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?
I feel the same way that you do. It seems to me Contador is the best racer in this tour, but not only is he still waiting for proper public support from his team leaders, but Lance keeps calling him out on Twitter of all places. I was wondering yesterday if talking smack about your teammates is considered “following team orders. always.” :-)
I was wondering why we don’t see gals lifing their tops as the boys go by.. or are they just very good at keeping that off the TV feed?
Talking smack? His one comment was quite mild compared to what AC got in person from everyone on the team, I'm sure.
I also think that if Lance were the 26-y-o wonderboy with a former star on his team fighting for the limelight, he wouldn't stand for this stuff for a minute. Having said that, Contador knew was he was getting into when he signed on to this team. so, shrug
Well, he's been on the star-crossed Astana team & its forebears for a bit longer than LA.
Remember AC's heriatge - Once morphed to Liberty Seguros which morphed to Astana. Once was coached by Manolo Saiz. Bruyneel finished his career at Once. Saiz was at the heart of Operacion Puerto. Contador also raced for Once.
You know, I hadn’t thought about that for a long time. You’re right.
HMM.
It isn’t just Lance. Bruyneel and Levi both called him out as well. Contador is indeed the most talented rider in 2009 in the race. However, I think his actions show someone who thinks he is doing this all on his own when he isn’t. He might find things a little more difficult on what will likely be a far less powerful team next year. I also think anyone seeing how this tour has to question riding for Contador as well. I don’t think I would want to ride for someone who would sacrifice my podium finish for no real gain of his own. In fact strategically, it was a big loss for Contador.
It looked to me like Contador changed his mind when he saw what happened to Kloden. I think he could have easily summitted out in front of the Schlecks.
and you’re right, Levi did. As for Bruyneel, for some reason I’m wary of him. First time ever.
Fortunately my shift is in the afternoon. I get up in the morning, grab a coffee and watch Le Tour on my exercise bike. It’s great fun.
Wary? In what way?
I think you may be right that this is where he's going with all this. If he can establish that only those with the high VO2 can possibly win this thing legitimately, that means only he and possibly Indurain are truly TdF champs.
LeMond's criteria for making this accusation - and that's what it was, he's demanding that Contador prove a negative here - is solely that because everybody's doing it in this doped-up age, Contador must also be guilty of doping if he displays extraordinary prowess up the sides of those hills - unless he is one of those rarified individuals with the high VO2 such as the 'one true genuinely legitimate champion' Greg LeMond.
Yet as Bubba Ho-tep reminds us, Greg Lemond raced at a time when everybody used performance enhancements too but testing protocols were relatively much more primitive & sporadic, meaning that more people got away with it in LeMond's day. Using LeMond's criteria he's applying to riders now, that means Greg Lemond surely also must have been a doper too & he must also prove a negative to be considered a legitimate champion.
So evidently, to get around that glitch in his own logic & establish his own innocence ex post facto, Lemond seems to think he has to establish the individual maximum aerobic capacity as the only defining characteristic of all 'true' TdFchampions.
In doing so he completely discounts all other variables, such as improved equipment, refined riding technique, more acutely developed 'saddle sense', advancements in training not to mention any & all non-VO2 physiological advantages.
But as a clever reader commented at the Lemond article at Le Monde, if the VO2 maximum is the only criteria which can establish a winner's legitimacy here, then let's just dispense with actually holding the race altogether. We can establish who the future TdF champions will be by testing everybody at birth & the baby with the highest aerobic capacity will be declared the 'winner' of TdF twenty years hence in advance!
STAGE 19 - Bourgoin-Jallieu > > Annecy - 178 km
Friday, July 24, 2009
Plain - A sporting perspective
The 96th Tour de France is almost over, but many racers still have something to prove. The most valiant survivors will have one last chance to raise their arms in Aubenas. The stage is cut out for firebrands.
Lance Armstrong has done the impossible. Once again he’s hauled himself back on the leader podium of the TDF. He sits third now after a great ride in the individual time trial that was 40.5 kilometers. But for Lance, it was a real challenge to match the pace of the younger athletes that had a lot more to lose in this Tour de France.
Lance started out even; he was behind in the first time check and considerably more behind in the second time check. But a lot of the younger riders, not having the experience of lance and went out too fast. Lance continued to grind away at the pedals at the same tempo all the way to the finish line. Eventually pulling himself in the 3rd place overall ahead of Frank Schleck who started 30 seconds ahead today.
Andy Schlek had the time trial of his life to keep him self in second, but he only has a few second cushion on lance Armstrong. Tomorrow is a very difficult stage, lance might try to go on the attack and get time on Andy Schleck, but I think he will wait until the dreaded Mont Ventoux. Saturday’s stage is the last strategic rendezvous of this year’s tour. And it is going to be a battle royal between 7 people for the final podium in Paris:
Armstrong, Kloden, Wiggens, Nibali, and the Schlek brothers all have a chance for the coveted 2nd and 3rd spot. For the most part, Contador appears to be untouchable in the yellow and can expect the full support of Team Astana. It seems that Contador has been riding his own race. He seems a little paranoid about his teammates having attacked Andreas Kloden on the col de la colombier. And distancing himself from his own teammates maybe not easily the most intelligent thing to do but the results speak for them selves, with 4 minutes and 11 seconds ahead of Andy Schleck secures him in a very good position.
Frank Schleck had a disastrous time trial leaving him in 6th place, 6 minutes behind Contador. For Lance Armstrong to move up a spot against Andy Schleck will be a tall order on Mont Ventoux, but he is only 1:42 behind so the lanky Luxemburger. Wiggens is looking for a podium spot as well. Those dreams may not come to fruition. I have a feeling that Wiggens is really going to struggle on the giant slopes of Mont Ventoux. Wiggens is 4th on the overall standings, just 11 seconds behind lance.
Lance has to be considered one of the greatest athletes of any sport of all time. If he gets on the podium in this year’s Tour de France it would be something remarkable and something that is talked about for years to come. A ride for the ages for lance, and he only needs on long climb left to finish. Everyone has got to tune in. if you’re a fan of cycling or just sports, you got to see lance ascend Ventoux.
If Contador starts to feel the pressure and is nervous, watch for lance Armstrong to win his 8th TDF. It’s not very likely, but it could happen. In any case, if lance is indeed in the top three at the end of this year’s Tour de France. It would be a remarkable accomplishment. He will have to be considered one the greatest athletes in all of sports. With his 37 years of age and 4 years away from the sport, it is amazing what he had been able to accomplish. Lance also announced that he will be leading a new American team sponsored by RadioShack next year. That is a news flash that is hot off the press, just came out in the papers. Good luck to lance on Mont Ventoux, Which will be followed by a triumphant march into the city of lights.
(Stage Preview - versus.com; All else - letour.com)
STAGE 18 - Bourgoin-Jallieu > > Aubenas - 178 km
Friday, July 24, 2009
Mountain Passes & Hills
•Km 6.5 - Côte de Culin - 2.6 km climb to 5.6 % - Category 4
•Km 40.5 - Côte de la forêt de Chambaran - 3.1 km climb to 6.4 % - Category 4
•Km 162.0 - Col de l'Escrinet - 14.0 km climb to 4.1 % - Category 2
And the problem is ??? ;-)
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