# Many, many thanks Lance!



## penn_rider (Jul 11, 2009)

:thumbsup: You rock and will always rock. You inspire other cyclists and give hope to all through your foundation, a platform that will allow you to make a true difference in many lives. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you compete; sometimes taking the win and sometimes not. 

With every twist and turn you have kept me on the edge of my seat, and for that I thank you.


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## Ventruck (Mar 9, 2009)

Yeah, love him or hate him, that kinda killed a bit of the Tour. I mean, there's still plenty to get excited about, but damn. Not the way to leave cycling....unless he wants to comeback next year.


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## fab4 (Jan 8, 2003)

Lance can show his true champion quality by being the super domestique for Levi. Besides there are two more weeks and more mountain stages left. Anything can happen.


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## vandalbob (Dec 13, 2001)

The king is dead. Long live the king!


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## fab4 (Jan 8, 2003)

Yup the king went to Miami.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Watching Lance inspired me to start riding again after 20 years. Damn Lance, you cost me a bunch of money.


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## Alex_C (Aug 21, 2006)

*Character*

Lance has been great for the sport, especially here in the US and he can never be counted out, until now. 10 mins is 10 mins. 

Now we get a chance to see his true character. 

My guess / hope is he becomes a huge help for Levi across the mtns where he's going to need him the most. Levi rode with the elite group by himself today and looked happy tucked behind the front 3 or 4. 

Andy was perfect today and Conti didn't have it at the end. Going to make this quite interesting... 

Then there's Basso that they never seem to talk about and Cadel.

Keep the popcorn warm.


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## saird (Aug 19, 2008)

Be awesome if Lance road Levi to a podium then decided to ride in 2011 due to the inclusion of the team tt!


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## limba (Mar 10, 2004)

Maybe he'll win a stage.


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## cheddarlove (Oct 17, 2005)

Lance has always been an exceptional racer. He was fun to watch and cheer for.
I'm really going to miss him. 
Chapeau Lance!


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Plenty of other good stories to watch, wonder if Levi can step up.


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## OES (Jan 23, 2002)

Great stories, AS looks serene and happy as hell out there. AC looks oddly unresponsive to the demands of the day. Levi and Evans look like -- themselves. Yawn. Sastre's always lurking around, unremarked upon.

I say it's Andy's to lose. He looks fresh, eager, and excited. Unlike AC or the others.

And no. Levi can't step up. He's forever stuck exactly where he is.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Coolhand said:


> wonder if Levi can step up.


*
ummmm.............................no!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I hope Lance sticks with it and maybe goes for a stage or two - Levi needs Lance's help now!


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## rustybucket (Mar 2, 2009)

Lance made every tour he was in interesting. Attacking while in yellow was awesome to watch. The current crop of top GC riders lack that "bit of mongrel" and just follow wheels. Nothing like turning the screws down hard when all your rivals are in pain.


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I hope he helps Levi.. and if Levi falters I hope Lance goes out on a flier and tears a stage apart.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

God Bless you Lance....I watched you and Pantani climb Vontoux and Ive been hooked ever since. You have been a great champion.


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## pedalruns (Dec 18, 2002)

It was sad to see... the end of his era, but what an era it was.


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## zphogan (Jan 27, 2007)

OES said:


> And no. Levi can't step up. He's forever stuck exactly where he is.



+1. So true. Anyone expecting Levi to contend will be sorely disappointed. He is going to get hammered in the 3rd week.


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## vandalbob (Dec 13, 2001)

*True*



pedalruns said:


> It was sad to see... the end of his era, but what an era it was.


A great era, like all other cycling eras before him, is at an end. Fortunately I think we're coming into a great era with a number of strong contenders. Here we go.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

fab4 said:


> Yup the king went to Miami.


umm,

there is no nbf forum

get lost


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## bismo37 (Mar 22, 2002)

pedalruns said:


> It was sad to see... the end of his era, but what an era it was.


Totally agree. It makes me sad to see this change in the guard. I remember the last years of the Indurain era and the uncertainty of who would take his place... There were many contenders: Zulle, Jalabert, Riis, Ullrich, Olano, Escartin, Rominger... none could replace Indurain. 

Then after a few years, Armstrong pops (back) in to the picture. I wonder if Contador will be as great as an Indurain/Armstrong/etc? Or is the next great TdF contender still out there?


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## Travis (Oct 14, 2005)

+1,000

Stage win!!!!!


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## Kaleo (Jun 15, 2008)

Sad to see him go down so badly, I feel certain his crash was really bad and zapped him good and then was held up twice more in subsequent crashes, it just wiped him out trying to get back on. And then Astana attacked at the bottom was just too much. I hope he can win a stage in the Mountains just because. He has announced that he will work for the team, so lets see how the rest of the tour plays out. I kinda have hopes for Evans, but I don't want to be disappointed again...


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

OES said:


> AC looks oddly unresponsive to the demands of the day. .


On the contrary, AC looked very strong and covered 4 attacks before Schleck's, then after that he covered Gesink's attack. That's pretty strong riding!


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## bnoojin (Mar 24, 2002)

*agreed*



jeebus said:


> Totally agree. It makes me sad to see this change in the guard. I remember the last years of the Indurain era and the uncertainty of who would take his place... There were many contenders: Zulle, Jalabert, Riis, Ullrich, Olano, Escartin, Rominger... none could replace Indurain.
> 
> Then after a few years, Armstrong pops (back) in to the picture. I wonder if Contador will be as great as an Indurain/Armstrong/etc? Or is the next great TdF contender still out there?



while watching yesterday it made think of Big Mig in '96. it was the official end of an era. kind of sad. 

as for AC, I think this Tour will go a long way in determining if he will cement his place as the next great Tour champ. it prolly looks like he will take over Tour patron. I read that Andy S. could be his Ullrich. There are indications they could take that pattern. time will tell.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

philippec said:


> On the contrary, AC looked very strong and covered 4 attacks before Schleck's, then after that he covered Gesink's attack. That's pretty strong riding!


Glad to see *someone* on this board noticed that AC covered those moves! Yes, that showed a lot of strength. (It was also a bit bone-headed on AC's part to cover the Kreuziger and the Lotto rider's moves.)


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Chapeau, Lance, chapeau. Terrific competitor, great racing mind and tactician, and great personality for a sport that lacks the type of respect and support other "main" sports enjoy. Looking forward to him growing the Trek-Livestrong feeder team and finding the next great American riders.


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## Brad the Bold (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks Lance!

Great story, great rides. I would be surprised if I see another rider win 7 in a row in my lifetime.

He had his chance to quit while he was ahead, at the top of his game, but he choose to come back for his "un Tour de trop".

I still remember Indurain cracking on Les Arc in 1996. He had won the previous five, and looked good in the run up to the TDF. But age or rain or something gave out. Riis won but 1996 was the cycling sunrise of Jan Ulrich, who was to become LA's personal doormat. 

Sometimes it is good for a a sport to see the passing of a torch, or better to have the torch seized by a young rider. 

Thanks Lance for the great Tours, and for riding "One Tour too many."


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

*Stage win perhaps?*

I would love to see him win ONE stage before he bows out...:thumbsup: That would be great.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Brad the Bold said:


> Thanks Lance!
> ...Thanks Lance for the great Tours, and for riding "One Tour too many."


Indeed! Think of how boring it would be (and has been and will be!) without Lance this year and last.


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## malanb (Oct 26, 2009)

ciao lance!!! best thing you could do was staying retired.
go away with your double moral, your aggressive ways and beheaviour. and now your grumpyness. cycling doesnt need all of that.

http://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2009/11/8-things-on-lance-armstrong-from-other.html


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## petalpower (Aug 10, 2009)

I'm a new cyclist, as of last August.

Lance Armstrong is responsible for the growth of the sport, as I'm sure like me, has encouraged many people to take it up. 

As an American, watching him pwn the TdF for all those years was amazing. His off track work with cancer is nothing short of amazing.

He'll always be a hero, regardless of what happens in his final TdF.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

philippec said:


> *
> ummmm.............................no!


One can hope, even third step would be great. Given his TT ability its possible. Top 5 seems very possible. 

In any event, it will be fun to watch.


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I'll add my kudos as well. I agree it's a damn shame to see his last tour end this way. 

I don't think a stage win is out of the question, unless it has the potential to hurt Levi in the GC standings.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*Lance won't win a stage*

The ol' man might have a little turn of speed left, yet, but, because of who he is, even if he's 10 minutes down, if Lance goes, half the peloton goes with him...

As far as Contador, why cover Schleck? He didn't look hurting, he just looked like he didn't want to go into the red-- this wasn't his day to fight. 10 seconds? On a stage with no time bonuses? He doesn't care.

Better for AC that BMC has to deal with protecting yellow this week, the Astana boys can rest


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Argentius said:


> *The ol' man might have a little turn of speed left, yet, but, because of who he is, even if he's 10 minutes down, if Lance goes, half the peloton goes with him...*



Absolutely. Good point.


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## muscleendurance (Jan 11, 2009)

............................


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## bigchromewheelssuck (May 26, 2005)

I will watch every stage and yeah hopefully Lance can grab a stage win. He still has that fire in his belly. There are a lot of good battles to come. I'll cheer for Lance and hope Andy Schleck pounds AC.


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## hawkman71 (Apr 20, 2010)

It is very sad that it went down that way. It really did all fall apart. It's not like, he got through it, and finished 7th or 11th, but to crash how many times in the first week? Ugh.

I love watching the Tour de France, and he has made it special for a lot of reasons. However, it was special before he came, and it will continue to be.

Personally, yes, I like Levi, but moreso, I'd like to see Hesjedal pull something off. I would've liked to see Kloden up there, but I think he was dropped the other day and is way off as well. 

I'd sure like to see Conti come in 4th or worse though. Someone new please step up!


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