canam73

I don't care how it was reported.

RS won the team comp by 9+ minutes, Leipheimer missed the top 10 by less than 20 seconds. I think if Armstrong had felt like helping his 'friend' they could have worked it out.

Shimagnolo

Investigative article confirming this: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor....html?page=all

Old Town

Good question, but there is no chance. Lance has to do time trials alone. His times are superior during trials. He has to dope to keep pace. If you finish last on any leg of the Tour de France your chances of winning are over. There are several time trials in that race.

Another aspect is that humans in a group setting do not trust others who are not included in their particular crime or illegal act. Lance would not get any support from within the group if he was clean. Nobody could trust him. Just like the Mob or any other criminal group.

daveF

Levi missed the top ten by 2:38, not less than 20.
[TABLE]
Final general classification[TR]
[TD="class: count"]1[/TD]
[TD]Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Astana[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]91:58:48[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="class: count"]2[/TD]
[TD]Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:00:39[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: count"]3[/TD]
[TD]Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:02:01[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="class: count"]4[/TD]
[TD]Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:03:40[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: count"]5[/TD]
[TD]Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:06:54[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="class: count"]6[/TD]
[TD]Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:09:31[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: count"]7[/TD]
[TD]Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Transitions[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:10:15[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="class: count"]8[/TD]
[TD]Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:11:37[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: count"]9[/TD]
[TD]Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas-Doimo[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:11:54[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt"]
[TD="class: count"]10[/TD]
[TD]Christopher Horner (USA) Team Radioshack[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:12:02[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: temp_hide"]
[TD="class: count"]11[/TD]
[TD]Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:14:21[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt temp_hide"]
[TD="class: count"]12[/TD]
[TD]Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:14:29[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: temp_hide"]
[TD="class: count"]13[/TD]
[TD]Levi Leipheimer (USA) Team Radioshack[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:14:40[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: alt temp_hide"]
[TD="class: count"]14[/TD]
[TD]Andreas Klöden (Ger) Team Radioshack[/TD]
[TD="class: result_column"]0:16:36[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

canam73

Correct at the time, incorrect as it stands now. Contador is out.

But it doesn't matter, when LA sat up and started resting he had no way of knowing where things would finish. He did know he had better placed riders who had often worked for him.

daveF

And, they would have not known that Contador would be banned, so 20 seconds would be irrelevant & they would have been looking at 2:38 to beat their own teammate Horner. Unless, Ferrari could provide them with a crystal ball as well as EPO?

canam73

Ah, no crystal ball, correct.

That's why when Levi was still in 6th place Armstrong should have been riding to support him instead of resting for his stage 16 attempt. Horner didn't pass Levi until stage 17.

Howard

The link (found floating around on the interwebs) has a chart that illustrates the relationships among the major players in all this. Including Livestrong, Mellow Johnnies aviation (which leased an airplane to Livestrong), Amgen (maker of EPO and sponsor of Livestrong) etc.
If the chart is accurate, there's a lot going on over there.

https://cyclismas.com/2012/06/lance-a...chart-graphic/

Keith99

Really? A team strategy to win the team competition is something limited to teams that have no chance at a real

Possibly a decision half way through the race to try to save some face. And it seems if so it worked.

Try to name the winner of the team championship from more than 10 years ago. I can name 2. But even giving enough to iidentifythe race I'm betting a lot of people getthe team worng.

Merckx 1969. Since his team won everything that year. Hinault vrs. Lemond Same team and while they finished 1and 2 the team also picked up 4,7,12 I think. (4 I'm sure of).

I can get the teams. I can promise they never thought about the team championship. (Got to see if I can find how mch it paid since I know 4th was 70,000 French Francs).

dahoss2002

Yea, I thought it was so funny when Levi was closest at that point and they interviewed him and he said, "Now Lance will ride for me." How did that work out for ya Levi lol. no different than Lance's "I'll hold my tongue" comments from the previous year when Contador showed him he didnt need his "HELP"

canam73

Agreed. The whole Bruyneel & Armstrong vs. Contador while they were all on the same team would have been my next example of LA not having a lot of class.

daveF

They had plenty of coverage because it was Radioshack. So the strategy worked to a certain degree. And, I don't think they had a chance to do much otherwise. What would a fifth or sixth place do?