attack...maybe not on the first mountain stage..also they can use it as a tool to counter the attacks of other top riders.

i think you are correct about the first mountain stage. high even tempo with no attacks from the top GC contenders...(unless someone cracks..and maybe not even then) atleast not until the very end of the stage.

personally i hope lance doesnt get the yellow (although i think he will loose it on the other mountain stages if he does) but i think you are right.

i think contador will win, unless he does something stupid.

Well, 04 and the 05 tours teams started to attack early on the Postal and discovery teams. Last climb of the day and anyone that had the legs would attack Lance. Now he was always able to bridge the gap and sometimes was able to ride across with a teammate. However, with the firepower that Astana has which is probably the Strongest Tour De France team ever! I really dont see any one rider attacking. Now! If that is the case and teams start attacking Lance and alberto early. You will see the tactic of astana sending a few riders up the road for Lance and Alberto to ride to them if they get seperated from the rest of the team. That tactic worked well for Lance in 05.

I do really just see Astana riding such a high tempo friday on Arcalis that no one will be able to attack. Usually the first mountian stage everyone is seeing who is in shape for the mountians. Even pure climbers have a hard time going from the fast flats to the low gear high cadence riding in the mountians. alot of speculation on how it will unfold. it will be fun to watch though.

 

[blaxland]

I don't think Cadel Evans will ever attack. Last year he just sat on and rode to second in the GC. He seems to be on the limit when teams that aren't even close to the strength of Astana are at the front pulling the peleton. I really don't see a podium finish for Cadel. Maybe, a top ten though.

I agree top ten definantly,but he should also try for a stage win."i dont think cadel evans will ever attack"you can look on you tube this years dauphine libere"he attacked numerous times..

 

[ilillillli]

Yea, pretty easy pickin's ain't it?

pickins= plural

pickin's= possesive

neither= real word.

Just for the record. If you're calling everyone else a moron you probably shouldn't make such obvious errors.