Bruyneel Bored by Bertie's Best

blazing_saddles

Here is the clearest pointer yet, to the Astana team pecking order, as if we didn't know. :roll:
http://www.velonews.com/article/85137/b ... ong-return

I'll bet this statement has the Spaniard punching the walls.....

“To win races doesn’t excite me anymore, like I felt during the Vuelta (a España) that Contador won. It was very good, but that spark wasn’t there like before. With Armstrong, it’s there again,” Bruyneel said. “I shared all of (Armstrong’s) years in the midst of stress and dispute, and now I miss it, because when something comes too easily, there’s no real excitement.”

He may be an unrepentant doper, but I really hope Vino throws a spanner into the stitch up that this pair have devised.

JC.152

if vino gets involved with astana again, the tour could just say no invitiation for Astana for letting Vino back because it'd show that the team was too similer to Astana version 1 and not the new clean one they've been trying to make all this year

dennisn

If Lance is the fuse that gets Bruyneels juice's flowing then I guess that's the way it is.
He may live to regret saying it, yet it may have only said it for the publicity value.
While it may sound bad to us, pro sports, of all kind, are filled with people saying all kinds
of strange things about each other. Sometimes it approaches pro wrestling's banter in it's craziness. I think that most of the people involved know it's more publicity than anything.
Even bad publicity is good(or something like that).

Dennis Noward

dave_1

yes, that quote raised my eye brows too..mustn't be very nice for Contador to have given JB 3 GT wins in 12 months more or less and then read that.

SpaceJunk

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Here is the clearest pointer yet, to the Astana team pecking order, as if we didn't know. :roll:
http://www.velonews.com/article/85137/b ... ong-return

I'll bet this statement has the Spaniard punching the walls.....

“To win races doesn’t excite me anymore, like I felt during the Vuelta (a España) that Contador won. It was very good, but that spark wasn’t there like before. With Armstrong, it’s there again,” Bruyneel said. “I shared all of (Armstrong’s) years in the midst of stress and dispute, and now I miss it, because when something comes too easily, there’s no real excitement.”

He may be an unrepentant doper, but I really hope Vino throws a spanner into the stitch up that this pair have devised.

Actually I found Bertie's two GT wins this year very Armstrong-ish in style. He rode a consistent Giro; never really attacking and again - compared with 07's TdF - he was pretty conservative in the Vuelta until it mattered.

I found both races moslty uninspiring - more so the Vuelta, the Giro did have some moments. So I find it a bit funny that Johan said that.

Barring the 03 TdF, all of Lance's other wins were pretty comprehensive and his last two wins in particular were very lame in the excitement stakes.

I guess Bertie needs to spruce things up a bit, generate a bit of 'stress and dispute'.

One could argue that Lance brought alot of that stress and dispute upon himself. Maybe Contador needs to develop a similar strong-minded personality that polarises the cycling community?

Will that keep Johan happy?

richard wants a baum

What a load of crappolla, What has Contador done to Johan. Lately there seems to be a bit of a rift between those two, maybe he didnt like the fact that Contador didnt jump with joy that LA was coming back. You really cant see Contador staying at Astana post 09?

blazing_saddles

richard wants a baum wrote:

What a load of crappolla, What has Contador done to Johan. Lately there seems to be a bit of a rift between those two, maybe he didnt like the fact that Contador didnt jump with joy that LA was coming back. You really cant see Contador staying at Astana post 09?

Tell me, how, from Bruyneel's statement, did you arrive at the conclusion it was all Contador's fault?
Clearly any rift is one made by Johan and his old boss. The Spanaird is being squeezed out. Ferraris only have two seats.
Crappolla? Yes, I think it's an appropriate term.

SpaceJunk

Blazing Saddles wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

What a load of crappolla, What has Contador done to Johan. Lately there seems to be a bit of a rift between those two, maybe he didnt like the fact that Contador didnt jump with joy that LA was coming back. You really cant see Contador staying at Astana post 09?

Tell me, how, from Bruyneel's statement, did you arrive at the conclusion it was all Contador's fault?
Clearly any rift is one made by Johan and his old boss. The Spanaird is being squeezed out. Ferraris only have two seats.
Crappolla? Yes, I think it's an appropriate term.

Actually Blazing Saddles, I read differently into Richard's post. When he stated What has Contador done to Johan, I got the impression Richard way saying it in astonishment, although I'm probably way off the mark.

But I do agree with your thoughts - this has only become an issue since the return of LA. Regardless of what JB or LA say in private or in the media, Alberto would have to be feeling a little paranoid about his position in the team.

I just hope that come 09 we get to see the very best of Bertie; I'd love to see him and Andy S go head-to-head.

Moomaloid

to be honest i believe it would be better for the sport for Bertie to head up another team anyways. I wish he'd jump ship. Maybe to Caisse D'Epargne. Valverde and Bertie would make a super team for the GT's.

SpaceJunk

Moomaloid wrote:

to be honest i believe it would be better for the sport for Bertie to head up another team anyways. I wish he'd jump ship. Maybe to Caisse D'Epargne. Valverde and Bertie would make a super team for the GT's.

I was thinking that the other day too. Or perhaps he could ride for Silence. You get one of the best domestiques going around in Cadel (sorry - I don't think he has it in him to be a GT winner).

Cadel, minus Serge and the media attention would relish in his role of sucking onto the wheel of whoever and giving Bertie a tow until he was ready to attack.

Kléber

Bruyneel reminds me of an ex-soldier lamenting the end of war, missing the whistle of bullets and the smell of burnt flesh, or of an ex-bank robber who misses stealing money and being on the run from the police.

Doing a normal, honest job just isn't the same. No more motorbikes importing chilled blood, no more barring journalists you don't like, it's just not the same with Contador.

Contador better watch his back otherwise he might be on the same path as Gusev.

DavMartinR

SpaceJunk wrote:

Moomaloid wrote:

to be honest i believe it would be better for the sport for Bertie to head up another team anyways. I wish he'd jump ship. Maybe to Caisse D'Epargne. Valverde and Bertie would make a super team for the GT's.

I was thinking that the other day too. Or perhaps he could ride for Silence. You get one of the best domestiques going around in Cadel (sorry - I don't think he has it in him to be a GT winner).

Cadel, minus Serge and the media attention would relish in his role of sucking onto the wheel of whoever and giving Bertie a tow until he was ready to attack.

What if Bertie went to Saxo-Bank and filled Carlos's shoes?
I think that would make things interesting having 2 strong teams duking it out, and give LA the headache's Cadel had this year?

calvjones

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

secretsqirrel

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

Back to topic - wish Johan and LA would go and have their love-in in their own team and leave Astana. Bertie got on well with his Astana colleagues and they worked well for him. If he left he would probably want to take at least Kloden with him.
I noticed that for next season that Astana have signed up one of Bertie's old stable mates from Liberty Siguros, probably in an attempt to keep him on side.

blazing_saddles

SpaceJunk wrote:

Blazing Saddles wrote:

richard wants a baum wrote:

What a load of crappolla, What has Contador done to Johan. Lately there seems to be a bit of a rift between those two, maybe he didnt like the fact that Contador didnt jump with joy that LA was coming back. You really cant see Contador staying at Astana post 09?

Tell me, how, from Bruyneel's statement, did you arrive at the conclusion it was all Contador's fault?
Clearly any rift is one made by Johan and his old boss. The Spanaird is being squeezed out. Ferraris only have two seats.
Crappolla? Yes, I think it's an appropriate term.

Actually Blazing Saddles, I read differently into Richard's post. When he stated What has Contador done to Johan, I got the impression Richard way saying it in astonishment, although I'm probably way off the mark.

But I do agree with your thoughts - this has only become an issue since the return of LA. Regardless of what JB or LA say in private or in the media, Alberto would have to be feeling a little paranoid about his position in the team.

I just hope that come 09 we get to see the very best of Bertie; I'd love to see him and Andy S go head-to-head.

You may be right. Apologies to Richard if I somehow lost his meaning, in translation.....

dennisn

SecretSqirrel wrote:

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

Back to topic - wish Johan and LA would go and have their love-in in their own team and leave Astana. Bertie got on well with his Astana colleagues and they worked well for him. If he left he would probably want to take at least Kloden with him.
I noticed that for next season that Astana have signed up one of Bertie's old stable mates from Liberty Siguros, probably in an attempt to keep him on side.

I think your non cycling friend is seeing how much you will swallow.

I think you're making way more of this Lance vs Bertie vs Johan thing than even they themselves thought possible. The movement of riders and players between pro teams
is a very common occurrence in all sports. Every rider and or player knows that things
like this happen almost daily and one day may even affect them. I'm pretty sure that most
of the "pro's" know this, accept it as the way things are, and laugh all the way to the bank(the one near their summer home). I think you're assuming that all the top riders hate or feel threatened by all the other top riders and I just don't see it that way. Where I work we have some really good people and I'm glad they are here. They make my job easier and hopefully I'm able to do the same for them. Company makes more money and so do we(well, at least that's the theory). Yes, there may be a few personality conflicts but
these soon get resolved, or at least put on hold, when things get busy. I don't know how many teams some of the posters on this forum have been on, but I can say that I have
been on more than a few in my life(from childhood on) and one of the first things that you learn is that the coach is always right and that you WILL get along with everyone on the team or you won't be on it long. I doubt that Pro sports is any different. I also have my doubts that Lance is hated by the rest of the riders. You simply don't win 7 TDF's without
having more than a few people on your side. He couldn't possibly win without other riders support. You won't last long in the Pro's(or anywhere), no matter how good you are, if your
attitude is full of hate, mistrust, deviciveness, devious plots, and so on and so on.

Dennis Noward

secretsqirrel

dennisn wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

I think your non cycling friend is seeing how much you will swallow.

Just repeating what I was told by a big admirer of LA, Dennis. Without prejudice.

Hey you're not immune to a bit of assumption-jumping of your own

RichN95.

dennisn wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

Back to topic - wish Johan and LA would go and have their love-in in their own team and leave Astana. Bertie got on well with his Astana colleagues and they worked well for him. If he left he would probably want to take at least Kloden with him.
I noticed that for next season that Astana have signed up one of Bertie's old stable mates from Liberty Siguros, probably in an attempt to keep him on side.

I think your non cycling friend is seeing how much you will swallow.

No, he's right. It's a nickname Armstrong was given by his friends - a corruption of Maillot Jeune. It was also meant to be an ironic nickname.

calvjones

RichN95 wrote:

dennisn wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

Back to topic - wish Johan and LA would go and have their love-in in their own team and leave Astana. Bertie got on well with his Astana colleagues and they worked well for him. If he left he would probably want to take at least Kloden with him.
I noticed that for next season that Astana have signed up one of Bertie's old stable mates from Liberty Siguros, probably in an attempt to keep him on side.

I think your non cycling friend is seeing how much you will swallow.

No, he's right. It's a nickname Armstrong was given by his friends - a corruption of Maillot Jeune. It was also meant to be an ironic nickname.

He has FRIENDS??? Fk, me, time for a re-assessment!

blazing_saddles

RichN95 wrote:

No, he's right. It's a nickname Armstrong was given by his friends - a corruption of Maillot Jeune. It was also meant to be an ironic nickname.

Certainly ironic, certainly not iconic.
I can see the sales pitch now. "Want to get the best deal? Why not use Johnnys?
Feel free to make a charitable donation when you are inside." :oops:

dennisn

RichN95 wrote:

dennisn wrote:

SecretSqirrel wrote:

calvjones wrote:

OT:

Does anyone find it as amusing as I that Lance's bike shop is called 'Mellow Johnny's'? Does he have a sense of irony?

If only..........

I've heard from a Lance-loving, non-cycling fan friend that the name comes from American attempts to pronounce 'Maillot Jaune'.

Back to topic - wish Johan and LA would go and have their love-in in their own team and leave Astana. Bertie got on well with his Astana colleagues and they worked well for him. If he left he would probably want to take at least Kloden with him.
I noticed that for next season that Astana have signed up one of Bertie's old stable mates from Liberty Siguros, probably in an attempt to keep him on side.

I think your non cycling friend is seeing how much you will swallow.

No, he's right. It's a nickname Armstrong was given by his friends - a corruption of Maillot Jeune. It was also meant to be an ironic nickname.

Well, you learn something new every day.

Dennis Noward

nick hanson

It's mentioned in his second book,Every second counts.

DavMartinR

Blazing Saddles wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

No, he's right. It's a nickname Armstrong was given by his friends - a corruption of Maillot Jeune. It was also meant to be an ironic nickname.

Certainly ironic, certainly not iconic.
I can see the sales pitch now. "Want to get the best deal? Why not use Johnnys?
Feel free to make a charitable donation when you are inside." :oops:

So you can come inside and make a deposit using Johnnys :?:

Did he get this nickname during his blue period, where he fell in with the wrong crowd and got stoned every night?

richard wants a baum

the winner is spacejunk, sorry Blazing was to clear what i was meaning. It does appear as soon as Lance has come back nothing else measures up? And LA hasnt even raced and event yet, i think old Johan might regret that comment later.

secretsqirrel

If LA wins the Giro, will he then be Maggie Rose? :?

nick hanson

He might win the Giro,
would that make him........Maggie mae (Rod Stewart song,for all those too young to remember)