Tour De France
18 watchers
Jul 2009
10:14pm, 6 Jul 2009
191 posts
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P.E...
Loving the politics then! Didn't see the interviews except for a little of Bruynel's. I can't work out if today shows Lance to be a clever rider or he just got lucky? Could the front of the pack have said were going for it before the split happened and maybe Armsrong knew this and rather than say anything just went with them (Colombia). Aren't Hincapie and Armstrong still good mates?
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Jul 2009
10:15pm, 6 Jul 2009
5,616 posts
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SPR™
cyclingweekly.co.uk "Armstrong didn't do anything hasty. He watched and waited until it was clear Columbia were going to persist and the break had a chance of staying clear. Then, with 15 kilometres to go, and with the gap holding at around 25 seconds, he moved to the front, raised his hand and made a circling motion to signal his team-mates into action. He may as well have let down Contador's tyres. Seeing the opportunity, the Bruyneel-loyal Astana riders lent a hand and with that extra bit of help the gap grew. Whatever they may now say to the contrary, Contador was being stitched up. There is now no doubt the team is split in two. Armstrong has gained the upper hand, and now leads Contador overall by 19 seconds." |
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Jul 2009
10:18pm, 6 Jul 2009
5,617 posts
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SPR™
There's talk on Cyclingnews that Hincapie told Armstrong what was going to happen, cyclingnews.com "Columbia-HTC seemed to find willing allies in Astana, despite the fact that Contador and Andreas Kloden were missing. Lance Armstrong, though, was there, prompting speculation that he might have had prior knowledge of the attack. Hincapie, who rode by Armstrong’s side for all seven of his Tour wins, was asked that question, and he responded initially with a blank expression, as though weighing his words carefully. “I saw Lance,” he shrugged. “I mean, he was obviously excited [to be in the move] but we were there, just doing our job." |
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Jul 2009
10:24pm, 6 Jul 2009
192 posts
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P.E...
Ahhh that's what he was doing when did that. I couldn't work it out, thought as much though. I can't see why Lance is aggrevied at not being named team leader. I know he's hardly been a slob since number 7 but its a long time out of any sport. Its not as if Contador (or levi even) are not talented riders, Contador has won the 3 big tours. Yes I understand the 7 times argument too |
Jul 2009
10:42pm, 6 Jul 2009
1,015 posts
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Chrisull
Yeah, no matter how much Armstrong claims he got lucky, there was skill and experience involved. Even if it involved tipping off from a former team mate. You don't win 7 tours without being able to read the peleton. I'm not sure I totally agree with the "Contador was stitched up line" - even if the team is split in two, if he had been paying close enough attention, he'd have been up there himself. If the team is that badly divided, surely he'd want to be tracking Armstrong the way the yellow jersey always tracks any rivals in the final days of a Tour? Also Cancellara didn't miss out after all, nor did Rogers. I can't see Contador being too bothered about 19 seconds, which is nothing in the mountains.
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Jul 2009
10:54pm, 6 Jul 2009
725 posts
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Monkex
It would have been nice to have the TTT tomorrow slightly longer now. Columbia need to beat Saxo by 33+ secs to put Martin in the MJ and Astana need 40+ secs lead to put Armstrong in the MJ. The course is trying and technical but even so I'm not expecting that much of a divide between teams. Stage 5 should be interesting now, there's talk about that the Spanish riders regardless of team might well support Contador in getting him back into contention |
Jul 2009
11:01pm, 6 Jul 2009
3,014 posts
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*Anj*
I love this whole Astana drama, much better than Dallas 
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Jul 2009
11:13pm, 6 Jul 2009
5,618 posts
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SPR™
cyclingnews.com
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Jul 2009
11:16pm, 6 Jul 2009
1,018 posts
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Chrisull
Oh I just hope they don't start banning riders midway now for annoying fripperies like failed drugs tests, because this is just way too much fun. In the the Armstrong vs Contador fight, I have to admit to coming down on Armstrong's side, I watched each of those 7 victories and I remember him from the pre-cancer days and despite being an insufferable redneck control freak with nasty rightwing tendencies, you can't not be impressed by those performances, especially the one where he got knocked off his bike by the spectator, jumped back on, fell off again, got on and cycled straight past Ullrich up the mountainside. And if he was on drugs, well only the same ones as Ullrich, Basso, Pantani and everyone else around him. Separately is the TTT really too short to create those time gaps? In past races there have been several minute gains I seem to recall. |
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Jul 2009
11:20pm, 6 Jul 2009
3,015 posts
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*Anj*
I just have images of Armstrong and the other two Astana riders who were in the split today, having secret chats in the loos at night about their tactics and not including cantador lol!
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