Lance's legacy is changing every day. I'll bet every person and every newspaper out there has a different opinion on what his legacy is. I wish he would have done more but I figure he's distracted and depressed and demoralized.
On the other hand, I should read the cycling news before I post: Texan helps RadioShack retake lead in team competition Lance Armstrong refused to criticise Alberto Contador for not waiting for Andy Schleck after his mechanical problem. Armstrong recalled when he waited for Jan Ullrich in 2001 and when Ullrich waited for him in 2003. However he pointed out that the race was 'on' and so the unwritten rules of fair play and sportsmanship do not count in the heat of the moment, when other riders are attacking and other placings and jerseys are at stake. "I didn't see exactly what happened because I was a bit behind," Armstrong said immediately after finishing the stage. "But if Alberto attacked when he saw that Andy was behind, then it's probably not correct but I have to see the images first. But it's a shame if he didn't get back up and so lost the jersey. "It's true [that Ullrich waited in 2003] and in 2001 I waited for Ulrich, when he went down. It's better to wait but this is different. This was the last climb of the race and the race was really on. I don't want to make a harsh judgment without having seen the images." RadioShack leads team competition Armstrong looked much stronger on the stage and was only distanced when the race exploded in the final kilometres of the hors catégorie Port de Bales climb. He went on to finish 23rd in Bagneres de Luchon, 4:08 behind Thomas Voeckler (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) but was only 1:18 behind Contador. With Levi Leipheimer 17th and Andreas Klöden 22nd just ahead of him, RadioShack retook the lead in the team classification from Caisse d'Epargne. RadioShack now leads the Spanish team by 4:27 after Ruben Plaza, Christophe Moreau and Luis Leon Sanchez all finished behind Armstrong. Leipheimer held onto to seventh overall and is now 5:35 behind Contador. It seems that Armstrong will climb on the final Tour de France podium in Paris after all. Not for an eighth Tour de France victory but as he had hoped but part of the best team in the race. "It was a hard day but okay for the team because we got the team GC back," he said. "But we're running out of days because the Tour is only three weeks long, not four weeks. Anyway I was better than yesterday."
-------------------------------------------------------------- Fair play important to new Tour leader Alberto Contador has posted a YouTube apology to former Tour de France leader Andy Schleck for the timing of an attack that sees the Spaniard now lead the race. The Astana rider admitted he wasn’t happy with how he’s taken the Tour’s yellow jersey, and hopes it doesn’t impact his relationship with the Luxembourg rider. “Today I managed to get on the podium, which makes me happy. The problem with that was the circumstances,” said Contador in the video, filmed in his hotel room. “Right when I attacked Andy had a mechanical on the last climb. The race was in full gear and, well, maybe I made a mistake, I'm sorry. “At a time like that all you think about is riding as fast as you can,” he continued. “I'm not happy, in the sense that, to me, fair play is very important. Just like I did in the Spa stage, when both Andy and Fränk were behind the pack, I didn't hesitate to stop the bunch so that they could catch up. “Many people criticized me for doing that, especially after the stage on the cobbles, when the crash happened and the whole bunch split as a result, and it allowed Andy to take time on me, but I always settle it by saying I'd do it again,” said Contador. “The kind of thing that happened today is not something I like, it's not my style and I hope my relationship with Andy will remain as good as before.” Saxo Bank team owner Bjarne Riis wasn’t judging Contador after the stage. “I would have hoped he would have waited, and I think I would have waited... I think he did wait at the beginning but then it was a while before Andy was on the bike again. “I don’t know. Was it possible for Contador to wait in that situation, with [Samuel] Sanchez [Euskaltel] and [Denis] Menchov [Rabobank] attacking? He has to follow those guys, for sure. He might not need to pull [with them] or attack, but he has to follow those guys." Cervelo co-founder Gerard Vroomen was amongst those Tweeting on the topic, initially saying: “Contador just gained a great chance to win, but he lost the chance to win greatly.” But after considering Contador’s response, Vroomen added: “Alberto has a tiny point: Schleck didn't wait for him after the cobblestone crash so complaints about fair play ring hollow.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdOJLuePexs&feature=player_embedded
Andy Schleck – “I just want to win this Tour de France.” After the ‘Case of the Dropped Chain’, Alberto Contador issued an online statement apologizing for attacking Andy Schleck after the mechanical mishap. The rider in second overall appreciates the gesture but now he wants people to turn their attention to the race ahead, not the incident of stage 15… "I had to be careful in the beginning of the stage so I stayed up near the yellow jersey and had a good look at what he was up to. It looked like he had a good team around him and I had Jakob Fuglsang with me the whole time and unfortately Jens crashed in the downhill so it was not a super day for the team. I heard that he is okay, so that’s some of the best news of the day. “We had one scenario that we’d spoken about: if there was a group two or three minutes I would have attacked maybe on the col d’Aubisque and see how I went. But when we got there the escape was just too far ahead so there was no point in trying anything today because it would not have been successful. “I’m still motivated but it’s not like it’s revenge. I just want to win this Tour – that’s my goal – and I know there’s only one chance left and that’s the Tourmalet [on Thursday]. I think I can do it. I hope I can do it. “I haven’t seen the footage of Alberto’s apology but he came to me today and personally apologized and I appreciate that a lot. He knows that he did a mistake yesterday; he shouldn’t have done that, he knows it and, for me, that’s enough now. This case is closed and people should stop with it and move on. Nobody deserves to be chastised endlessly.”
Man Crush Increases.... From Velonews: Saxo Bank’s Jens Voigt shrugged off the pain of yet another crash at the Tour de France. On stage 16 Tuesday, Voigt was hurtling down the descent of the Col de Peyresourde, the first of four mountain passes, when he suffered a puncture and crashed at top speed. The German managed to avoid a repeat of the horrific injuries he suffered during last year’s race when he landed on his face while rocketing along on a descent. After waving away the help of race assistants in the broom wagon, Voigt battled on to finish the stage with the gruppetto, the group of sprinters and non-climbers who club together in a bid to beat the time cut-off. “I’m doing 70 kilometers an hour on the first descent when my front tire explodes,” explained Voigt. “Before I hit the asphalt I actually manage to think that this is going to hurt. Both knees, elbows, hands, shoulders and the entire left side of my body were severely hurt. “My ribs are hurting but hey, broken ribs are overrated anyway. Fortunately, I didn’t land on my face this time and I’m still alive. “I was offered a ride on the truck that picks up abandoned riders but I’m not going to quit another Tour de France. Now there’s a rest day and Paris is not that far away.” I'm looking for rumored youtube footage of today's crash...but here's the post-stage interview... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfiBbZJTx9s
Strangely in a tribute to Jen's I took a spill this morning on my commute to work...nothing major. It was very slick with the drizzle, I hit a painted line while turning and BAM!!! I hit the asphalt at about 10+mph maybe a bit more..and yup its hard! Happened so fast, I Never got my hands off my bars but that was probably good took the brunt of it on my hip and upper forearm, initial slam and then a little slide to a stop. Sat there for a moment, a bit stunned, checked myself out, thought about turning around...and seriously thought this... "If Jens can take one at 40+ and continue in the TDF, then I can ride the rest of the way into work"...so I did, I will be a bit sore and still need to ride home ... and will probably oooze a bit...but what the hey...I am good...but a little sore. Can't wait until tomorrow!...TDF wise!
Is there a cheat sheet for road racing? A guidebook to all the unwritten rules and ettiquette and strategies that are employed??? I've been trying to follow this thing for the last 2 years and I just don't understand a lot of the concepts like why wait for people, the whole team thing, A LOT of the strategies, politics, rules, the peleton, etc. etc. etc! Does anything exist on the internet (short but sweet), like a guide to the basics, that would help elucidate road racing for me??? Thanks!
We were in Catalina last weekend. A guy was sitting on the patio at Two Harbors with his ipad watching the tour. $15 for the access and $29 for the tour tracker. It was clear, perfect streaming and we watched the finish with him. I want that toy!
Google is your friend... to whit: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/tour-de-france-rules-frequently-asked-questions-17218 http://bicycling.suite101.com/article.cfm/tour_de_france_terms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_Bicycle_Racing Those should get ya started... - shud
Armstrong looked really good yesterday; much better than anyother mountain stage this year. Kind of reminiscent of how Landis came back strong in '06. Hmm I wonder...
This is how I've been tracking the tour. I didn't think DirectTV had Versus still, as they didn't last year, so I bought the app. Works out great, I start work at 8:30 and most of the stages have finished while I'm on my way in. I can listen and pull over to watch the sprints. The app has some nice ancillary features as far as rider/team tracking, stage profiles, etc.
Did you see the bike Jens rode after the crash? No team car so he ended up on a junior's bike with toe clips. That's nails!
"saying no to the SAG wagan" http://www.bicycling.com/tour-de-france/tour-features/saying-no-sag-wagon He's actually a pretty big guy so the bike just appears small. Classic Jens Voigt
Yeah but took no time off Contador,boo. Who would of thought that Chris Horner would be in the top 10 and Lance wouldn't be? Yeah,Chris!!!
