Can Lance Armstrong win the Tour de France?

Comments

  • BikingBernie
    BikingBernie Posts: 2,163
    I would say that even how well he does is largely dependent on how far he takes his blood doping program. Going by last years profile there would seem to be plenty of room left for 'improvement', perhaps taking things right up to the old 58% haemocrit levels the ex USP doctor, Prentice Steffen talked about. And going by last year the UCI and ASO aren't going to try to catch him, take coffee with team for an hour, yes, but actually try to bust Pharmstrong? No way!

    armstrongblood2009.jpg
  • Sheptastic
    Sheptastic Posts: 298
    yawn.
    http://worcesterunicycling.webs.com/

    www.twitter.com/sheptastic
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    I note in the video that many of those who think Armstrong can win have bottles of beer next to them :lol:

    Joking aside, ask them in private and they'd probably say no but have to say flattering things for fear of appearing on Armstrong's infamous media blacklist.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Kléber wrote:
    I note in the video that many of those who think Armstrong can win have bottles of beer next to them :lol:

    Joking aside, ask them in private and they'd probably say no but have to say flattering things for fear of appearing on Armstrong's infamous media blacklist.

    As for "Armstrong's infamous media blacklist", he is allowed to talk to whomever
    he likes(like you and I) and not talk to whomever he chooses not to(like you and I)?
    Do I have the right or can I force YOU to talk to someone you don't want to? Surely there are people out there that you don't want to be around(just like everyone else)? How do you think your public image would fare if pretty much everything you said was pretty much plastered all over just about every media outlet around and then analysed down to
    the very last period? This assuming you're famous and everyone wants to know. :wink::wink:
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    That's fine Dennis but when you're in the business of publicity, banning journalists from interviews and access is perhaps not the best strategy.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Kléber wrote:
    That's fine Dennis but when you're in the business of publicity, banning journalists from interviews and access is perhaps not the best strategy.

    No argument there. Lance will do what he does. Right or wrong.
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    To answer the question , no he cannot.

    He had had too long of a break and there are too many younger and dare I say it hungrier riders in the pelaton. Contador was an example last year and when the gloves were off Lance wasn't able to respond despite his protestations.

    This does pain me because, going against numerous comments on the threads, I am a big fan and admirer.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    plowmar wrote:
    To answer the question , no he cannot.

    He had had too long of a break and there are too many younger and dare I say it hungrier riders in the peloton. Contador was an example last year and when the gloves were off Lance wasn't able to respond despite his protestations.

    This does pain me because, going against numerous comments on the threads, I am a big fan and admirer.

    I'll jump in and speculate that to say he cannot is going too far. I'll grant you that there are younger riders than him, but I don't think that PROVES anything. That he has won 7 of them proves he knows HOW to do it. I'm also not sure that anyone is hungrier than LA.
    He likes his fame and fortune as much as the next guy(or so it would seem). Add in a 3rd.
    place finish last year and I think you've got a definite contender.
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    I'd say he is a contender but most definately an underdog.

    From the talk on here you would think all Contador has to do is show up, surely we can agree there is a little more to it than that over a 3 week tour.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • SunWuKong
    SunWuKong Posts: 364
    IMO if Contador is fit then he is a clear favourite. I would think that Andy Schleck will be stronger this year (than 2009) where as I suspect Armstrong will be at the same level he was at in 2009. I think he will be in a tussle for 3rd again.
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Stuey01 wrote:
    I'd say he is a contender but most definately an underdog.

    From the talk on here you would think all Contador has to do is show up, surely we can agree there is a little more to it than that over a 3 week tour.

    That was pretty much all he did when he won the Giro :wink:
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    If enough people crash, then yes he can. If anyone brings their 'A' game and the big guns don't crash or suffer from a massive brain fart, then no he can't.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Yes,given the right circumstances, but then so could I (if it was only me going around it)
    M.Rushton
  • Dazza2280
    Dazza2280 Posts: 156
    Think he'll be up there, a lot made about the cobbles on this years course and Lance's "superior" bike handling skills. But (and i could be wrong here) is there not only around 20km of cobbles in the whole race. So i don't think AC will be worried about him getting away too far then, just need to see if he's still got a decent team to put him up there seeing as most of them joined Radioshack. If AC climbs like he did last year then Lance will see himself going backwards pretty fast on the mountains.

    I think the real challenge to Contador will come from Schleck
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Contador could lose a minute on the cobbles - it still wouldn't matter.
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    teagar wrote:
    Contador could lose a minute on the cobbles - it still wouldn't matter.

    It would if second place is only 50 seconds behind him on GC!
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Pokerface wrote:
    teagar wrote:
    Contador could lose a minute on the cobbles - it still wouldn't matter.

    It would if second place is only 50 seconds behind him on GC!

    Not with 2 mountain ranges and a TT to come!
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • Dazza2280
    Dazza2280 Posts: 156
    there's no way lance will make a break on the cobbles! he won't risk it.

    And even if he does, they're on stage 3!!!!! might as well put a big target on his back.

    none of the contenders want that yellow jersey for 3 weeks!!!!

    I'd go for Fab to make a break on them maybe, then AC and Schleck to fight and take it off him some time towards the end of week 2
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    BikingBernie wrote:
    I would say that even how well he does is largely dependent on how far he takes his blood doping program. Going by last years profile there would seem to be plenty of room left for 'improvement', perhaps taking things right up to the old 58% haemocrit levels the ex USP doctor, Prentice Steffen talked about. And going by last year the UCI and ASO aren't going to try to catch him, take coffee with team for an hour, yes, but actually try to bust Pharmstrong? No way!

    armstrongblood2009.jpg

    There's a suprise.....BB bring up doping...yet again.

    Bloody hell man, don't you ever get bored of saying the same shite?
  • Dgh
    Dgh Posts: 180
    He can, but I don't see it happening.

    If Contador and Andy Schleck show up in shape, hard to see beyond them for the top two. Plenty of climbing and not much tt mean that Schleck is in with a good shout. Contador probably the stronger rider, but Schleck has the better team.

    I can see Lance possibly being the best of the rest.

    Would like to see Wiggins up there, but hard to see him getting the better of AC or AS.
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    Stranger things have happened and races are not won on paper, but if I was a betting man I'd stick my neck out and say Schleck 1st, then Contador, then Lance or possibly Evans.
  • timoid.
    timoid. Posts: 3,133
    I can't see him getting past all of Contador, Schleck, Gesink and Evans. In fact I can see him getting rinsed by the likes of Basso, Kreuziger, VdV and Sastre too. He'll be battling out with Wiggins for about 8th, which at nearly 39 would be a heck of an achievement.
    It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.
  • paulcuthbert
    paulcuthbert Posts: 1,016
    I'm not too sure. As much as a fan of Lance I am, I don't know if he can win an 8th for sure. I think he'll be in a better position in 2010 with a year of the comeback 2.0 under his belt. Not sure if age comes into it- he's a phenomenal athlete, whatever age he is, and physiologically he's astounding. And not forgetting that in 2009 he had the broken collarbone, which surely hampered his preparation. So I think he might even push 2nd. Schleck can't time trial, so that's LA's advantage.

    I think Contador's weaker team isn't going to help his chances. Would love to see Andy Schleck win it- he seems genuine and a top class rider.

    Again, I hope Wiggins falls off the Tourmalet! Haha. Would love to see Kreuziger do well though!
    The most painful climb in Northern Ireland http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs200.snc1/6776_124247198694_548863694_2335754_8016178_n.jpg
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    Timoid. wrote:
    I can't see him getting past all of Contador, Schleck, Gesink and Evans. In fact I can see him getting rinsed by the likes of Basso, Kreuziger, VdV and Sastre too. He'll be battling out with Wiggins for about 8th, which at nearly 39 would be a heck of an achievement.

    The so-called experts thought that he was washed up last year and he suprised everyone. And where was Sastre? Can't see Basso doing anything either. I reckon we've seen the best of him.
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    I've already written my choice for the podium on a piece of paper and stuck it in an envelope - and his names isn't on it! :D
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • Tomred
    Tomred Posts: 41
    no he cant !
    Klien
    Kona
    Tomasini
    Basso
  • jrduquemin
    jrduquemin Posts: 791
    I'm gonna go against ther grain here and say that I think he can pull it off :-) Given his past performances and not forgetting that he took 3 years out AND then finshed on the podium in Paris, he's definitely got the ability and he's got the team to back him in the mountains. Also, bear in mind that the team that rode for Astana in the 09 tour have all gone, and several of them are now racing on the RadioShack team with Lance.

    He can do it, and although i'm not a gambling man, i'm putting a bet on the outcome. :-D
    2010 Lynskey R230
    2013 Yeti SB66
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    But what did that Astana team actually achieve for Contador, except keep him in contention after an unfeasibly long TTT - a specialism that doesn't feature in this year's race?
  • dave milne
    dave milne Posts: 703
    I don't tihnk so. He's too old and contador's too good. But i'm not sure about the "he isn't hungry enough". He'll bust a million blood vessels just to have a sniff if that's what it takes
  • The Prodigy
    The Prodigy Posts: 832
    Lance not hungry enough! I doubt there is anyone hungrier. But forunately enough there are a few who are better. I still imagine he will be on or at least very close to the podium.

Categories