So what did Lance say about today

Triathlon Forum
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Check it out here http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=reu-armstrongdc&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Armstrong warns rivals he will be ready for Tour

LE MONT VENTOUX, France (Reuters) - Lance Armstrong may have been beaten in two major tests in the Dauphine Libere but he warned his rivals Thursday he would be ready in time to win his seventh Tour de France in succession next month.

The American finished third in his first significant time trial of the season over 46.5 kms Wednesday and fourth the next day in his last ride up the Mont Ventoux, cycling’s most gruelling mountain and a summit he will never conquer.

But the Texan, second overall behind compatriot Levi Leipheimer, said he was not worried in the least.

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“You often see riders do well in the Dauphine Libere and a month later they are not so strong,” he said, in a reference to Basque Iban Mayo, who dominated in the Ventoux last year and sank in the Tour.

Victory in Thursday’s 182-km fourth stage to the Ventoux went to Kazakh Alexander Vinokourov while Colombian Santiago Botero won Wednesday’s time trial.

"I have learned not to be impatient. It was difficult today but the real test is a month away and I stay on schedule.

“I’m trying to gain some condition here, some race rhythm and to focus on the big objective. Everybody is calm and collected and we are ready,” he said.

Armstrong admitted he had suffered on the Ventoux climb, but he always has.

"Lance knows that the Ventoux is not his thing. He has had a lot of hard times here in the past.

“But the time trial and today’s climb were two satisfactory tests. Lance is close to his best. He may not be 100 percent but not far,” said his Discovery Channel team leader Johan Bruyneel.

Armstrong said, however, he felt on the Ventoux he still had some work ahead to reach his peak for the Tour.

“I would not say it was great, I would not even say it was good. I wasn’t good enough today, I suffered a lot and I’m a little bit disappointed. Maybe I was still a little bit heavy for a climb like that by a few pounds,” he said.

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It’s what you would expect him to say, and I would agree. He looks pretty good, if being in absolute top form is the goal 30 days from now. The Dauphine is merely a tune up for Armstrong. I am not a Lance nut, but it’s shaping up very similar to last year with Armstrong looking very good but not great yet, and several other of the main Tour de France GC contenders looking outstanding( Leipheimer) or still somewhat underwraps( Ullrich) or not really anywhere( Kloden). There are of course others( Basso) who will be in the mix as well.

Fleck

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Yeah, how could Kloden be so off this year?

Dave in VA

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I think Kloden is on a super-secret training plan that sees him peaking once every 3-5 years.

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I think Kloden is on a super-secret training plan that sees him peaking once every 3-5 years.
And those being the years his contract is up!

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“When you are weak, you must appear strong. When are strong, you do well to hide your strength. Let your plans be as dark as night, and when you do fall to the attack, fall as a thunderclap.” Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”.

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huge

<<“When you are weak, you must appear strong. When are strong, you do well to hide your strength. Let your plans be as dark as night, and when you do fall to the attack, fall as a thunderclap.” Sun Tzu, “The Art of War” >>

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Tom,

I see a lot of your posts and quotes, but that one was most insightful.

Ahhh Sun Tzu

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I apologise in advance but “GO LANCE!!”
.

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Lanceophiles, help me out here. Didn’t Armstrong sandbag in tune up events in the past? Wasn’t there something about him appearing weak in the early going and then crushing souls in the mountains?

Say what you will about his personality (or personality flaws) But he is The American in the race and I want him to win for that reason alone. U…S…A…U…S…A

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Tom, with the quoting of Sun Tzu I see you in a different light. Like you often say… HUGE! :slight_smile:

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You want a win for the USA…Levi baby…Levi…

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i can’t wait until he does it. we will be popping champagne here (you guessed, Tattinger) and toasting like crazy. to see that man race…nothing is better.