Armstrong vs Contador

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Comments

  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    I can't wait for it all to implode... would love to see Bertie in Caisse colours next year..
  • Chip \'oyler
    Chip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    WHAT :shock:

    There are other riders in the Tour?
    Expertly coached by http://www.vitessecyclecoaching.co.uk/

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  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Noval has said that the problems at Astana are all of Bruyneel's making because he has no faith in Bertie.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • victorponf
    victorponf Posts: 1,187
    Contador hit the table.

    Everybody knows who is the boss now (maybe Lance don´t realized, who knows)
    If you like Flandes, Roubaix or Eroica, you would like GP Canal de Castilla, www.gpcanaldecastilla.com
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    Yesterday, Tour reject Benjamin Noval not only weighed in with one of his own but also offered the most tantalizing snapshot yet of what’s really going on at Astana.

    "This year, the atmosphere in the team is really bad,” Noval told a Spanish radio station on Friday. “It’s bad because of Johan Bruyneel, because he hasn’t known how to manage the team. He’s lost control of the relationship between Alberto and Lance and with the rest of the riders… If there are clans in the team it’s his fault. He knows that, as well, because I’ve said it to his face.”


    considering that leipheimer and kloden TT'd faster than lance, I'd say that sastre, evans, menchov and the others all know that Contador is the man to watch
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    edhornby wrote:
    Yesterday, Tour reject Benjamin Noval not only weighed in with one of his own but also offered the most tantalizing snapshot yet of what’s really going on at Astana.

    "This year, the atmosphere in the team is really bad,” Noval told a Spanish radio station on Friday. “It’s bad because of Johan Bruyneel, because he hasn’t known how to manage the team. He’s lost control of the relationship between Alberto and Lance and with the rest of the riders… If there are clans in the team it’s his fault. He knows that, as well, because I’ve said it to his face.”


    considering that leipheimer and kloden TT'd faster than lance, I'd say that sastre, evans, menchov and the others all know that Contador is the man to watch

    In which case, Bruyneel is an idiot! If he wants to keep being a grand tour winning DS then he has to either make sure the team is gelled, or put his eggs in the Contador basket. Contador has won all the GTs at a young age, the guy is class. SURELY Bruyneel can see that, but nevermind!
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Jez mon wrote:

    In which case, Bruyneel is an idiot! If he wants to keep being a grand tour winning DS then he has to either make sure the team is gelled, or put his eggs in the Contador basket. Contador has won all the GTs at a young age, the guy is class. SURELY Bruyneel can see that, but nevermind!

    I thought Bruyneel had given up the DS'ing game and was a "general manager" - The DS for Bertie last year was Gallopin (who I think is very good at his job) But since Lance has come back JB seems to be behind the wheel again.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • Moomaloid
    Moomaloid Posts: 2,040
    If you stand behind Lance you can see Bruyneels feet dangling..... he's so far up his behind...

    Winning is obviously secondary to him now, to keeping Lance happy. I think the in fighting makes for great drama, and i can't wait for Bertie to leave and tell all...
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    there're 400 miles or so in 7 days of racing to go till they hit the Arcalis climb and IMO LA will be nearer the form he can be a week from now...let's see...but the prologue suggests AC is way ahead...I hope not...want a close battle and disloyalty, public spats...this is what cycling needs :lol:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    This has been heavily debated on CNs, overnight:-
    cryptic twitter from JB

    johanbruyneel-Someone behaved like a bull in a china shop a few days ago, and now doesn't know how he has to pay for the repairs.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Apart from it not making sense... intriguing!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    I've just read that "Armstrong ambiguity keeps rivals guessing" article and have had a revelation about this LA vs AC business.

    Unless LA's being thick - and I don't think he is - I'm beginning to think LA's continued implications that he himself might have a shot at being team leader is a classic example of an LA mind game/ publicity stunt.

    LA's refusal to acknowledge AC as team leader "keeps rivals guessing" which is tactically a great move by Astana while also generating no end of press for LA and the team.

    I reckon even Noval's recent statement (and JB's recent Twitter) could be part of the act.

    Maybe LA + JB are much, much smarter than they're being given credit for.
  • markwalker
    markwalker Posts: 953
    Harry182 wrote:
    Maybe LA + JB are much, much smarter than they're being given credit for.

    Errrr No.
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    Contador feels genuinely put out by all this uncertainty, this is not a clever game.

    As someone else said, Armstrong used to mock T-Mobile for their chaotic rivalries where UIlrich had to contend with rivals within the team, like Riis, Vino, Sevilla, Kloeden and Botero but now Astana risk imitating this chaos.
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    This has been heavily debated on CNs, overnight:-
    cryptic twitter from JB

    johanbruyneel-Someone behaved like a bull in a china shop a few days ago, and now doesn't know how he has to pay for the repairs.

    Noval's interview was on Friday with Spanish radio.... sounds like johan wants everyone to toe the party line (which is 'no comment' if you follow LAs lead)

    even if he does have his personal favourite(s), he can't want a split team, JBs surely not that dim
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    There's only one way to solve this...
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    Popovych has just given an interview where he says everything in the team is just great - well, as a loyal USDiscatana boy he knows which side his bread is buttered
  • don key
    don key Posts: 494
    edited July 2009
    Moomaloid wrote:
    If you stand behind Lance you can see Bruyneels feet dangling..... he's so far up his behind...

    Winning is obviously secondary to him now, to keeping Lance happy. I think the in fighting makes for great drama, and i can't wait for Bertie to leave and tell all...

    What has happened every one who ever stood in his way previously, yeah , we can hardly remember their names.

    dArnsthong Cantadorn the mellow jersey or the dopium this year, he'll dye to get the jersey and he'll be to liared to climb the steps.

    Popastitch needs to be careful witch the needle, a vodoo moll is all we need,Chance they'd queue to prick him wearing their yellow johnnies.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    don key wrote:
    Moomaloid wrote:
    If you stand behind Lance you can see Bruyneels feet dangling..... he's so far up his behind...

    Winning is obviously secondary to him now, to keeping Lance happy. I think the in fighting makes for great drama, and i can't wait for Bertie to leave and tell all...

    What has happened every one who ever stood in his way previously, yeah , we can hardly remember their names.

    However, none of them had won 3 grand tours by the age of 25.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    don key wrote:

    dArnsthong Cantadorn the mellow jersey or the dopium this year, he'll dye to get the jersey and he'll be to liared to climb the steps.

    l1904.jpg

    I agree, that's definitely the only way Lance will ever get his hands on another yellow jersey.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Gotta love these comments

    http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/arti ... leadership
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    'Levi's obviously good'? Well he's got 3 weeks to crack then.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • AndyRubio
    AndyRubio Posts: 880
    i reckon bruyneel's got the team bluffing - the whole thing's a fiction
    My hour on the plinth
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    "Another thread on that fat boy with no style. Please, spare me the predictability. All he wants is people to speak about him all the time"
    610x.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    be honest everyone...you are glad LA came back...much more interesting seeing what happens now. IMO he will hold Contador at Araclis and Contador will panic then and this specualtion will go on until the Alps...which is perfect :lol: I so wanna see LA chasing down AC in person or the opposite...Visentni-Roche again!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Dave_1 wrote:
    be honest everyone...you are glad LA came back...much more interesting seeing what happens now. IMO he will hold Contador at Araclis and Contador will panic then and this specualtion will go on until the Alps...which is perfect :lol: I so wanna see LA chasing down AC in person or the opposite...Visentni-Roche again!

    I'll settle for the punch drunk look on Armstrong's face as Contador rides away from him. However, it's shaping up to be a strange old race, if astana are split, how effectively will they cover everybody else? How much can Contador rely on Caisse? Will Phil and Paul call LA's treachery for what it is? This could play right into the hands of Schleck, Sastre and Evans.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,873
    disgruntledgoat wrote:

    I'll settle for the punch drunk look on Armstrong's face as Contador rides away from him. .

    I'll settle for the punch drunk look on Armstrong's face as just about everybody rides away from him.
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Harry182 wrote:
    I've just read that "Armstrong ambiguity keeps rivals guessing" article and have had a revelation about this LA vs AC business.

    Unless LA's being thick - and I don't think he is - I'm beginning to think LA's continued implications that he himself might have a shot at being team leader is a classic example of an LA mind game/ publicity stunt.

    LA's refusal to acknowledge AC as team leader "keeps rivals guessing" which is tactically a great move by Astana while also generating no end of press for LA and the team.

    I reckon even Noval's recent statement (and JB's recent Twitter) could be part of the act.

    Maybe LA + JB are much, much smarter than they're being given credit for.

    +1 I would say you've probably hit the nail right on the head. I'd vote for careful scripting of just about everything by Astana.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Careful Dennis, you're getting perilously close to actually talking about bike racing there.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    Seems the whole team are in trouble for turning up late (yet again) to sign in for today's stage. They've been summoned to talk to the race jury and will be fined.

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