Tour de France

[tlongII]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/news/story?id=4308930


LA GRANDE MOTTE, France -- Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong proved his Tour de France credentials once again when he climbed to third overall following a spectacular third stage on Monday.

Briton Mark Cavendish snatched the stage victory after 122 miles from Marseille to La Grande Motte but the day's big winner was Armstrong, the only favorite who was not caught out by a sharp break from Team Columbia.

Swiss Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, finishing ahead of German Tony Martin and American Armstrong by 33 and 40 seconds respectively.

Alberto Contador, who was trapped after Team Columbia's move, dropped to fourth overall.

Spaniard Contador, named Astana's team leader ahead of Armstrong, slipped 19 seconds behind the 37-year-old Texan.

"I am not OK with that theory saying there can be only one team leader," said Armstrong.

"I have won seven Tours de France, I will have to be counted in."

Astana sports director Alain Gallopin said there would not be any problems within the team even though Armstrong has somehow upset the hierarchy.

"There are no troubles at all in our team, it's even the contrary," he said.

"If there had been Armstrong and [Saxo Bank's] Andy Schleck up front, that would have been a problem.

"There will be no problem tonight or tomorrow."

Contador said what happened on Monday was unlikely to change his fate.

"I do want to comment on the tactics of the team," he said.

"Everyone can draw their own conclusions. Anyway, the Tour will not be decided with what has happened today. It's just a race incident."

Astana will ride a team time-trial on Tuesday and should they smash the competition, Armstrong could snatch the yellow jersey.

"Never say never," the American said.

The peloton split into two around 24 miles from the finish after a sudden burst of acceleration by Team Columbia in strong crosswinds which surprised nearly all the favorites.

"That was awesome, that was the best team effort I've been a part of in 10 years as a pro," Australian Michael Rogers wrote on his Twitter page.

Astana's Levi Leipheimer was also trapped.

"I've never seen the group split so suddenly, one second we were calm and then Columbia hit it in a very short section of crosswind," he said.

Among the leading contenders, only Armstrong, back in the saddle after 3½ years in retirement, was in the front group of some 25 riders who caught four early breakaways.

But the American did not help Columbia widen the gap, initially staying in the middle of the small pack with team mates Haimar Zubeldia and Yaroslav Popovych.

With 9 miles remaining, however, Popovych and Zubeldia started to work with Columbia as the gap finally reached 41 seconds on the finish line.

Cavendish, already a stage winner on Sunday, was the first to cross it, ahead of Norway's Thor Hushovd, who was no match for the Briton's raw power. Frenchman Cyril Lemoine was third.



It would be amazing if Lance pulls this off!

[Bukefal]

It would indeed. But Tour de France and cycling in a whole is all big BS. Everything is based on fakeness. Steroids, complots etc.... It was nice, the sport itself is still nice, but how it is today the nice things have gone...

[manufan10]

Lance Armstrong was fined $92 for being late today... moved up to 3rd place.

[lefty]

It would indeed. But Tour de France and cycling in a whole is all big BS. Everything is based on fakeness. Steroids, complots etc.... It was nice, the sport itself is still nice, but how it is today the nice things have gone...


Pretty much like MLB

[tlongII]

Drugs are pervasive in every sport. Even so, what Lance is doing at 37 is truly amazing.

The latest from today...


MONTPELLIER, France -- Lance Armstrong closed within a second of the overall lead at the Tour de France after his Astana squad won Tuesday's team time trial.

Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara of the Saxo Bank team narrowly kept the yellow jersey after the 24.2-mile ride in and around Montpellier.

Astana needed to beat Saxo by more than 40 seconds for Armstrong to take the overall lead. The seven-time champion started the stage in third place, and he and Astana exactly matched that 40-second deficit.

The Tour ends July 26 in Paris.

[Bukefal]

Drugs are pervasive in every sport. Even so, what Lance is doing at 37 is truly amazing.

The latest from today...

Yeah but especially in cycling, every single cyclist uses it. So the whole sport is fake

[TDMVPDPOY]

its fkn bs how teams with money can just contract better talent riders then then 1 man teams on low budgets like cadel evans :(

[Brazil]

big issue nowadays nobody is drinking water on Tour de France. I'd love to watch the Tour de France but near 4000 km cycling is too much to do it w/o drugs. Oh and I hate Lance Amstrong, it would be a disaster for the credibility of the competition if he win this Tour

[TDMVPDPOY]

big issue nowadays nobody is drinking water on Tour de France. I'd love to watch the Tour de France but near 4000 km cycling is too much to do it w/o drugs. Oh and I hate Lance Amstrong, it would be a disaster for the credibility of the competition if he win this Tour

isnt his team mate a fav to win it? lol he must be shitting bricks now

[tlongII]

Lance Armstrong has never failed a drug test. Never. I don't see how you can hate on him.

[Freeze]

Lance Armstrong has never failed a drug test. Never. I don't see how you can hate on him.

Plenty of sportsmen never failed a drug test, but later admited using... that's not a valid argument IMO

Back to the race, Contador should win, Amstrong won't be on the podium, look at the first stage result, he is not what he used to be.

[Kobulingam]

Contador's tour to lose.

[Bukefal]

Lance Armstrong has never failed a drug test. Never. I don't see how you can hate on him.

He didnt, but that doesnt mean he does not use drugs. Every cyclist use it, and covering the usage up is succesful for 99% of them. Only 1 % gets caught, and thats because a shitty dumb mistake. But everyone uses it.

I used to be a big fan of cycling, and i still am just of the sport itself. But its all fake, everyone uses drugs, its not real about the sport and the strength anymore.

[Bukefal]

Contador's tour to lose.

Nice sig! :toast :king

[tlongII]

So the fact that other cyclists have later admitted to using drugs means you can hate on Lance? WTF??? I don't give a shit anyway. The dude had tumors removed from his brain and had one of his testicles removed. He's an inspiration to anyone that's been affected by cancer.

[Spursfan092120]

So the fact that other cyclists have later admitted to using drugs means you can hate on Lance? WTF??? I don't give a shit anyway. The dude had tumors removed from his brain and had one of his testicles removed. He's an inspiration to anyone that's been affected by cancer.
I don't usually agree with you, TLong, but this time you're exactly right.

[Brazil]

Lance Armstrong has never failed a drug test. Never. I don't see how you can hate on him.

:lmao

The guy with only one ball is winning over and over the most difficult / physical competition in the world and he is only drinking water, just :lmao

30-40 years ago the riders were already known to take drugs.

NOBODY can win this competition without cheating, it just doesn't exist

[Brazil]

BTW if you think that Kobe / KG... are douchebags, I'm sure you don't know very well Amstrong

[Vinnie_Johnson]

BTW if you think that Kobe / KG... are douchebags, I'm sure you don't know very well Amstrong

I know it's your opinion and your in tilted to it but its wrong. Lance has never tested positive for drugs so shut your mouth or show us proof.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

So the fact that other cyclists have later admitted to using drugs means you can hate on Lance? WTF??? I don't give a shit anyway. The dude had tumors removed from his brain and had one of his testicles removed. He's an inspiration to anyone that's been affected by cancer.

Go Lance they hate him and hold him down yet he keeps winning.:toast

[redraiderinfiji]

is it over?

[Bukefal]

So the fact that other cyclists have later admitted to using drugs means you can hate on Lance? WTF??? I don't give a shit anyway. The dude had tumors removed from his brain and had one of his testicles removed. He's an inspiration to anyone that's been affected by cancer.

Yeah that's why when if it comes out he used drugs, it will be even worse. that would be a disaster.

[Spursfan092120]

BTW if you think that Kobe / KG... are douchebags, I'm sure you don't know very well Amstrong
Actually, I do know Lance Armstong...he lives near where I live. He rode in a race that rode right by my office this year. The guy is a great person. He has his problems, just like any other human being, but he's far from a douchebag. And as far as drugs go, he's tested as much, if not more than anyone in the sport after all the accusations...has always come out negative...

[sonic21]

Lance Armstrong accused of EPO doping in 1999:

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong_accused_of_EPO_doping

[Brazil]

lance armstrong is austin's number one residential water user

then again, he completely and utterly owns the french...

dude everybody owns the french since L. Fignon and B. Hinault, have you heard about Indurain ? This is not the reason why everybody in France and Europe hate him, he is an arrogant douchebag. He is maybe adorable in his private life but this is certainly the case of KG or Kobe, now doing his job he is a fucking douchebag.

[Brazil]

I know it's your opinion and your in tilted to it but its wrong. Lance has never tested positive for drugs so shut your mouth or show us proof.

Honestly you really think the guy is clean ? You're just wrong. The vast majority of the cycling world is using drugs.

[ChumpDumper]

You're probably right, but it looks great in HD.

Awesome finish today -- I love it when when hard work is rewarded.

[Bukefal]

Honestly you really think the guy is clean ? You're just wrong. The vast majority of the cycling world is using drugs.

exactly, every single one of them!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Honestly you really think the guy is clean ? You're just wrong. The vast majority of the cycling world is using drugs.

The guy gets tested more then any other rider out there and has never tested positive.

[Biernutz]

The guy gets tested more then any other rider out there and has never tested positive.


I hope Lance wins to rub it in their face but Barry never tested positive!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

I hope Lance wins to rub it in their face but Barry never tested positive!

Was Barry tested weekly? Lance was and is. The French have been all over him for the last 10 years.

[Indazone]

As a teenager, Lance tested abnormally high on his VO2 Max intake. He is the highest rate of oxygen intake and utilization of any athlete on the planet. When he got cancer, the operation took away about 30 lbs of flesh and organs and the result is that you still have the worlds highest VO2 max athlete minus 30 lbs. You do the math.

Lance doesn't need drugs.

[Freeze]

As a teenager, Lance tested abnormally high on his VO2 Max intake. He is the highest rate of oxygen intake and utilization of any athlete on the planet. When he got cancer, the operation took away about 30 lbs of flesh and organs and the result is that you still have the worlds highest VO2 max athlete minus 30 lbs. You do the math.

Lance doesn't need drugs.

Do you mean riders could use surgery to remove unessential parts of their bodies to increase their performances ?
Or could swimmers get their fingers palmed to swim faster ?
:wakeup

[IceColdBrewski]

One of the commentators today said that tour officials are having Lance tested for drugs 2 to 3 times a day since the tour started. Make no mistake, they're out to get him if he's dirty. The commentator even made a comment that a lot of the French public is starting to get annoyed at tour officials for testing him so much. French people getting behind Lance. Who woulda ever thunk it?

For the record, I do think Contador (sp?) will win. But if Lance pulls out another tour victory, it will be huge.

[Brazil]

The guy gets tested more then any other rider out there and has never tested positive.

Dude I'm sorry to say that but you're naive or stupid.

Marion Jones for instance has been tested 1 0000000 of times before being caught indirectly. If you had a real interest in the cycling and the doping, you would figure out that there is 0 doubt regarding the fact 80% of the tour de france riders are using products.

Saying that I respect the champio he is : everybody is on drugs and he is the best now saying the guy is clean is just :lmao

[IceColdBrewski]

Dude I'm sorry to say that but you're naive or stupid.

Marion Jones for instance has been tested 1 0000000 of times before being caught indirectly. If you had a real interest in the cycling and the doping, you would figure out that there is 0 doubt regarding the fact 80% of the tour de france riders are using products.

Saying that I respect the champio he is : everybody is on drugs and he is the best now saying the guy is clean is just :lmao


Due to the bad reputation that cycling has earned for doping, professional cyclers are more strenuously drug tested than any other professional athletes. That's why they find so many dopers in the Tour. Seeing as how Lance is hated in every other civilized country outside of America, I'd bet he's been tested more than any human on earth since the dawn of time. I guess they just can't stand the fact that an American can dominate a sport they care so much about, and we care so little about.

Lance has let it be known on his twitter page that the testing on him has been relentless. If dude is dirty, and is willing to risk his entire legacy while he's in the crosshairs of doping officials, then kudos to him for being smart/slick/crafty enough to not get caught.

But I'm still not buying all the shit Europeans and other foreigners are slinging Lance's way. Think about it for a second. He's been retired for 4 years. He could've rode off into the sunset and been regarded as the best ever. But somehow, you think he's ready to risk his entire legacy by coming back dirty? C'mon now.

Maybe, just maybe, he's just a cut above everyone else in his sport during his time. Just like Jordan, Ali, Gretzky, Ruth, etc.

[Brazil]

Due to the bad reputation that cycling has earned for doping, professional cyclers are more strenuously drug tested than any other professional athletes. That's why they find so many dopers in the Tour. Seeing as how Lance is hated in every other civilized country outside of America, I'd bet he's been tested more than any human on earth since the dawn of time. I guess they just can't stand the fact that an American can dominate a sport they care so much about, and we care so little about.

Lance has let it be known on his twitter page that the testing on him has been relentless. If dude is dirty, and is willing to risk his entire legacy while he's in the crosshairs of doping officials, then kudos to him for being smart/slick/crafty enough to not get caught.

But I'm still not buying all the shit Europeans and other foreigners are slinging Lance's way. Think about it for a second. He's been retired for 4 years. He could've rode off into the sunset and been regarded as the best ever. But somehow, you think he's ready to risk his entire legacy by coming back dirty? C'mon now.

Maybe, just maybe, he's just a cut above everyone else in his sport during his time. Just like Jordan, Ali, Gretzky, Ruth, etc.

Do you realize that for instance EPO has been undetected for years ? that some riders have confessed making blood transfusion (you are reading blood transfusion !!!) before, during and after the cycling major events ? that they paid guys fortune to pee instead of them for the tests ? that some of them are carrying pee bag during the stages and use it for the controls ? that every fucking retired doctors are all saying the same damn thing the vast majority of the riders are taking products ? that back in early 2000's years riders used to take the famous "pot belge" a mixture of amphetamines / cocaine / caffeine / analgesics / heroin / morphine ? that the Lance personnal doctor name is Michele Ferrari considered in the cycling world one of the best doping doctors with a high expertise at avoiding detection ? Google Michele Ferrari and you will understand.

Now which is funny is I agree to say that Lance is cut above everyone else in his sport during his time, no doubt about that, he is one of the greatest much better than Indurain or Hinault etc... The only one you can put ahead of him is Axel Merckx !

By the way Merckx is also known for using doping products in the seventies !
He has been punished 3 times for doping: Giro d'Italia 1969, Tour of Lombardy 1973 (noradrenaline), Flèche Wallonne 1977 (stimul). He also admitted that he routinely used the exchange of urine with other riders Roger De Vlaeminck.

[johngateswhiteley]

i watched the tours from 2000 to 2005 and caught most of this one. love it. i don't know 100% Lance is clean...but i know he would be risking an awful lot. my guess/bet is he is clean, and there is no real reason to think otherwise.

[Brazil]

^ it's risky for every athlete to take doping products but still happens see Marion Jones, Ben Johnson... the tour de france winner award amounts to 450 Keuro + his salary + publicity + fame +... some people think it worths use doping.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Brazil show me where Lance has tested positive or where I can go to see the proof you have. Otherwise you are an idiot and have no proof. You can not convict someone without proof if you wish to be a hater that's fine but calling Lance a doper with no proof is idiotic.

[johngateswhiteley]

^ it's risky for every athlete to take doping products but still happens see Marion Jones, Ben Johnson... the tour de france winner award amounts to 450 Keuro + his salary + publicity + fame +... some people think it worths use doping.

Armstrong has more to lose than almost any athlete...check that...person in the world. i think its different.

[sonic21]

maybe he needs to feed his family, that's why he's taking the risk.

[IceColdBrewski]

maybe he needs to feed his family, that's why he's taking the risk.
[/URL]


Or maybe he's not getting paid at all.

[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ro-tourdefrance071109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns (http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Lance_Armstrong_accused_of_EPO_doping)


Armstrong is not getting paid by Astana, having offered his services for free on the understanding that he would be allowed to wear his LiveStrong helmet to promote his cancer charity.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Here is today's Tweet from Lance.

St13 done. Wet and cold. And slightly boring. Can't remember a day this cold in the TdF. Ever. Team was solid and controlled things well and big surprise, had antidoping control @ the finish. Keep looking, nothing to find except hard work & sacrifice. Never was, never will be.

[Brazil]

Brazil show me where Lance has tested positive or where I can go to see the proof you have. Otherwise you are an idiot and have no proof. You can not convict someone without proof if you wish to be a hater that's fine but calling Lance a doper with no proof is idiotic.

I'm not going to try to convince you, everybody has his opinion but the no proof thing does not mean he is clean legally yes in the facts no. If you wan to believe he is clean good for you.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

I'm not going to try to convince you, everybody has his opinion but the no proof thing does not mean he is clean legally yes in the facts no. If you wan to believe he is clean good for you.

Lets just agree to disagree:toast

[Freeze]

Armstrong drops to 4th at Tour; spectator dies (http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=Au4Lt.ViHbUnavuOMosqbRZ.grcF?slug=ap-tourdefrance&prov=ap&type=lgns)

By JAMEY KEATEN, Associated Press Writer
42 minutes ago

BESANCON, France (AP)—Lance Armstrong dropped one spot to fourth place Saturday at the Tour de France during a stage shadowed by the roadside death of a woman hit by a police motorcycle.

Serguei Ivanov of Russia won the 14th stage and Armstrong’s former teammate George Hincapie rose to second. Hincapie arrived 16 seconds after Ivanov in a small breakaway group.

Hincapie is five seconds behind overall leader Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy. Nocentini was 5 minutes, 36 seconds behind the breakaway group but kept the yellow jersey an eighth straight day.

Alberto Contador dropped from second to third overall. Contador, Armstrong’s Astana teammate and the 2007 champion, is six seconds behind Nocentini. Armstrong is another two seconds back.

The accident happened 24 miles into the 124-mile trip from Colmar to Besancon. The victim, identified by organizers as a 61-year-old woman, was crossing the road when struck by a motorcycle escorting riders. Two others were injured when the motorcycle skidded into them.

Hincapie, a 36-year-old American who rides for the Columbia team, entered the stage 5:25 behind Nocentini in 28th place. Through the final miles, Hincapie’s breakaway group was more than six minutes ahead of the Italian.

Ivanov made a sign of the cross as he finished the stage after bursting ahead of the breakaway group in the latter part of the ride.

The race enters the Alps for Sunday’s 15th stage, a 129-mile ride from Pontarlier, France, to the Swiss ski station of Verbier. The three-week Tour ends July 26 in Paris.



That was a bad day for the TDF.... :depressed

I should add Hincapie missed the yellow jersey because of his best friend... Lance Amstrong :downspin:

[IceColdBrewski]

I was pulling for Hincapie big time. But he did a lot of sitting the last few miles. The opportunity for yellow was there for the taking, but he simply ran out of gas.

[Freeze]

I was pulling for Hincapie big time. But he did a lot of sitting the last few miles. The opportunity for yellow was there for the taking, but he simply ran out of gas.

He lost it when Lance asked his team to limit the gap around 8 minutes way before that. By doing this the AG2R team realized they could come back close enough to keep the jersey within the last 30 miles. That was a very bad move against his friend IMO.

[IceColdBrewski]

He lost it when Lance asked his team to limit the gap around 8 minutes way before that.

Uh huh. And where did you get this information? Were you riding next to Lance in the pelaton today when he called this audible?


By doing this the AG2R team realized they could come back close enough to keep the jersey within the last 30 miles. That was a very bad move against his friend IMO.

Did you even bother to watch the interview with Lance after today's stage? He was pretty clear that he was pulling for Georgie to win the yellow jersey. He said it was team Garmin who decided to shorten the gap at the end because of some rivalry they have with Hincapie's team.

Damn. You Lance haters are hilarious. :lol

[IceColdBrewski]

Lance isn't putting up with any shit this year.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hH4y2DGAA71EIQeGX8vFbRZauM9w


COLMAR, France — Lance Armstrong has hit back at allegations that his Astana team are being treated leniently by anti-doping controllers on the Tour de France.

Armstrong, who is bidding to win the Tour for an eighth time, is angry about allegations his team are being treated favourably and insists Astana are being tested more than any other team in the race.

The president of France's anti-doping agency (AFLD) Pierre Bordry questioned the anti-doping protocol of the International Cycling Union (UCI) last week when they tested Astana.

Bordry said the UCI had been "lenient". According to reports, anti-doping officials were kept waiting for nearly an hour by Astana in Andorra last week during an early-morning doping control, sparking a wave of criticism.

French Minister for Sport Roselyne Bachelot on Thursday called for a more stringent approach to carrying out the doping controls saying: "There should be no repeat of the incident."

But Armstrong inists his team have nothing to hide and claimed last Saturday's control by officials at 6am in Andorra was asking too much.

"I actually think it's ridiculous," said Armstrong.

"This is the Tour de France and you can't wake up guys on a day of a mountain stage at 6am.

"There is also a human aspect here.

"Enough is enough, we have had this team for a long time, we have never had a positive control."

Armstrong insists Bachelot's comments abount leniency are unfounded and he would put Astana's test results up against any other team in the race.

"I think her comments are slightly political," said Armstrong.

"She knows that when she makes those comments those are political statements.

"They will get attention and perhaps it will reinforce her commitment to the fight against doping.

"But the facts are the facts, we are controlled more than anyone else in the race.

"We are never tested positive and I would put our biological passports side-by-side with any other team, every day of the week.

"So enough is enough."

Armstrong has faced unfounded accusations of doping throughout his career, notably when French sports paper L'Equipe claimed in 2005 after his retirement that he had tested positive for banned substances.

L'Equipe said six urine samples from his 1999 Tour victory contained the banned blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin) - claims strongly denied by Armstrong.

And the seven-time Tour de France winner again insisted he has nothing to hide from the doping controllers.

"My only version of what happened is that when they knock on my door, I go down and give the blood," said Armstrong.

"That is all I know.

"It's not as if I am looking out my window and see them coming and I stay in my room.

"I think there are people who think that, but that is totally bullshit, that is not the way it works now, or has ever worked."

With some 500 controls expected to be carried out on the riders over the whole of the three-week long race, Armstrong says riders need their rest and needed to be controlled during reasonable hours.

"Yes, you want the controls, yes, you want a clean event, but it's the hardest sporting event in the world," said the American.

"You can't go and pull guys out of their bed at 6am.

"If I came to your room at 6am, you would start throwing your furniture at me.

"You have to also respect that part of it."

The French strategy against Lance is pretty clear. Drain him of so much blood that he'll be too damn weak to win. :lol

[Freeze]

Uh huh. And where did you get this information? Were you riding next to Lance in the pelaton today when he called this audible?

Did you even bother to watch the interview with Lance after today's stage? He was pretty clear that he was pulling for Georgie to win the yellow jersey. He said it was team Garmin who decided to shorten the gap at the end because of some rivalry they have with Hincapie's team.

Damn. You Lance haters are hilarious. :lol

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2009/20090718_191757_hincapie-et-astana-rient-jaune.html

Johan Bruyneel :
«Notre stratégie était de voir Hincapie avec le Maillot. On voulait laisser sept huit minutes à l'échappée.»
"Our strategie was to see Hincapie with the jersey. We wanted to let 7-8 minutes to the breakaway"

Amstrong :
«Notre équipe a assuré un tempo modéré pour lui offrir le maillot avec moins de deux minutes d'avance »
"Our team lead the peloton with a moderate tempo to get him the yellow jersey with less than 2 minutes overall"

Have you seen the race ?
The Astana team was leading the peloton for 40 miles, to stabilize the gap.
Garmin Team helped AG2R only the last 3-4 miles !

Don't make me laugh, nobody in the breakaway can compete to win le tour even with more than 10 minutes before the Alpes, the Tourmalet, and a +30miles individual time-trial.

I'm fed up with those lance hater , this is not a conspiracy, just facts, wtch the stage !

[Freeze]

The French strategy against Lance is pretty clear. Drain him of so much blood that he'll be too damn weak to win. :lol

French are vampires !

:lol

[IceColdBrewski]

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2009/20090718_191757_hincapie-et-astana-rient-jaune.html

Johan Bruyneel :
«Notre stratégie était de voir Hincapie avec le Maillot. On voulait laisser sept huit minutes à l'échappée.»
"Our strategie was to see Hincapie with the jersey. We wanted to let 7-8 minutes to the breakaway"

Amstrong :
«Notre équipe a assuré un tempo modéré pour lui offrir le maillot avec moins de deux minutes d'avance »
"Our team lead the peloton with a moderate tempo to get him the yellow jersey with less than 2 minutes overall"

Have you seen the race ?
The Astana team was leading the peloton for 40 miles, to stabilize the gap.
Garmin Team helped AG2R only the last 3-4 miles !

Don't make me laugh, nobody in the breakaway can compete to win le tour even with more than 10 minutes before the Alpes, the Tourmalet, and a +30miles individual time-trial.

I'm fed up with those lance hater , this is not a conspiracy, just facts, wtch the stage !

L'Equipe? That's your source? OMG :lmao

Yes, the same French paper that's notorious for writing slanderous shit about Lance throughout his entire career. Well then, if they put it in print, it must be true. :lol

And yes, I did watch the stage. The only Astana team member who broke off to talk strategy with the team director was Alberto Contador. Shorty after, team Astana stopped leading the pelaton. Hincapie was still comfortably in the virtual yellow at that point. Team Astana obviously wasn't too concerned about Georgie becoming a major threat. It was team AG2R and team Garmin who closed the gap that made the difference.

You honestly expect me to think Lance conspired against one of his best freinds today? Seriously???

Just admit it. You hate the guy.

[Freeze]

L'Equipe? That's your source? OMG :lmao

Yes, the same French paper that's notorious for writing slanderous shit about Lance throughout his entire career. Well then, if they put it in print, it must be true. :lol

And yes, I did watch the stage. The only Astana team member who broke off to talk strategy with the team director was Alberto Contador. Shorty after, team Astana stopped leading the pelaton. Hincapie was still comfortably in the virtual yellow at that point. Team Astana obviously wasn't too concerned about Georgie becoming a major threat. It was team AG2R and team Garmin who closed the gap that made the difference.

You honestly expect me to think Lance conspired against one of his best freinds today? Seriously???

Just admit it. You hate the guy.

Same quote here : http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/18072009/70/tour-de-france-etape-14-declarations.html

you really become boring....

as you know so much about cycling, could you explain me why Astana team lead the peleton this long to limit the gap with the breakaway ?

[IceColdBrewski]

Same quote here : http://fr.sports.yahoo.com/18072009/70/tour-de-france-etape-14-declarations.html



Oh gee. More French haters attacking Lance. I never would've guessed. :rolleyes

Lance's tweet's after today's stage:


St14 done. Sounds like there's quite a bit of confusion over this one... Noone, and I mean noone, wanted George in yellow more than me.
Our team rode a moderate tempo to put him in the jersey by at least 2 mins. Ag2r said they would not defend then they started to ride.
Until 10km to go he was solidly in yellow until GARMIN put on the gas and made sure it didn't happen.
And I reiterate. ghincapie deserves to be yellow tonight. He deserves more than that. Look to who pulled the last 50k to see who to blame..
And george should be pissed. Very pissed. He can talk to his teammates who were n the bunch w/ us then perhaps it will be clear

Seriously dude. Just man up and admit it. You hate Armstrong. Nobody's falling for your bullshit.

[Freeze]

Lance's tweet's after today's stage:
Our team rode a moderate tempo

Why did they do that ?

[IceColdBrewski]

Why did they do that ?

Two reasons. They obviously weren't concerned about Hincapie winning the Tour, and they're waiting for the mountain stages to make their move. That's where Lance has seperated the men from the boys in the past.

[Freeze]

Two reasons. They obviously weren't concerned about Hincapie winning the Tour, and they're waiting for the mountain stages to make their move. That's where Lance has seperated the men from the boys in the past.

I agree, so why have they made the peloton's tempo for 40 miles when they didn't need to control the gap ?

My point is if they haven't, no team could have reduced the gap enough in the last 25 miles of the stage. Astana has limited it around 8 minutes when more wouldn't have been a problem as no one in the breakaway is strong enough to win the tour, even with an advantage of more than 10 minutes before the main montains and a 25 miles time trial.

Hincapie best result in Le Tour was 14th, 23'40'' behind amstrong in 2005.

[Brazil]

Contador put 1 mn 37 to Lance, we will see Tuesday if this is the end for Lance

[Kobulingam]

Contador put 1 mn 37 to Lance, we will see Tuesday if this is the end for Lance

Contador is more talented than Lance ever was. No way can Lance hang with Alberto up Ventoux.

[Brazil]

Contador is more talented than Lance ever was. No way can Lance hang with Alberto up Ventoux.

:rolleyes

[Brazil]

Lets just agree to disagree:toast

:toast it's all good indeed

[CubanMustGo]

Contador is more talented than Lance ever was. No way can Lance hang with Alberto up Ventoux.

When Contador wins 5 or 6 TDF's, let's talk.

No doubt that 26-yo Contador >>> soon-to-be 38-yo, three years in retirement, Armstrong.

[Indazone]

Lets all hope Contador crashes in the mountains.

[Freeze]

I've found Amstrong quite good in the last stage, but he shouldn't have tried to follow the Schleck brothers and Contador at the begining. I guess it's not in way of thinking, but with his 37yo legs, he 'd better try to run as a Sastre or an Evans in the mountains, keeping his own rythm.


When Contador wins 5 or 6 TDF's, let's talk.

Come on guy, I know that the TDF is the hardest and the most prestigious cycling race in the world, but it is not everything in cycling. Last year, Contador wasn't on the tour, but he won both Giro and Vuelta, the 2 other major 3 weeks cycling event ! And he's only 26 ! The guy is good, way better than any other in the peloton today. And don't try to compare the 26 yo Amstrong to the 26 yo Contador, he is way ahead !

And if you want to know how Amstrong is ranked for the best road racing cyclists since 1892, check this link : link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Marszalek)

Amstrong has never won the Triple Crown of Cycling, all the jerseys in a Grand Tour, any Monument race,....

[Vinnie_Johnson]

When Contador wins 5 or 6 TDF's, let's talk.

No doubt that 26-yo Contador >>> soon-to-be 38-yo, three years in retirement, Armstrong.

Lance beat Cancer and Contador what?

[johngateswhiteley]

does anyone think Lance is, not playing possum, but perhaps not completely upfront about his motives in these last stages? if pressed, i would venture he is and fighting for a podium finish. however, i don't wish that to be the case...

[samikeyp]

I've found Amstrong quite good in the last stage, but he shouldn't have tried to follow the Schleck brothers and Contador at the begining. I guess it's not in way of thinking, but with his 37yo legs, he 'd better try to run as a Sastre or an Evans in the mountains, keeping his own rythm.



Come on guy, I know that the TDF is the hardest and the most prestigious cycling race in the world, but it is not everything in cycling. Last year, Contador wasn't on the tour, but he won both Giro and Vuelta, the 2 other major 3 weeks cycling event ! And he's only 26 ! The guy is good, way better than any other in the peloton today. And don't try to compare the 26 yo Amstrong to the 26 yo Contador, he is way ahead !

And if you want to know how Amstrong is ranked for the best road racing cyclists since 1892, check this link : link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Marszalek)

Amstrong has never won the Triple Crown of Cycling, all the jerseys in a Grand Tour, any Monument race,....

Or Armstrong maybe? :)

[johngateswhiteley]

And if you want to know how Amstrong is ranked for the best road racing cyclists since 1892, check this link : link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Marszalek)

Amstrong has never won the Triple Crown of Cycling, all the jerseys in a Grand Tour, any Monument race,....

1) thats his opinion

2) how many of those riders tested positive for doping?

[Vinnie_Johnson]

does anyone think Lance is, not playing possum, but perhaps not completely upfront about his motives in these last stages? if pressed, i would venture he is and fighting for a podium finish. however, i don't wish that to be the case...

I think it's 37 year old legs and three years off.

[rAm]

Lance is putting up an admirable fight considering his age, but how dope are the Schleck brothers?

[johngateswhiteley]

Lance is putting up an admirable fight considering his age, but how dope are the Schleck brothers?

pretty good, but 38 year old Armstrong is right there and beat both of them in the time trial. Lance is a beast and what he is doing is incredible. don't know if he can win it next year, maybe not, but it will be fun to see him come back with his own squad and better prepared.

[johngateswhiteley]

1) thats his opinion

2) how many of those riders tested positive for doping?

how many?

[ploto]

I'm so glad Armstrong didn't win. Guy is a jerk.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

I'm so glad Armstrong didn't win. Guy is a jerk.

:lmao

[Kobulingam]

Contador is the best climber of all time, and considerably better than Armstrong ever was (especially acceleration on climbs).

And all this at an age that is considered young for a GC contender.

[IceColdBrewski]

Lance played the role of support rider, just as he was expected to do. All that speculation that he would attack Contador turned out to be nonsense. In fact, it was Contador who took flack for ignoring the team gameplan. Not once, but twice.

The haters won't admit it, but they're pissed that Armstrong will still be standing on the podium with a 3rd place finish. He ended up being THE big story of the tour.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Lance played the role of support rider, just as he was expected to do. All that speculation that he would attack Contador turned out to be nonsense. In fact, it was Contador who took flack for ignoring the team gameplan. Not once, but twice.

The haters won't admit it, but they're pissed that Armstrong will still be standing on the podium with a 3rd place finish. He ended up being THE big story of the tour.

Ratings were also up 88 percent from last year.

[johngateswhiteley]

I'm so glad Armstrong didn't win. Guy is a jerk.

i've often found that people who don't understand competition, or aren't competitive themselves...don't understand many athletes.

[IceColdBrewski]

Contador is the best climber of all time, and considerably better than Armstrong ever was (especially acceleration on climbs).

And all this at an age that is considered young for a GC contender.

Greatest in the world currently, sure. But best climber of all time? That could be debated until the cows come home. Take some of the great old school climbers in their prime, put them in one of the high speed bikes of today, and who knows how much better they could've been. That's like picking a current NASCAR driver and calling him the greatest driver of all time. But back when the sport was young, drivers didn't have luxuries like power steering, wind tunnel tests, and 7 post shaker rigs that make the car a rocket before it ever turns a lap. Plus, it's easy to look like "the best climber of all time" when you have great climbers like Armstrong, Kloden, and Levi taking turns doing all the work up front.

I know one thing. Contador made a lot of enemies on team Astana this year. His team that flat dominated for most of the tour. And its best riders will likely be telling him to fuck off as they go join Lance on his new Radio Shack team next year. And since he also pissed off team director, and master tactician John Bruyneel, he'll be joining Armstrong as well next year. It will be interesting to see what Contador can do next year with a team that likely won't be even half as good as the one that worked to put him on the podium this year. Good luck finding halfway decent riders who are willing to be fucked over after doing most of the work. Not to mention a team director who's willing to be ignored. But who knows. Maybe he'll be able to find a sponsor that's willing to fork over the kind of cash needed for decent teammates who won't mind sacrificing a podium finish for his glory.

[lefty]

LMAO Armstrong :lmao

I can't stand him

[mountainballer]

I know one thing. Contador made a lot of enemies on team Astana this year. His team that flat dominated for most of the tour. And its best riders will likely be telling him to fuck off as they go join Lance on his new Radio Shack team next year. And since he also pissed off team director, and master tactician John Bruyneel, he'll be joining Armstrong as well next year. It will be interesting to see what Contador can do next year with a team that likely won't be even half as good as the one that worked to put him on the podium this year. Good luck finding halfway decent riders who are willing to be fucked over after doing most of the work.

you really think Contador and Armstrong are that much different? they are the same, Contador is just the next version of Lance. (who also wasn't exactly everyones darling and a popular teammate in his domination days). finding a good team is just a matter of money. if Contador's team can offer enough, they will also find enough good or at least decent riders, no matter if Contador is the greatest a**hole in the world.
fact is, he is the future of the sport (if he doesn't get trapped like so many in the last years), he is just 26 and has already won the tour twice plus the Giro and the Vuelta, (Armstrong was 27, when he won the tour the first time) he could dominate the next 8 years. there will be enough riders, who want to jump on this bandwagon and, as much as in any other sport, the riders salary is tied to the teams overall success.

[Freeze]

Greatest in the world currently, sure. But best climber of all time? That could be debated until the cows come home. Take some of the great old school climbers in their prime, put them in one of the high speed bikes of today, and who knows how much better they could've been. That's like picking a current NASCAR driver and calling him the greatest driver of all time. But back when the sport was young, drivers didn't have luxuries like power steering, wind tunnel tests, and 7 post shaker rigs that make the car a rocket before it ever turns a lap. Plus, it's easy to look like "the best climber of all time" when you have great climbers like Armstrong, Kloden, and Levi taking turns doing all the work up front.

I agree, a guy like Indurain wasn't the best climber of his time, but he won several stages because of the great work of his team Banesto climbers.

I believe only Pantani (RIP) was dominating enough in the mountains to win the tour without good climbers on his team.


I know one thing. Contador made a lot of enemies on team Astana this year. His team that flat dominated for most of the tour. And its best riders will likely be telling him to fuck off as they go join Lance on his new Radio Shack team next year. And since he also pissed off team director, and master tactician John Bruyneel, he'll be joining Armstrong as well next year. It will be interesting to see what Contador can do next year with a team that likely won't be even half as good as the one that worked to put him on the podium this year. Good luck finding halfway decent riders who are willing to be fucked over after doing most of the work. Not to mention a team director who's willing to be ignored. But who knows. Maybe he'll be able to find a sponsor that's willing to fork over the kind of cash needed for decent teammates who won't mind sacrificing a podium finish for his glory.

I do have a different opinion on this. I believe that since Amstrong has announced his comeback, Bruyneel wanted him as the leader of the team for the tour. I know he stated previously that Contador was the leader, but I don't feel this to be true, first because Lance said he wanted to win it all, second because of the 3rd stage when his teammates were working for Amstrong when Contador was in a group behind, and then in the mountains, I had the feeling that Kloden was working for Lance much more than him. Furthermore, Bruyneel and Amstrong share a glorious past, and a special relationship.
Contador shut his mouth until he got the yellow jesey, and then report that he was pissed of all of this, considering he should have been The leader of the team, uncontested, due to his recent victories (Tour 2007, Giro & Vuelta 2008).
Anyway, don't worry for his future, plenty of teams (Caisse d'epargne already offered him a deal) will be glad to get him next year if he decide to leave Astana, and plenty of very good riders appreciate him, and would be glad to share his prize-money.

[Freeze]

1) thats his opinion

2) how many of those riders tested positive for doping?

Plenty of them, I'd say a third has been tested positive. But plenty of them haven't, but acknowledge later that they were using (Riis, Virenque, Fignon,...). And of course you also have those who will never admit they have used (Amstrong, Hinault,....).

I'm glad the anti-dopping rules have evolved, with samples who can now be conserved for years. In a recent report, the AFLD (Association Française de Lutte contre le Dopage, the French organism who was in charge of the test during the Tour 2008) explained that some samples from last year are gonna be retested with new methods to detect better EPO Cera. They also said they were working on test to find traces of a new product wich allow users to lose weight and gain strengh. There is no test today, but they believe they could soon have one.

[Indazone]

Contador was successful in his impression of Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore. He definately made himself the ass of the Tour.

El Pistolero, "There is no I in team" - Lance Armstrong.

[Bartleby]

Contador is the best climber of all time, and considerably better than Armstrong ever was (especially acceleration on climbs).

I would put Van Impe, Pantani, and Virenque ahead of Contador when ranking the best climbers of all time.

[Brazil]

^Virenque is not really a pure climber like Pantani for instance, Virenque is not an explosive guy who can put 5 min alone to everybody in 10 km in l'Alpe d'Huez.

[Brazil]

I was checking the NY times site and I found a serie of articles about Lance Armstrong and I remembered this thread.

Is there anybody still believing Armstrong is clean ?

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/a/lance_armstrong/index.html

[Brazil]

Lance Armstrong has never failed a drug test. Never. I don't see how you can hate on him.


So the fact that other cyclists have later admitted to using drugs means you can hate on Lance? WTF??? I don't give a shit anyway. The dude had tumors removed from his brain and had one of his testicles removed. He's an inspiration to anyone that's been affected by cancer.


I know it's your opinion and your in tilted to it but its wrong. Lance has never tested positive for drugs so shut your mouth or show us proof.


The guy gets tested more then any other rider out there and has never tested positive.

:lmao

[lefty]

Brazil with the shitbombs on Vinnie_Johnson and @tlongII (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3532132#post3532132) :lmao

[tlongII]

:yield

[Brazil]

:yield

:lol

[Brazil]

:lmao

[The Reckoning]

damn bukefal was dead on