It has to be Armstrong. Contador could win it but he won’t and will play the team game and help Armstrong or Kloden. Armstrong has shown himself to be stronger than Kloden. Can he beat Andy? I suspect so as he has a grudge against the mountain. No need to watch the stage now.
I for one will say that I want to see more than anything, an Armstrong victory on Ventoux tomorrow. I fear that Contador will be with him all the way and they’ll be discussing whether it was gifted to Lance, a la Pantani back in the day.
Geez, I hope not, but it would be a fitting addition to the Astanadrama* of '09. I wanna see him crush, just once, this tour.
Paul
*I didn’t coin this word.
It has to be Armstrong. Contador could win it but he won’t and will play the team game and help Armstrong or Kloden.
No way, IMHO. Contador goes for the win. I don’t see him letting Armstrong go on purpose.
I for one will say that I want to see more than anything, an Armstrong victory on Ventoux tomorrow. I fear that Contador will be with him all the way and they’ll be discussing whether it was gifted to Lance, a la Pantani back in the day.
Geez, I hope not, but it would be a fitting addition to the Astanadrama* of '09. I wanna see him crush, just once, this tour.
Paul
*I didn’t coin this word.
x2
It has to be Armstrong. Contador could win it but he won’t and will play the team game and help Armstrong or Kloden.
No way, IMHO. Contador goes for the win. I don’t see him letting Armstrong go on purpose.
Contador wants to ride on a strong team next year. No way he is going to chase any potential strong riders away from next years team by coming across as a selfish, non-team player, when he has the Tour wrapped up. Contador helps the team tomorrow unless disaster strikes Kloden and Armstrong.
And, you are forgetting, I put spoiler in the title so what I said has to come true.
Silly Rabbit…
Tricks are for kids
It is a miracle that Armstrong has a podium shot, when he’s arguably not one of the top ten riders in the tour. If it wasn’t for the brute strength of Astana hauling his ass around because of his whining, and playing at being team leader, - he’d be sitting 7th or 8th right now. Props to his alertness,- but he showed in the TT and climbing, that he’s lucky if he makes the top 5.
Columbia’s dominance this racing season and their victory today, just goes to show the importance of your team.
And it is quite clear that Astana certainly has the best TEAM in this race. Popyvich, Rast, Z, Muravyev and Paulinho put Kolden, Armstrong and (somewhat), Contador, where they are…
There’s no question that Andy Schleck is number two, we’ll see who will get third…
The only way AC goes tomorrow would be to cover a move from Andy. I suspect he and Kloden will work to full Lance to the top.
I don’t agree that Lance has been stronger than Kloden this tour. He is ahead in the standings, but Kloden’s been able to hang with the top climbers more than Lance.
Evans. His new teammates Lance and CO won’t chase him, and no one else has reason to, either. He’ll be in a break and he’ll hold on up the climb.
Evans. His new teammates Lance and CO won’t chase him, and no one else has reason to, either. He’ll be in a break and he’ll hold on up the climb.
This is not as absurd as it sounds at first. I could see it.
Evans. His new teammates Lance and CO won’t chase him, and no one else has reason to, either. He’ll be in a break and he’ll hold on up the climb.
I would love to see Evans get some redemption tomorrow but he just doesn’t seem to have it in this Tour. Was in the break yesterday and couldn’t stay with the stronger guys. If he could have he would have had a chance to win. And, I don’t think Lance would let him go in a break (to far anyhow) as I think Lance wants this one. Contador has the Tour. Lance wants Ventoux
Andy Schleck breaks Contador and wins by 1.5 minutes. Lance will be lucky to finish with the peloton (and please know I would love nothing more than for LA to crush the ride).
Silly Rabbit…
Tricks are for kids
It is a miracle that Armstrong has a podium shot, when he’s arguably not one of the top ten riders in the tour. If it wasn’t for the brute strength of Astana hauling his ass around because of his whining, and playing at being team leader
So who hauled his ass up petit st bernard? He passed Frank Schleck like he was riding backwards and pulled the top ridwes in the tour right bact to him and looked like he could’ve kept on booking up that hill. He’s helped his team an awful lot this tour, covering attacks, running Wiggins into gumby and holding back on attacks himself to not drag other top GCs closer to his man Contador. He’s ridden selfless and well. He earned that third spot on his own by making that solo break back to the lead group in stage 16.
I think the only race here is whether Lance can hold off Wiggins and F Schleck for the podium. Contador and Andy Schleck will will be gone up the road with Frank along for the ride. Can Lance keep the spread on Frank Schleck to defend the podium spot? I am not sure this is possible. Andy will be on a mission to put his brother Frank on the podium with him and they are both going to try to win the stage. The gap to the Armstrong “tgroup” will likely be more than the current spread to Frank.
If Contador is a team player he might actually consider sitting back with Lance and Kloeden so that three Astana boys can TTT and try to keep the spread to the Saxo boys small enough to keep Lance on the podium. I don’t think that Contador has the patience to do that…he’s going to want the stage win.
…and kudos to Lance for being on the “right side of the 20 and 4 second breaks”…that’s pretty well the only things that are keeing him on the podium.
Dev
I think the only race here is whether Lance can hold off Wiggins and F Schleck for the podium. Contador and Andy Schleck will will be gone up the road with Frank along for the ride. Can Lance keep the spread on Frank Schleck to defend the podium spot? I am not sure this is possible. Andy will be on a mission to put his brother Frank on the podium with him and they are both going to try to win the stage. The gap to the Armstrong “tgroup” will likely be more than the current spread to Frank.
If Contador is a team player he might actually consider sitting back with Lance and Kloeden so that three Astana boys can TTT and try to keep the spread to the Saxo boys small enough to keep Lance on the podium. I don’t think that Contador has the patience to do that…he’s going to want the stage win.
…and kudos to Lance for being on the “right side of the 20 and 4 second breaks”…that’s pretty well the only things that are keeing him on the podium.
Dev
That having been said, one of the things that is making Lance’s podium spot tenuous is the fact he played the team role and sat on Wiggins wheel, losing a couple of minutes on A Schleck when he clearly had the ability to stay with A. Schleck, at least, but probably not Contodor, on that last climb. I think Lance has shown plenty of ability here and it has been bottled up waiting for this stage.
I simply don’t understand why all the argument here, I put spoiler in the title, it is going to happen as I say. 
Armstrong may hope to win more and he has more fans, myself included, but holding off Frank for 3rd will be an outstanding achievement.
Talk of Contador not going up the road for the victory and helping his teamates is just silly (unless he is helping next years teamate Wiggens!).
As for Evans, he is this years Moreau. His mind is totally blown. And if the mind is blown, the body ain’t going anywhere.
Talk of Contador not going up the road for the victory and helping his teamates is just silly (unless he is helping next years teamate Wiggens!).
Contador will not help next years teammate, he will help this years teammates, if he wants strong teammates next year. I know, I put spoiler in the thread title.
It has to be Wiggins who starts the action. The other teams, Astana and Andy’s team will not push a fight and jepordise a podium spot.
Steve
SMp
You might be right but I see Andy as wanting Frank on the podium. I also see Wiggins not as confident in his climbing abilities as the Schlecks so he is going to go hard but steady and hope everyone else blows up big time. So, I see the “trouble” starting with the Schlecks. While I usually put “we shall see” at the end of such posts. since I put “spoiler” in the title, I see no need this time.
It has to be true because you put spoiler in the title… ;
What ever it is, I hope it’s not boring. That would be the biggest piss off.
It has to be true because you put spoiler in the title… ;
What ever it is, I hope it’s not boring. That would be the biggest piss off.
Wouldn’t be the first time.