Can Armstrong stay with the attack ?

[jhuskey]

Yes I know he can climb and I know he has a great team with several good climbers that could support but when Sastre or Cadel or someone puts the hammer down and it's three or four left in the attack will he be one of them?
He looks to be in good form but has not tipped his hand so far and I am left wondering if he still has the legs for something like stage 17.

 

[limerickman]

Yes I know he can climb and I know he has a great team with several good climbers that could support but when Sastre or Cadel or someone puts the hammer down and it's three or four left in the attack will he be one of them?
He looks to be in good form but has not tipped his hand so far and I am left wondering if he still has the legs for something like stage 17.

Certainly in the Giro 2009, he struggled very badly on the climbs.
As you would expect a 37yo man, to do.

That is the only frame of reference that I have, this season, to judge his climbing ability.
Granted the Giro climbs are much tougher than the TDF climbs, so he might not be as exposed and he has had time since the Giro to prepare himself.

 

[Mansmind]

Yes I know he can climb and I know he has a great team with several good climbers that could support but when Sastre or Cadel or someone puts the hammer down and it's three or four left in the attack will he be one of them?
He looks to be in good form but has not tipped his hand so far and I am left wondering if he still has the legs for something like stage 17.

I think that's the question of the tour in many ways (at this point). He hasn't showed his cards at all really. I may get proven wrong.. but I think there is only one rider he may not be able to hang with right now, Contador. LA hasn't really looked "in a spot of bother" that I've seen. Some of the other contenders have. If that's any indication he doesn't seem to have a real problem there.

While I think his performance in the Giro is good to take note of, everything thing I've learned about cycling thusfar leads me to believe that peaking at the Giro doesn't speak well for your chances at the tour.. it's too early. Same for the Dauphine. On the other hand, he had an accident so his form is also somewhat affected by that as the schedule for training had to be modified. Of those two ways of looking at it.. I have to lean toward he is probably better prepared than what is really indicated right now. We'll see.

 

[thebluetrain]

I think the only person who could beat him one on one is AC. Although we have yet to see what LA has left in the tank. He may very well be able to hang with AC.

 

[Farmguy]

Just remember, in one of his TDF wins the day he "appeared" to be struggling back in the back, everyone was saying he was done, then he took off to win by a few minutes. He is no rookie at this and he can play a game as well as anyone, why show your hand until they are trying to catch you? Not that Im saying he can but it is VERY early in the TDF.

 

[Wlfdg]

Why should he show his hand so early? He needs only stay within striking distance. He is a master tactician is he not? He has been training hard in Aspen and then in Europe. If he did not think he was capable do you think he would be there? He is Lance Armstrong after all!

 

[meehs]

I don't think his performance in the Giro is any indication of his current form. Right now I'd say that there's no reason to believe that he can't stay with the attack.

 

[steve]

I don't think his performance in the Giro is any indication of his current form. Right now I'd say that there's no reason to believe that he can't stay with the attack.

I agree! In the first mountain stage, he certainly covered moves by Evans and A.Schleck without looking to stressed.

 

[swampy1970]

I agree! In the first mountain stage, he certainly covered moves by Evans and A.Schleck without looking to stressed.

I think a month in Colorado riding up in the very high dirt roads, often over 10,000ft, had something to do with that... Plus the advantage of being able to descend like a nutjob on dirt roads tends to make the nice roads of the Alps and Pyrenees seem like a vacation.

Anyone else notice that all the typically crappy roads up the Col d'Aspin and Tourmalet are looking rather spiffy these days... So much for them being much harder due to ye olde rough surface which turns into goo at 90F.

 

[Bro Deal]

The whole Astana team evaded a dope test for an hour a few days ago, so I would guess that Armstrong will be able to stay with attacks. The team is still juicing like it's 1999.

 

[wolfix]

I was in Aspen two days ago,[not riding] and my buddy mentioned to me that we should ride here next year. I looked at the Rockies, decided that I was not cut out to be a climber. I prefer flat lands. You don't spill your beer when riding hard.

 

[steve]

The whole Astana team evaded a dope test for an hour a few days ago, so I would guess that Armstrong will be able to stay with attacks. The team is still juicing like it's 1999.

Can you please provide a news link?

 

[Wlfdg]

The whole Astana team evaded a dope test for an hour a few days ago, so I would guess that Armstrong will be able to stay with attacks. The team is still juicing like it's 1999.

Can you please provide a news link?

Yea that would be nice.

 

[Bro Deal]

Can you please provide a news link?

Tour de France: Astana lässt Dopingtester warten und bittet zum Kaffee - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Sport

No matter what riders like Evans might do during training, if they are not willing to dope during in the middle of TdF then I don't see how they have a chance of competing with those who are given enough time before tests to fix their blood values.

 

[steve]

Tour de France: Astana lässt Dopingtester warten und bittet zum Kaffee - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Sport

The translated version (used google)

Astana doping testers can wait and ask for coffee

Angry controller: The chief of the French Anti-Doping Agency complained about problems with a blood test at the Astana team on the eighth stage. World staff had only been invited for coffee and then had almost an hour on the drivers have to wait.

Hamburg - The circumstances of doping control of the Astana team have the head of the French anti-doping agency AFLD, Pierre Bordry, annoyed. The generic controller had complained that the blood tests of Lance Armstrong and other team members prior to the eighth stage of the Tour de France in Andorra for 55 minutes would have delayed, reported the "L'Équipe" on Tuesday. That was then, probably not surprising control "more, wrote the sports newspaper.


Two Commissioners of the UCI World cycling test and the doctors were referred to research by the French TV channel RTL from Astana officials initially been invited to coffee. On a complaint by Bordry, the UCI with a general statement responds: "All teams must be in the doping controls to be treated equally."
"The doping control are not rigorous enough," quoted the Belgian newspaper "Het Nieuwsblad" Bordry, moreover, in a letter to UCI president Pat McQuaid criticized, he had the feeling "that the inspectors very lenient with drivers around. I am I'm not sure that for some athletes to the same rules apply under the same conditions. " McQuaid announced that the AFLD boss immediately reply: "There is definitely no leniency in the controls," said the Irishman.

After last year in the wake of the dispute between the UCI and the Tour organization Aso only the controls for the AFLD was responsible, in this year's inspections of both organizations. The AFLD which acts as a "service provider". So far it has in the Tour 2009, no doping case.

McQuaid is under his second term as UCI president safe. Up to the deadline on 27 June, no rival candidate reported. "It is true that I am the only candidate. From this perspective, I can for the next four years to plan," said McQaid the Internet portal Cycling News: "It is my desire to be reelected, because it is still a lot to do There. " The election shall be held under the UCI Congress at the end of September.

 

[Mansmind]

The translated version (used google)

In my opinion, that's a little weak to label as "evaded" but whatever. If what I've been reading is true regarding the number of times Astana and specifically Armstrong has been tested during this tour is true... evading one dope test isn't going to be very helpful.

 

[nonns]

As an Armstrong supporter that annoys me. I would have hoped that Armstrong would see the need to look whiter than white. This sort of thing simply undermines his whole position.

Blithering idiot.

If they are doping at this point why risk it - Armstrong stands to lose so much.
It makes a mockery of the doping controls also. Can't the doping authorities see that. They can't expect to successfully catch dopers if they let them get away with murder.

If you miss or delay an in race dope test then you should be assumed to be trying to evade. Make the penalties punitive. Like I said before Armstrong has officially been proved to have done nothing. That said if he is doping he should be caught and dealt with accordingly. He shouldn't have special treatment. Personally I would throw caught dopers out of the sport with no ability for them to re-enter. Stars should be beaten up even more than the also rans.

 

[TheDarkLord]

In my opinion, that's a little weak to label as "evaded" but whatever. If what I've been reading is true regarding the number of times Astana and specifically Armstrong has been tested during this tour is true... evading one dope test isn't going to be very helpful.

It is actually quite easy to evade dope tests. Just ask B. Kohl.

 

[steve]

Just ask B. Kohl.

He isn't a member here, maybe you can expand on this for our benefit?

 

[jhuskey]

Well , I didn't think anyone could state a definitive answer and Armstrong is an amazing athlete regardless and at 37 he seems to be hanging in there. I amaze myself sometimes at what I can do at my advanced age but also know that recovery comes slower as you age.
The big tests have yet to come in this race and I think there could be some fast and furious attacks and many will be dropped in the Alps. If a fast uphill sprint comes and he stays all the way with the lead I will be impressed. I beleive Sastre is waiting to make a big move and we know he can climb fast. The Alps loom and especially stage 17 and for the GC guys there will be no rest on rest day.