Professional Cycling - Will it be ironic if LA shows up to the tour now that his team is going to win?

I wonder if he'll show.

There is no way in the frkn world Armstrong comes within a 1000 miles of France. The man is not an idiot.

Ap News says different.
"DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Lance Armstrong is cutting short his ride on RAGBRAI to head for France. His publicist, Mark Higgins, says the seven-time Tour de France winner plans to leave Friday night so he can support his former teammates."

There is no way in the frkn world Armstrong comes within a 1000 miles of France. The man is not an idiot.

yeah, but you know he would love to stick it to the french media and anyone else he can stick it too.

8 TdF's in a row won by Americans [for now] and now the 9th close to being won by an American team. Who would have ever thought it...

There is no way in the frkn world Armstrong comes within a 1000 miles of France. The man is not an idiot.

I thought about this on my way home from work... and I too don't think he will show. But I've been wrong so many times this tour I am not making any bets.

Ap News says different.
"DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Lance Armstrong is cutting short his ride on RAGBRAI to head for France. His publicist, Mark Higgins, says the seven-time Tour de France winner plans to leave Friday night so he can support his former teammates."


Was this before or after Rabo withdrew?

Only reason I can see he goes is that he said earlier this week he was going, and now wouldn't want to make it appear that doping issues changed his plans.

I read somewhere that he was going to show face there to help the team flirt with a new sponsor since Discovery is done after this year.

He is at some bike function today and was quoted today as saying taht if Contador made his move and caught Rasmussen, that he would most likely be on a plane to France!

Since when does Armstrong care if Lotto wins the tour?

It's certainly not a good time to look for a new sponsor. How about Amgen? They can expand from the ToC! :D

... Brad

He is at some bike function today and was quoted today as saying taht if Contador made his move and caught Rasmussen, that he would most likely be on a plane to France!

Well, somebody caught Rasmissen:rolleyes:

I wonder if he'll show.

It was announced on the rest day that he would be there this weekend.

It was announced on the rest day that he would be there this weekend.

I hope he does show up. I'll be on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, and I can promise you that I won't be the only one booing his sorry lying ass if does have the gall to show up.

maybe i missed it but why would lance armstrong showing up in paris be tacky?!

Contador isn't wearing the Yellow Jersey today...

Stage 17 Race Report:

7:05 Xavier Florencio (ESP-BTL), promptly joined by Mikael Delage (FRA-FDJ), have attacked the peloton in the first kilometer. Andry Grivko (UKR-MRM) bridged the gap with the two leaders, but they have all been caught by the peloton, which is moving along at a fast pace now.

7:00 Stage 17 of the 94th Tour de France is underway. The race has started.

6:55 The peloton, down to 142 riders, is rolling through the neutral zone, heading for the site of the official start in the outskirts of Pau. They were 189 at the start in London, on July 7, 4 of them have been expelled from the race for not following the rules.

6:40 Alberto Contador (ESP-DSC), the best young rider in the Tour de France, now leads the overall classification but won't be wearing the yellow jersey during today's stage. Mauricio Soler (COL-BAR) claimed the lead of the best climber classification yesterday in the last mountain stage. He will be wearing his own polka dot jersey today and will keep it all the way to Paris. Tom Boonen (BEL-QSI) will be wearing the points race leader's green jersey. The Discovery Channel Team, with two riders in the top three of the overall standings --Contador and Levi Leipheimer (USA-DSC)--, is leading the team classification.

6:35 Michael Rasmussen (DEN-RAB), the leader of the overall standings, was fired by his team yesterday, hours after winning his second stage this year. He is not at the start this morning. He reportedly didn't comply with the team rules when he failed to report his actual location in June. He sais he was in Mexico but was spotted in Italy.
The Cofidis team also withdrew from the race yesterday, following the positive dopping test of one of his riders, Cristian Moreni.

Cycling News had the following

"Armstong may visit the Tour

Inspired by the performances of Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer of the Discovery Channel team, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong told AFP he may change his mind and visit the last few days of the Tour. That was a day before the Tour's final mountain stage in the Pyrénées and before news about Vinokourov had broken.

Armstrong had strong words then in the Rasmussen case, saying that "it's 2007, everyone's accessible by cell phone, e-mail or Blackberry." He also stated that "I declared where I was 365 days a year. Everybody has to play by the same rules."

Armstrong also talked to MSBNC on Wednesday, after it was announced that Cristian Moreni had tested positive for testosterone and Moreni's team, Cofidis, had quit the Tour, but before the Rasmussen pullout was announced. The Texan declared that "this shows that the controls work. Cycling does more [in the fight against doping] than any other sport."

The outspoken American compared the Vinokourov case to the one of Tyler Hamilton, adding that "it doesn't make sense. Why would someone take the risk and make the same mistake?"

orestes beat me to the punch... I saw the same article.

Well. let's see. Lance is part owner of the Disco team. Prior to the end of the Mountain stages his team was possibly on the bubble for the yellow jersey. Wouldn't you, as an owner of the team, want to come out and watch your team challenge for the lead in biggest race of the year?

I don't see why people find it surprising he'd want to show up. Plus if it meant doing some PR for a possible new sponsor than I'd be there too! It's all part of the business of being an owner, whether you are high profile or some small share partner.

I hope he does show up. I'll be on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, and I can promise you that I won't be the only one booing his sorry lying ass if does have the gall to show up.


Lay off the weed for a day or two, dry your eyes, and get a decent job. Worked for me!

i suggest you look up the meaning of irony

i suggest you look up the meaning of irony

+1


I hope he does show up. I'll be on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday, and I can promise you that I won't be the only one booing his sorry lying ass if does have the gall to show up.

- 1

Since when does Armstrong care if Lotto wins the tour?
:D:D:D

orestes beat me to the punch... I saw the same article.

Well. let's see. Lance is part owner of the Disco team. Prior to the end of the Mountain stages his team was possibly on the bubble for the yellow jersey. Wouldn't you, as an owner of the team, want to come out and watch your team challenge for the lead in biggest race of the year?

I don't see why people find it surprising he'd want to show up. Plus if it meant doing some PR for a possible new sponsor than I'd be there too! It's all part of the business of being an owner, whether you are high profile or some small share partner.


Guilt by Association.

Armstrong has convinced most of the American Public that he didn't dope. His stature, his endorsement money, and his cancer work depend on this.

Putting the issue of his alleged doping back in public focus by appearing at this doping fiasco would not appear to be a good PR move.

i suggest you look up the meaning of irony

+2

I tried since yesterday to figure out how it would be ironic, but alas I could not. It might be ironic (or perhaps not) if he got caught at customs with blood bags with "AC" written on them, or if the French arrested him for previous doping offenses, or if the ASO stripped him of his 7 victories while two Disco riders are on the final podium. I believe those might be ironic events involving LA.

I believe what you're referring to might be classified as "newsworthy".

Wouldn't it be ironic if the word ironic didn't really mean what you think it means?

Guilt by Association.

Armstrong has convinced most of the American Public that he didn't dope. His stature, his endorsement money, and his cancer work depend on this.

Putting the issue of his alleged doping back in public focus by appearing at this doping fiasco would not appear to be a good PR move.

oic... interesting point. But even if it's not his team that had a member busted for doping? (Sans Basso prior to the tour...)

you quibbling over the definition of irony are jackasses. i'll spell it out for you-

3 a (1) : incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result (2) : an event or result marked by such incongruity b : incongruity between a situation developed in a drama and the accompanying words or actions that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play -- called also dramatic irony, tragic irony

the incongruity in this situation is that the tour has kicked out the yellow jersey for doping only to have to have a doper [most likely] owned team claim the yellow with the doper himself showing up for the win.

and even if it isn't the exact meaning of irony, and i'm ignorant better to be ignorant than a jerk.

i still don't see it

Isn't it ironic that one would have to give the definition of ironic and still get it wrong? In the OP's most recent attempt at the ironicization of the situation we have a doper owned team (whatever that is) claim the MJ and the alleged (by the OP) doper show up. So you have two unsubstantiated allegations tied together to render irony. Okay....

In this instance I'm going to go with "non sequitur" (look it up)

Isn't it ironic that one would have to give the definition of ironic and still get it wrong? In the OP's most recent attempt at the ironicization of the situation we have a doper owned team (whatever that is) claim the MJ and the alleged (by the OP) doper show up. So you have two unsubstantiated allegations tied together to render irony. Okay....

In this instance I'm going to go with "non sequitur" (look it up)

I laughed.

If Lance shows up in France; it would be a mistake. Every competitor that Lance fought in his seven years of winning the tour has been proven a cheat. This raises the question can one man be that good without drugs? I think Lance getting in the spotlight would just stir up ****, with Ivan Basso on the Discovery Team and his tie to doping, and all the discussion about Lance and doping, make for bad press for potential sponsors.

Ironic? Not sure of your definition, but I go to my old college's last tennis matches every year. I was on the last team that won a national championship back in 1982. Should I feel "ironic"? Hardly, i like sharing accomplishments and friendship. The drinking and drugs don't hurt either.

xxx

The irony will be especially thick if he's there to see Disco booted from the Tour. It just feels like that kind of year. Now, someone play dumb and ask what irony means again. Then someone else can post some Alanis Morissette lyrics. That should be fun.

All the irony experts might want to re-read the title. It was a question, "Will it be ironic?". So, you could have just answered no, there will be no irony. Maybe I should question your reading comprehension skills.

This raises the question can one man be that good without drugs?

Barry Bonds is doing it right now. :D

... Brad

All the irony experts might want to re-read the title. It was a question, "Will it be ironic?". So, you could have just answered no, there will be no irony. Maybe I should question your reading comprehension skills.

Don't blame our reading comprehension skills, blame your lack of understanding what irony is....because it wouldn't be 'ironic' if he DID show, and it wouldn't be 'ironic' if he DIDN'T show....it's a rather pointless question

Don't blame our reading comprehension skills, blame your lack of understanding what irony is....because it wouldn't be 'ironic' if he DID show, and it wouldn't be 'ironic' if he DIDN'T show....it's a rather pointless question

here's the irony definition by wikipedia:
"Irony is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is a gap or incongruity between what a speaker or a writer says and what is generally understood (either at the time, or in the later context of history). Irony may also arise from a discordance between acts and results, especially if it is striking, and seen by an outside audience."

so, irony may also arise from a discordance between acts and results.

ACT: the tour kicks out the yellow jersey because of doping related allegations
RESULT: a doper shows up at the conclusion of the tour to celebrate his team's winning of the yellow

do you see discordance there? that discordance is not irony?

please respond, i think i've given an explanation including evidence of how my statement was correct, but all you have said is "incorrect" without any evidence or clarification.

also, please explain how taking the time to make fun of someone's intelligence isnt' being a jackass, or do you admit to being a jackass.

no, it's not, because the tour didn't kick out Rasmussen, his team fired him. Rasmussen has not failed any drug tests. The tour organizers wanted him out because his extremely suspicious behavior brought a black cloud over the tour. It doesn't matter whether LA or Contador or anybody else has or is currently doping, as long as we have the illusion of a clean victory the tour organizers will have succeeded in their aim. so, no irony...unless Contador fails a doping control.

no, it's not, because the tour didn't kick out Rasmussen, his team fired him. Rasmussen has not failed any drug tests. The tour organizers wanted him out because his extremely suspicious behavior brought a black cloud over the tour. It doesn't matter whether LA or Contador or anybody else has or is currently doping, as long as we have the illusion of a clean victory the tour organizers will have succeeded in their aim. so, no irony...unless Contador fails a doping control.

my beef isn't with you sgrundy. no, the tour didn't kick him out, but the tour organizers wanted him out and according to some, pressured rabo to kick him out. rabo fired him because of "suspicious behavior" as you correctly wrote, but the suspicion was he was doping.

i'm not saying you are correct, or incorrect, but, precisely in what way would Contador failing a doping control be ironic?

RESULT: a doper shows up at the conclusion of the tour to celebrate his team's winning of the yellow


Who's the "doper" showing up? Certainly not Lance! I mean, if they SCIENTIFICALLY PROVED he did something illegal, then I'd be on-board with that sentiment, but since they have not proven anything, he's innocent --regardless of how much anyone WANTS to believe he doped, which is out of pure jealousy 'cause he could ride circles around anyone in cycling (as far as the TDF goes & prior to retirement that is).

I think he should go to France, support another win by America/his team, do some face work, find another sponsor...

if, in an attempt to restore credibility to the race, the tour organizers pressured a team to remove a rider who is under suspicion of doping, only to give the win to someone who is later proven to be doping, that would be very ironic.

Who's the "doper" showing up? Certainly not Lance! I mean, if they SCIENTIFICALLY PROVED he did something illegal, then I'd be on-board with that sentiment, but since they have not proven anything, he's innocent --regardless of how much anyone WANTS to believe he doped, which is out of pure jealousy 'cause he could ride circles around anyone in cycling (as far as the TDF goes & prior to retirement that is).

I think he should go to France, support another win by America/his team, do some face work, find another sponsor...

i know, i know... unsubstantiatedly alleged doper

if, in an attempt to restore credibility to the race, the tour organizers pressured a team to remove a rider who is under suspicion of doping, only to give the win to someone who is later proven to be doping, that would be very ironic.

ok.

what about about a few modifications to what you wrote

if, in an attempt to not sully the race, a team kicks out it's yellow wearing leader, only to give the win to a team owned by an alleged doper, and for that alleged doper to show up in paris to celebrate his team's victory, that would be ironic.

no, it's not, because the tour didn't kick out Rasmussen, his team fired him.

Yes - you are right. But, le Tour would have kicked him out at soon as they learned of Ras's "Italian Vacation".

... Brad

here's the irony definition by wikipedia:
"Irony is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is a gap or incongruity between what a speaker or a writer says and what is generally understood (either at the time, or in the later context of history). Irony may also arise from a discordance between acts and results, especially if it is striking, and seen by an outside audience."

so, irony may also arise from a discordance between acts and results.

ACT: the tour kicks out the yellow jersey because of doping related allegations
RESULT: a doper shows up at the conclusion of the tour to celebrate his team's winning of the yellow

do you see discordance there? that discordance is not irony?

please respond, i think i've given an explanation including evidence of how my statement was correct, but all you have said is "incorrect" without any evidence or clarification.

also, please explain how taking the time to make fun of someone's intelligence isnt' being a jackass, or do you admit to being a jackass.

i'll give you coincidental, maybe even amusing.....not ironic.

would it be ironic if i admitted to being a jackass?

would it be ironic if i admitted to being a jackass?

hell if I know :)

hell if I know :)

:roflmao::roflmao:

i'll give you coincidental, maybe even amusing.....not ironic.

How about hypocritical?

Oh wait, Lance was "clean" because he never tested postive and didn't break the location notification rules the way Ras did. :rolleyes: Let's pretend that's meaningful.

Lance beat the fastest and strongest guys in the world, while most if not all were doping, seven years in a row. Let's pretend that's not meaningful.

Drop to knees. Dig hole. Insert head. Bury.

Lance beat the fastest and strongest guys in the world, while most if not all were doping, seven years in a row. Let's pretend that's not meaningful.

I get your point here, but what are we thinking, that Lance used some magic-EPO-from-the-future that NO amount of rigorous scientific testing can detect even on the slightest tiniest level? I mean, we can map the human genome but can't find ANY illegal substances in his regularly-tested and re-tested blood? Maybe he's just that good? Stranger things have happened, am I right?

Ironies aside, I guess LA is on a plane right now for France to make the time trial.
http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/07/28/0728tourlance.html