Them's Fightin Words Pal
05-22-09, 05:42 PM
#1
Peloton Shelter Dog
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Them's Fightin Words Pal
“I’ve never seen Leipheimer attack,” Di Luca said on RAI television. “He’s going to have to now if he wants to win this Giro.”
Leipheimer – who finished safely in the pack in Friday’s stage to remain third overall at 40 seconds back – might be ready to surprise the Italians.
The Astana captain said when the time is right, he will be the one charging up the road. And this time he won’t be waiting for anyone else.
“If I feel good enough, I will attack, I promise you that,” Leipheimer said before Friday’s stage. “We have to take it day-by-day. It’s a long, hard race. Tomorrow is a day for Di Luca. I will try not to lose time to him because the stage is tailor-made for Di Luca.”
Leipheimer – who finished safely in the pack in Friday’s stage to remain third overall at 40 seconds back – might be ready to surprise the Italians.
The Astana captain said when the time is right, he will be the one charging up the road. And this time he won’t be waiting for anyone else.
“If I feel good enough, I will attack, I promise you that,” Leipheimer said before Friday’s stage. “We have to take it day-by-day. It’s a long, hard race. Tomorrow is a day for Di Luca. I will try not to lose time to him because the stage is tailor-made for Di Luca.”
05-22-09, 05:44 PM
#2
Peloton Shelter Dog
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First Levi says he'll attack. Then in the next breath he's making excuses for the next day's stage.
You have to admire the media backpedaling and the foresight to access the Bag of Excuses in advance. That's a seasoned pro right there.
You have to admire the media backpedaling and the foresight to access the Bag of Excuses in advance. That's a seasoned pro right there.
05-22-09, 06:13 PM
#3
starting pistol means war
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Levi's the tortoise, to Di Luca's hare
More fun to watch the fidgety rabbit, but in the end beware of turtles
More fun to watch the fidgety rabbit, but in the end beware of turtles
05-22-09, 06:50 PM
#4
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Daniwo DiWuca. Siwwy Wabbit.
05-22-09, 07:11 PM
#5
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^^^ Great, now pcad is doing cartoon character impressions.
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05-22-09, 07:46 PM
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Does anyone remember Leipheimer ever attacking on any stage of a grand tour? Can't think of one. He's one of the most boring riders around in that regard.
05-22-09, 08:02 PM
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I've attacked Levi before. He's as exciting to watch race as it is to watch paint dry. His heart, passion and desire never come through in his pedal strokes....only his brain does.
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05-22-09, 08:04 PM
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.ed rader
05-22-09, 08:19 PM
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i guess i see levi a little differently. i've photographed him near the top of the nastiest climb in the TOC -- sierra road -- each of the four years of the race. and every year he came over the top first, except this year when he already had the race lead and it was pouring......
2006...
2007...
2008....
2009....
ed rader
2006...
2007...
2008....
2009....
ed rader
05-22-09, 08:19 PM
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starting pistol means war
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05-22-09, 08:21 PM
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starting pistol means war
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Levi's attacks are more like long drawn out suffer sessions.
Whoever lasts will win.
Whoever lasts will win.
05-22-09, 08:50 PM
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+1,000,000
05-22-09, 08:53 PM
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i guess i see levi a little differently. i've photographed him near the top of the nastiest climb in the TOC -- sierra road -- each of the four years of the race. and every year he came over the top first, except this year when he already had the race lead and it was pouring......
ed rader
ed rader
05-22-09, 08:59 PM
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I'm going to run the risk of a flame war here, but of all the riders on the pro circuit, Levi is one of the few riders I respect. He's shown weakness in the Grand Tours, he's suffered on the wheels of the best riders, and when all the stars align, he wins big races. To top it off, I can't remember his name being mentioned in any doping scandal.(though I can be corrected)
Riders and wanna-be's have criticized Levi for not attacking, being boring, etc.... Most of these "exciting" riders that are compared to Levi have been at some point been involved, mentioned, or admitted to doping.
As far as I'm concerned, Levi getting dropped, only being able to follow wheels, and riding to his strengths only proves that he's human, clean, and smart to ride his race and not the race others want him to do.
Riders and wanna-be's have criticized Levi for not attacking, being boring, etc.... Most of these "exciting" riders that are compared to Levi have been at some point been involved, mentioned, or admitted to doping.
As far as I'm concerned, Levi getting dropped, only being able to follow wheels, and riding to his strengths only proves that he's human, clean, and smart to ride his race and not the race others want him to do.
05-22-09, 09:16 PM
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Kind of like Bugno's caffeine and Big Mig's little issue.
I think Lance is the only guy to never have had any controversy regarding banned substances.
Lucky I guess.
05-22-09, 09:55 PM
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I'd rather watch Levi than Cadel. He also seems to be a pretty nice guy (not alone, I know, but still)
05-22-09, 11:03 PM
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bottom line is levi carries himself like a champ. i'd love to see him win this race but even if he doesn't i'll still respect the guy
.ed rader
Last edited by erader; 05-22-09 at 11:09 PM.
05-23-09, 03:40 AM
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16:46 CEST
It's steep here at Eaux Bonnes, 7%.
Rabobank continue to lead. They are 48" back. Horner is right at the back of the group.
16:47 CEST
Menchov has blown a gasket.
Sastre attacks! Impressive acceleration..
16:47 CEST
16:48 CEST 207.3km/11.2km to go
Rasmussen has no team-mates left...Popovych leads from Contador, with Rasmussen on his wheel..
They are 36" behind Sastre. Mayo got back up to him.
16:49 CEST
Soler is about to be caught...great effort today. Will it be enough?
Zubeldia has been dropped. Boogerd also went a while back.
Leipheimer attacked first
16:49 CEST
Soler is caught. Popovych is driving this bunch.
16:50 CEST
Schleck hangs on at the back, last wheel. Pereiro and Valverde are there, Evans, Soler, Leipheimer, Rasmussen, Contador and Popovych.
16:51 CEST
Sastre and Mayo are just 22" ahead now. Mayo is out of the saddle, Sastre is in his. They have 10 kilometres to go.
Schleck, Pereiro and Valverde have been dropped!
16:52 CEST
Schleck leads the other two. Popovych still leads up front.
16:52 CEST
Five left; three Discovery riders, Rasmussen and Evans. Soler has also been dropped.
16:52 CEST
Sastre and Mayo have been caught...
Leipheimer attacks...
16:53 CEST
Rasmussen goes after him. He's very isolated now. Ah, Popovych is gone. So it's four up front.
16:53 CEST
Sastre and Mayo have both been dropped, so there are four up front. Leipheimer leads.
16:54 CEST
Brave effort by Sastre today. Evans is at the back of this group for now. He's out of the saddle, as are Contador and Leipheimer.
16:55 CEST
These are the first four riders in the general classification.
16:55 CEST
Leipheimer is setting a steady pace at the front; surely this suits Rasmussen, given that it's what he had his team-mates doing until they cracked?
16:56 CEST
Now he goes...Rasmussen covers it, so the four are still together heading into a tunnel.
16:56 CEST
Contador has gone! And Rasmussen can't respond...
16:57 CEST
He attacked just when they were coming out of the tunnel.
However, instead of trying to go with him, Rasmussen just ups his pace gradually and brings him back.
16:57 CEST
The four are still together...they all look stuffed. Nobody has any real zip at this point. Rasmussen leads, with Contador and Evans on his wheel.
16:58 CEST
Leipheimer has attacked! He gets a gap. Rasmussen brings him back again. Evans is at the back.
It's steep here at Eaux Bonnes, 7%.
Rabobank continue to lead. They are 48" back. Horner is right at the back of the group.
16:47 CEST
Menchov has blown a gasket.
Sastre attacks! Impressive acceleration..
16:47 CEST
16:48 CEST 207.3km/11.2km to go
Rasmussen has no team-mates left...Popovych leads from Contador, with Rasmussen on his wheel..
They are 36" behind Sastre. Mayo got back up to him.
16:49 CEST
Soler is about to be caught...great effort today. Will it be enough?
Zubeldia has been dropped. Boogerd also went a while back.
Leipheimer attacked first
16:49 CEST
Soler is caught. Popovych is driving this bunch.
16:50 CEST
Schleck hangs on at the back, last wheel. Pereiro and Valverde are there, Evans, Soler, Leipheimer, Rasmussen, Contador and Popovych.
16:51 CEST
Sastre and Mayo are just 22" ahead now. Mayo is out of the saddle, Sastre is in his. They have 10 kilometres to go.
Schleck, Pereiro and Valverde have been dropped!
16:52 CEST
Schleck leads the other two. Popovych still leads up front.
16:52 CEST
Five left; three Discovery riders, Rasmussen and Evans. Soler has also been dropped.
16:52 CEST
Sastre and Mayo have been caught...
Leipheimer attacks...
16:53 CEST
Rasmussen goes after him. He's very isolated now. Ah, Popovych is gone. So it's four up front.
16:53 CEST
Sastre and Mayo have both been dropped, so there are four up front. Leipheimer leads.
16:54 CEST
Brave effort by Sastre today. Evans is at the back of this group for now. He's out of the saddle, as are Contador and Leipheimer.
16:55 CEST
These are the first four riders in the general classification.
16:55 CEST
Leipheimer is setting a steady pace at the front; surely this suits Rasmussen, given that it's what he had his team-mates doing until they cracked?
16:56 CEST
Now he goes...Rasmussen covers it, so the four are still together heading into a tunnel.
16:56 CEST
Contador has gone! And Rasmussen can't respond...
16:57 CEST
He attacked just when they were coming out of the tunnel.
However, instead of trying to go with him, Rasmussen just ups his pace gradually and brings him back.
16:57 CEST
The four are still together...they all look stuffed. Nobody has any real zip at this point. Rasmussen leads, with Contador and Evans on his wheel.
16:58 CEST
Leipheimer has attacked! He gets a gap. Rasmussen brings him back again. Evans is at the back.
05-23-09, 06:31 AM
#20
starting pistol means war
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Levi has attacked numerous times.
Never with the explosiveness of the one-day type riders though.
It's like he's attacking in mud.
Boring too watch, but effective over the long haul.
Never with the explosiveness of the one-day type riders though.
It's like he's attacking in mud.
Boring too watch, but effective over the long haul.
05-23-09, 11:13 AM
#22
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I think what a lot of people would like to see from Levi before he wins them over completely is a 100% balls-to-the-wall-do-or-die attack on a crucial grand tour stage. Like Di Luca this year, Sastre last year at the TdF and like all the great ones--as someone mentioned even from a very measured rider such as Big Mig. Preferably to a stage win, but even if he got brought back it would say a lot about Levi--getting out of the saddle and having a bit of a dig occasionally with the group he's with doesn't really count IMHO.
05-23-09, 11:31 AM
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05-23-09, 12:16 PM
#25
shedding fat
Unless some major catastrophe happens to Menchov and DiLuca, I can't possibly see him win the Giro. Tour is out of the question for him given the competition for it in his own team, much less including the rest. Very good podium finisher? No question about it. Top podium spot contender? Not really. And yes, I personally like the guy.
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Arguing with ignorant people is an exercise in futility. They will bring you down to their level and once there they will beat you with their overwhelming experience.
Arguing with ignorant people is an exercise in futility. They will bring you down to their level and once there they will beat you with their overwhelming experience.
Last edited by dgasmd; 05-24-09 at 04:59 AM.