2006 tour de france

"Callistus Valerius" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

Let me guess, your pick is Kirsten Gum.

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

It's all about appropriate peaking. At this point I'd have to give it to
Cheryl Crow. Her present time of 90 minutes up Alpe d'Huez indicates that
she's learned from Mayo and is in no danger of peaking too early. That plus
she has the lead in the all-important psychological arena, since, at the
moment, her competitors will be largely underwhelmed.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

It's all about appropriate peaking. At this point I'd have to give it

to

Quoted message said:

Cheryl Crow. Her present time of 90 minutes up Alpe d'Huez indicates

that

Quoted message said:

she's learned from Mayo and is in no danger of peaking too early.

That plus

Quoted message said:

she has the lead in the all-important psychological arena, since, at

the

Quoted message said:

moment, her competitors will be largely underwhelmed.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
IMBA, BikesBelong, NBDA member

Also, the element of surprise

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

Merckx.

Callistus Valerius said:

Is it time to make predictions?

Obviously a joke, but 2006 might be a good time for Cuengo. Of course Lance might take 2005 off and return in 2006 to awe us.

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

It's all about appropriate peaking. At this point I'd have to give it to
Cheryl Crow. Her present time of 90 minutes up Alpe d'Huez indicates that
she's learned from Mayo and is in no danger of peaking too early. That

plus

Quoted message said:

she has the lead in the all-important psychological arena, since, at the
moment, her competitors will be largely underwhelmed.

I can't help but believe that Lance's loss on Mt. Ventoux was planned. It
was probably done to make the competition believe that he was not as strong
this year thereby causing them to be less prepared and over-confident for
the Tour. If you beat Lance in a TT, you must believe your condition is
good enough.

Dave

"Pistof" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<SNIP>>

Quoted message said:

I can't help but believe that Lance's loss on Mt. Ventoux was planned. It
was probably done to make the competition believe that he was not as

strong

Quoted message said:

this year thereby causing them to be less prepared and over-confident for
the Tour. If you beat Lance in a TT, you must believe your condition is
good enough.

Dave

I think Lance rode as hard as he expected on Ventoux (PR or close). I think
he may have been surprised how fast the others rode though.

-T

"lazysegall" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Callistus Valerius said:

Is it time to make predictions?

Obviously a joke, but 2006 might be a good time for Cuengo. Of course
Lance might take 2005 off and return in 2006 to awe us.

No way. Lance will be back in 05.

No, I'd be really surprised if we didn't see him next year what with the new
sponsor and all. Maybe he will skip 06, but no-one is thinking about this
right now (Valerius barred). It will be sweet if we see him compete in two
big tours next year. It wouldn't matter if he won or lost.

Dave

Quoted message said:

--
lazysegall

"Tom Schulenburg" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Pistof" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
<SNIP>>

Quoted message said:

I can't help but believe that Lance's loss on Mt. Ventoux was planned.

It

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

was probably done to make the competition believe that he was not as

strong

Quoted message said:

this year thereby causing them to be less prepared and over-confident

for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the Tour. If you beat Lance in a TT, you must believe your condition is
good enough.

Dave

I think Lance rode as hard as he expected on Ventoux (PR or close). I

think

Quoted message said:

he may have been surprised how fast the others rode though.

Well, Carmichael says that he believes this.

It's impossible to know, but you must admit that it wouldn't be out of
Lance's character playing a little psych. game like that.

Dave

"Pistof" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

" It will be sweet if we see him compete in two
big tours next year. It wouldn't matter if he won or lost.

I bet it would to him.

Quoted message said:

No, I'd be really surprised if we didn't see him next year what with the

new

Quoted message said:

sponsor and all. Maybe he will skip 06, but no-one is thinking about this
right now (Valerius barred). It will be sweet if we see him compete in

two

Quoted message said:

big tours next year. It wouldn't matter if he won or lost.

For '05, I don't think there's even a possibility Lance would ride the TDF
without considering anything less than a win to be a failure. Probably even
the case for '06. Beyond that, who knows?

So for '05 and possibly '06, I don't see much chance of Lance riding the
Giro (except possibly as a tune-up for the TDF, which would probably be seen
as rather insulting by the rest of the pack!). That doesn't preclude riding
the Vuelta.

My guess is that Lance will do one more all-out TDF-or-bust year in '05
(meaning no big Spring Classics campaign, no Giro). If he wins #7, then I
think he'll make a run for the Classics, along with the Giro and perhaps the
Vuelta in '06. Similar campaign in '07, except substitute the hour record
for the Vuelta, and then retirement. Or not... he could do '08 (at age 36)
riding just the Classics.

Doesn't leave a lot of room for George, does it?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Pistof said:

"lazysegall" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Callistus Valerius said:

Is it time to make predictions?

Obviously a joke, but 2006 might be a good time for Cuengo. Of course
Lance might take 2005 off and return in 2006 to awe us.

No way. Lance will be back in 05.

No, I'd be really surprised if we didn't see him next year what with the new
sponsor and all. Maybe he will skip 06, but no-one is thinking about this
right now (Valerius barred). It will be sweet if we see him compete in two
big tours next year. It wouldn't matter if he won or lost.

Dave

Quoted message said:

--
lazysegall

Maybe you are right, the sponsers will want him in the TDF, but there is a beauty in skipping the TDF next year. Next year he can probably win the Giro and something else. By else I mean a really strong charge in the classics, The Vuelta, or maybe the WC. Personally I think that Lance has the most intrest in the classics since he has specifically mentioned them and the Giro as priorities while the Vuelta is all speculation.

The real beauty, however, is what a return in 06 would be like. If Lance loses in 06 then no one will really care. He would be 34 and past his prime. It would be a good victory ride around France. In Lance's view, however, he feels that he can win in 06. Just imagine how amazing it would be if he filled up his palamares and then came back to win the TDF. At that point a comparison to Merckx might be well founded. Not that I necessarily think Lance can do all that, but he really doesn't risk a humiliating loss if he takes the 05 TDF off.

Callistus Valerius said:

Is it time to make predictions?

1.Popovych
2.Mayo
3.T. Dekker

"Pistof" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it time to make predictions?

It's all about appropriate peaking. At this point I'd have to give it

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Cheryl Crow. Her present time of 90 minutes up Alpe d'Huez indicates

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

she's learned from Mayo and is in no danger of peaking too early. That

plus

Quoted message said:

she has the lead in the all-important psychological arena, since, at the
moment, her competitors will be largely underwhelmed.

I can't help but believe that Lance's loss on Mt. Ventoux was planned. It
was probably done to make the competition believe that he was not as

strong

Quoted message said:

this year thereby causing them to be less prepared and over-confident for
the Tour. If you beat Lance in a TT, you must believe your condition is
good enough.

Dave

You don't really understanf the concept of peaking I suppose. The most I can
give you is that he did not plan his training to win on that day. He still
would have taken the win if the effort he had planned for that day would
have been enough. Not planning to win is not even close to planning to lose.
I doubt Armstrong EVER planned a loss. You guys are so star struck it's
pathetic. Look at what he did in Georgia...he could not even pass up a
chance to sprint to victory. Compare that to Indurain who rarely sprinted
because he either thought it would effect his recovery or perhaps thought it
was too dangerous. Lance is a lot more impulsive and worse, he HATES losing
to anyone at anything. He just accepts it at times.

"Pistof" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Well, Carmichael says that he believes this.

It's impossible to know, but you must admit that it wouldn't be out of
Lance's character playing a little psych. game like that.

Dave

That is exactly what it would have been, "out of character". You do make my
point though, that Lance has amazing powers and attributes when we talk
about the "Cult-of-Lance" Armstrong. That guy (that does not exist) plans
every experience in his existance whether you like it or not!!!

Quoted message said:

Well, Carmichael says that he believes this.

It's impossible to know, but you must admit that it wouldn't be out of
Lance's character playing a little psych. game like that.

Dave

He was as fast as he had been in 2002. And in the Tour he climbed at
about the same rate as 2002. So there's no reason to believe he was
doing anything special this year.