Broadsheet speculation!

NervexProf
NervexProf Posts: 4,202
edited June 2009 in Pro race
Some insights on the 'Tour' - L A and Cav here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 22307.html


http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/ju ... g-comeback
Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom

Comments

  • secretsqirrel
    secretsqirrel Posts: 2,123
    Thanks for the links Nervex. A good read.

    I found the piece written by David Millar particularly interesting, especially his references to Contador v Armstrong.

    I have warmed to Millar over the years, I hope that after he retires he continues writing. It's always good stuff.
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Thanks for the tip, but I can't say I'm impressed by an article that only mentions Contador as a threat to Armstrong. I'm sure a few other riders will have something to say about that.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    There is one great bonus for Contador in all of this - when was the last time such a good rider and a sure favourite had absolutely no media pressure on them? Of course I've no doubt Armstrong will claim that drawing the media's fire was his intention all along :wink:
  • rockmount
    rockmount Posts: 761
    micron wrote:
    Of course I've no doubt Armstrong will claim that drawing the media's fire was his intention all along :wink:
    He did, at the outset of his comeback, pay attention :wink::wink:
    .. who said that, internet forum people ?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    micron wrote:
    There is one great bonus for Contador in all of this - when was the last time such a good rider and a sure favourite had absolutely no media pressure on them?
    I doubt whether Contador reads The Independent on a daily basis. Or any of the other British newspapers. Coverage of cycling in continental newspapers is a lot more in-depth, and attention for LA more balanced and in proportion. The pressure on Contador is huge.
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,556
    Amongst the comments to the Guardian article there is one by BetsyAndreu which has been removed by the moderators - intriguing - perhaps I should have read the article earlier.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    You mean FJS that when the Tour starts the media scrum will be focused on Contador? Don't think so, do you?

    You can find the Betsy Andreu post around and about - but the Guardian seem to prefer life as Carter Ruck's poodle the3se days than making any serious attempts at presenting viewpoints that aren't Glory Glory Lance Armstrong.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Micron, all I'm saying is that the suggestion that Contador has 'absolutely no media pressure on him' is not true. There is huge media pressure on him in Spain, and all continental european media put him as big, big favorite in all their coverage, from day one, as they have done all year. I'm in Spain right now, I read Dutch and Belgian newspapers each day, and the Armstrong adoration you see in English-language media just isn't there.

    Of course there will also be a huge media focus on Armstrong as phenomenon, but only British and American media would seriously focus on him winning. Really, the situation that the general public only knows Armstrong, and constantly focus almost solely on him is particular to English-language media.

    So yes, I do believe 'the media' scrum will focus on Contador as favourite, and that the media pressure on him will be enormous.
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    hommelbier wrote:
    Amongst the comments to the Guardian article there is one by BetsyAndreu which has been removed by the moderators - intriguing - perhaps I should have read the article earlier.

    Quick summary - she was accusing one of the contributors of totally one-sided writing, which misrepresented her and made out that she was the only one to claim to have heard LA's confession.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Another article in the Times today - I'm don't think the writer likes LA much

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/matt_dickinson/article6605845.ece
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    RichN95 wrote:
    Another article in the Times today - I'm don't think the writer likes LA much

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/matt_dickinson/article6605845.ece

    Seen the comments from Matt in Chicago at the bottom of the page? Reckons that the Tour fell into Contador's lap in 2007, and Leipheimer and Kloden are as good as, if not better than, AC. :lol::lol:

    I've put in a comment myself, hope the Times will publish it.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    FJS, absolutely agreed about the difference between European and English language media re: AC and LA. But don't you also think that the better informed European media don't put quite the same kind of pressure on riders - unlike the kind of media scrums we've seen around Armstrong at the TDU etc?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    micron wrote:
    FJS, absolutely agreed about the difference between European and English language media re: AC and LA. But don't you also think that the better informed European media don't put quite the same kind of pressure on riders - unlike the kind of media scrums we've seen around Armstrong at the TDU etc?
    Yes and no. I agree there isn't the unrealistic pressure where hardcore fans with little knowledge of cycling expected Armstrong to turn up at the Tour Down Under and win straight away, or just general omnipresent media pressure. On the other hand, most of the media attention Armstrong gets is relatively superficial ,and you'd have to agree that the kind of pressure Boonen has been under for years, with the expectation of a whole nation where cycling is sport nr 1 on his shoulders, or Contador in Spain, Iban Mayo in the Basque Country when he was at his best, etc, etc, is not to be taken lightly.

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