Tour De France stage 3
Comments
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It's blatantly obvious now that Lance isn't too comfortable playing second fiddle to bertie! no matter what he says! 7 time tour winner, mega-star blah, blah, blah and one helluva ego! He's never been a humble man and he wants that jersey!!!0
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Interesting if Armstrong does get yellow because he can expect, even demand, that Contador plays a more defensive role instead of romping up the road to Arcalis.0
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Armstrong just gave an interview to French TV. I don't know if british TV had a feed, so here's the summary:
He said that an opportunity to take time over your main rivals must be seized, and named sastre and the scheck brothers as those rivals.
Then he was asked (elephant in the room time) about contador. He said he never understood why people ever thought there was only one leader, and that as far as he's concerned he deserves a certain amount of respect as a 7 time le tour winner.
Then he was asked about the possibility of yellow tomorrow, and he said that it would be nice, but Cancellara will be hard to catch and anyway he's here to wear yellow in Paris, not tomorrow, and that has always been the plan.
It was the most gung ho and explicit I've seen him since he announced the second coming. It did not suggest he is willing to ride for Contador under any circumstances. He even backed away from discussing what would change if he drops out of contention in the mountains, simply saying "don't count me out".0 -
today hurts Columbia tomorrow.
Astana was just using all its cards. Gaps in wind are always possible but hard to predict where. Astana being represented in the front group was a good thing. This is far from over even if Lance ends up in Yellow. There will be a very difficult third week in this race.
If AC is going to win it he'll have to earn it. Johan decided this 40 seconds wasn't worth the effort this early in the tour, especially considering where the rest of the real GCers are.0 -
And you think ARmstrong will LET Contador crush him in the mountains if he gets into yellow? He'll call team orders and get Contador chasing down breaks.0
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Eurostar wrote:Bertie will get more and more pissed off, there'll be massive rows which Bruyneel won't sort out.
You're assuming that he's ALREADY p*ssed off. That's just speculation. I think there is more to it. Humans are involved and it's never that simple. Of course, that's also just
speculation.0 -
Yes, if this had been different people involved then we would be talking about what a good ride it was. The fact that there were no other GC guys there accounts for the poor chase too i imagine.RichN95 wrote:I don't see the problem with Astana did today. If one of your GC candidates has a chance to gain 40 seconds on all his rivals - you take it.
Bertie's only 19s down and in 4th, so he's hardly out of contention.If he can't take that back off a 38 year old in the mountains then he doesn't deserve to win (I'm sure Schleck, Evans et al will).RichN95 wrote:
The sprinters (except Cav and Thor) need to have a good hard look themselves though - out a green jersey contention in two stages.
Its a long way to Paris but it will be hard to pull back Cav's lead. The lack of chase from Rabobank and Quickstep makes me wonder if they've given up all ready? Rabobank do have the TTT tomorrow in which they will try and limit their losses for Gesink and Menchov (although he may have other concerns) but you'd have thought that they would have given it a go.
As for Quickstep i would have thought that their main goal was Boonen in the sprints? Apparently he isnt quite there yet given the drama but even so i would have thought they would have put a good chase on?0 -
TakeTheHighRoad wrote:And you think ARmstrong will LET Contador crush him in the mountains if he gets into yellow? He'll call team orders and get Contador chasing down breaks.
And you think Contador will pay attention? He has won the tour himself remember so isn't likely to take too much sh*t.<a><img></a>0 -
A masterful ride by Columbia!
Armstrong again shows his tactical nous, right place, right time. He's looking fit too.
It gives the GC contenders a real dilema, they've got to devote resources to more than just keeping Contador in check, they've got to watch Armstrong and there's even Kloden & Leipheimer sitting there.
Divided loyalties amongst Astana? Maybe, but it's going to make an interesting tour to watch.
Impressive riding by Cancellara, caught on the wrong side of the road when it turned, hopped straight over the central reservation and he was on the Columbia train like greased lightening. I was half expecting him to take a flier inside the last km to have a go at the stage win too, if Cav's lead-outs faltered, I'd bet he would've done so too.
The big losers, IMHO, were Schleck & Sastre.Remember that you are an Englishman and thus have won first prize in the lottery of life.0 -
PeteinSQ wrote:TakeTheHighRoad wrote:And you think ARmstrong will LET Contador crush him in the mountains if he gets into yellow? He'll call team orders and get Contador chasing down breaks.
And you think Contador will pay attention? He has won the tour himself remember so isn't likely to take too much sh*t.
did he really win the tour tho? he was kind of given that win when rassmusen was pulled..
Still doesnt change the fact that this years tour is still proving to be super super exiting..
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Kléber wrote:Interesting if Armstrong does get yellow because he can expect, even demand, that Contador plays a more defensive role instead of romping up the road to Arcalis.
I think a day in yellow would be ok if he accepts it as a swansong and concedes its likely to pass to Bertie
he could get a win win here if he is smart.. ride the TTT of there life hurts no one on the squad then hands the jersey over in the Pyrenees.. any other team would do the same thing?
he would also get some kudos for this "not that good as of yet comeback"
PR wise its been poor.. he has pissed off a lot of people and looks like a loser
if he tries to ride to Paris in yellow its just going to be humiliating"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 pm0 -
It is exciting. Even this stage which should have been a dull sprint finish as been exciting.
I just see Lance going backwards in the mountains and it being obvious that he can't do any better than top 10. When this happens Contador should be in the position to get support from the other domestiques in the team.<a><img></a>0 -
Come ooooooon Astana civil war! By the way "I never understood why people thought there was only one leader" says the man who had all 8 destroy themselves for him slavishly? He knew exactly what he was doing, Bertie needs his friends now, cos pretty soon he's going to be asked to tow the Armstrong line."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'"
@gietvangent0 -
Contador should have gone to Caisse a long time ago - that would have been perfect. LA can talk as much as he likes but he wont boss Contador around.
Leipheimer's twitter:
I've never seen the group split so suddenly, one second we were calm & then Columbia hit it in a very short section of cross wind. LA alert!
Renshaw's twitter:
Well it don't get much better then that! It goes down in my books as the most crushing team performance iv seen . Great team great mates....
Rogers' twitter:
That was awesome! That was the best team effort I've been apart of in 10 years as a pro. Cav did what he's best at.. Winning
Cadel's twitter:
Group split with some 30km to go. Lance showed his experience, Columbia showed their class. The rest of us? 40sec's down Grrrr....
I've never understood why that nine man TTT tactic isn't used more often.Contador is the Greatest0 -
dennisn wrote:
You're assuming that he's ALREADY p*ssed off. That's just speculation. I think there is more to it. Humans are involved and it's never that simple. Of course, that's also just
speculation.
Oh FFS Dennis, of course he's not going to be pleased. Remember, he's already negotiating his exit from the team.
Hands up anyone else who remembers when Astana last powered away with with cross winds etc. I'll give you a clue, it was in 2007....
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
So, have Columbia ruined their chances of victory tomorrow or have they ridden their legs in perfectly you think??0
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That has to be a reference to the juice, Vino variety!iainf72 wrote:[
Hands up anyone else who remembers when Astana last powered away with with cross winds etc. I'll give you a clue, it was in 2007....
Gave poor old Chrissie Moreau a right kicking......pity about the rest."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Another incentive for the Astanas to ride for Armstrong is the Vino angle. No doubt Lance is telling everyone that the Kazakhs won't come up with the money and that Bruyneel will soon own the licence, with funding and sponsors sorted by you know who. For a young Astana domestique it must be very difficult to disobey the wealthiest most influential man in cycling when the future of the team is in doubt.
We all know how badly Lance wants to win again. He'll be telling himself that the likes of Evans and Sastre are beatable, and that the only threat is from a whippersnapper who is on his own team. I don't doubt that Armstrong views the team as his personal property.
Bertie can romp away in the mountains, but he'll be on his own because nobody else in the team can keep up with him. So they'll do the next best thing, which is protecting Armstrong. He'll be hanging in there, trying to minimise his losses, hoping that Bertie has a bad day.
Could be the best Tour for years. :twisted:
I wonder how many of us Lance-haters will end up admiring him? :shock:<hr>
<h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>0 -
Lance haters? i don't know any Lance haters!!
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That has to be a reference to the juice, Vino variety!Blazing Saddles wrote:iainf72 wrote:[
Hands up anyone else who remembers when Astana last powered away with with cross winds etc. I'll give you a clue, it was in 2007....
Gave poor old Chrissie Moreau a right kicking......pity about the rest.[/quote
so can only ride away from group like today if drinking from Vinos cup?0 -
certainly a more interesting stage than the typical breakaway catch cav wins.
Columbia put it to them.
we'll see if it hurts tomorrow.0 -
ok did lance have informers in team coloumbia to tip him off this was on the cards?"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 pm0
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PeteinSQ wrote:TakeTheHighRoad wrote:And you think ARmstrong will LET Contador crush him in the mountains if he gets into yellow? He'll call team orders and get Contador chasing down breaks.
And you think Contador will pay attention? He has won the tour himself remember so isn't likely to take too much sh*t.
I guess, he's probably off at the end of the year anyway isn't he? And Lemond never bothered himslef in '86, and that was against the patron of his day, much like Albi this year.0 -
RichN95 wrote:I don't see the problem with Astana did today. If one of your GC candidates has a chance to gain 40 seconds on all his rivals - you take it.
Bertie's only 19s down and in 4th, so he's hardly out of contention.If he can't take that back off a 38 year old in the mountains then he doesn't deserve to win (I'm sure Schleck, Evans et al will).
It just strengthens Astana's options.
The sprinters (except Cav and Thor) need to have a good hard look themselves though - out a green jersey contention in two stages.
Agreed. There's no guarantees in a 3-week race. It wouldn't make sense to take a guy that's won 7 TDFs, was less than a minute down on other GC guys and tell him not to get into a break like that. You have to take that chance.
And really, how is this any different (or worse) than Sastre taking the yellow jersey off his own teamate last year?0 -
mididoctors wrote:ok did lance have informers in team coloumbia to tip him off this was on the cards?
Hincapie is very good friend of LA and Cav is also set to be a good friend. If you watch the replay there were astana riders going back for water bottles when this all kicked off.
tbh, this all works out perfect for astana - all the other teams are not going to know who to watch now, LA or Bertie.
Bertie just needs to bide his time till he hits the hilly stuffs, We all know LA is on good form but I just dont think he has the kick like contador has in the mountains.
Bertie has friends after the work he did for valverde.. I am pretty sure casise de pan will help him out a bit. Valverde even said he would work for contador if he went to the tour..
Cant wait for tomorrow.
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Interestingly Christophe Le Mevel said he was on Contador's wheel when the move went and the Spaniard blew, he was unable to hold the wheel in front.0
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iainf72 wrote:dennisn wrote:
You're assuming that he's ALREADY p*ssed off. That's just speculation. I think there is more to it. Humans are involved and it's never that simple. Of course, that's also just
speculation.
Oh FFS Dennis, of course he's not going to be pleased. Remember, he's already negotiating his exit from the team.
Is this a case of you're not pleased so therefore your chosen rider isn't pleased? He must be p*ssed off because I am?
Is he negotiating for his exit or just putting the squeeze on them for more money?
Could it work either way in both cases?0 -
Enjoyed that!
But what's all the hoo-ha?!
If it wasn't Lance that put time into his team mate, nobody would bat an eyelid! What if one of the Schlecks was in that group and the other wasn't? Surely, any team would try to get a man in that first group and open up a gap especially if no other GC contenders were in the group?
Personally, I'm fairly neutral and am looking forward to seeing some very good racing, but it's funny seeing all the anti-fanbois getting all worked up - if LA isn't a threat, there isn't a problem, is there?!!
I think it will make for a great tour! Today's stage was certainly more exciting than the usual flat run in to the inevitable sprint and Cavendish win!
Things just got very interesting!0
