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?
Well put, Dolly. Nothing wrong with being gracious. But I don't think LA wants him on his team, at least not while Lance is still riding a bike. ;)
Also, the incomparable Graham Watson has his stage 20 Ventoux photos up already. Gotta give him my annual plug.
typo above: s/b Juliet Macur of the NYT
I have not watched the stage, yet, as I was out doing some yardwork but followed on Twitter on my BlackBerry. Sounded like a hell of a stage and LA hung in there with the best riders in the world. Damn impressive for an almost 38 year old guy after 4 years off. What a freaking stud...
I’m glad to see him clarify. Kinda anti-climactic Ventoux though.. too much time separating 2nd & 3rd so there wasn’t reason to attack? I’m not sure. I’m still learning how this all works. Anyway congrats to all of them.
A little perspective shows Lance's abilities even after being away.
The time gap in the GC between the leader and the 20th place rides is 34’ 09”. That shows you that only a very few are even close to the top when racing over 20 days and some almost 2,100 miles. For Lance to accomplish that speaks volumes about his abilities, dedication and focus to detail.
Baynative said it well - "this didn't look like a battle to a novice viewer, but it was an OK Corral shoot out.
There were numerous plots playing out on Ventoux that made for an exciting race today:
It was very exciting to have 5-6-7 of the top riders together on the climb. They all have to be very good all-arounder's to be in the top 10, but some are better climbers than others.
Had Andy Scleck thought that he could get away with it, had Contador shown any weakness on any of Andy's mini-attacks, Schleck would have accelerated like a fiend to attempt to take 1st in the GC. Contador met his every move, so Andy held back to assist his brother Frank.
Bear in mind that it's a high-reward / high-risk game. The guys have to stay within themselves, else they run the risk of bonking and losing everything.
Same with Frank Schleck - Armstrong marked him ably, but had Frank detected weakness in Armstrong (and had Frank been up to it), the Schleck brothers would have attacked immediately. Yes, Contador would have gone with them, but if Armstrong had been dropped Frank would be on the podium tomorrow.
Contador didn't have to do 'anything' to win the GC, except to stay with the leaders and fend off attacks from the Schlecks (no small feat). He was therefore in perfect position to protect Lance and his podium position.
Those are just the obvious elements that made today's race an all-time classic. There were about 20 more plotlines unfolding as well, Baynative can fill us in on them! ;)
whatever issues AC and LA have had in the past, AC was the gentleman today, helping protect Lance’s podium finish. I hope Tony Martin either signs with Radio Schack or with whatever team Contador will be riding with next year - he has ridden a great tour without much team support.
The makeup of Team Radio Shack will be of great interest.
Everyone knows that the team will be very well-managed, organized, and equipped. And clean; that may put off some potential riders, especially some Euros.
Couple of stalwarts like George & Levi? Kloden? While they need to build for the future, can they get a bona fide GC contender to come on board while Lance is there?
I think Mom MD is on the right track with Tony Martin. He is very good but I think realistically a few years out from really competing for a title. I can’t imagine a better mentor than Lance when it comes to the tactical aspects of the race. And tactics can overcome great physical gifts (cf 2009 green jersey race).
Outside of that I hope they find an up and coming American to bring along. Maybe Lance can spot another iron willed Texan with the lungs of two normal men. It will be a few years before Luke is ready unfortunately.
Speaking of clean, have there been any doping scandals in TdF 2009? The last few years it was necessary to tune in early on a race day to find out who had tested positive overnight. (Except Tom Boonen that is. wth was that all about...)
None to speak of, lainie.
What about Boonen?
Wasn’t he kicked out before the race even started? cocaine, I heard
Tom Boonen quits Tour de France
19 July 2009 Cycling Weekly
Tom Boonen did not start today’s stage of the Tour de France to Verbier, complaining of stomach problems.
“After yesterday’s stage, in the evening I wasn’t feeling well,” said Boonen. “Last night, around three in the morning, I had to get out of bed. I started to throw up and sleep was no longer an option.”
“I wanted to start [today] but even on the way from the hotel I kept throwing up and I’ve got the fever. I had no energy and I couldn’t eat. I’m really sad that I have to leave the Tour and the team in this way, but I just couldn’t go on. It’s probably the same virus I came down with a few days from the beginning of the Tour in Monaco.”
The move compounded Boonen’s miserable Tour, one in which he has barely been visible. His best result was on stage 11 to Saint-Fargeau, and even then he could only manage 16th.
All this after the former green jersey winner had taken race organiser ASO to court in order for him to start.
ASO had originally said that the Belgain would not be welcome at their race after he tested positive for cocaine in an out of competition drugs test earlier this spring.
But Boonen challenged the decision in the French courts, eventually winning and being given the all-clear to ride just one day before the start in Monaco on July 4.
He seems to like the Peruvian marching powder. Outside competition tests, and not considered a performance-enhancing drug by the cycling authorities.
Oh, so he was reinstated, then performed miserably. He had such a bad Tour I honestly didn’t know he had started on July 4th.
But other than him, there are no drug scandals. That’s remarkable.
Boonen's certainly wasn't a 'doping scandal' as you characterized it in your previous post. No problems with the cycling authorities, just the race organizer.
Was it my imagination or did tactics seem to play a much bigger role in this year's tour? I'm thinking maybe that's why it seemed like a more satisfying exercise to watch this year than most. There was more chess-playing on the course & strategizing behind the scenes going on with teams & and individuals for jerseys and podium positions.
Whatever, I do think cycling probably picked up a lot more fans this go-round & that's a good thing.
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