Astana's team announced for TdU

SpaceJunk

Wonder who the team leader will be?

11. Lance Armstrong
12. Assan Bazayev
13. Jesus Hernandez
14. Michael Schar
15. Maxim Iglinskiy
16. Steve Morabito
17. Jose Luis Ruberia

richard wants a baum

Was talking to a work mate about how annoying the coverage is going to be. Its all about Lance, i will be intrested to see how the other teams go with him. You would be thinking that they are going to be hitting him pretty hard to see what his got. I reckon Columbia is the team to watch on this one they won it last year and have a good team this year.

SpaceJunk

richard wants a baum wrote:

Was talking to a work mate about how annoying the coverage is going to be. Its all about Lance, i will be intrested to see how the other teams go with him. You would be thinking that they are going to be hitting him pretty hard to see what his got. I reckon Columbia is the team to watch on this one they won it last year and have a good team this year.

I know. I've got a lot of friends who haven't given a thought to the TdU, but this year they are going to check it out.

I guess we can be thankful to LA for that. A lot of my cycling friends came into the sport during the Lance - years because of him. Sure, at first they worshipped the ground he walked on etc.

But it is funny how over time, as they became more involved in cycling, their love for LA cooled off.

I'm doing a bit of media work this year (if my accreditation gets approved). It will be interesting to see how the Press Conferences pan out with LA compared to previous years. I'm very intrigued by it all. (Especially if a lot of the European media make their way down).

Actually it might by hard to even get LA to a press conference. Richard, did you see how much he is charging for a dinner with Lance? $2,500 AUD - that is even more than what Clinton charged the last time he came out.

My first question to LA would be how much of the $2,500 goes straight into Cancer research and not cover 'admin' costs?

richard wants a baum

Wouldnt do that mate straight on the blacklist ohh wait a minute his not blacklisting ask away oohh wait a minute he was having Catlin do some testing and thats not happening maybe hold off on that one

I just know the local media will report everything LA does and maybe a 5sec grab at the end on who actually one on the day.

Arkibal

Unbelievable!


This is the first time your race is going to be sent in Europe live on TV,
yet you complain! :shock:

Bazayev or Iglinskiy will be the team leaders, LA just taking some miles in.

SpaceJunk

Arkibal wrote:

Unbelievable!


This is the first time your race is going to be sent in Europe live on TV,
yet you complain! :shock:

Bazayev or Iglinskiy will be the team leaders, LA just taking some miles in.

I don't think it is unbelievable. Are you living in Adelaide? All Richard and I said was the media here and doing LA stories on a DAILY basis. We are talking every day's paper. And extremely trivial stories too.

And this has been happening ever since he was confirmed as a starter. Wait until the race starts.

This has nothing to do with the race being shown live into Europe. It is what is being reported on here in Adelaide.

I'm all for promoting the race - don't get me wrong. But the race isn't being promoted down here - LA is.

Am I complaining? Probably. I just want to see some balanced reporting. The media will be so PR friendly with LA come January, I imagine none of the Aussie press will ask him any tough questions. They're just happy he is here.

Schmidthouse

Arkibal wrote:

Unbelievable!


This is the first time your race is going to be sent in Europe live on TV,
yet you complain! :shock:

Bazayev or Iglinskiy will be the team leaders, LA just taking some miles in.

I didn't see any complaining in the thread, just a comment regarding a personal view that the cover would be L.A-centric, a view that I agree with.

I think it is fantastic for the race itself and cycling here in Aus that L.A is starting his comeback at the TdU. That said our local media has a very ordinary way of covering cycling so it is going to be All About The Lance.

And hopefully you can enjoy the race cover in Europe, if its live then you can feel what its like for us to sit up and watch all the European sport

richard wants a baum

Firstly im complaining about the media here, cycling doesnt make the headlines unless we win a gold medal or a big race, so i know how the race will be reported and it will be a Lance whitewash. Secondly am i suppose to be so greatfull that european TV stations will be broadcastin it live that i dont care about the quality of the reporting? also what time of night will this go to air 1 or 2 oclock in the morning, atleast now you will understand the sacrifices us Aussies make to watch 3 weeks of racing. Most of us are zombies but the 2nd week from sleep deprivation.

SpaceJunk

Well said Richard. Don't worry - my Mum in law doesn't even like cycling and she is already sick of hearing Lance this or Lance that.

In all seriousness though, the way the media in Adelaide has covered this, it may even be detrimental long-term to the TdU.

The media has promoted this in such a way, that to the casual observer, LA is a shoe-in for the win. If that doesn't happen - these people are likely to say, 'look LA has come down here, made some money out of some Public Speaking, not tried and gone home'.

The public don't know any better - they just expect LA to win.

Now Richard will probably attest to this - but it could end up being like Adelaide United who recruited Romário. The media talked this past-great up. He did nothing. And boy, didn't the backlash start then.

Schmidthouse

SpaceJunk wrote:

Well said Richard. Don't worry - my Mum in law doesn't even like cycling and she is already sick of hearing Lance this or Lance that.

In all seriousness though, the way the media in Adelaide has covered this, it may even be detrimental long-term to the TdU.

The media has promoted this in such a way, that to the casual observer, LA is a shoe-in for the win. If that doesn't happen - these people are likely to say, 'look LA has come down here, made some money out of some Public Speaking, not tried and gone home'.

The public don't know any better - they just expect LA to win.

Now Richard will probably attest to this - but it could end up being like Adelaide United who recruited Romário. The media talked this past-great up. He did nothing. And boy, didn't the backlash start then.

Similar to Ben Cousins and the cover here in Melbourne.

SpaceJunk

Forgot about that Schmidthouse.

You poor thing! I can just imagine. It was bad enough here when there were rumours (and only rumours) that Port Power might pick him up.

richard wants a baum

Wont hurt the event it keeps getting bigger and better every year look at the participation in the challenge tour up to 6500 riders this year double last s years numbers. But im going to be throwing things at the TV when i cant get a decent report on what happend thoughtout that stage because of constant Lance updates.

SpaceJunk

richard wants a baum wrote:

Wont hurt the event it keeps getting bigger and better every year look at the participation in the challenge tour up to 6500 riders this year double last s years numbers. But im going to be throwing things at the TV when i cant get a decent report on what happend thoughtout that stage because of constant Lance updates.

Richard, you doing the challenge ride?

Schmidthouse

It gets worse, I live in Richmond a stones throw from Richmond F.C and the MCG. You should have seen the circus.

I also love the European thing about sport. While we were at the TdF this year, I was interviewed by a Dutch journo at the start town of Auray (and filmed by SBS, you can see my boof head on the coverage). Anyway, the journo was amazed that we followed the Tour at night, that we know the classics, who Mercx is, etc.

richard wants a baum

I got slack as soon as they annoced that the 5000 person cap was lifted and holding off registering until i know what distance i wont to do but yes the plan is to ride in it.

SpaceJunk

richard wants a baum wrote:

I got slack as soon as they annoced that the 5000 person cap was lifted and holding off registering until i know what distance i wont to do but yes the plan is to ride in it.

Cool - I'm doing the full leg. Tomorrow I get my new 'set of wheels'. Got a Specialized Roubaix Elite. Beats my 5 year old Avanti Monza!

Can't wait.

richard wants a baum

Girlfriend has same bike loves it, upgraded to chorus and a pair of shamals, now its my turn and saving for the baum.

Schmidthouse

richard wants a baum wrote:

I got slack as soon as they annoced that the 5000 person cap was lifted and holding off registering until i know what distance i wont to do but yes the plan is to ride in it.

Good luck on the ride guys, I have a feeling its going to be a bun fight (smiliar to this years Round the Bay).

micron

Look forward to hearing more about the actual race from you guys.

I'm all for more cycling on TV and if it takes Armstrong to come back well so be it. But I'd like to see some actual racing not just endless puff pieces about hoiw Armstrong kissed some babies, cured sick puppies, farted etc etc. The sport is what interests me, not the not very interesting doings of a self important has been.