Why Levi (for Disco)?



C

Chris M

Guest
If the team and or Levi were other than American, would he be leading
the team rather than Popo or Contador? And even as they are, why
downplay the two European riders with so much talent in favor of Levi,
who seems to be so prefictable in his inability to take time without
sitting on wheels?

Popo may be developing slower than expected, but this is just as
likely caused by Disco's environment and racing scenarios (IOW,
demands on him that are far from ideal development-wise) but his
experience in the gts has to be at least as strong as Levis, albiet
more in Italy than in France. This might still indicate Levi is a
better risk, but I disagree and think it is more about what Popo has
been asked to do, and the resulting reduction of opportunities (at
Disco) to shine as brightly as compared to when he was so young and
threatening the Giro GC podium (on the Colnago team essentially built
around him).

Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
number? I think so, and I also think that the post-Lance years have
disproven the theories about the greatness of Bruyneel as a Tour
director, and indicate to me that Bruyneel was the greatest "Lance
director". Guimard still trumps all other directors for wins with the
widest variety and talent, even without counting Lemond (though
Guimard plucked him out of the west coast amateur scene at age 19, but
then left Guimard and Renault after his Tour debut when Fignon
blossomed faster on the same Renault team).
 
Chris M wrote:

> Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
> number?


I don't know what you mean by "biggest talent" (the most talented cyclist on earth is probably in some village somewhere, too poor to afford a bike, or if in a rich nation, not having been in the circumstances that would have channeled him into pro cycling), but Popo has shown no indication he is a stronger rider than the main contenders. Leipheimer has stated he's targeting upcoming stages, in any case.

Dan
 
Chris M wrote:

>
> Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
> number? I think,


That would be a very Disco centric viewpoint

> and I also think that the post-Lance years have
> disproven the theories about the greatness of Bruyneel as a Tour
> director, and indicate to me that Bruyneel was the greatest "Lance
> director".


Were you asleep during yesterdays stage 9?
Launch Poppy to nullify the Chicken factor and patrol the front.
Launch Conquistador in the middle like a mad shark.
Have MiniMe lick GC wheel at the end.
Place 3 riders in the top 13 on the Galibier stage? loose no GC time?
mark everything? stir it up? Dare folks to let his other GC contenders
get to far up the road/thank you for towing Levi? I think the only thing
he didn't accomplish yesterday was getting laid in the feed zones...

And I love the Levi is our man thing, me thinks he's not, unless he is...
 
In article
<[email protected]>,
WeaselPoopPower <weasel@****.ca> wrote:

> Chris M wrote:
>
> >
> > Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
> > number? I think,

>
> That would be a very Disco centric viewpoint
>
> > and I also think that the post-Lance years have
> > disproven the theories about the greatness of Bruyneel as a Tour
> > director, and indicate to me that Bruyneel was the greatest "Lance
> > director".

>
> Were you asleep during yesterdays stage 9?
> Launch Poppy to nullify the Chicken factor and patrol the front.
> Launch Conquistador in the middle like a mad shark.
> Have MiniMe lick GC wheel at the end.
> Place 3 riders in the top 13 on the Galibier stage? loose no GC time?
> mark everything? stir it up? Dare folks to let his other GC contenders
> get to far up the road/thank you for towing Levi? I think the only thing
> he didn't accomplish yesterday was getting laid in the feed zones...
>
> And I love the Levi is our man thing, me thinks he's not, unless he is...


Makes sense to me.

--
Michael Press
 
On Jul 18, 4:36 pm, WeaselPoopPower <wea...@****.ca> wrote:
>
> Place 3 riders in the top 13 on the Galibier stage? loose no GC time?
> mark everything? stir it up? Dare folks to let his other GC contenders
> get to far up the road/thank you for towing Levi? I think the only thing
> he didn't accomplish yesterday was getting laid in the feed zones...


When the cameras cut away from a "nature break" it's not always
pissing, you know.

R
 
On Jul 18, 11:48 am, Dan Connelly <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@y_a_h_o_o_._c_o_m>
wrote:
> Chris M wrote:
> > Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
> > number?

>
> ...the most talented cyclist on earth is probably in some village somewhere, too poor to afford a bike, or if in a rich nation, not having been in the circumstances that would have channeled him into pro cycling...


That goes in my oxy-moronic library.

"The non-cyclist who is a 'talented cyclist.'"
 
On Jul 18, 1:17 pm, Chris M <[email protected]> wrote:
> If the team and or Levi were other than American, would he be leading
> the team rather than Popo or Contador? And even as they are, why
> downplay the two European riders with so much talent in favor of Levi,
> who seems to be so prefictable in his inability to take time without
> sitting on wheels?
>
> Popo may be developing slower than expected, but this is just as
> likely caused by Disco's environment and racing scenarios (IOW,
> demands on him that are far from ideal development-wise) but his
> experience in the gts has to be at least as strong as Levis, albiet
> more in Italy than in France. This might still indicate Levi is a
> better risk, but I disagree and think it is more about what Popo has
> been asked to do, and the resulting reduction of opportunities (at
> Disco) to shine as brightly as compared to when he was so young and
> threatening the Giro GC podium (on the Colnago team essentially built
> around him).
>
> Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
> number? I think so, and I also think that the post-Lance years have
> disproven the theories about the greatness of Bruyneel as a Tour
> director, and indicate to me that Bruyneel was the greatest "Lance
> director". Guimard still trumps all other directors for wins with the
> widest variety and talent, even without counting Lemond (though
> Guimard plucked him out of the west coast amateur scene at age 19, but
> then left Guimard and Renault after his Tour debut when Fignon
> blossomed faster on the same Renault team).


I wouldn't count out Levi yet, his main threat (Valverde) is only 1
min. 20 sec. ahead. Levi might be in yellow after the first tt. He
held up pretty good in the Alps while sucking wheels along with Evans.
But that strategy may or may not work in the end. Kloden can time
trial and climb probably just as good as Levi, Valverde will lose some
time on the tt but gain some on the pyrenees. Moreau must be kicking
himself, he just blew all his chances. Sastre hasn't shown his cards
yet.

Andre
 
On Jul 18, 1:17 pm, Chris M <[email protected]> wrote:
> If the team and or Levi were other than American, would he be leading
> the team


dumbass,

he's not the leader (except in the minds of US fans). paulinho,
hincapie, popo and contador have all been going up the road without
him.

contador even attacked the group leipheimer was in on the galibier
(isolating him) and worked with popo to try to stay clear. postal/
disco didn't use this tactic in the armstrong years.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Jul 18, 1:17 pm, Chris M <[email protected]> wrote:
> > If the team and or Levi were other than American, would he be leading
> > the team

>
> dumbass,
>
> he's not the leader (except in the minds of US fans). paulinho,
> hincapie, popo and contador have all been going up the road without
> him.
>
> contador even attacked the group leipheimer was in on the galibier
> (isolating him) and worked with popo to try to stay clear. postal/
> disco didn't use this tactic in the armstrong years.


Well, they threatened it once or twice.

1 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 53.11.38
2 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 2.35
3 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa) Saunier Duval - Prodir
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
5 Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
6 Carlos Sastre Candil (Spa) Team CSC
7 Andreas Kloden (Ger) Astana
8 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
9 Kim Kirchen (Lux) T-Mobile Team

Contador has a case for being the GC candidate: ahead of Levi on GC, and
5 seconds faster in the Prologue, which at least suggests he can TT with
Leipheimer.

Popo is 8:16 back on GC. The only thing he's still contesting is second
place in the Mountains classification.

--
Ryan Cousineau [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
 

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