Lance is soo 5 years ago. I’m going for Schleck.

Lance Armstrong is done with the Tour de France.  The mountains proved it.  A try for a stage win proved it.  Granted, lady luck was not with Armstrong as she seemed to be during his seven consecutive wins of the Tour de France.  Maybe he can Mountain Bike if he can’t ride the Tourmalet. 

Though Armstrong earned a convincing third place last year, Andy Schleck took second place.  Not to mention Shleck earned an impressive second place this year as well.  I say “impressive” because his riding  was– I think he would have won…if it weren’t for the chain slip (and somehow, I really am convinced– at least this year– that Alberto Contador is the best cyclist in the world).

Next year, with Frank Schleck in Tow, I say Andy Schleck will be wearing the Maillot Jaune in Paris.   Now, only time will tell.   What’s up for Armstrong? –Even though Contador and Schleck dominated– Lance won the tour.

Tour of Missouri

www.tourofmissouri.com

I make no bones about it, I’m a big fan of cycling. [(this is the part where you ask me how often I cycle.) and (this is the part where I tell you I almost never cycle.)]  I, like many others, got into cycling during the era of Lance Armstrong (the first era).  For years and years I only watched the Tour de France, but in the last year or so I have been following the Tour and the Vuelta a Espana and Paris-Nice and some of the other spring classics.

Recently, some of cyclings powerhouse teams battled it out in…Missouri.  With tour riders and teams such as Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie of Garmin Slipstream, George Hincapie and Mark Cavendish of team Columbia-HTC, and Levi Leipheimer of Astana, this was a big time race and it wasn’t in Europe.

I wrote earlier about the US Pro Road Championship that happened in my backyard of Greenville, SC.  Yes friends, cycling happens not only in Europe- but in Greenville too.

Contador Slams Armstrong as 2010 TDF Starts to Heat up

With his second tour tucked away, Alberto Contador aired his true thoughts on Astana team mate and third place winner this year, Lance Armstrong.

Team Astana seems to be a team destined for drama, as with Alexandre Vinokourov’s expulsion from the 2007 tour when he fell in the first week and injured both of his knees.  As the 2007 out progressed Vino lost time, but he rapidly improved winning two stages in heroic fashion when his B blood sample (riders are tested for doping frequently) came back as positive.  Vinokourov was given a one year suspension by the Kazakhstan cycling federation, a lighter sentence than other major doping cases such as Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win, Ivan Basso, Tyler Hamilton.  Contador went on to win the 2007 Tour for former Armstrong team, Discovery.

2008 was a quiet year in the Tour de France.  Tour director Christian Prudhomme was crusading against doping, which crippled the sport in 2006 and 2007.

Leading up to the 2009 Tour de France Lance Armstrong announced his return to cycling in an effort to raise awareness for his cancer foundation, Livestrong.  Armstrong went on to join Team Astana which had picked up Armstrong’s long time coach and friend Johan Bruyneel, who has indicated that he does not plan on being part of Team Astana next year.

Prior to Armstrong’s joining team Astana, as an unpaid rider, Contador was the undisputed team leader.  And the 2007 Tour winner was justifiably tense regarding the seven time tour champion joining his team.

The day before the 2009 Tour Armstrong told Versus that he was strong and made it clear that he was aiming for the tour win. While Armstrong was in a higher position than his Spanish team mate, the elder cyclist hinted that all was not well in the state of Astana.

Contador maintained that everything was fine in Team Astana throughout the tour.  Upon arriving home in Spain one day after the Tour, Contador admitted that his relationship with Armstrong was “zero” and said of Armstrong, “He is a great rider and has completed a great race, but it is another thing on a personal level, where I have never had great admiration for him and I never will.”

Armstrong fired back on his Twitter page regarding Alberto Contador, “Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I’d drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn’t win.”  Armstrong referenced some comments he made in March about Contador being relatively inexperienced saying “hey pistolero, there is no “i” in “team”. what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.”

Armstrong has let it be known that in 2010 he will be riding the tour again for newly forming Team RadioShack, not team Nike as had been speculated.  The evening of the final stage of the tour, Armstrong elected to dine his new sponsors rather than celebrate with team Astana.  However, Alexandre Vinokourov was celebrating with Astana, and it seems likely that he will be joining.

At the present it seems that nothing is certain about team Astana except that they dominated the 2009 Tour.  But the 2010 Tour is shaping up to be quite a showdown.

Astana dominates 2009 Tour de France

Alberto Contador rode over the cobbles of the Champs Elysees in Paris France to win this year’s  Tour de France.  Lance Armstrong earned an impressive third spot on the podium behind Andy Schleck in his comeback after two years of retirement.

However, the real winner today is Mark Cavendish who finished second in the Green jersey contest behind Norway’s “God of Thunder” Thor Hushovd.  Cavendish was launched into orbit by his lead on a tremendous sprint finish to conclude this year’s Tour.   No one else was even close.

Armstrong will likely make a big splash in next year’s Tour.  I suspect that race etiquette kept him from competing at his highest level with team mate Contador.   Armstrong mentioned recently that he was examining the prospect of starting a Nike Livestrong Team.  It would be safe to assume that Armstrong will be the chief and not just another Indian if that comes to pass.

All things said and done, the 2009 Tour de France was highlighted by Lance Armstrong’s return to the race.  Surprisingly, Armstrong made it to the podium, quieting nay-sayers and spreading the name of Livestrong, his charity that aims to support cancer research.  Next year, I would like to see Armstrong ride onto the cobbles of the Champs Elysees wearing yellow.

Contador takes the lead

Sunday’s 15^th stage of the Tour de France provided all of the opportunity that 2007 champion Alberto Contador needed to rocket to first place.

Contador’s move put teammate and could-be rival, 7 time tour winner, Lance Armstrong  into second place overall, finishing a whopping 1:35 behind Contador on this alpine stage.

This seemingly makes Contador the favorite to win this years tour.  However, I note that it would have been very poor tour etiquette for Armstrong to have chased down Contador after he broke for the finish with just 6 kilometers to go.  Armstrong might have something to show for himself yet, but he needs to show it soon, or miss his chance.

Sprinting sensation Mark Cavendish has been put out of  the Green jersey contest after forcing Green jersey wearer Thor Hushovd too close to the wall in yesterdays finish.

As Armstrong assured us this morning, today provided plenty of fireworks in this years tour.

Can Hincapie take the Yellow?

Today marks the 14^th stage of the most boring Tour de France since last year.  Since Vinokourov and Rasmussen and many other favorites were kicked off of the tour in 2007 I have largely been jaded by many of the riders.  It is only a minor understatement on my part to say that the only people in this year’s race are Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Mark Cavendish and Thor Hushovd.  The GC is has been approximately the same for days now.

Currently there is a breakaway which Cavendish was in.  However, the mega-sprinter decided to back off given that his Highroad captain George Hincapie was in the breakaway.  In theory Hincapie could take the Yellow today.  Contador has dropped back to talk to his coach and former Hincapie coach Johan Bruyneel.  It seems that Contador is concerned about the breakaway.

Yesterday, Mark Cavendish went to the podium to be presented with the green jersey, only to be informed that Thor Hushovd won it yesterday.  Ouch.

Also, Levi Leipheimer, a perennial tour bridesmaid broke his wrist yesterday and is out of the tour.  His absence opens up the 4^th place spot in the general classification.  He will be missed by Contador and Armstrong in the final mountain stages.

I was excited about Armstrong’s return, and even more surprised that he is showing good legs.  But as of yet, I haven’t seen a tremendous effort out of the former seven time tour winner. Let’s see if something happens for a few days.  It will only take one “Great” day on the part of Contador or Armstrong to win the Tour. I suspect the first person to get the boost, will take the Maillot Jaune in Paris.

2009 Tour De France; Something rotten in the state of Astana

Stage ten had all of the highlights of a typical day of the 2009 Tour de France; a Mark Cavendish stage win, some Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador drama, and silly decision making by Tour director Christian Prudhomme.

Firstly, Cavendish took home the stage win, though he is in second place in the Green Jersey competition to Thor Hushovd, whom I thought would barely make a ripple in this year’s tour.  Here’s to hoping Cavendish pulls it out at the end.

Yesterday, Armstrong stated that there was some animosity on the Kazakh Team Astana.  Today, Contador denies those allegations in an interview posted on Astana’s website.  The interview is translated from Spanish into English, however one gets the idea that there is some tension that Contador simply does not want to talk about.

When Contador was asked if he felt he was the leader of Astana, the ’07 Tour winner replied, “If I was clearly the leader there would not be this polemic after Arcalis.”  When asked if the situation with Armstrong was influencing him, the Spaniard indicated a tiredness of being asked these questions saying, “The situation would be better if there was no place for questions such as these…”

Prior to Armstrong’s remarks yesterday I was of the opinion that Lance was going to be riding support for Contador by this time in the Tour despite the fact that the day before the tour, the seven time tour winner indicated that he was going to go for a win.

As the Tour winds through the Alps the time gaps will get bigger.  This blogger hopes that the 3^rd ranked Armstrong will be able to gain at least 8 seconds in order to get into 2^nd place.  Armstrong did not chase Contador when he went off in a break away.  Contador has indicated that he will give Lance the same courtesy as they are on the same team.  I for one hope Lance can work hard in the mountains and gain some time.

Today was also the day of the radio free experiment.  Riders and their directors were not allowed today to use radios.  Many teams have objected to the radio free experiment, but Prudhomme went on with it.  The theory behind this is that radios cause the riders to be docile.   By all reports, the tour today was uneventful.

Armstrong and Contador: Two Champions looking for Yellow.

Today marks the end of the 9th stage of the Tour de France.  The epic Tourmalet, the last of 3 stages in the Pyrenees, was treated as a little hill in light of recent developments.   Lance Armstrong, seven time tour champion, and team mate of 2007 tour champion Alberto Contador, admits that there is strife at the Astana breakfast table.  Armstrong speaks of his relations with Contador saying “The honest truth is that there’s a little tension”.  Armstrong goes on to call Contador “strong, and very ambitious”.

Armstrong acknowledges that if the 26 year old Spaniard “proves to be the strongest in the race, there is nothing” he (Armstrong) can do.  Armstrong made these comments to a French network this afternoon also revealing that he is looking to have his own team next year, likely a Livestrong-Nike team.  This would likely be coached by Astana coach and longtime friend of Armstrong, Johan Bruyneel.  These future plans are probably shaking up the powers at be in Astana.

Astana is also protesting an experiment by Tour organizers in which riders and team cars will not be allowed to use radio communication.  Supporters of a radio-free tour say that radios cause the race to be a video game controlled by team directors with TV’s in their team cars.

Tomorrow is a break day for tour riders.  Tuesday’s stage 10 will likely be a radio-free day of racing as well as providing a good stage for the sprinters.   Personally, here’s to hoping Cavendish takes the stage Tuesday.

Armstrong rides up in the Tour de France

I have been a Tour de France enthusiast since the 2003 Tour where Lance Armstong took home his 5^th tour win.

This year, 2009, marks Lances could be triumphant return to the tour riding for Team Astana..  Yesterday, Armstrong, who is a support rider for Alberto Contador captain of Team Astana, got into a break away and moved up to 3^rd place overall.  One position of ahead of Contador.

Today, Astana took home first in the first Team Time Trial, which allowed Lance to gain time on the current yellow jersey wearer, Fabian Cancellara.  This was enough for Armstrong to move up to 2^nd place, but not enough for the maillot jaune yellow jersey which signifies the overall leader of the general classification.

Sportscasters everywhere are hoping that Lance being on the same team as 2007’s tour winner Alberto Contador, would cause strife.  It is my opinion that Armstrong is too professional to not play by whatever plan Astana Coach Johan Bruyneel has cooked up.  Bruyneel was the coach of Armstrong’s Postal and Discovery team during all of Armstrong’s seven tour wins.

This development in the GC causes me to doubt my prediction that Armstrong would do well to achieve a top 20 finish.  Can Armstrong take home another win? I hope so.

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