2009 TDF stage 7: Barcelone - Andorre Arcalis 224 km

[tonyzackery]

I'm glad AC didn't/doesn't give a rip about LA or LL thinks/thought of his move. He's got the nuts! He knows he's probably not going to be on what's left of this team next year so he took this years' race by the horns (Texas Longhorns, that is)and basically took control of his own destiny. You've got to applaud that kind of stuff!

I have no convictions either way, but the man definitely can 'walk the walk'...

 

[Denia]

Those of us who saw the Dauphine this year, saw how Contador after a great display of superlative climbing, literally blew up on the following days stages.

Contador is the Astana rider to beat.
Without a shadow of a doubt.

If Contador rides the race intelligently, there is nothing stopping him from winning this race.

You have it spot on, the Dauphine was early season though and his mountain attack there was, I think, much harder than yesterdays. He also recovered well two days later to go on a long solo break.

Too many on here worrying about Lance not being pleased . . . so what? The role of AC is to win the Tour, end of story. If LA had done what he has done in previous Tours he would have stamped his authority on the first day in the Pyrenees to show he was the Boss. That was his style and AC is doing it to him now.

 

[nonns]

Actually I must confess that whilst I believe the best man should win, I've always believed that road racing at the level of the Tour is a wholly team game. If the team agrees something then they should stick to it unless the DS changes his tune. In a company if some idiot goes his own way there can be disciplinary proceedings. The me me me culture is a disgusting thing. If Astana had agreed a plan then Contador and Armstrong should stick to it regardless of personal ambition - their own silly fight can jeopordise things for the team and for the sponsors (the salary payers). They can argue against it but unless their argument is accepted the agreed plan is the agreed plan.

The question of the best man is of course a huge one. I believe the best man is the right combination of supreme athlete, exciting rider. Tactical genius. strategic genius,relationship manager, business man and so forth. In most of these categories Lance used to have Contador on every level. After 4 years out Lance dwarfs Contador on the Tactical/Stragic, relationship manager, business man but probably lags slightly on the supreme athlete mainly because he hasn't got the miles in his legs and he's slightly older.

Still it gives us something to talk about.

 

[JAPANic]

Contador made the right decision last night.
He improved the teams chances of winning.

If he broke the plan then Bruyneel should punish him as he sees fit.

Lnace was working at the front.
Contador was sitting in behind and waiting for his chance to pounce.

Had lance been sitting back and Contador been doing more work would Lance have attacked?
He certainly wouldn't have gone as fast as Contador but if he did get away he would have been in yellow and the team would have been in an even stronger position.
Lance wasn't going to attack though and he probably wouldn't have been able to get away from the pack.

If that was the plan (and I don't think there was a plan) then Contador should be fined by his boss.

Contador says 'the race' will decide who is the winner... so he probably won't follow any orders anyway.

With Lance he's just used to winning... he will find it hard to accept anything less no matter what he says.

Hope there is more drama tonight...

I don't want this tour to get boring as I thought it may have been over after the TTT.

More surprises please...must be time for them to do the doping scandal play. Then cut to a rest day.

 

[nonns]

Couldn't agree more. Its one heck of a race. really exciting. I do think you're right and LA didn't have the legs.

 

[limerickman]

Exciting race?

I don't think so...............

The Giro provided much more entertainment, by the equivalent stage and it was better racing.

 

[limerickman]

no message

 

[slovakguy]

all this sniveling being done by armstrong about contador not sticking to the plan suggests one or two things to me: bruyneel lied about letting the better rider lead the team and that bruyneel later lied to contador that he is the team's gc contender. or there is more team dissension than the astana boys have let on. i think contador is delivering his resignation letter in a wonderful fashion.

 

[nonns]

Exciting race?

I don't think so...............

The Giro provided much more entertainment, by the equivalent stage and it was better racing.

You have me there I didn't see the Giro. I'm enjoying this. I just wish Astana wasn't so powerful.

 

[DV1976]

WoW... All the Lance fan bois blame Contador for ...wanting to win...
What an "********" huh?
As for LA the ego of the man knows no bounds. He is clearly subpar compared to Contador or Klodi (he has a better time purely cos of his cheap tactics on stage 3) and he has the nerve to appear annoyed????

 

[slovakguy]

WoW... All the Lance fan bois blame Contador for ...wanting to win...
What an "********" huh?
As for LA the ego of the man knows no bounds. He is clearly subpar compared to Contador or Klodi (he has a better time purely cos of his cheap tactics on stage 3) and he has the nerve to appear annoyed????

hear, hear! gets some info about columbia's attack from an old friend and then keeps contador out of the loop. wonder how that held to the team's tactics?

 

[nonns]

It could be said that the other faves were stupid to let an old guy like Lance sit in the pack in a position near the front by himself. Epic fail by the likes of Contador etc.

 

[limerickman]

I think Bro Deal found you out, amigo.

 

[Chavez]

Interesting stage today, great win for the French kid up the road.

Reminded me of Frank Schleck on the Alpe d'Huez a few years back.

 

[Chavez]

The me me me culture is a disgusting thing. If Astana had agreed a plan then Contador and Armstrong should stick to it regardless of personal ambition - their own silly fight can jeopordise things for the team and for the sponsors (the salary payers).

I dunno; assuming that sponsorship of a cycling team is as much for PR as anything, the fact that Contador's attack shifted the main discussion into overdrive and put Feillu's impressive ride in the backseat is getting the word "ASTANA" into print way more often than it would be if he hadn't attacked.

And that's what sponsors pay for.

 

[TheDarkLord]

Exciting race?

I don't think so...............

The Giro provided much more entertainment, by the equivalent stage and it was better racing.

+100. I actually fell asleep watching stage 7 yesterday. The Giro was much more exciting thanks to the Killer.

 

[slovakguy]

these would be the same sponsors who saw their logos faded? the same sponsors who aren't shelling out a kopeck for his highness to ride? the same sponsors who announced that vino would be riding for astana or lance, johan and the gang could explore other employment opportunities?

 

[TheDarkLord]

all this sniveling being done by armstrong about contador not sticking to the plan suggests one or two things to me: bruyneel lied about letting the better rider lead the team and that bruyneel later lied to contador that he is the team's gc contender. or there is more team dissension than the astana boys have let on. i think contador is delivering his resignation letter in a wonderful fashion.

C'mon, the Hog is known to be an extremely fluent liar. None of this should be surprising to anyone who knows about how big LA's ego is, and how close LA and the Hog are.

 

[slovakguy]

C'mon, the Hog is known to be an extremely fluent liar. None of this should be surprising to anyone who knows about how big LA's ego is, and how close LA and the Hog are.

jeepers! not the ds who guided his riders to 8 tdfs, a vuelta, and a straight off the beaches right to the top step of the giro podium!

 

[nonns]

Whos the hog?