It's official, Lance to Astana
by Bruce Suomi on Sep 24, 2008 10:59 AM EDT
Email
PrintLance Armstrong will announce today that his professional cycling comeback will be as a member of the Astana team headed by former U.S. Postal/Discovery team director Johan Bruyneel.
The team's first race will be the Tour Down Under in Australia January 20-25, according to email messages sent by Armstrong to several supporters Tuesday night that were shown to USA TODAY.
Continue reading the full story here.
[ED: USA Today? Oh, the shame...]
LIVE Stream up now at CNN.
Check cyclingfans.com for alternatives, too!
325 comments
|
4 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Do you ever sleep, Bruce?
Not a surprise, but nice to have confirmation and end all the speculation. This is cool, too:
In addition Lance will be announcing the creation of an under 23 team sponsored by Trek that will include young cycling star Taylor Phinney.
Bruce would be sleeping at his desk...
Bruce, you Eastern European Time Zone? I forget where the line is.
Dang, Bruce!
Nobody’s even awake over here.
So, it’s pseudo-official…and he’s picking up Taylor Phinney.
Let the prognostication begin!
i'm awake at that time... of course, i wasn't on the pdc site
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
actually, i was setting up dvrs to burn
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Sep 24, 2008 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Last I heard...
no-one had a gun to Taylor’s head.
Lance isn’t cruising gradeschools with candy.
Presumably Taylor & family think the money, training and PR are worth it.
If you want to volunteer to slap sense into Taylor… that’s different. I’ll vouch for your temporary insanity on the basis of extreme emotional turmoil [wink].
Well it is a contest actually
Past vs. Future
Should have stuck wth Obi-Wan……………
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
I have to disagree here.
Definitely until this day the future in American pro cycling was Garmin and Columbia. JB’s cycling academy was/is not at the same level.
But today with the announcement of both an U-23 team and signing young Phinney, the pendulum swings the other way by definition. I mean the team that has the brightest young star has a big claim on where the future of American cycling is. Garmin’s star dims just a bit. At the very least, the “future” is now very contested with three teams looking to develop young American talent- if this new U-23 team fleshes out fully.
At the end of the day
the development of American talent is what’s important. The more kids riding against European competition the better.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
3 top teams for a continent this size...
Or 4 if we count Rock Racing, or 4.5 if we count 1/2 for the Mexican-sponsored Beef boys (?)…should actually be sustainable. And also potentially allow a within-US geographic rivalry, which is darn-near essential to make this last past the NLE (New Lance Era). It’s a misconception that if we can’t support one team, we can’t support many. We need RR to spit on Garmin’s shoes, and “AstanaMorph” (whatever the NLE Astana is going to be called, and wherever it will be based) to bait Columbia.
And this is what LA's project is aimed at?
This idea was hastily put together by a well known egomaniac suffering from a bad case of post-career jitters and a dodgy past. Do you want to build the future on that?
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Phinney
just joined the Cobra Kai school of cycling instead of staying with Mr. Miyagi. From the outside not knowing the facts and details it does not seem like a good choice.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions
me 2
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions
"Ok Jonathan, I can see the good it does in karate
but how the heck will I be a better cyclist from painting your fence. I’m sick of it."
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
"Put him in a body bag Taylor. Yeaaaaaaaaaah!"
Team No Mercy. Can’t wait for the jerseys.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
I think he has to go
And Levi too. That leaves Lance with two excellent domestiques in Chechu and Klodi and a couple open spots for a few more of Lance’s guys. Plus, Astana has won two Grand Tours this year, so alot of their lesser riders know what to expect.
Based on that, I don’t think Astana has that much work to do to support Lance.
As for Levi and Bert, who knows. I can see QS taking a flyer on Levi. It’s the type of program where he can literally not show up (outside of Cali) for the first half of the season and the team could care less. It also immediately brings them American exposure, which Lefevre admitted was important in his attempt to get Lance. With Boonen back in the Tour next year, there is the obvious conflicts on whether to support a GC or sprinter, but Levi has done pretty well riding as second fiddle for a couple years now, so this should not be a deal breaker.
Where bert goes is beyond me. I would have to think Euski or Caisse, but with the marquee power he brings, I could also see a smaller team making a huge play for him and basically handing him the keys to the castle. His name alone must attract sponsor dollars.
Euskis have that kind of cash? Not. And he's not Basque.
They bend the “basque” rule for those with a strong connection to the region, but unless he’s got a Basque sweetheart, I doubt Bert would qualify. Madrid’s about as un-Basque as it gets. CdE, maybe. No idea who still has that kind of cash this late in the silly season.
Bert is certainly making “”http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jxYhBN_gqYrT_6T9-TGlzjPmEGgAD93CKG480" target="new">available" noises. Does that mean “please ask me out, CdE (e.g.),” or “give me more money, Astana”?
sigh...the one time I don't hit "preview"...
here. and that read “available” noises.
Oh, I get it….the would-be link target was already in quotes, which confuses the link generator.
Good point on the Basque
But i still think they would bend the rules and find the cash for someone with Bert’s profile. I think most team’s could find the cash for Bert if they have to. You have an extremely young rider with a ridiculous resume. Maybe I’m over-estimating his worth to sponsors, but you can pretty much guarantee he is going to put on a spectacle at the biggest race of the year for the next 5-8 years.
I agree that he probably goes.
And if I were him I’d be hopping mad quite frankly. I mean, how long is Lance going to be around? A couple of seasons? Whereas Contador has many seasons ahead of him and could end up with a frightening number of grand tour titles under his belt if he keeps going on this way. I take the point with all the Bruyneel-Lance connection stuff but I really do think it’s all incredibly short sighted. He’s built a team around Bert and then, bam, Lance pushes him out. If he does go elsewhere how jealous might Johan be as he contunues to rack up the big wins?
I think Caisse is most likely. If he goes there it would also have the added bonus of taking the pressure off AV in the big tours, which lets face it, he is not really a rider for. They would be a fine double act elsewhere (plus they’re good mates apparently..). I’m not sure Euskaltel would bend their rules even for Bert; they’re pretty proud of their local-ness and their Basque philosophy runs very deep. Samu is the only person they’ve ever bent the rules for and he was nurtured in Basque local teams for years by Madariaga himself.
si....
I doubt Euskatel has the cash to buy out Contador. They already shrank their roster – I believe it was the beginning of this season.
Caisse and Katyusha have been mentioned most often. Today’s spanish press says that Contador is listenning to Armstrong’ splans with “close attention” ;-)
Sam Sanchez isn't basque either, so it's not really a rule
Though he has been with some incarnation of the team since he was a junior I believe.
If I just had one more gear, I...
That is the loophole for Sanchez
He raced for 3 years for an amateur Basque team.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, that's what I said above ;-)
Madariaga encouraged him to come and race in the Basque Country as a junior due to the quality of grass routes cycling there and then used the three year loophole to sign him.
grass routes? Slippery?
just kidding!!!! :)
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions
With Sammy
If you’d said “screaming grass descent routes” then I totally would have believed you.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, I'm sure he'd find those a lot of fun!
There isn’t much flat land in those parts so I’m sure such routes could be found ;-)
Interesting aside in that article:
Contador said he got no help in his Vuelta victory from American teammate Levi Leipheimer, who finished 46 seconds behind the 25-year-old Spanish rider.
“It’s not normal that someone working for you finishes less than a minute off in the general standings,” Contador said. “If (the next-to-last stage time trial) had been 20 kilometers more who knows what would have happened.”
That doesn’t sound too harmonious.
That's four mentions of that article now and counting :)
It’s been discussed to a certain extent here …
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
the old song works too
“Allez allez allez” as in “go go go” as in “leave leave leave”
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
I hope he goes...
Nothing against Bert, but I just want to see Lance race. Internal team conflict is soooooo tedious.
bert has time, he's young..
…but levi doesn’t, he’s old. if bert decides to stick it out, he still have plenty of years to win but levi must go if he wants to win w/o the bs.
Save The Legs!!!
Is there still a chance that Astana
changes name?
Armstana?
Livestrong ?
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 10:38 AM EDT reply actions
I lurves me some schadenfreude
so I’d love to see The Accountant in CdE kit beating old Tex in whatever GT Astana can bribe an invite to.
It would be the first time I’ll have pulled for Contador in his career.
I just don’t see the wisdom in risking to lose the pink/yellow/gold jersey winner in his last 3 GTs for a risky comeback. Yes I think that Armstrong deserves a chance and a ride if he can return to fitness, but why on the Goddess’ green earth would you risk the most successful stage racer of the current day for the most successful stage racer of the previous generation?
Sponsor money I guess.
Brooklyn Chewing Gum: Vlaanderens Mooiste
Good questions.
It would be great if we could hear someday the answers to them. What’s going on behind the scenes and all.
yes to this:
I’d love to see The Accountant in CdE kit beating old Tex in whatever GT Astana can bribe an invite to.
It would be the first time I’ll have pulled for Contador in his career.
I think that's the answer
Trek can’t sell many Madones to American dentists off of Bert’s foreignness or Levi’s charisma.
Here's a thought.
Bert stays, get’s leadership for the Giro and Vuelta, and skips the Tour. Johan will convince him that his place in history will be cemented by these other GT victories. Once Lance is gone, Alberto can go on to X number of TDF wins. It is only Hinault who has won all GTs two times (5 Tours, 3 Giro, 2 Vuelta). Sure it’s a tough sell, but JB will do everything in his power to make sure The Accountant stays put.
"It's ok Jan
So you missed the victory now in 1998 but you’ll win next year and next…… Who’s going to threaten you?"
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Exactly
Contador should remember what Hinault said to Lance after he let Pantani win on Ventoux – “no gifts”
Hey Alberto – no gifts.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
works for me
Whether it will work for Bert is another story. I’ve said all along I think it would be a bad idea for Contador to leave in a huff (or a minute and a huff)—he’s got a strong team and, in Bruyneel, one of the great tacticians of cycling. And at only 25, there’s a chance he could still learn something from Armstrong.
There’s also the little matter of whether Lance will be able to get back into good enough shape to lead Astana in the Tour. I would find it really funny if Bert stalks off to another team and Lance ends up as Levi’s super-domestique and supports him to victory instead.
i think
you are right. Contador will wait one more year and focus again in Giro and Vuelta.
by semprenaroda on Sep 24, 2008 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Then he's dumber than he looked in the Kasakh traditional outfit.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
agreed
That’s a long time to wait for a second Tour win. I can’t believe he does that, but money makes for strange bedfellows, and decisions.
i'm confused...
which year? hasn’t he already said that next year his focus next year will be the Tour, and the Giro and Vuelta can wait?
Yes.
He said in the as.com interview that next year’s objective is the Tour. My comment was directed toward the idea that he might step aside in favor of Armstrong and skip the Tour. I don’t see that happening. I think he would be stupid to do that.
ok, if he stupid or not i don't know
but what is the problem if he focus again in Vuelta and Giro. I think is a very cool objective. It’s a shame that when a rider came to the top, focus in every, every same race, Le Tour.
by semprenaroda on Sep 24, 2008 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Lance set the standard
I would be shocked if The Accountant’s dream ISN’T to win eight grandes boucles. No time to mess around with the others.
-Greg
Could be a cool objective...
…but he did say in the Marca interview that he wants the Tour. He also said he only wants to focus on one grand tour per year from now on, if I remember right.
by plinytheelder on Sep 24, 2008 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, do the giro/vuelta double again before the vuelta's moved back to april
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
I'm on the fence still. Can't decide if I'm happy he's coming back
or not. I think its all weird. Why is he really doing this? That’s what I want to know and probably never will. The speculation is endless. If he wins and proves he is not doping that will be a big win for him and I do think he wants to get into politics as a candidate. But it is possible to prove the not doping without a shadow of doubt?
Scott American Beef
they lost two liders this year and now don’t have any GC, they have some liberty cash presume. Maybe Levi change to here, the brightness of his bald would be nice with the yellow shirt of this team.
Excellent point
that’s what you call irreconcilable differences. Like any PETA person Odessa would chain herself to Levi’s bike before letting him advertise a beef processing operation. Frankly, I’d be fine with the UCI requiring Am Beef to include a severed cow leg somewhere in their logo.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
no chance they can afford Contador, is there?
That would work, in an odd sort of way. Well, except i can’t remember who else they’ve picked up recently. I’m not veg, and I still have a hard time with the mexican beef bit, to the point of a mental block.
Right up there with “chinese milk and pet food.”
(That, and I wasn’t wild about the team before the sponsor change, either.)
I’m fairly sure I’m merely airing a prejudice, and abattoirs are disgusting on either side of the border. But that’s my gut reaction, and I’m sharing it. Still, with appropriate doping controls, and an added contador, they could be…kinda cool.
"Are you proposing to slaughter our tenants?"
“Uh no . . . well, yes. You see, I mainly work on slaughter-houses”
"Did you say knives?"
“Rotating knives, yes.”
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
And pick me up some nice ribeyes while you're there...
… unless its a pig slaughterhouse, in which case a shoulder roast for Carnitas please.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Mmmmmmmmmm
Carnitassssssssssssssssssssssssss
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
And the nice thing is that I can't cook it in any quantity less than 6 lbs at a time...
… so, oh yes, there will be Carnitas at the ToC… cause I need all you raving hooligans to help me eat all of it! Carnitas, white onions, cilantro and corn tortillas with maaaaaybe some salsa… oh god it’s a good thing.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Can we have it for breakfast and dinner?
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
Dude... Carnitas are great in tacos...
but taken out of the tupper ware from the fridge the next morning, formed into little sausage-patty-sized patties and fried, then served with eggs and hot sauce; it’s almost like that was the way god intended you to eat it.
If you’ve never had pork that was braised in it’s own fat for six hours, left to cool overnight, then fried using it’s own fat… seriously… this is the King of Foods. I know that in the abstract that sounds gross, but it really isn’t… it’s the most mouth wateringly, tastebud tinglingly, unctuous, heart stopping, gut bomb of a breakfast that you could possibly hope to conceive of. And since my recipe starts with a six pound minimum, spread across most likely the <=10 of us that will be in Solvang at any particular moment… well, you do the math. It is, of course, the perfect time to drink Dos Equis for breakfast as well.
Stay thirsty my friend.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
I think you might be underestimating how much Drew can eat.
Unless your math was implying there would be no left overs for breakfast…
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
i don't know... my maple glazed slow baked baby backs might give you a run for your money
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Depends...
… how good are they for breakfast? I mean they are maple glazed… can they be shredded from the bone and wrapped in a pancake?
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
"shredded from the bone"?
boy, the bones come out clean as a whistle after these babies have been in the oven for 12 hours…
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
geez, gotta spell everything out for ya... eh?
yes, good for breakfast
yes, it’s “shreddable” if you must wrap it in a pancake
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
I like breakfast
it’s my favorite meal of the morning.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
One of the many he has in the morning too I am sure.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
He's a growing boy...
Hell, I’M eating nearly seven times a day now too…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
I'm at 5 but those 5 or your 7 combined
probably are like 1/2 of one of Drew’s.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I feed more like a shark.....
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
Well...
… the fact that you feed rather than eat is a pretty clear indicator.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Yeah, that's real fine expensive gear you brought out here, Mr. Hooper.
Course I don’t know what that bastard shark’s gonna do with it, might eat it I suppose. Seen one eat a rockin’ chair one time.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
I have, in Seattle, when someone needed a REALLY fresh liver for lab.
With chickens, it is more surreal than nightmarish… amazing how fast the process is. Suspect cows are a lot worse.
Hilarious
If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when are you going to have time to do it again?
by CannonDowell on Sep 24, 2008 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions
can definitely see levi there..
..reminds me of when he joined astana…leaving for a team that just had a bad doping scandal, being successful to a point and then a big shot comes back (ricco? not) to replace him.
Save The Legs!!!
They have Cobo!
He should have won the Tour… The hero!
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
But will the get a Tour invite?
I don’t think they will, and I can’t see Levi going to a team without a Tour invite
by PopUp Rolen on Sep 24, 2008 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Verbruggen finally out of the UCI
per Feltet. This is great news although the story ties Hein’s departure to the Verbruggen/Armstrong Tour purchase rumour\.
Anyone got the viddy link for the press conference?
should be up soon, shouldn’t it? 12.00 noon eastern.
This is the link I have up
but no live link on that page has been provided as they said it would
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/health_cast/hcast_index.cfm?display=detail&hc=3003
I don't understand why
people without the appropriate bandwith (or whatever) try to host stuff that they’re not technologically capable of hosting.
I am convinced now that
any live cycling related event via live streaming = doomed
Hey CrashDan
As a Lance Disco / Postal fan boy …… do I really have to buy that nasty Astana kit?
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 12:14 PM EDT reply actions
Unfortunately...
You will need it to maintain the complete collection. Feel free to never take it out of the shrink wrap though, and for chrissakes never actually wear it.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Yeah, that's one place us Postal-Disco fans got shortchanged...
the only worse color than the Astana flag would be bright pink. At least Postal and Disco made some decent looking jerseys.
Good thing CyclingChallenge isn't a Vinokourov fan...
He’d have had to buy both Astana AND T-mob. blech
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Lance on Contador
“there is room for all of us”
“Bert is the best rider at world right now”
Hopes it works out
Encourages he stays
wants to race with him
might ride giro
doping
not only cycling, all sports
cycling does more than any other sports, logically since the past
That's the only mention so far on this post of Don Catlin...
Who will, apparently, be filling the Rasmus Daamsgaard position at Astana next year.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
"I'm not going to insinuate how dirty the others are"
That’s rich.
by Susie Hartigan on Sep 24, 2008 12:41 PM EDT reply actions
+1
heard that on NPR about crashed the truck in a irrigation ditch… after blowing water out my nose on the windshield. Never I repeat never drink and drive you might snort…..
by Christopher See on Sep 24, 2008 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I was going through a tunnel. Not safe to swerve.
Actually, it was a pretty good set of answers, the parts they played. Much less type A than when he’s in full competition mode. I lot of “I know myself, and know better than to promise a TdF win after being out for 3 years.”
I'd need to hear the statement in context
:-)
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
http://cyclingfans.com/ has a different working stream too.
french now
can he go to tour?
Their event, so their choose.
Howewer he won 7, he cant force him there.
Prudhomme said he is welcome
i think not
was a model, singer and now wife
by semprenaroda on Sep 24, 2008 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions
That surprises me, she speaks unaccented French…ah I read in Wiki article that she has been in France and Switzerland since age 5.
by plinytheelder on Sep 24, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
she has a "daddy and son" thing (history of...)
Anyone but me visualizing… nah. Not going to say it.
That's a nice leg.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
which leg is nice?
Carla Bruni’s or the “severed cow leg” from the PETA comments further up ?
I'll have to go with Carla's
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
For the sake of my peace of mind
I’m going to assume that the leg we can’t see is horribly disfigured. Otherwise I might be overcome by bad feelings towards Sarko.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
health care reform is essential says LA
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 12:52 PM EDT reply actions
woohoo!
What about the bailout?
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Odd (seeming) lack of control . . .
on the selection of questions. I would have expected Lance’s PR people to have a tighter grip on that…
we need gavia or bruce asking the questions !!!
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 12:52 PM EDT reply actions
LA: “couldn’t imagine racing without Johan”
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 12:54 PM EDT reply actions
Thanks for the updates
Sorry to hear about the school-thing in Finland. They say everything that happens in the US reaches us atfer 10-15 years. It would be nice if these kinds of things didn’t.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Unfortunately
it seems these things are reaching other places faster and faster. A real shame.
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."
very sad to hear about this...
the Finland radio reporter i listened to sounded both shocked and mournful. i just never think of Scandinavian countries as places where this kind of thing would happen…
none of us here did either.
added that the last school shooting happened less than a year ago, we are very shocked, lost, upset and unsure how to prevent this happening ever again….
No words really, just very very sad and disturbing.
i remember...
reading once Joni Mitchell saying that she wrote an album at a time when she was “hurting for the whole culture” – this is one of those moments…
thanks for the live bloggage kids
If anyone who watched this thingy has time or wants to write up a quick summary post, go for it.
+1
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions
unfortunately, I missed the beginning...
which, I assume, was when he made the actual ‘statement’. I got to the cnn (thanks to Bruce) for questions.
strange
It totally boggles my mind that there are actually people here who think it is a good thing that Phinney has abruptly left Slipstream in the lurch and signed for LA. How the hell can that be a good thing? Like sending a lamb straight into the den of the wolf. Clearly physiological talent does not exactly correlate with brains. And what exactly does purposefully stealing Slipstream’s future have to do with fighting cancer? Oh, that’s right, nothing at all. It is just another way for Lance to undermine the clean teams he hates.
by Lili on Sep 24, 2008 1:27 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Maybe
But you have to allow for the possibility that he’s going into a perfectly good situation for whatever it is he needs. Yes, it’s not good for Slipstream, but as was pointed out above, what matters is that young American potential stars get the growth experience that suits them best. I have no clue what Taylor needs, but I imagine it’s not an easy thing to see from a distance. Plus, surely his parents are advising him very, very well. I doubt it’s simply a money-exploitation thing.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
ha
his parents are advising him well?? you cannot be serious. you are saying that you think Lance would be a good mentor to a young rider? give me a break.
by Lili on Sep 24, 2008 1:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Saying
his parents know an awful lot about the development of a young cyclist. How can this not be relevant?
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Armstrong-Merckx-Phinney
May the kid got enamored over the history and grandeur of the combined history.
eh...
I think you’d have to look far and wide to find an English-speaking forum – or group of English-speaking cycling fans – where there were no Armstrong fans at all. As much as you can’t stand the man – and I think that’s a fair representation of your views, correct me, if not – he still has plenty of fans.
Count me out of that club.
I’m sorry to see Phinney go to Armstrong’s new U23 team, because I don’t trust the culture that may emerge there. However, I’m not sure I put Slipstream on a high enough pedestal to consider that alone a proof against doping. Certainly, the culture is strong against it, at least in the team’s public statements. Ultimately, though, wherever Phinny chooses to ride, it is on him alone to decide what course he will chart through the sport and to withstand the inevitable temptations to take shortcuts – that is, to cheat himself and his opponents – that may come his way. Every athlete must do this. I think it’s too soon to consider this team decision a sign that he has made his choice, a choice for the worst. I worry, however, that if he wants to race clean, he may just have made that course more difficult to follow. Time will tell.
Bruyneel's dilemma
What’s a DS to do? There’s no way he can say no to Lance. No way. But at the same time he’s got to be desperate to hang onto Contador. Talk about being boxed in.
"If writing too much about the Classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."
by Chris Fontecchio on Sep 24, 2008 1:28 PM EDT reply actions
cnn interview before press conference
Here is an interview with Lance Wednesday am.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2008/09/24/am.armstrong.interview.cnn?iref=videosearch
I don't read that Astana press release as definite
on the issue of whether Contador will stay with Astana. Of course, the team hopes he will stay, and the press release makes it sound like it will be one big, happy family at Astana, but I’m not convinced. I’m guessing Leipheimer will stay with Astana, but not Contador.
Leipheimer, for whatever reasons, has had his best grand tour results while (a) riding for Bruyneel, and (b) playing second fiddle on the team. Why mess with success?
Contador, on the other hand, could go to almost any other team and be the undisputed grand tour leader, the rider around whom all the team’s grand tour efforts are focused. He’s already missed one Tour de France, and he’s expressed dissatisfaction with having Leipheimer going for his own glory at the Vuelta rather than focusing solely on helping Contador win. It doesn’t seem like Alberto would be too thrilled to be on a team on which Armstrong is the center of attention, especially at the Tour de France.
by Susie Hartigan on Sep 24, 2008 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
This:
Of course, my objectives for the 2009 season are clear. With Lance and the Team Directors we will soon have to talk about it."
is suggestive. and these guys both still have contracts and both are good at putting the spin on things and Bruyneel has to play this one strategically – i’ll wait and see…
true, the media spin JB uses is not new,
but as much as I’d like both Levi and Contador to change teams, I don’t see that happening.
1. Both have had their best results with JB
2. Astana is atm the best stage race team, only CSC can match them and Riis would never jeopardise the wonder brothers with a new GC guy, since they let Carlos go.
3. Lance himself wants to have Contador and Levi by his side, not to ride against them
A spanish team must be might tempted to lure AC away
and they can put together as good supportriders as Astana (without the intrigues). The big minus is the tactics/strategy by JB which he can’t find anywhere else.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
"It’s not normal that someone working for you finishes less than a minute off in the general standings," Contador said
If that’s the way he feels he’s not going to like it over at Schleckxo Bank.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Good point, but that just means you have a strong team
If you want to win the TdF, and your choices are…
(a) teammates who are good enough to be nipping at your heels the whole way to Paris, or
(b) all your teammates are back in the autobus while you and 5 Astana guys are climbing Mont Ventoux…
… well, I know which team I would choose.
MJB
true, but...
i tend to agree with Jens. Lance will chew up the scenery wherever he goes it seems to me the only GC contenders who would welcome that are Cadel and possibly Levi, who do better flying in under the radar. that’s not Contador’s style and his various musings in the press are indicative of that…
Speaking of Riis
How much is he going to miss Carlos next year. I love Schleck the younger, but I don’t think he has a prayer of running away enough in the mountains to absorb the TT losses. Looking at the final TT from this year’s tour, he was:
• 1:30 down to Sastre
• 2:00 down to Evans
Team Saxo put a huge stamp on this year’s tour, but was there really another above average GC support team in the race?
Assume the three-headed beast stays with Astana, can you imagine the wrecking crew of Bert, Levi, Armstrong, Klodi and Chechu.
I loves me some Saxo Bank, especially Spartacus, Schleck the Younger and Jens!, but I don’t see how they could do anything even remotely close to what they accomplished this year.
First to post a Tour prediction!
1. Bert
2. Cadel – always the bridesmaid :(
3. Levi
4. Armstrong
5. Valverde – sneaks in while no one’s looking
I'm guessing 2009 will be a transition year for Saxo
Schlecklet isn’t prepared to be a top candidate yet and with all the changes in personnel and equipment it’s hard to see them getting the same level of results as they have in 2007-2008.
Chechu doesn’t scare me though.He’s not climbing as he used to, so unless they’re getting some spectacular new go-juice we won’t see him pulling like in 2001-2004.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
I think Chechu could still be really useful if they use him conservatively
Basically, put him in charge of the broomwagon and bring him out once on a decisive stage.
What about Saxo signing Bert
You know Riis is so competitive he’s going to try and land Contador.
The Schlecks are great but Contador is, for a team director, a unique opportunity to acquire a proven GC winner with many great years ahead of him.
MJB
I'd love to see CVV continue kicking butt and be in that mix as well.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Bite me. That is NOT where I was with that and YOU know it.
C has his home on GarMEN and a sweet home it is.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I had CVV at six
I struggled between him and Valverde, but went with Valverde due to some unholy alliance he will strike with Bert to keep Lance off the podium.
I'm thinking if Contador and Levi and Lance
do stay on the same team, that we could possibly get treated to some T-Mobile style teamwork of them attacking eachother a little bit (or at least one could hope) and that guys like Valverde and CVV could pull some magic and dethrown a couple spots of others. I’m pretty curious to see what the final Garmin team will be come January and see who gets treated to long lists for a visit to the Tour.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
there's no chance on earth
that Lance will stand for that. I’d expect Bert to be sitting on the beach in july first.
I did say "little bit" as I realize as well that it will be
all Lance all the time in terms of team behaviors.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
That's why I'd love to see Bert relocate...
I know he probably doesn’t see it as fair that he’s not getting his payoff as sole team leader, but, wow, what Tour that would be!
I'd love to see him and others all going for the overall
on different teams. Too much power on one team makes for a dull race. Mix that all up a bit and have them all battling for it…. fun times right there.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Wasn't it "half pint" on that show, not little bit?
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Astana press releases
are a bit of a joke. Their people (paricularly Maertens) seem to the last ones in the know. In fact, their first response to something generally proves to be incorrect. Based on the link information, it’s a pretty good bet that both Levi and Alberto will be gone next year.
by The Team Chef on Sep 24, 2008 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
ok, if the three staying together
someone will have to give up the Tour, or at least give up a good GC place..
i’m just not seeing that happen. (only Contador but he already stated the opposite!!)
How Contador have head to run the Worls?!!Must will be a mess in there ..
by semprenaroda on Sep 24, 2008 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Is there info someplace
on the concrete plans for the U23 team? I’m finding nothing beyond Phinney and Merckx.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Can I just pause for a moment and think...
… What a team! It may not pan out, but I’ve got an off-season (hopefully) to think about the possibilities…
To date, the members of the 2009 squad:
Lance Armstrong, Assan Bazayev, Jani Brajkovic, Alberto Contador, Chris Horner, Maxim Iglinskiy, Roman Kireyev, Andreas Klöden, Berik Kupeshov, Levi Leipheimer, Steve Morabito, Dmitriy Muravyev, Daniel Navarro, Benjamín Noval, Sérgio Paulinho, Gregory Rast, José Luis Rubiera, Michael Schär, Tomas Vaitkus, Andrey Zeits, Haimar Zubeldia.
scary, eh.
they just need some riders for the classics…
The Kazakh money man said they want to win all GT’s next year, if this is going to be the team, they could probably pull it off.
Schar, Rast and Vaitkus have all done well in April
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
nothing compared
to QS’ and CSC’s strong men though….
Gusev was a great shot but, eh, he is gone, to Tinkatush?
Tinkatush, the land where the all-seeing eye of Damsgaard can't reach him
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
They will never care about the classics outside of maybe Roubaix
They don’t matter enough to the people with the money, unless you’re Belgian. Even Lefevre was ready to sell his sould to get Lance. In the end, money rules cycling and fans be damned.
If I just had one more gear, I...
Johnny Weltz (Garmin DS)
predicts problems for Astana now that Lance will join the team. But wasn’t he the DS/Manager at USP in -98 whom Lance wanted to get rid off?
Yes
Weltz was the main architect behind USPS. He started the move to Girona and was in charge until LA made his comeback. He and Lance were completely incompatible and I remember reading (can’t remember where, LA’s War perhaps) about LA basically challenging JW on a training ride, saying to the team " you can go with him or with me". JW was gone after that.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Well we don''t know the full story
Maybe Weltz is a completely crappy DS who wasn’t doing the team any good. LA might have been right in getting rid of him for all we know.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Yeah I know
but I just meant that, not knowing the backstory, that could just as well be a healthy act of rebellion against a bad leader. I personally interpret it as you but we’re basically judging based on what we’ve heard of LA in other situations.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
i get the rebellion part...
but not the healthy part. i’m currently reading “It’s Not About the Bike” (at the urging of my trainer) and, cancer story aside, it makes me feel sad and hollow…
The full press conference is available at www.kaisernetwork.org. Lance did say that he’s starting the season with the tour Down Under and ending it with the Tour de France and a world gathering about the cancer initiative in Paris, but he also said that the third race he’s definitely going to ride is Leadville. There’s supposed to be more detailed cycling info given at the Interbike press conference on Thursday.
http://www.bikeworldnews.com/index.php/2008/09/23/lance-armstrong-conference-interbike/
Chris Carmichael has posted the first training update for Lance at www.trainright.com . There’s a box on the top left with a link near the bottom. cheers.
Oh Joy, Chris Charmichael.
Not only do we get Lance 24/7, but must also be subjected to Mr. TrainRight, as well. Please pass the barf bag.
by The Team Chef on Sep 24, 2008 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Ah, the power of Photoshop
Bork, bork, bork!
by TheFigurehead on Sep 24, 2008 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Ok...
Me, Bethie, CG, Zoe and CyclingChallenge are going into the SnarkProof™ tree house for lemonade and cookies where we’ll be celebrating the return of Lance Armstrong to professional bicycle racing and hoping that Lance, Bert, Levi and Johan can come to an understanding that will see Bert win the Giro, Lance win the Tour and Levi win the Vuelta next year.
Everyone’s allowed one more “Ass-tana” crack; more than that and I’ll paint Khazak blue all over the Muur next year…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
+1 As we speak: I am planning my next year's June vacation
To Almaty and Astana for some boar hunting and cycling in those great Kazakh mountains.
Then off to France wearing my new Astana kit (with my US poastal wind breaker and disco bibs)
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm heading off to
Newport Beach in about twenty minutes if I can finish reading the internets and get packed. I’ll come play in the treehouse when I get back on Sunday thanks for the invite Dan.
"The world is a mess and I just need to rule it." Dr. Horrible
and aren't you in for some fun weather the next few days
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
by umwolverine on Sep 25, 2008 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
Damn... wish I'd known...
I’d have come down and said hi… I’m going to the grandparents for a visit this weekend though (up in Winters on the ToC route)…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Are you doing some TOC recon work?
Filming the drive? Checking out spots to watch from?
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
Not this trip...
… I need to send a letter to the Tour Organizers asking them to send me a specific route. They don’t have any sort of map or guide up yet as far as I can tell… it all just says “Route and Stage Info Coming Soon”.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
Hee
I just popped over to Astana’s website and their super special we-won-the-Vuelta intro graphics have been tossed in favor of a Lance-fest intro….
And, oddly, it seems to have MUCH higher production value than anything previously posted on Astana’s team website prior. Huh. :)
Wow. I just watched the intro they now have up
and that is the most work that site has had since it started. It’s already pretty much all about Lance although the lead stories still to slideshow through with Levi’s TT win and the overall. Didn’t take them long to have all that up and running. But oh yeah… Johan didn’t know anything a week ago right?
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
the Astana site
sells player cards
I’m thinking of buying out their stock as the Contador cards could become rare
by cyclingchallenge on Sep 24, 2008 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I have an autographed Landis card
From the old USPS days. I think I also have a M Barry card.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Wow, I just went to the site
It’s replaced their intro celebrating the Vuelta win with an intro celebrating the comeback of Armstrong. This has got to be a nightmare for Alberto. Poor guy.
we talk a lot about Levi and AC
But I would go all in on a bet that Horner is riding the Cascade Classic again next year and that is a shame. Not only is a great support rider but stands a better than average chance of winning a stage in the Boucle.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 6:28 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
With him having been injured at Elk Grove I forgot he's on there.
I feel for him. I think Horner is great and isn’t it from previous years that Lance doesn’t like him or am I mixing riders up? Horner could really fly as a lead support guy but I wonder if Lance would value him for that role or not.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I read into the fact that Horner never rode for Disco or Postal
He was the best domestic racer for years and openly expressed a desire to race in Europe again and they never signed him. He was torqued about Tom Danielson appearing on the cover of VN after winning Langkawi saying he wasn’t on the cover and won the year before.
He has also been critical of the Lance teams carrying all of their riders to the last mountain during the mountain stages in the tour.
I really like Chris and greatly enjoy watching him race as well as hearing what he has to say.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I like Chris a lot.
And usually love to hear what he has to say as he rarely sugar coats anything and generally isn’t mean but more matter of fact. I was bummed though that he said JMac should not have been in the Olympics and it should’ve been him. I wish Horner could’ve been there as well but I’m not sure attacking JMac personally was the way to go. I think Jason did a solid ride and was deserving to be there. Other than that though, I usually love looking for articles on him.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I agree on the Jmac quote
Horner was right though that he is the better rider. I do like Jason’s style of riding too.
by australopithecine on Sep 24, 2008 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Horner has made a lot of comments over the years
… that strongly imply he has been on Lance’s sh!t list for a long time, and we all know that Lance carries grudges forever and rarely misses an opportunity to act on them. Horner has joked about being the only top American rider that USPS/Disco never even tried to sign.
Of all the 2008 Astana riders, Horner is least likely to be there next year. And that is a shame because he deserves one more chance to shine on the big stage.
MJB
Poor Horner.
He is fucked. I don’t use that word often, but what else can you say. Chris had a difficult year, was probably forced to resign with Astana (not any others with the $$), and now he is stuck on the same team with Big Tex, who he has openly dissed. Armstrong is going make this guy’s life hell. I said it at the time, but Horner’s greatest career blunder was signing with JB/Astana. He’d probably sell a lung to be back with Lotto at this point.
by The Team Chef on Sep 24, 2008 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Horner to Cervelo
Please make it happen, they need an Ardennes guy (or seven actually).
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Nikki
If i say I’m assuming it’s already in the pipeline, will you take care of this too? Please.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Sweetheart... if I had any kind of pull anywhere, I would totally take care of that for you.
I would totally take care of that for you/us. That would be a great place for him to be.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
I'm guessing this whole thing
Is the reason that Dirk Demol is heading to Astana, JB must have clued him in some time back that LA was coming back into the fold. Like Chechu, he wants to be a part of that. I can’t blame him for that.
If I just had one more gear, I...
ok, so I have not seen what really matters
and that is a discussion on what kind of point value LA is going to have for VDS next year? And will he be worth it knowing he will ride limited point value races?
"...The mind has to rule the body and tell the body, shut up and do what I tell you to do..." Jens!
Guess who is back!!!!
No, not Lance…none other than Dick Pound!!
Yay!!! Huzzah! I’ve missed that guy and the golden prose that perpetually streams form his “mouth”.
Okay, he’s not reentering active competition but he has resurfaced long enough to tell the world that he still is suspicious of Lance. And here is the best part…he goes on to blast internal testing programs! Is this guy for real? Does he not see that these internal testing programs, while perhaps not providing conclusive evidence against dopers, has been perhaps the driving force behind the recent shift, if not in the culture itself, in the perception of the culture.
Armstrong has announced that he will work together with anti-doping expert Dr. Don Catlin. Even that couldn’t satisfy Pound. “As long as there is no WADA or IOC accredited lab created, his plan is irrelevant,” Pound told De Telegraaf.
Seriously dude, I don’t know what hole you just crawled out of, but please for the sake of the children, please crawl back in. THE CHILDREN!!!!
This is why I dread the Re-Lanceation
He brings with him the Big Wagon of Old Stinking Crap We Thought We Had Left Behind Us.
Carlos Sastre - Tour de France winner - Born From Jets
Speaking of coming out of the woodwork
Lemond brings drama to Lance’s press conference at Interbike
I have to say
that it reads as being a little petty to me from Lemond. If Lance is agreeing to posting his biomarkers then let it go. The past is something that is never going to be transparent, it is always up for interpretation.
"...The mind has to rule the body and tell the body, shut up and do what I tell you to do..." Jens!
Wow... that doesn't bode well for the "Open Mic Press Conferences" he was talking about...
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
cn's write-up
armstrong conference at interbike
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
![This is funny on so many levels. [Html should open bigger]](http://cdn3.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/239959/flagged_small.jpg)
