# Lance starts to make sense



## gh1 (Jun 7, 2008)

http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/94681/armstrong-this-is-harder-than-i-thought

Its about time. Way to standup to try to set things right.


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## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

He should have kept his trap shut to begin with. This is one of his really unappealing aspects. Everybody knows that he has a high opinion of his abilities but those comments were flat out wrong and apologizing was completely appropriate.

I'm not sure what VdV deserved to get those comments but I don't see why Lance had to diss him like that. Why couldn't he just have said "Hey I miss racing, and I think I could come back and beat those guys"? That would have been a cocky statement but it wouldn't have been out of line or any worse than the stuff that oozes out Cavendish's mouth these days.


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## KenB (Jul 28, 2004)

This is all part of his strategy. I'll even go as far to say that I think he has purposefully holding back in all the other races this year just to psych everyone out. I'll also bet that there's never been any question within Astana who the team will be working to put in the yellow when they ride into Paris. Armstrong and Bruyneel probably sleep with The Art of War under their pillows.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

gh1 said:


> http://tour-de-france.velonews.com/article/94681/armstrong-this-is-harder-than-i-thought
> 
> Its about time. Way to standup to try to set things right.



Good for him.

Not a "Lance Fangirl" per se, but I've always liked the guy, rooted for him, and love to watch him ride. Good to see his integrity come through, as I'm an even bigger fan of that quality in anyone. So it goes.


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## btinder (Aug 25, 2007)

KenB said:


> This is all part of his strategy. I'll even go as far to say that I think he has purposefully holding back in all the other races this year just to psych everyone out. I'll also bet that there's never been any question within Astana who the team will be working to put in the yellow when they ride into Paris. Armstrong and Bruyneel probably sleep with The Art of War under their pillows.


Thats fairly ridiculous.


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## KenB (Jul 28, 2004)

btinder said:


> Thats fairly ridiculous.



Time will tell.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

KenB said:


> Time will tell.



If he actually wins, it means it was all part of an evil plot? So if he loses then, does it "serve him right?" 

Sounds like win _or_ lose, he loses in your opinion. Ah well. We can't like everybody in this world. 

(butyourstillmyfavoriteatheist).


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

While Mark Cavendish is known to speak freely but I'm surprised that his comments after winning yesterday didn't make bigger waves. He said that the entire TdF raced like a bunch of Junior racers on camera for Versus.


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## husonfirst (Jul 15, 2006)

DZfan14 said:


> He should have kept his trap shut to begin with. This is one of his really unappealing aspects.


That's a big reason why those who dislike him dislike him.


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## KenB (Jul 28, 2004)

OldEndicottHiway said:


> If he actually wins, it means it was all part of an evil plot? So if he loses then, does it "serve him right?"
> 
> Sounds like win _or_ lose, he loses in your opinion. Ah well. We can't like everybody in this world.
> 
> (butyourstillmyfavoriteatheist).




Not at all.... 

Lance is a master of TdF race strategy. That's why he was able to win 7 Tours. Nothing evil at all about it. I want him to win and I think he will and I think there's no question in the team's collective mind that putting him on the podium is the goal. He knows his competition and how to exploit their weaknesses and he's got the legs to ride with any of them. 

Now, I would hope that he repays the favor throughout the rest of the season by riding in support of the rest of the team, helping them podium. He never cared about other races, why start now? That would be the stand up thing to do.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Lance apologized and said something was hard?

SOMEONE WRITE THIS DAY DOWN IN HISTORY!


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## DMFT (Feb 3, 2005)

iliveonnitro said:


> Lance apologized and said something was hard?
> 
> SOMEONE WRITE THIS DAY DOWN IN HISTORY!


You forgot : AND PEOPLE STILL B*TCHED ABOUT IT! 

- The guy is cocky for a reason. He backs it up. Like him or not, this is a great Tour so far and I can't wait to get to the mountains to see if he continues to back it up or see him implode.


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

Great interviews, very insightful, confident and well stated. There is no doubt that Lance publicly demonstrated leadership. There can be no doubt that he is Astana's leader. Contador may well end up as the TdF winner but he will need to be at his best and want it more than LA. Riding on the same team with Armstrong can provide a wealth of racing knowledge. That can make him a better rider that may soon dominate the sport, if he plays his cards right. Someday we may see Alberto Contador give a similar press conference.


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## zgxtreme (Jul 6, 2009)

DZfan14 said:


> He should have kept his trap shut to begin with. This is one of his really unappealing aspects.


While I agree and acknowledge that others may have reason to view it as so... based upon my personality I view it quite opposite. In life in general... I have always respected more those who truthfully and honestly spoke their minds in lieu of saying what they believed others wanted to hear; good or bad.

If involving me in say an occupational situation, I have found that those who spoke their minds held more of a mutual respect to me. I don't want to hear you say what you think I want you to. Just be honest... I am not easily "butt hurt" so don't insult me by sugar coating it. It may clash with society and the way things work "nowadays" but it has actually made me a fan of his. If he backs it up... good on him. If he doesn't, he is the one who has to live with it, not me.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

DMFT said:


> You forgot : AND PEOPLE STILL B*TCHED ABOUT IT!
> 
> - The guy is cocky for a reason. He backs it up. Like him or not, this is a great Tour so far and I can't wait to get to the mountains to see if he continues to back it up or see him implode.


Exactly. 

Even if he gives all to help poor, sick kids, people will still insult him. Whatever he does.

That's just how it is.

But hey, it's when you insult such things and still find mistake in those kinda things that others can really say, you're blind with emotion etc etc.

Of course, that's just a theory.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

I give him a 50/50 that he's good enough to win. We should get a better idea on Friday.

There is a lot to admire about LA & there is a lot that is not so admirable....it's why people have such strong either attachment to or hatred of him.

I find him fascinating. Although I have no desire to ever spend any personal time with him.

Len


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

thanks for the link.

i dont think i have ever read LA apologize for anything. i like to see it. makes him more human (i am sure there are detractors out there who will say its all PR).

but lets also look at ourselves: didnt many view last years tour as exciting, but at the same time not fielding the talent we thought should be there?


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## twiggy (Mar 23, 2004)

Personally after the apology I regained some of the respect that I had lost for him....but I agree that he should never have made those comments in the first place. I think there is a clear difference between essentially calling last years tour a joke (and also making that direct comment to VdV and Sastre) and being honest. I think he could have been respectful and honet if he had said " I think the outcome of last years tour would hve been different if I was there, I think I would have won it."

Andon the leadership situation in Astana, I think between Lance and Johan's comments its clear that *THEY * expected him to be the leader all along, as well as Levi and Popo who may have been to keep quiet about it.... but I'm getting the impression that Contador wasn't copied on that memo. Its almost like a coup.... I think there is a team within the team....try to make it look ike an accident, but Lance is taking over.


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## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

twiggy said:


> Personally after the apology I regained some of the respect that I had lost for him....but I agree that he should never have made those comments in the first place. I think there is a clear difference between essentially calling last years tour a joke (and also making that direct comment to VdV and Sastre) and being honest. I think he could have been respectful and honet if he had said " I think the outcome of last years tour would hve been different if I was there, I think I would have won it."
> 
> Andon the leadership situation in Astana, I think between Lance and Johan's comments its clear that *THEY * expected him to be the leader all along, as well as Levi and Popo who may have been to keep quiet about it.... but I'm getting the impression that Contador wasn't copied on that memo. Its almost like a coup.... I think there is a team within the team....try to make it look ike an accident, but Lance is taking over.


+1

You don't just run around slagging off your former colleague's work like that. Not cool. But of course this is all part of the strategy. Johan and Lance probably listen to Clausewitz on their IPODs.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

Len J said:


> I give him a 50/50 that he's good enough to win. We should get a better idea on Friday.
> 
> There is a lot to admire about LA & there is a lot that is not so admirable....it's why people have such strong either attachment to or hatred of him.
> 
> ...



That's very close to my sentiments about LA.


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## KMan (Feb 3, 2004)

*Friday*



Len J said:


> I give him a 50/50 that he's good enough to win. We should get a better idea on Friday.


I don't think Lance will show his cards on Friday if he has been playing his usualy games with the others...still too early in the race (unless Contador makes a mad dash for some hugh time). He'll hang tight and show he is suffering, but stay within reachable time of any serious GC contendors. After the race, he'll make his usualy statements of how hard it was; that he was riding on the edge almost over his limit, Levi towed him in, etc. But expect one day next week possibly that he makes a run for a mountain stage win and put some time into Conti....not sure he'll be able to beat him, but that's my call on his plan.


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## jpelaston (Jun 8, 2008)

I think you are mostly correct KMan. I've seen him do the same thing seven other times.


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## jonnyonthespot (May 18, 2009)

Honestly, give him a little slack, it seems he's just being attacked. Now, I'm not a big fan of the guy. But at his age and with the things he has said, he is still down by nothing in the standings. So as long as he continues to do what he's doing hes got a very good chance at winning.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Hey, did anyone else notice how close Contador stuck to Lance during today's stage? He is showing that he's not too proud to ignore a chance to maybe learn something from Old Lance by sticking close and watching..Early on in the first stages, he was riding quite seperate from Old Lance, maybe out of pride or something..But after that missed break..he seems to be paying closer attention...

No matter how good the press says you are, you still have to get the results. Making silly mistakes, being 'sloppy' or maybe just not knowing as much as some more experienced riders can cost dearly.. Imagine if Contador had flatted soon after that break cut loose....His Tour would have been all but over....

A cheap lesson for the young guy...and he seems a good student..


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## tbgtbg (Mar 13, 2009)

Gnarly 928 said:


> A cheap lesson for the young guy...and he seems a good student..


You know, I was thinking the same thing. Actually, AC is in a very good position overall, and he has both Bruyneel and LA's plans before going into each stage. Sheesh... how much better can you have it? My guess he will just bide his time, and let the LATER mountains sort it out so long as LA can keep up for the early ones. There is actually a short but good interview with LA and AC post TTT on the trek website...http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/astana/news/article/1621/2009/07/07/team_astana_wins_armstrong_22_hundredths_of_second_from_yellow/
A short blurb from that is below...
Q: Are you happy or not happy because of missing the yellow jersey?

AC: I think that today we have to be very, very happy. We have distanced enough riders like Sastre, Evans, Menchov, and even the Schlecks. It's only a pity we missed the yellow jersey. Always you like to have the maillot and especially Lance, with what it means for him. On the other hand, this allows us to ride more relaxed.

I don't know if AC is truthful here, but, jeez-lueez, he is in a good spot.
For LA, he will do OK in the early mountains, its his recovery that might be the problem, at 37, this is a bit slower than when you were in your 20s...


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## husonfirst (Jul 15, 2006)

twiggy said:


> but I agree that he should never have made those comments in the first place. I think there is a clear difference between essentially calling last years tour a joke (and also making that direct comment to VdV and Sastre) and being honest.


Exactly. One difference between a child and an adult is that adults have (should have) a filter between brain and mouth. And then there's something called tact.


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## somdoosh (Jul 21, 2008)

> A cheap lesson for the young guy...and he seems a good student..


Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.

Every g.d. time.


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## JAragon (Jan 29, 2006)

davidka said:


> While Mark Cavendish is known to speak freely but I'm surprised that his comments after winning yesterday didn't make bigger waves. He said that the entire TdF raced like a bunch of Junior racers on camera for Versus.


Didn't they though? The peloton was sucking and was not interested in catching the breakaway. At one point the average speed was right under 23 mph. Are you kidding me? 

They also couldn't get it together and catch the second breakaway that was instigated by Columbia-HTC. I thought these comments, though definitely lacking in humility, were correct. The rest of the field was sitting on their laurels and got caught, like a bunch of inexperienced juniors.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

KenB said:


> This is all part of his strategy. I'll even go as far to say that I think he has purposefully holding back in all the other races this year just to psych everyone out.


Funny. Here's a great and somewhat relevant quotation from LA's introduction to Mionske's "Bicycling and the Law"_Bob [Mionske] was so intent on making the Olympic team again ... that he was using everything in his arsenal, including his powers of persuasion, to make it to the line with the group. As he began to fall off the back, he would yell out, "I don't see why you guys are going so hard.... I'll just catch you later." and "You're wasting your time trying to drop me!" The image of Bob trying to argue his way to the finish line still brings a smile to my face ... Bob did make it to the line that day, and onto his second Olympic team._​Maybe Lance learned something from that experience.


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