Posted on 07/04/2009 8:09:14 AM PDT by Mom MD
Today is day one! Armstrong riding. Astana is back! Predictions? Other comments? Does someone have the ping list from last year?
Probably (e):just young. But I think Kloden & Armstrong now must surely realize now Alberto's riding for his new team next year from here on in, & not for Team Astana's hoped-for sweep of the 1-2-3 positions on the podium in 2009.
That falls under (a) stupid. ;)
What a great Tour, huh? The selection and order of the Stages has really kept things exciting.
Yeah, I really have to give credit to the people who designed the stages this year. Some people were complaining about all the flat finishes in the beginning & stuff. But it’s really given the chance for everybody (sprinters, climbers, GC-ers) a chance to duke it out & grab the limelight almost every day. It’s been a well-rounded competition this year which serves the image of the sport well, I think.
Lance said before today's start he didn't think the Schleck bros themselves had much confidence in their TT skills so he expected them to be really aggressive. They won't keep the their positions after the loop around Lac d'Annecy tomorrow, assuming Alberto can't find a way to help them somehow. :-o
Tweet from @cyclingfans:
“Alberto Contador doesn’t give a sh*t who is second and third on the podium in Paris.” (RTL-L’Equipe Radio)
lol, assuming Alberto can't find a way to help them somehow. Well, AC will be right behind them in the ITT start.
” My script: Lance and Alberto shred the competition up Ventoux. In the last k, Lance takes off, decisively winning the stage. The crowd goes wild—the legend reborn, riding alone to the top. But when the final GC clock is tallied, he’s only a couple of seconds shy of Contador. Alberto is a happy man with years of racing ahead of him who is very pleased to sign with the new Livestrong-Nike team while Lance shows that he’s still got it, winning the biggest, baddest mountain of all, and on the last day, no less, and leaving room for fans to speculate whether he could have won it all but was held back by being a good teammate to Contador. “
I think you are right on. Today’s time gaps need to be closed by Lance in the TT to make it happen, but either way his winning Ventoux would be a touch of class.
Schelck looks strong so all this may be wishful thinking in the end.
” Bad on Contador. Is he stupid, greedy, or evil? Or (d) all of the above? “
Showed his inexperience to not know Kloden couldn’t stay with the Schelck brothers.
Lance is trying to teach him , but I think alberto has a long way to go to be a true team leader.
He can win the championships, but on another team, may not have similar success.
” Contador’s job was to keep Kloden in the group or close enough to make up time on the descent, which he has the ability to do. Such a tactic would have allowed Armstrong to hit Wiggens even harder.”
Good analysis. You are ready to Join Phil and Paul as a commentator..........
” The TT course for tomorrow is a tactical test. It is mostly a flat course with gentle rollers that make it hard to keep you heart rate in a safe zone over almost 20 miles before the midway cat3 climb. That climb has to be managed well in order to work the clock and save reserve strength for a big gear finish. The profile doesn’t show how technical the descent might be. If it is windy road with tricky corners both Lance and Andreas have an advantage over Contador. I doubt they will overtake him, but it could put them all on the podium.
The question of whether Armstrong will ever think Contador could be an asset to a team will remain to be seen. “
Thanks for the insights on the course. Will keep those in mind as things unfold.
I think you are right regarding Lance/Alberto. They both could wind up on new teams next year. Lance with his own, and Alberto with another newly created team.
One thing about it, Lance doesn’t do anything halfass. I’m sure as soon as this tour is over, he and Bruyneel will start working out who the best fits are to achieve the team goals. I doubt it is the four headed monster that Astana is, but it will be quite a formidable team. I can’t wait to hear who the newest sponsor is. Something tells me money won’t be an issue for this team.
In other news, the other hotly contested prize, that of the much-coveted Lanterne Rouge is now up for grabs since last year’s last place finisher Kenny van Hummel crashed out & abandoned. Darn! And France’s Cyril Dessel [aka Cereal Diesel] also withdrew, leaving the field at 159 riders for tomorrow.
Well, right now the leader for the Lanterne Rouge is the inestimable Yauheni Hutarovich, a Belarusian riding for FDJ. Has a 13 minute lead over Quick Step’s Steven de Jongh (motto: Step Quickly, ride slowly.)
I’m pulling for Tyler Farrar, currently 5th, but at 24 min off the pace, probably too far out.
” I can’t wait to hear who the newest sponsor is. Something tells me money won’t be an issue for this team.”
What’s your take on Nike being that sponsor???
I can’t decide if my dislike of Contador is a) I think he looks like a girl (and I am a girl so I can say that!), b) he is beating Lance, or c) I suspect he is cheating.
Two years ago when he won, I remember the victory but what was the lead up at the end? Did he win it via the TT? I honestly can’t remember what lead up to the victory.
Did you see the feature on Frank Schleck they did during yesterday’s coverage? It concerned a very bad fall during the Tour de Suisse. I found the YouTube video of it so I could show my son. If you missed it it’s here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTL3dMRXs3E
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