I'm sorry.. what chip is that?Quote:
Originally Posted by chutch
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I'm sorry.. what chip is that?Quote:
Originally Posted by chutch
Quote:
Originally Posted by endurancerider
Yes, lots of new & old faces to root for. It'll be excellent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
And "Chicago's Christian VanDeVelde" (I didn't know VDV changed his name :D) -- hopefully he returns to top form.
It was interesting to watch the dynamics of the various teams and how they varied depending on the types of contenders they had in the race.
Columbia clearly put its top priority into the sprinter's/green jersey race and had no significant GC contenders.
And Astana had no sprinters, it was all about the GC for them. As with Saxo Bank, as far as I could tell.
The teams that tried to do both had a rough go of it - I'm thinking of Garmin and Cervelo in that regard, among others of course (though Thor smash lucked out with the relegation of Cavendish). It seems to be really successful in either the GC or the green nowadays, a team has to be speciallized for either one or the other.
With the past "enhancement" contoversies and this years LeMond pissiness re: Contador, I got to thinking (always dangerous)... so I pulled out my stats from past tours and looked at distance/time (total) of each champion's last win compared to this year. Here's what I got - tell me what you think (be nice :D. I have a little trouble with math & time )
Lance 2005 3608 km/86:15:02 2009 3459.5 km/85:53:59
He was about 21min 2sec faster this yr over a course 148.5 km shorter
Contador 2007 3550 km/91:00:23 2009 3459.5 km/85:48:35
He was about 5hr 12min faster this yr over a course 90.5 km shorter
Sastre 2008 3558.5 km/87:52:52 2009 3459.5 km/86:14:56
He was about 1hr 38 min faster this yr over a course 99 km shorter
Now I know I didn't include "difficulty" in this - I don't know how. That aside, do any of these look "interesting" in the "improvement" category?
I'm just sayin'...
your ever-lovin' spazzdog
spazzdog, you really can't compare those. This tour was not as hard as previous years.
[QUOTE=Running Mommy;449321]I am so on the fence here...
Back when Contador won I was happy for the team, but he came across to me as being a bit arrogant. I actually thought maybe it was a cultural thing, and that maybe I was just not accustomed to his mannerisms.
When Astana was excluded from the tour last year I was livid. I actually boycotted it and couldn't tell you who won. I felt bad for both Alberto and Levi. I thought it was a shiesty move by the tour officials.
When Lance announced he was coming back I wasn't all that happy. I loved watching him back in the day. But I just wanted to remember him the way he was, and was concerned that he would have lost some of his luster.
I was also not pleased to see him wedge his way back on to Astana. They were already a cohesive team, and I knew it was going to end up the way it did.
As the tour unfolded I was not happy with Contador. His lack of deference for the team seemed very selfish to me. But after reading some of the posts here I realized that all wasn't as it seemed, and that I needed to look at it from a wider view.
But as I sit here now I have very mixed emotions. While I can't deny that AC is a huge talent, I'm still not all that fond of him. I can't pin it down, but it really has nothing to do with Lance. And I'm very curious as to what team colors he will be wearing next year. I think a spanish team like Euskatel would be a good fit for him. Perhaps a team that doesn't already have a gc contender.
It will be interesting to see the roster for radio shack, and also whether or not they get a tour bid. You never know, it's not a guarantee.
QUOTE]
I couldn't agree more and I absolutely hate the pistol shooting thing when AC wins a stage.
Well, I think the pistol shooting is cultural. It's not playful exactly but here in the States so much more is read into it. I'm not sure of the Spanish perspective.
When it comes to athletes we don't necessarily have to like them for them to be good. He's a two time TdF winner! He's an exceptional talent.
We can't have hero Lance forever. Long live the Tour. :D
Hmmm-even with difficulty figured in - that is one heck-uv-an improvement.Quote:
Originally Posted by spazzdog
Can you say "Andy Schlek - default winner?" C'mon - I know you can!;)
Anybody read From Lance to Landis? My physical therapist and I had many long conversations about doping. He bets everything he has that there is doping in the tour. You have to admit - some of those break aways that AC did were reminiscent of Landis. Schlek did a fair share too - but AC had several days of incredible bursts of speed.
For the sake of the sport, I hope I'm wrong. Maybe AC got his mojo going in a big way. I sure hope so.
Imagine - AC and AS both eliminated for doping. Lance is the winner.
I hope not. I could not help but notice I felt Versus practically ignored AS. It's as if there was only 1st and 3rd place. "Alberto Contador wins the Tour and Lance Armstrong takes 3rd"
'scuse me? There's a spot in between? :confused:
VS was really bad this year. Usually I like Bob Roll - but I felt like I'd been "lanced" after 15 minutes (bad, I know.) He didn't even say Tour Day Fraance - I heard he stopped his feud with the French & decided to acquiesce to the correct pronunciation.
I kept wanting Andy to quit turning around to find his brother and ride his dam bike! Aren't there 12-step meetings for people like that??
Talking about teamspirit. One of our reporters asked Lance yesterday if he was going to have dinner with his teammates that evening. (this is a tradition that they have a sort of thank you dinner with the teammates). And he said no, I'm having dinner with RadioShack. :eek:
Oh well, we have seen an entertaining Tour (except for the second week). Some great wins (Cavendish 6 times!!!), a great winner overal, a splendid comeback, some new talent (Tony Martin, Jurgen VDB), some bad luck (Levi, Jens...). I loved it!
Just his general attitude through the tour. It's not been that of a true team member and it's not reminiscent of Lance pre-retirement.Quote:
Originally Posted by BabyBlueNTulsa
At least not every other commercial was some "male enhancement" product like you get on Universal Sports bike coverage. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dogmama
Like many others, I have mixed feelings about Contodor. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and to be a grand tour winner, you must tread it every day. Lance had/has it. Levi (bless his soul...I love the man) doesn't. That's why he's my source of perpetual frustration and he will always play second fiddle at the grand tours.
The French actually kinda liked Lance this year. Interesting.
Contador's done more than Lance ever has and ever will: he's won the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta.
I'm not anti-Lance--he had an amazing race this year--but I'm absolutely disgusted by the coverage by Versus because it was focused almost exclusively on Lance. There are many great riders (and a few great American riders if that's their argument) who are deserving of coverage.
So where do the riders get the matching accessories for the different winning jerseys? Do they just carry a stash around in case they win?
I think that goes back about 10 yearx to Mario Cipolinni(sp) :drool. He had a yellow bike, Handlebar tape, tires, etc
The used to fine riders for having an 'irregular' uniform
And I think does take some advanced planning on the parts of the manufacters, teams, and rider.
Mark Cavendish had a Green power meter, and did you notice the Color of Lance's bike in the final TT?:)
And how did Liquigas manage to have a polka-dot bike, but not a matching helmet?
maybe thier helmet supplier isn't as on the ball as thier bike supplier;)
My exact question/issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
Loved the bike...but that helmet stood out like a sore thumb! :eek:
Lance rode a collection of custom-painted "art bikes" which will be in a traveling exhibit and then auctioned.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredwina
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/stages
I went looking for translation of "contador" to see if maybe there was some marksman kind of reference. Alas, the meaning of "contador" is accountant or bookkeeper... i'm guessing the mimicry of typing numbers into an adding machine as a finish gesture wouldn't do ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
Oh yes 7rider - we got those very commercials; every one of 'em :(Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
As to the coverage, VS is an American station and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Lance owns a piece of them (speculation). They always pay huge attention to the US riders, wherever they are in the GC. Same with other networks during, say, the Olympics. I'm sure in England or Spain or where ever, their home commentators spoke mostly about their nations riders.
Even if it is garish, I prefer that the riders keep their team colors where they can. This is a team event, his team has to be able to find him, and Liquigas wants him easily identifiable as a Liquigas-sponsored rider.Quote:
Originally Posted by katluvr
Maybe it's the gesture of an IRS auditor "gotcha!! I just knew you don't have reciepts for those donations!" ;) :p :DQuote:
Originally Posted by spazzdog
[QUOTE=7rider;449758]At least not every other commercial was some "male enhancement" product like you get on Universal Sports bike coverage. :rolleyes:QUOTE]
That's a whole nother thread "what was your least favorite commercial of the Tour" ;)
Anyone else suffering from tour withdrawal?
Watching the tour was fun this year and it certainly looks promising for the next one. I wish the riders would limit themselves to riding instead if the current 'war of words'... neither Contador nor Armstrong are being classy in this matter. (and I hate Contador's pistol salute, too; I hate any silly, rehearsed, salute).
We've got us a good ol fashioned pi**ing match, girls!
Any of you following on Twitter?? LMAO... Sorry.. I know its silly, but I'm loving this...
lancearmstrong: Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I'd drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn't win.
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/lancearmstrong/status/2878598422
lancearmstrong: hey pistolero, there is no "i" in "team". what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.
Original Tweet: http://twitter.com/lancearmstrong/status/2878615861
DOHHHHHH. Again - sorry.. I love it when people call it like they see it. I don't even know if AC is ON Twitter... but I don't 100% follow espanol anymore anyway.. Surely one of you gals does?? We need the other side here...
Well, Cavendish has his phone call salute to his girlfriend...they all have some sort of gesture. I was most impressed with the German guy--Heinrich somebody? He was so moved by winning, he was crying. But then again, I am a girl.
I think it's Haussler .. that was touching because it was spontaneous.Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
And there's the guy that does the "shooting an arrow" bit... is that Flecha?
As to the flying dirt vis-a-vis Twitter, Velonews... I find it interesting that AC states he "has never had a great admiration for him (LA) and never will."
I believe back in 2007, Contador was interviewed and was slobbering all over himself about how great a mentor LA was.
It was a bone headed idea to try and put those 2 on the same team... WAY too much ego at the dinner table. LA got his dander up and AC got his feelers hurt. Good thing the team didn't just implode...
The other side...
Contador does not "twitt" and made some remarks in a press conference. Asked about his relation with Armstrong and whether he had anything to tell Armstrong (whom he considered an inspiration when he was recovering from the surgeries to deal with a cavernous haemangioma), he congratulated him about the third place. He considers him a great champion with an amazing performance in the tour but, at the personal level, his relation with him is non existent. He also said he never idolized him personally and won't do in the future, either. He mentioned that dealing with the tension in the hotel was almost harder than the race itself.
There are some video clips in RTVE and in El Pais. I think the less I hear from any of them, the better... I cannot stand Armstrong pretending to be a selfless team mate, especially when he directed the team to drop Contador in the third stage of the tour and has been constantly critical of him in the media. It all sounds like high school bullying to me. At least Contador did not speak about it until *after* the tour.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BabyBlueNTulsa
I liked Haussler's (sp - sorry) win as well.. very emotional.
P.S. Sorry I was having a little too much enjoyment out of seeing the sudden spewing of emotions via Twitter. I guess it was inevitable it'd happen after everything...but I just want to apologize to my friends here for my own sponanteous posting. Ugh...
15 min later, I'm hoping they kiss and make up soon. No good will come of an extended p-match. Nobody looks good.
Guess I was posting my mea culpa when you were posting pll.
Thank you for posting more info on what AC was saying. I agree with you (after letting my own HS chanting die off)..feeling a bit silly.. but anyway...
Glad this is an international forum. Our media here is wayyyyy too one-sided.
I'll say that Armstrong's idea of auctioning the bikes he rode in the Giro and the Tour for charity is a brilliant one.
lance should step AWAY from the twitter!
A little humility goes a long way.
Yes and the same goes for AC. (humility, shutting it, and maybe thanking his team - haven't heard he's done that)Quote:
Originally Posted by Zen
Twitter can only be bad...unfortunately it encourages people to twit before they think. I can't think of much good that comes from twitter.
Flecha does the arrow because his name means arrow,but you probably already knew that. If I had a cool name that meant something, I'd probably do that too, but not in a bike race because it would be highly unlikely that I would win. :o
pll said it best.
Yep..and yep. Been there (obviously) ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by tulip
Hey - but other than LA and that drama, there were VERY cool tweets from George Hincapie, Mark Renshaw, Levi, Phil Liggett, and Mick Rogers... among others.. some fun pictures to boot! Twitter's not all bad, gfs.
Insider info on inner workings of (well-oiled) teams.. funny moments.. etc...
Dave Z's latest tweet-
"Finally"
His are so much more entertaining that that other guys.
Hee hee... yeah - his are often really funny too.
Loved Renshaw's sleeping pics of Cav. Looked so peaceful after Ventoux.. completely spent.
I respected Lance but reading his Twits... man how old are you? Twelve????
Lance and AC both need to grow up, but hey it is kind of funny. They both act like little kids who keep hitting each other on the playground after you try to separate them. :p
I thought Cavendish was "phoning home" a salute to the new HTC sponsor, I believe it is a phone company? His salutes are kinda silly. My favorite will forever be McEwen's running man. I saw an interview once where he claimed it was almost a dare from Levi. Something like they were trying to make up creative ones and that came out of it.