Lance to Alberto: We left you with the dregs at Astana.

by fmk on Dec 9, 2009 9:12 AM EST Comment 58 comments

It's another quiet day on the Guardian's sports pages and even they can't be bothered milking any more from the will-he-won't-he Wiggins-to-Sky story. So they're back to milking that other hoary old favourite, the LA story.

This time round, the great and powerful one is telling us how Team The Shack isn't built around him. Oh no. That would be way too much ego and arrogance and stuff like that. And those una duce, una voce days, they're gone. They're history. They are soooo in the past. Disappeararing into life's rear-view mirror. Whooosh!

"Those days are gone. The days of this team being built around me are done."

These are days of mellowness and democracy. These are days of a kinder, gentler LA. And of pink fluffy kittens.

No more are the other squad members just lowly domestiques, there to break wind and pass water for the glorious leader. Instead, there's room in Team The Shack for Levi to lead. And Klöden. Cause, like, you know, that's the beauty of Team The Shack. It doesn't have an i in it. Or a me. Or as He put it:

"We have the best team in the world. If you look at the Tour this year, we had the strongest team in the race. Of the nine riders from last year's Tour de France squad from Astana, eight are now on RadioShack."

Which almost passes as an attempt to offer some kudos to Contador. Until you read the follow up bit where He makes it clear that He didn't want Contador (that Torygraph headline nothwithstanding) or any of the other dregs left behind with the Kazakhs:

"Of the nine riders from last year's Tour de France squad from Astana, eight are now on RadioShack. We took the vast majority of the riders from the team that we wanted, so it remains a strong team."

And while He acknowledges that Contador is already the 2010 pre-race favourite, that don't really matter too much. Team The Shack can take him. Easy peasy:

"We lack that super high-level favourite like Alberto, but I like the chances with the strong guys we have."

Break out the Marmite Alberto. You're toast.

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Hmmm. Tugging on Superman's cape.

That does not turn out well as a rule.

by ursula on Dec 9, 2009 9:43 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

remember, slim was the one standing at the end, not jim

http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/youdontm.htm

"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 Dec 9, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

Touche!

by ursula on Dec 9, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pshaw! LA’s bigger that that these days. He’s kinder. Gentler. Mellower.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 10, 2009 11:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Totally

Which is why he was oh-so-nice to the press at the Giro this year

by dansel on Dec 10, 2009 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You seriously think he’d want to beat me up?!? But I like pink fluffy kittens!!! Think how bad that’d play in press – “LA beats up pink fluffy kit fan with bicycle pump!” It’d make the Tiger story seem tame.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 10, 2009 11:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pink fluffy kit? Must be having flashback to the new team strip. Obviously I meant pink fluffy kittens.

Though … thinking about it …. pink fluffy kit could be the way of the future …

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 10, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe rev. 2 of the Radio Shack kit will have pink fluffy kittens on it. Up there in the dowager-lacy part.

"Think globally, bike locally."

by SpaceGuy on Dec 10, 2009 5:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

“Those days are gone. The days of this team being built around me are done. I’m 38 now, I’ll be 39 this season – it would be irresponsible to build it around me. Going into the Tour we have to look at Levi [Leipheimer], [Andreas] Klöden, the tactics, the ideas that we use.”

Interesting choice of words for someone trying to show that he’s moving away from a dominant leadership role – he doesn’t specifically mention Kloden and Leipheimer as leaders. They are merely lumped in with ‘ideas’ and ‘tactics.’

by Mark T1979 on Dec 9, 2009 10:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes

because Levi and Klodi are the solution to the aging problem. This reminds me of that Sopranos episode where they decide to hire the mob unit in Rhode Island.

"The only pain I got time for is the pain I put on fools who don't know what time it is." Edvald Boasson Hagen

by Chris... on Dec 9, 2009 10:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

oh that is brilliant

- you aren’t involved with drugs are you?
- no

best show ever. nice analogy as well

"well...you live in england so: you love the rain. loves the queen. hates cycling. based on mr bean had a tremendous amount of humour. all ride in a mini cooper. all getting drunk before the age of 12. getting drunk at least 3 times a day."- frinking, 7/9/09

by benrazor on Dec 9, 2009 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Stock answers in a pre-season post conference

I would expect any team leader to say the same things about the team they are on. And LA is right about the 2010 TdF. Alberto is the superior rider, RS have the superior team. Of course he likes his chances. Nobody admits defeat eight months from the fight.

Nothing controversial here.

by PopUp Rolen on Dec 9, 2009 10:09 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

so, all conta has to do is follow the wheels of the superior team, and then say "buh-bye" when the road goes up

"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 Dec 9, 2009 10:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

exactly

by PopUp Rolen on Dec 9, 2009 11:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm glad he didn't say what you had in your title..

And it are ridiculously and short minded and arrogance quotes.. Or at least from the best team.. Like cycling is the Tour and the ToC? Bah. I soooooooooooooooooooooooooo hope you are going to fail.. You would make my.. day

by Frinking on Dec 9, 2009 10:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

probably the least arrogrant quotes he has ever made

so umm no.

by Davide Don of Rio on Dec 10, 2009 1:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

".. break wind and pass water ..

SNORT

by Fred Marx on Dec 9, 2009 10:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hehe

by tedvdw on Dec 9, 2009 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Toilet humour and fart jokes. That’s what I’m reduced to these days. And my mother had such high hopes for me …

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 10, 2009 11:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

First thing I thought was,

Team isn’t built around you? Yeah, sure. Just like how you said you weren’t going to the tour to win last year. Until you were. And that you weren’t the team leader. Until it was being decided by who was the strongest “on the road.”

by ZoeRochelle on Dec 9, 2009 11:13 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Damn I thought Lance actually said that

nothing much there, it’s clear they never wanted Bert because then Lance couldn’t have been clear team leader, which he will be as the entire world knows. And I’m with Frinky on best team, Shack may be the best team in the Tour(but I believe it’s Leaky) but overall no way.

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 9, 2009 11:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

+100 for the Liqui thing..

You also have seen the light. and of course +100 because yo agree on the RadioShack best team thing makes

HOORAY!

by Frinking on Dec 9, 2009 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Saxo might be the best Tour team.

Too close to tell now. We got to see who’s in form in June

by ursula on Dec 9, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and who has the strongest collar bones.

by ZoeRochelle on Dec 9, 2009 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

excellent point, sadly

by R Mc on Dec 9, 2009 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmmmm, I read that completely differently

Isn’t he saying intsead.

’ Hey Alberto, I’m not such a bad guy and you can tell ‘cause all of our TDF teammates chose to come with me.’

He may have a point.

I waited a half an hour to give my two toddlers breakfast until I had my Eneco tour coverage sorted, then made sure I got them fed before the sprint. --- Bought With Blood. ..... Hmmm, my kinda people. If only they could explain to my wife why my bike belongs in the house and not the garage. --- Thevaro

by thevaro on Dec 10, 2009 1:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Or maybe:

“Hey Alberto if you get a keener grasp of the pr side of the sport a guy with a talent like yours and mine can make a lot of money and you can tell ‘cause all of our TDF teammates chose to come with me.”

by Jens on Dec 10, 2009 2:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You think Lance is looking for money ?

I don’t get it.

by thevaro on Dec 10, 2009 2:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No.

I think he’s saying that the other teammates followed the MONEY, not Lance. In short, it wasn’t a choice between Lance and AC. It was a choice between a functioning organization and steady pay checks and . . . well Astana.

by MambaFan on Dec 10, 2009 8:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Except that the Shack was a new team without a PT license for much of the

decision making window. All the other PT teams pay well too and I’m sure would have been happy to take the best of Astana. Actually, I think a bunch of those guys claim to have gotten several offers.

by thevaro on Dec 10, 2009 9:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

Did you really think there was a doubt that Radio Shack would get a license? They had taken the entire management structure of Astana, had solid financial backing from Radio Shack, Nissan, Trek, etc. and the core of the Astana team (minus AC).

So, I think you are being a little disingenuous to suggest that Radio Shack was some unknown quantity. But the other important point is that Bruyneel was the linchpin for all of this. He was still managing Astana for quite some time and held the rights to all of the Astana team members. So no, it wasn’t logically that they were all free to go anywhere. Bruyneel (Olympus Sarl) had to sign off on the transfer.

At the end of the day, my original point stands: the transfers out of Astana had little if anything to do with a choice between Lance and Alberto.

by MambaFan on Dec 10, 2009 12:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes your point stands, but it doesn't stand above or alone from the other point.

It’s all speculation. I think steering clear of Vino probably had a play in some riders decisions. But a more secure financial future was probably the most attractive card, and following Lance seemed the logical way to go to get that. And there’s probably a few other perks to be had racing for a team that LA is on.

No horn, watch for finger.

by sminer on Dec 10, 2009 5:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Um...Ok.

I think The Varo was suggesting that it was a choice over Alberto, which nothing seems to support that contention. Heck, Alberto was trying to get the hell away from them as well, so I think it is incorrect to proffer that it was simply a choice between Lance and Alberto—it was a choice between a zombie team and basically USPS/Discovery/Astana 2008-9—and it seems most made the same choice.

As I note below, we have all year to participate in Radio Shack’s/LA-JB’s build up/hype machine for the TdF. This wasn’t round 2 of Alberto v Lance.

by MambaFan on Dec 11, 2009 8:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

and just to set the record straight Mamba Fan

My original point was that …. Lance(!) was implying that the guys had chosen to stick with him.

I just like to provide balance to ‘the Force’ here in the PdC.

by thevaro on Dec 12, 2009 12:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

thevaro: the Foxnews of PdC! (just joking)

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 12, 2009 12:58 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Somebody has to stick up for poor little Lance

At times the MSNBCs of the PdC have 20 posts in a row. You need a little bit of the other side. Otherwise its just too easy.

by thevaro on Dec 12, 2009 1:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, yes I did. Genuinely !

Just because there are more teams than spots guarantees that some teams will be left without a license and , at times, the ASO and UCI have appeared to really really not like Lance. And the fact that there were contract disputes with Astana and who knows when the evil rumor mill would start grinding again.

We don’t really know what each riders true motivation was but I watched more than a few videos where those guys discussed their transfers and they all seemed to genuinely like Lance and the old JB Disco team and stated that they wanted to follow it.

by thevaro on Dec 11, 2009 12:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess ...

my point was did you see someone say that they chose Lance over Alberto? Most folks are happy about transferring to a new team—usually it’s their choice to do so. Again, my point was and remains, Astana was all but a zombie team after the TdF. Johan was still the team manager, but he was busy setting up the Radio Shack team and stripping the Astana cupboard bare. At the same time Alberto was telling anyone who would listen that he didn’t want to stay with Astana and was looking for an out. In short, no one wanted to ride with the zombie Astana squad. Trying to make it a question of riding with Lance or Alberto frankly is just buying into the hype—and I don’t worry, LA/JB intend to keep the acrimony going as long as possible.

by MambaFan on Dec 11, 2009 8:38 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I buy what your saying

LA was setting up a secure shop whereas, AC was sitting in limbo land. If anyone had loyalties to AC over LA, they certainly wouldn’t go so far as to put their own careers in limbo with him. The choice to go with LA certainly was a more practical decision rather than an “I choose LA over AC” statement.

No horn, watch for finger.

by sminer on Dec 11, 2009 3:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah especially in the case of someone like Paulinho

I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it

by plinytheelder on Dec 12, 2009 10:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't think it mattered if they became PT

they signed the contracts before they found out, and with a solid structure in place I’m sure they were good deals. I bet Cervelo pay Sastre a good chunk even though they aren’t PT. If the sponsor has money the status of the team is not that relevant.

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 10, 2009 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From the money standpoint it doesn't matter

but from the “invite” standpoint you are bit closer to the edge of the bubble.

by thevaro on Dec 11, 2009 12:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh dear God does this never stop? Now he’s promising to retire in 2011.

Place your bets hear for how long before we hear about LA riding the Olympics road race in 2012.

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 10, 2009 11:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

He has Brett Favre syndrome

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 10, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

VIKES!

I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it

by plinytheelder on Dec 10, 2009 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

this is a joke, no?

by Bruce Suomi on Dec 12, 2009 12:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Does this look like a frivolous thread to your Bruce?

pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway

by fmk on Dec 12, 2009 8:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs