Old Age and Treachery: Go Lance!
07-08-09, 06:35 PM
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I can see Astana giving LA the yellow jersey early in the mountains, provided he can keep up, just to show support for his cause. After that if they see a chance to put up time against the contenders they tell AC to attack. I agree his age will start to show as the race goes on so if he wants the yellow he's going to have to take it on Friday.
07-08-09, 06:56 PM
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Wow. Lots of predictions here. I will be interesting to revisit this thread in a couple of days to see who was right and who was wrong. Bookmarked!
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07-08-09, 07:57 PM
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I think LA can pull it off fri and sat. he doesn't need to attack. Just cover what the other GCs throw at him. I don't think AC is gonna go all out either, IMO it is more to his advantage to let the other GCs kill themselves and just cover at this point in the game.
as mentioned LA did the ITT early to his disadvantage and 22 sec wasn't terrible. And it isn't like LA ever sucked at climbing
as mentioned LA did the ITT early to his disadvantage and 22 sec wasn't terrible. And it isn't like LA ever sucked at climbing
07-08-09, 08:19 PM
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Just so my position is clear when we revisit the thread, Contador will be wearing Yellow Sunday
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07-08-09, 10:12 PM
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I just thought it would be pretty slick to have the top 5 spots occupied by members of the same team.
07-08-09, 11:47 PM
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LA will earn yellow on Friday, followed by Contador getting the yellow later on the weekend.
07-08-09, 11:59 PM
#33
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I'm taking the easy bet, someone from Astana in yellow. Anyone want to bet against this one?
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07-09-09, 06:15 PM
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Bruynel is a pretty sharp old bird. I'm starting to wonder if the 'Astana conflict' isn't something he manufactured to throw other teams off. If they think they really have to watch 2 GC contenders from Astana it makes it much harder and divides resources.
It would be smart to work for LA in yellow on over the next 3 days. This would take the focus off of Alberto and he could stay close but out of sight and take the yellow later and hold it to Paris.
This way LA (maybe now knowing he can't win) gets to shine for a while, push his cause (himself
) and look like the good guy/ team player at the Tour's end; LA's ego is appeased, Astana gets the win and Bruynel proves he can win with someone else.
That's a pretty good pkg to shop for next season.
Any takers?
It would be smart to work for LA in yellow on over the next 3 days. This would take the focus off of Alberto and he could stay close but out of sight and take the yellow later and hold it to Paris.
This way LA (maybe now knowing he can't win) gets to shine for a while, push his cause (himself
) and look like the good guy/ team player at the Tour's end; LA's ego is appeased, Astana gets the win and Bruynel proves he can win with someone else.That's a pretty good pkg to shop for next season.
Any takers?
Last edited by Bob Dopolina; 07-09-09 at 06:18 PM.
07-09-09, 07:42 PM
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Bruynel is a pretty sharp old bird. I'm starting to wonder if the 'Astana conflict' isn't something he manufactured to throw other teams off. If they think they really have to watch 2 GC contenders from Astana it makes it much harder and divides resources.
It would be smart to work for LA in yellow on over the next 3 days. This would take the focus off of Alberto and he could stay close but out of sight and take the yellow later and hold it to Paris.
This way LA (maybe now knowing he can't win) gets to shine for a while, push his cause (himself) and look like the good guy/ team player at the Tour's end; LA's ego is appeased, Astana gets the win and Bruynel proves he can win with someone else.
That's a pretty good pkg to shop for next season.
Any takers?
It would be smart to work for LA in yellow on over the next 3 days. This would take the focus off of Alberto and he could stay close but out of sight and take the yellow later and hold it to Paris.
This way LA (maybe now knowing he can't win) gets to shine for a while, push his cause (himself
) and look like the good guy/ team player at the Tour's end; LA's ego is appeased, Astana gets the win and Bruynel proves he can win with someone else.That's a pretty good pkg to shop for next season.
Any takers?
So, yes, your suggestion isn't without possibility. However, I imagine Astana are a bit more flexible than to actually try for a Lance led portion before shifting support to Alberto. How it plays will of course have a lot to do with what the other GC contenders try. I can't imagine that guys like Sastre will happily sit in for the next two days when they're already 3:00 down. Time will tell.
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07-09-09, 09:57 PM
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I think it would be great if Bruyneel told his contenders in the last 5 km he's going to let them off the leash and may the best man win. Never happen but would be fun to watch.
07-10-09, 10:32 AM
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Yes you did...but even I could have predicted that AC would be da man today...but I didn't, cuz if I did he woulda got run over by a bus or something, so I keep my mouth shut so I don't get anyone hurt.
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07-10-09, 10:36 AM
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07-10-09, 10:41 AM
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Patencad is already lining up the excuses in another thread. The Fanboys can't help themselves..if LA got the MJ they would say he's better than AC. AC beats LA and LA is the perfect teammate who can't chase down his own teammate....which by the way didn't stop LA from putting guys on the front of that break the other day to distance himself from AC.
07-10-09, 10:49 AM
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Patencad is already lining up the excuses in another thread. The Fanboys can't help themselves..if LA got the MJ they would say he's better than AC. AC beats LA and LA is the perfect teammate who can't chase down his own teammate....which by the way didn't stop LA from putting guys on the front of that break the other day to distance himself from AC.
Didn't Lance say plain as day yesterday that if AC went, he wouldn't chase?
AC is the man...unless he f's it up.
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07-10-09, 10:55 AM
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In all fairness, the two situations were essentially the same...one rider got a gap (by talent/strength or smarts/luck) and the other couldn't really chase because hey, they're on the same team. The Astana guys didn't start working on the front of that break the other day until it was apparent that it was gonna stick and JB gave them the go.
Didn't Lance say plain as day yesterday that if AC went, he wouldn't chase?
Didn't Lance say plain as day yesterday that if AC went, he wouldn't chase?
I agree that in the break Astana could not chase them down to help AC bridge up...but had AC been paying attention he would have made the break and the point would have been moot. Had Lance had the legs he'd have countered Evans. He didn't not because he was setting up AC it was because he couldn't. Big difference there.
07-10-09, 10:58 AM
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07-10-09, 11:03 AM
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I'm just pointing out that there were a number of people on this thread who disagreed. Had it been the other way round I'm sure I'd be getting it right back, and deservedly so. BTW I've been saying that LA couldn't beat AC since the end of stage 1 this isn't some thing I just came to. Having said that I thought LA would lose more time today to AC...Lance is riding much better at this point than I would have guessed.
Last edited by El Diablo Rojo; 07-10-09 at 11:14 AM.
07-10-09, 11:31 AM
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Yes but...and it's a big one...had Lance had the legs to counter Evans today he would have..before AC did..he was seconds away from getting the MJ. My point is that as good as LA is riding, and he is riding very very well, it was obvious on stage 1 that AC is just better than Lance.
I agree that in the break Astana could not chase them down to help AC bridge up...but had AC been paying attention he would have made the break and the point would have been moot. Had Lance had the legs he'd have countered Evans. He didn't not because he was setting up AC it was because he couldn't. Big difference there.
I agree that in the break Astana could not chase them down to help AC bridge up...but had AC been paying attention he would have made the break and the point would have been moot. Had Lance had the legs he'd have countered Evans. He didn't not because he was setting up AC it was because he couldn't. Big difference there.
Not saying that he could have matched AC of course...I don't think he can.
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey