Is Lance really trying to win this year or not?

hombredesubaru

Here's what he said in an interview with Dauphine folks a couple of days ago.



A l'heure actuelle, quelle analyse portez-vous sur les performances de vos rivaux pour le Tour de France?

"Le casting est plus ou moins le même que les autres années. Dans la liste des prétendants à un bon résultat, on peut ajouter Popovych. Il est vraiment très fort et sera très utile à l'équipe. S'il courait dans une autre équipe que la mienne, je m'en méfierais terriblement."

Is he building up us for him riding for Popvych and hand the reins over to him. I mean they have Salvodelli, Popovych and Azevedo, all likely top ten or even top five competitors. What will Lance do? I mean if he gets dropped and Popo doesnt say in the Alps or Pyrenees?

Dead Star

'tis all mind games.

musette

LA will be riding to try to win. It's in his nature and also he has said he wants to go out with a win in the TdF -- to go out on top.

A rough translation of the following French phrase:

"A l'heure actuelle, quelle analyse portez-vous sur les performances de vos rivaux pour le Tour de France?

"Le casting est plus ou moins le même que les autres années. Dans la liste des prétendants à un bon résultat, on peut ajouter Popovych. Il est vraiment très fort et sera très utile à l'équipe. S'il courait dans une autre équipe que la mienne, je m'en méfierais terriblement.""

Is the following:

Q: Presently, what is your analysis of the performance of your Tour de France rivals?

A: The usual people from prior years. In the list of people with potentially good results, one can add Popovych [Read between the lines: But not the top of the podium for Popo this year! Just a good result]. He is reall very strong and will be very useful to the team [Read between the lines: useful to LA as leader]. If he were part of a team other than mine, I would be terribly worrried. [Translation: I'm not worried because he is on my team and is my domestique!]"

El Loto

He is be so modest this year to try and lure his rivals into a false sense of confidence. He said before the Dauphine that he hasn't worked much on time-trialling. Remeber the grimace hoax. He is playing the same game. Discovery just want T-Mobile to take the bait.

MJtje

Yep he is playing mind games again.......also ONE of the many reasons why is so good. Faking alpé d'huez in 2001 that was classic.

To get back to the thread offfffffffcourse he is going to win his 7th. Look at the marketing campaign behind him. The drive for 7 and so on........no way he is going to lose. Love those boring tours

hombredesubaru

After today's prologue, it is clear he is in form to win again.

Popo was way down so he either didnt have it or was soft pedalling, if thats possible in a & km ITT prologue. I of course riding it all out would finish sometime next week. Just had the worst four hour ride of my life. Oh well.

MJtje

The more special with only 2 TT's under his belt. And this was a short explosive proloque which doesn't quarantee a good place for an 'old' guy like armstrong. Next appointment ITT and then ventoux to see his climbing skills!

MJtje

For the people who can watch france 2: Saturday 11 june le dauphine libere

16h15 - 17h55Trois cols de première catégorie et un col hors catégorie sont au programme de cette avant-dernière étape du Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. Le parcours fait la part belle aux grimpeurs.
I'll be watching.......

musette

LA has been bluffing about how he might be willing to let some of his domestiques win under certain circumstances. Of course that will not happen at DC, when LA is going for Number Seven. He is trying to do this for several reasons: (1) his usual mind games with JU and other competitors, and (2) equally significantly, setting up Popo and Paolo as threats and legitimate contenders in the eyes of LA's rivals so that DC can implement team strategies that are based on other teams' need to control Popo/Paolo (including in the mountains).

"He even raises the possibility that he may opt for assisting his team-mates Paolo Savoldelli - winner of the Tour of Italy eight days ago - or the talented Ukrainian Yaroslav Popovych. This is taking pre-Tour bluffing to a new level."

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cycling...1500100,00.html

hombredesubaru

Even more exciting for us Lance die-hards: he pulled out of his pedals on the clomb he was pulling so far. Graham Watson following or on a bike to take pics estimated 3-8 seconds lost. In other words he wanted to and was in position to win. He is back.

Man, I would not want to to test my climbing on Ventoux. It's funny. When he was gearing up for the Tour, was it 99 or 2000? he had a crappy ride on Ventoux in Dauphine and got psyched out. Well we all know what happened later...with Pantani and all. I think Vaughters and Tyler beat him up Dauphine.

whiteboytrash

MJtje

Lol like time told that armstrong was done last year after a disastrous dauphine.........whiteboy you ARE trashing around.

BTW where are youre threads of tour of luxemborg and other races. Ullrich raced 2 races the last days. Have you heard about....maybe......did you make a thread about it: NO! So make other threads.......or just acknowledge that it it TOUR time.......so that speaks for itself that armstrong will be discussed a lot. Like it or not.......trashy boy

hombredesubaru

ummm...the average speed was not that fast because the first two kms were straight uphill, I mean a real small chainring climb. I saw videos of it and it was hard climbing dude.

If Hincapie beat Levi and Floyd, it,by definition, was a world class field. Deal with it. American cyclists are at the top just now. Gee, when did a French guy last win Dauphine? Lets see, 2001 when Lance was doing Tour de Suisse, and Moreau. Before that 1994, Dufaux, as in doper Dufauz etc etc.

whiteboytrash