Professional Cycling For the Fans - Carlos Sastre

What happened though? Why was he not allowed to wear the yellow on day 1? Why wasent he in the photo book?

Not to start any Lance thing here, and im not saying this has anything to do with Lance, but I thought I heard that the Tour has a new organization this year (buddies of Lance), and was one of the big reasons Lance came out of retirement to race the Tour.

Also, there was a thing about Lance in the media talking really bad things about Sastre and his win last year. In fact there was an apology he made some days ago.

Do you think Lance and his Tour organising buddies had anything to do with this since Lance apparently doesnt like Sastre?
Lance is known for getting back at people and ruining them.

Also, Sastre seems to be indicating that something is up with Astana being in the Tour, other than them just being a stronger team. Of course he doesnt say anything, just seems like he is hinting at something. He also seems to be "bowing out" gracefully for what seems to be underground politics.

It might sound far fetched of course, but there seems be be some underlying thing here beyond waht this article is saying if you read it closely.

Not trying to start a Lance thing, Im just trying to see if any of the pieces fit together.

Hmm, I don't know anything about the tour organizers being different. I don't know what changed and why or really even what the "road book" is. It just seems that if he is being treated differently from a truly neutral party like the tour organizers, thats a completely different ball of wax.

I do remember the thing about the apology but I hadn't caught the original snub last year I guess. I didn't get anything from Sastre's comment about something being up with Astana other than a resignation to not having a strong enough team to counter Astana's depth.

I'm sure though there is always a lot more going on than what we are privy to.

I just googled "Sastre on Armstrong" and there's a couple of recent articles saying that Sastre thinks "Armstrong needs to learn about respect." Interesting.

I didn't get anything from Sastre's comment about something being up with Astana other than a resignation to not having a strong enough team to counter Astana's depth.


He said two things that struck me.
First:
He said if he won this year, it wouldnt mean anything to him really

Second: He said Astana is bascially taking the race (the show) out of this year. He played it politically correct, but he seemed to me, indicating that the whole Alberto-Armstrong show is what this Tour is about, and if he won, or anybody for that matter, it wouldnt matter, they wouldnt be honored, because the focus is on Alberto and Amstrong.

There is just a lot he seems to be hinting at.
Maybe he is just pissed off. Maybe Im just reading too much into it.

What happened though? Why was he not allowed to wear the yellow on day 1? Why wasent he in the photo book?

Maybe because it was a stage, not a prologue? Not cool though.


Not to start any Lance thing here, and im not saying this has anything to do with Lance, but I thought I heard that the Tour has a new organization this year (buddies of Lance), and was one of the big reasons Lance came out of retirement to race the Tour.

Also, there was a thing about Lance in the media talking really bad things about Sastre and his win last year. In fact there was an apology he made some days ago.

Before his comeback he said something about last year's tour being a joke. He apologized because he has to race with them again. :lol:


Do you think Lance and his Tour organising buddies had anything to do with this since Lance apparently doesnt like Sastre?
Lance is known for getting back at people and ruining them.

Also, Sastre seems to be indicating that something is up with Astana being in the Tour, other than them just being a stronger team. Of course he doesnt say anything, just seems like he is hinting at something. He also seems to be "bowing out" gracefully for what seems to be underground politics.

It might sound far fetched of course, but there seems be be some underlying thing here beyond waht this article is saying if you read it closely.

Not trying to start a Lance thing, Im just trying to see if any of the pieces fit together.

I don't know anything about the tour organizers.

I think Sastre is more complaining that there isn't another strong team (and he isn't on it.) There are four riders on Astana that have been on the podium, so I think that would be enough to explain why they did well in the TTT and are high on the standings.

You can tell that Versus intended to be talking about Sastre often by the fact that they made those videos with him. He just has been under the radar so far. I just think we'll need to wait until the Alps for him to show his cards.

I just googled "Sastre on Armstrong" and there's a couple of recent articles saying that Sastre thinks "Armstrong needs to learn about respect." Interesting.

Indeed


He said two things that struck me.
First:
He said if he won this year, it wouldnt mean anything to him really

Second: He said Astana is bascially taking the race (the show) out of this year. He played it politically correct, but he seemed to me, indicating that the whole Alberto-Armstrong show is what this Tour is about, and if he won, or anybody for that matter, it wouldnt matter, they wouldnt be honored, because the focus is on Alberto and Amstrong.

There is just a lot he seems to be hinting at.
Maybe he is just pissed off. Maybe Im just reading too much into it.

I can see that. The tour this year is pretty much the Astana show, and all the drama between LA and AC make it seem like the whole race is a formality and it's a forgone conclusion that one of them will win, to be decided on Ventoux.

if anything, it seems that prudhomme and the group now running the tour want to put their stamp on the
proceedings. don't think it would matter if the defending champ was merckx, hinault or armstrong. seems
like the mindset is that last year was last year; wearing the number one on your back is recognition enough
for the defending champ. this year is this year; you've got to earn the yellow jersey (all over again). the
organizers seem to have one foot squarely in the old-school camp of tradition (going back to the bonette last year,
investigating the puy de dome m-top finish) and one foot in the change is good camp (no time bonuses, increased
doping controls, "interesting" stages/routes). carlos just got caught in the middle; he wasn't an "accomplished"
(multiple tdf winner) champion and he's not french so complaints were likely to fall on deaf ears. should sastre get
more respect-definitely. will he? not unless he wins or nearly does again.

What happened though? Why was he not allowed to wear the yellow on day 1? Why wasent he in the photo book?

Not to start any Lance thing here, and im not saying this has anything to do with Lance, but I thought I heard that the Tour has a new organization this year (buddies of Lance), and was one of the big reasons Lance came out of retirement to race the Tour.

Also, there was a thing about Lance in the media talking really bad things about Sastre and his win last year. In fact there was an apology he made some days ago.

Do you think Lance and his Tour organising buddies had anything to do with this since Lance apparently doesnt like Sastre?
Lance is known for getting back at people and ruining them.

Also, Sastre seems to be indicating that something is up with Astana being in the Tour, other than them just being a stronger team. Of course he doesnt say anything, just seems like he is hinting at something. He also seems to be "bowing out" gracefully for what seems to be underground politics.

It might sound far fetched of course, but there seems be be some underlying thing here beyond waht this article is saying if you read it closely.

Not trying to start a Lance thing, Im just trying to see if any of the pieces fit together.

I read in Velonews or Cyclingnews that his director asked for Sastre to be able to wear the yellow jersey for stage one. ASO refused saying that they are doing away with that tradition after the last 3 years where they haven't had a returning champion. Sastre had a falling out with Riis, did he have a falling out with ASO too and their statement is just an excuse? We'll see next year if the returning champion is wearing yellow on the 1st day.

See, now for this stuff I would agree with you, that he should certainly be treated better by the organization as the defending champion. I'll still disagree with how much coverage he deserves on versus though...

Well Sastre won the year Astana wasn't invited, so Contador wasn't able to defend his championship. I think it's clear, Sastre would of never won with Contador around. This is why I don' think Sastre is a true champion, because he didn't beat the best.

Well Sastre won the year Astana wasn't invited, so Contador wasn't able to defend his championship. I think it's clear, Sastre would of never won with Contador around. This is why I don' think Sastre is a true champion, because he didn't beat the best.

If they decide to do away with that tradition it's one thing... but if they didn't let him wear it because they didn't think he would have won last year if AC had been there, then that's just silly. (not that it's necessarily silly the idea that he wouldn't have one last year, just the idea to decide when to uphold or not uphold traditions based on what you think should have or would have happened).

If they decide to do away with that tradition it's one thing... but if they didn't let him wear it because they didn't think he would have won last year if AC had been there, then that's just silly. (not that it's necessarily silly the idea that he wouldn't have one last year, just the idea to decide when to uphold or not uphold traditions based on what you think should have or would have happened).

Well I thought Sastre chose not to wear the yellow jersey. I think it's bad form to wear yellow for Sastre considering those circumstances. Also wouldn't wearing yellow put more pressure on Sastre during the first TT. I can't see any benefit for Sastre at least, starting the tour with yellow.

That said, I would of actually liked to see Sastre in yellow on the 1st Stage, it would of been more entertaining. They should force the previous TDF winner to wear yellow on the 1st Stage / ITT.

Well Sastre won the year Astana wasn't invited, so Contador wasn't able to defend his championship. I think it's clear, Sastre would of never won with Contador around. This is why I don' think Sastre is a true champion, because he didn't beat the best.

By this logic, we can dispell some of Lances wins because there really wasnt any competition.
Lets start with the Beloki crash
Ulrich not being there on another year.
And if you are saying he needed to beat the best, we should have had Coppi, Eddy and LeMond in there.

Stupidity.

.

I wonder if having three riders in the Tour who won it the last time they participated is a record.

I wonder if having three riders in the Tour who won it the last time they participated is a record.

Probably. Either way it's certainly telling of the current situation..........:innocent:

By this logic, we can dispell some of Lances wins because there really wasnt any competition.
Lets start with the Beloki crash
Ulrich not being there on another year.
And if you are saying he needed to beat the best, we should have had Coppi, Eddy and LeMond in there.

Stupidity.

.

Amazing that we agree on something...

I think Sastre will win on Ventoux, but probably not enough to recoup his losses from the first week and the TT. I see the real duel on Ventoux being between AC and him.

By this logic, we can dispell some of Lances wins because there really wasnt any competition.
Lets start with the Beloki crash
Ulrich not being there on another year.
And if you are saying he needed to beat the best, we should have had Coppi, Eddy and LeMond in there.

Stupidity.

.

No it just looked like there wasn't any competition because Lance was soooooo good. ;).

I'm pretty sure Lemond tried to comeback like Lance did and failed, kind of like your ridiculous statement above.

I read in Velonews or Cyclingnews that his director asked for Sastre to be able to wear the yellow jersey for stage one. ASO refused saying that they are doing away with that tradition after the last 3 years where they haven't had a returning champion. Sastre had a falling out with Riis, did he have a falling out with ASO too and their statement is just an excuse? We'll see next year if the returning champion is wearing yellow on the 1st day.

Pierro wore the yellow the first day of 07.

I think Sastre will win on Ventoux, but probably not enough to recoup his losses from the first week and the TT. I see the real duel on Ventoux being between AC and him.

With the way this Tour is going, I dont think we are going to have any "mountain stages"
Group rides to Paris with Cavi and a few boys doing a sprint show on the flats.
Its the Lance way! Why come out to race when you can just use a team to "control" the race??
Why should Astana attack? Its up to everybody else to attack right?
Well, according to all the interviews on the rest day, most of the other GC contenders dont want to even bother.

For all the talk of Astana dominating the peloton this year, they're currently 3rd in team classification. Both AG2R and Saxobank are ahead of them.

For all the talk of Astana dominating the peloton this year, they're currently 3rd in team classification. Both AG2R and Saxobank are ahead of them.

Astana is more concerned with keeping their GC contenders in the top ten.

Pierro wore the yellow the first day of 07.

I don't think so. Wasn't the decision of the arbitration panel regarding Floyd still ongoing. I believe that the tour started that year with the prior year's winner still undecided. Of course, ASO hadn't considered Floyd the winner for quite some time.

Pierro wore the yellow the first day of 07.

Here's a link to a photo of him in the prologue, he's in his regular uniform, not in yellow.
http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/photos/2007/tour07/index.php?id=/photos/2007/tour07/tour070/lctm_tdf07s1_072