Road Bike Racing - Hey hey hey!! Lance wants the Rainbow jersey next year!

I found this at LA.com.

Lance (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020917/sp_nm/cycling_armstrong_dc_1)

I thing Bob Roll mentioned this in the Vuelta a Espana coverage a few days ago. Very good news, it should shutup a few of the critics if lance can pull it off.

Armstrong winning a single day circuit race? Not if he's programmed to win the Tour.

Mind you, Ullrich won the Olympic Road race in 2000, he was a tour winner. But yeah, armstrong is a bit different. Circuit races don't seem to be his thing anymore.

Lance hinted in the article that his training plan would be different. I sure hope he goes for it, Lance is great, I love watching him ride.

Armstrong's strengths seem to be time trials -- not the best in the world, but he can beat the best on his good days -- and long mountains. The road race in 2003 will be held in Hamilton, Ontario and, aside from a couple of short hills, the course is as flat as a pancake. It really favours sprinters like Zabel, Cipollini and Freire and opportunistic breakaway artists and rouleurs like Verbrugge, Bartoli and Bettini. It really doesn't play to Armstrong's strengths. He used to be a fine sprinter, but not recently.

Armstrong is a strategic rider. He's grea5 in long stage races where he can plan his long-term goals over a period of weeks. One of the reasons why he wins the Tour is that he plays the big picture. You can't do that in a day race.

One of Armstrong's greatest assets is his team. He won't be riding with USPS at the World's. he'll be riding with a whole lot of other riders with whom he's never ridden and who probably aren't as devoted to him as Heras, Rubiera et. al. Sure, Hincapie'd be there, but so would a bunch of guys from other trade teams, like Freddy Rodriguez and Chris Horner.

Finally, Armstrong is programmed to peak in July. His August and Spetember performances have been disappointing for the last few years -- since he's been winning the Tour. I don't think, physiologically, he can do both -- win the Tour and win the Worlds RR.

That doesn't mean an American couldn't win, but I'd look to Rodriguez or Hincapie as more likely candidates.

Originally posted by velocipedio
Finally, Armstrong is programmed to peak in July. His August and Spetember performances have been disappointing for the last few years -- since he's been winning the Tour. I don't think, physiologically, he can do both -- win the Tour and win the Worlds RR.

That doesn't mean an American couldn't win, but I'd look to Rodriguez or Hincapie as more likely candidates.

All that you state is absolutely correct. However, this is a man who has gone up against much steeper odds and dominated. If he really wants it – I’m not betting against him! :D

While we're on this topic of next year's World's, does anybody have any info or websites to check out for information on going to the worlds in hamilton...You know places to stay, places to watch and stuff like that??...Hamilton canada is not that far from me, and I was thinking about going to watch next year..

Any info would be appreciated,
Thanks

Benjamin

Personally, I'd like to see George Hincapie win the Worlds. nothing against Lance, but I really admire George and his dedication to the Postal team, and I think it would be fitting for him to win the Worlds.



Speaking of George, go to clifbar.com and vote in their Beyond the Podium poll.

Competing may have other benefits of more interest... visibility and PR for himself, Nike, LAF, etc.

One day races used to be all he could win, don't forget that.

Lance at the worlds. . . I'll believe it when I see it.

Lance winning the worlds. . . I'd never count him out.

Though he peaks in July, he's never pushed through the season for the sake of a late season race - recent history, of course. Imagine, LA turning into a sprinter.

While I would not put anything past him, given his drive and physical attributes, there are a lot of things that would be against him. Besides the ones already mentioned, a whole new group of people just dying to put him down would be in the mix in a single day race - the sprinters. He usually doesn't have to contend with them much, if at all.

It would be interesting to watch though.

Cheers...Gary

Steven Bauer is setting up the course. Apparently, it will be similar to the World's course that they had in Montreal years ago, using a good climb (in Montreal it was Mt. Royal) that will make it more difficult than the 5 1/2 cruise at Zolder.

The city of Hamilton has a website...can't recall it right now but you could search...it actually had adobe files on how they are planning for the world's. They are expecting over 400,000 to attend during the week. So, if you want to go, I'd plan now.

I think that, because of the North American location and the potential the course has, that's Lance's interest. It's not going to be a flat cruise course.

Originally posted by WoodyUpstate
Imagine, LA turning into a sprinter. [/B]

Won't happen, (Not a high enough percentage of fast twitch muscles).

Didn't he used to be a bit of a sprinter?