People keep saying Alberto this, Lance that… But so far this season Levi seems to be the most consistent and strongest man in the team. If I was Bruyneel I would consider making the team work for Levi that is if he can maintain his exceptional fitness by the begining of the Tour…
Alternatively I would love to see Lance and Alberto fighting for the yellow jersey and Levi watching for a chance to steal the victory.
If you don’t think Lance is going to go into intense training mode post surgery, you’re nuts. IMO this injury is going to set the stage for Lance to come back even stronger.
Agreed. What I’m trying to say is that Lance and Alberto can go into a Hinault/Lemond scenario with Levi closely watching and waiting for a chance to make the right move.
Alberto and Lance work for Levi in February and March when they’re at 80-90% and he’s at 100%. Levi works for Lance and Alberto in July and September when they’re at 100%. That’s the way it will work. All things being equal (peak fitness) Levi just isn’t good enough.
The only problem that I see with Levi is that he is a very ethical guy in my opinion and he would do what he is told to do… at least this has been his trademark.
All things being equal this year… everybody being tested and potentially clean… uhmmm
You should have titled this as yet another “Gay for Lance” thread.
Fighting for gold? Which event are you speaking of? I thought the Olympics are held every four years.
You could make a strong argument that Johan is the greatest tactician that the world of cycling has ever seen. He’s knows what he is doing. Levi will have his chance if he is strong during the Tour. Contador is quite possibly the greatest grand tour rider the world will ever see. Why would you make him and a 7-time Tour winner work for Levi?
Hahah, that’s a good one. You’re a funny guy.
Did you see that stack of DVD’s next to Lance for his post surgery video interview? That is fluid trainer material.
Levi is a great rider. But, he is the poster boy of slow twitch. Attacks in the mountains seem to leave him in constant chase mode. Great if there is room before the finish line to catch back on. But, with 2k to go he is screwed.
Contador has the jump, the TT, and the sustained power as well. He has got the full toolbox.
Lance. Never has had a Maglia Rosa. Needs one of those for the wall. Never had the Maglia Oro either. Tour yellow? Plently. He could wallpaper a room with those jerseys. However, there is a stage in this year’s Tour de France Lance has never one. A stage that all great Tour winners have won on. Ventoux. I see him working for Contador just so he can finally have that stage. He will be healthy enough for the Giro. Levi is in an unfortunate position but should anyone falter you can expect to see him step up.
Don’t forget about Kloden and Zubeldia. Both these guys are HUGE stage racers also with impressive Palmeres. So there are 5 riders - Armstrong, Contador, Leiphemer, Kloden, & Zubeldia who will either all be going for it or will be lining up behind one guy - or not!!! There may never have been a team heading into the Tour De France with so many options and so much absolute GC talent all on one team. The challenge and perhaps the problem and the unkown is, will it work?
I’m just saying what Johan said earlier that the team will work for the strongest man. Today it looks that Levi is the strongest and most consistent man. That may change later in the season… It is just speculation at this point. But an interesting angle to explore. What if Contador gets injured before the Tour or during the Tour…
I’m just saying what Johan said earlier that the team will work for the strongest man.
Strongest now?
Strongest after the Giro?
Strongest a few weeks before the Tour?
or strongest after the first week of the Tour?
Armstrong is a classic example of this. He’s been written off after the Dauphine, even early in the Tour and come back and won.
Look at CSC last year, either of the Schlecks looked better than Sastre early in the race.
I really like Levi, but he isn’t a GC contender in a TdF. Look at the history of early season stage races. Sean Kelly would’ve been everyones pick for the TdF is early season stage races matter, but they don’t. Levi peaks for the earlier races, and you can’t hold a peak all through the year. Come tour time the top guys will be hitting their peak and he will be a very well rewarded domestique.
Styrrell
I’m pretty sure a guy who finishes 3rd is a GC contender. Can he win it? Maybe a whole different story. But I think he is definitely a contender and if he didn’t waste a bunch of energy peaking for these early season races he’d be right up there with the everyone else if he had a full team behind him like all the other GC contenders do.
Alberto and Lance work for Levi in February and March when they’re at 80-90% and he’s at 100%. Levi works for Lance and Alberto in July and September when they’re at 100%. That’s the way it will work. All things being equal (peak fitness) Levi just isn’t good enough.
I’m not sure whether I believe that Levi is in peak condition, or at least that he can only peak once. Last year he rode to second in the Vuelta only a couple minute back of Contador while riding support in September.
Exactly, September is a lot further away than July. That leaves him time to recover from his early season peak, then start building to peak again later in the year. It wouldn’t work for him to try and peak in the early season races and then again in July, though. It’s too long a time to maintain a peak, and too short a time to peak a second time.
Its somewhat of a chicken and egg situation. You see someone with promising results and think if he had all the advantages AC did he could move up. I see someone who has had time to prove he could get to AC level and hasn’t shown the ability to get protected by his team.
I think where he falls down is that he can keep up with anybody, but can’t drop the best. It makes him an awesome asset and he always has the chance that the top guys get injured have a bad day etc. Can he win a Grand Tour, sure if other riders falter and things go his way. I just don’t think he can win one by being the strongest and imposing his will on the other onform riders.
Styrrell
so far this season Levi seems to be the most consistent and strongest man in the team.
What makes you say that? Because he was the protected rider for TOC? Do you think that it’s possible that there were other reasons why he was the protected rider? Did Bruyneel or any rider say that Levi was the most fit rider?
I was Bruyneel I would consider making the team work for Levi
For when? The Giro? Paris-Rabioux?
Alternatively I would love to see Lance and Alberto fighting for gold and Levi watching for a chance to steal the gold.
Aren’t the Olympics really far away?
Okay not “gold” I meant “yellow” on the Tour
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Levi trained to peak in Feb-March. While he earned the ToC title half the field were there as a training ride.
He’s a great rider, and could eke out a Tour win if things went his way. Of course, Contador could win by 20 minutes if things go his way. Lance is just along for the ride, I get the feeling he’ll do okay, but dont expect any Giro or Tour wins.