Prediction
 

I just got an e-mail from the Lance Armstrong Foundation
(LAF) about next years Ride for the Roses.
Instead of being held in the spring as it has been for
the last 6 years (or whatever) it will be held in Oct.
The reason was to better accomodate Lance's training,
and let us get a whole summer in before doing the ride.
OK, now for the prediction:
2003 USPS team will ride the Giro d'Italia
any takers?

Marty

Your question should be will Lance ride the 2003 Giro?

Personally, no. The race is a bit harder, more hard fought and as we saw much more control is taken by the organization. A risk the team cannot take.

After the last few years, I'm surprised they can get anyone to ride the Giro. Maybe the Spaniards (apart from Kelme) were on to something.

But seriously, I'm guessing "no," because I doubt they don't have sufficient sponsorship dinero for two grand tours, and the squad just isn't deep enough. Many of the same riders would have to do both tours, which would put their performance in the TdF at risk. The TdF gives the most sponsorship bang, so I don't think they'd want to risk blowing that. Especially given the scandal potential (sponsors hate that!) that the Giro seems to regularly offer.

It might happen someday, tho'. Maybe after Lance gets his 6th TdF?

Ok, I can buy that but what do you think
Lance will be training for?
Spring Classics, I don't think so.
Tour of Switzerland? possible.
will his training be that much more different
going for 5th TdF (assuming he wins this year)?
Not sure.
anyhow I thought it was interesting.

Marty

Keep in mind that USPS already rides the TdF & the Vuelta, giving them two grand tours per year.

I doubt that they would be interested in the Giro since they have increased their committment to the spring classics during the past couple of years while still peaking for the TdF. Riding the Giro competitively would almost certainly require a lesser effort in the spring.

I suspect the reason they changed the date is because it interferes with the spring classics, primarily Leige-Baston-Leige and Fleche Wallone, which Lance would like to win and are good races for him. My understanding is that he was a bit worn out from the travel back to the US this year to be 100% for these races. Given that he rode the classics this year and would probably like to add wins to his palmares, I'd guess he decided to move the date of the US ride.

If Lance pulls off this tour de france, then I think it will be time for him to move on to another endeavor. Yes, I think it's time he goes for a Giro win;)

I really doubt the Posties will do the Giro, and LA already does the Tour de Suisse. My guess is that they probably decided moving the R4R to October will just better suit Armstrong's schedule- he probably wants to do more spring classics and has found that trying to make it back to Texas in time for the Ride is just too much of an ordeal. They'll probably doe it in October from now on since by then his season is pretty much over.

It could just be that the long flights, associated jet lag both ways, and the blown training schedule over the entire period, are too expensive in terms of conditioning at a critical point in his training schedule. :confused: