Amongst Drug Cheats a new star rises

Spack

Andy Schleck has put the cycling world on notice. This kid will win a tour before he turns 30 years old. At 21, he is climbing with some of the best cyclists in the world and doing ok

General classification after stage 14

1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita, Liquigas) 14:10:40
2 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita, Lampre-Fondital) 0:00:55
3 Andy Schleck (Lux, Team CSC) 0:01:57

Points classification

1 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Team Milram 135 pts
8 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 52

Mountains classification

1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 41 pts
10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 14

When was the last time a kid could time trial ok, ride mountains and be in the top three in the GC in the Giro at the age 21?

Colbi

<b>When was the last time a kid could time trial ok, ride mountains and be in the top three in the GC in the Giro at the age 21?</b>

Loads of times. Just inject some epo and grab some hemohes pills and you're all set.

Spack

who in the last ten years?

funaki

The last person who could put in performances like that at such a tender age was one Lance Armstrong.

Now surely we are not going to point the finger of suspicion at the Boss.

Grumpy Bob

I'm afraid a rising star in CSC is under great suspicion in my mind. Mr 60%'s team, a team with a reputation for rescuing fading stars...

This is the problem with a drug-ridden sport - who can be trusted?

Robert


www.northbucksroadclub.org.uk
www.robertsaunders.org.uk
www.northwoodwheelers.org.uk

Spiralpro

Really enjoying this years giro. CSC have an extensive internal drugs testing program. Do you not trust or believe them? I wouldn't be too Quick to judge Schleck. He's doing a great job at this giro. It is a drug ridden sport but then again you still have to have it in you.

Autobus Straggler

Its like accounting, you always have your internal auditors, and your external, until someone can prove that CSC is really clean, besides themselves, i will always raise an eye brow, even if schleck is putting in a great performance.

Give me pave or give me death!

funaki

CSC are indeed under a cloud of suspicion at the momment, but even so i do not think that we should be too quick to jump to conclusions. Popo and Cunego were strutting their stuff at a young age but have done little since. The Giro is a great race and a true test but it is the B tour to some extent. If Vino, Levi, Kessler, Kloden, Basso, Mancebo and the rest of the A team were there i wonder if the CSC superkid would still be hanging tough in a podium spot.

campagchris

You can only beat whats in front of you.Schleck is doing a magnificent ride,as is Riccardo Ricco,its been a great Giro up to now.I thought Di Luca couldnt climb.

Spiralpro

He could handle the smaller climbs. But I never though he could do the real though climbs. It looks like he can. As far as Im concerned, stage 17 will show us the winner of this years Giro.

deejay

[:o)]To FUNAKI Post 27/05

If you have watched and Ridden for at least the last 15 Years you
would not talk about Lance Armstrong (L.A.)as being TENDER.

There are 2 L.A.'s ie The Mark 1 version followed after the testicles
by the Amazing Mark 2 version. During the 1990's there was a USA Stage Race called The TOUR OF DUPONT!!!! and one year LA was expected to win it but his weakness was his Time Trialing. I think it was the last stage or the one before but LA was 2nd overall and the Leader was R.ALCALA of Mexico who caught LA in the TT and later
he punctured. With his wheel out LA passed the Mexican and disappeared down the road. ALCALA then caught and passed LA no problem and WON the Whole Race.
Another memory from those times is of a World Road Race Championship
in NORWAY in the pouring rain on dredfull roads with Tram Lines and
a Young Sprog getting the solo jump on the Leading Group. He solo'd
on while the others dithered as usual and crossed the line with such
a Performance of "I AM THE GREATEST" but he was the Champion.
The following year I'm at the Liege-Bastogne and watching (what the 7/11 anyway some USA team) Mechanics on the Saturday sorting the bikes when along came this LA and sat on the Truck talking to the Mechanics. He had just come from the Presentation. The Crowd did'nt speak English and he looked like another mechanic anyway but the conversation included "they don't know who I am" and then "well I'm off to my room then". Perhaps they did speak English and maybe they enjoyed the moment as I did, but I said nothing.

The AMAZING Mark 2 is what you all know about and a couple of years ago on the ALPE I was asked by some USA Americans who I thought would
win that year. "LANCE" I said no problem who else is there and no I am not a fan as I had watched him for too many years, next question was if I had problem with USA Americans. GOOD Heavens NO and my favorite member of the Team is BIG GEORGE HINCHCAPE but they did'nt
know him. I told them that he and the little Russian had led and looked after LA through the cobbles because they are the ALL ROUND RIDERS. He WON a Mountain Stage after that so now they have heard of him. This should all check out as Facts but in my memories. Thanks.

funaki

(coughs politely)
The word tender was applied to Lance's age only. And by the way i am knocking 60 and been following pro cycling since the days of Coppi.

jerry3571

I've seen the race on TV where Armstrong won the Worlds where he won it on the descent of the last climb, where he went down like "The Falcon". I think the rest of the group came in where Indurain beat Museeuw in the sprint, as I recall.
I've seen Lance up close at the Leeds Classic where he was saying Bye to Shaun Yates in his last big race for Motorola and he was a chunky chap with no fat. Eddy Merckx at the time, said he could win the Tour if he lost a few kilos; muscle not fat. Lance certainly lost his weight but in the worst possible way.
I think if there was no cancer there would have not been 7 Tour victories; not even one I think.

Oooh! DiLuca won because he wasn't so greedy this year. Usually he wants to win the Amstel, Liege and the Fleche and do something at the Giro. At the Giro, his form gradually fades. This year he only competes well in the Liege and does the Giro in style. I'm afraid "you can't have it all". cheers jerome

Spack

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, Verdana" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I've seen the race on TV where Armstrong won the Worlds where he won it on the descent of the last climb<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
That was the race where Lance put the world on notice.

This Giro, the tender lean Andy Schleck stamped his claim to the throne adbicated by Armstrong. Time will tell if he is the real deal.