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life is like the tide…it comes and goes on its own timeArchive for Lance Armstrong
Get ready: Armstrong’s Team Radio Shack
It’s (almost) official: Team Radio Shack will be Lance Armstrong’s new pro cycling team, sans Contador, but (unconfirmed) with Bruyneel at the helm.
Following a disappointing couple of stages and a 3rd place standing today for Armstrong, the announcement was just released over the airwaves that his new team will compete in the 2010 Tour de France. The official announcement is expected this evening.
See Lance’s video announcement on Livestrong.
TDF 2009 Stage 17 What a difference a day makes
I really miss being able to report up to the minute on the Tour and having to come in with hindsight.
Has Armstrong ever been 3 minutes behind the lead in a Tour? I can’t find the stats, but I think he has and made up the time. This year is another story. However, he did say he’ll be back in 2010, and THAT will be another story. If Lance does join another American-based team, will Bruyneel follow or stay with Astana and Contador? Frankly, can Contador win without Bruyneel?
It sounds like Cavendish was behaving rudely and rather childishly toward Hushovd, and Thor proved he deserves to be wearing the green. Well wishes to Jens Voight for a speedy recovery from his nasty crash. Poor Denis Menchov just can’t stay on his bike. What a day!
Tomorrow will be the individual time trials, an opportunity for Lance to demonstrate his legendary skill. Let’s wish them dry roads (remember Jan Ulrich’s horrible crash into the barriers?).
1- Contador
2-3 The Schlecks
4 – Armstrong
Looks weird, doesn’t it!
TDF 2009 Stage 16 The Astana Alps
Never underestimate will power…or strategic planning. Contador’s legs have been powerful up the mountains, thus far. However, he also fell apart this year in the Paris-Nice. Astana will try to command the Alps as they ride into the final week of the Tour, and they have three top positions, including Andreas Kloden (who tried to steal a mountain stage win from Team Postal a couple of years ago, but Lance took it in vindication for his lieutenant Floyd Landis and to keep the win for the team).
Armstrong hates to lose. Contador wants to win. Who will prevail, and can Lance really play 2nd or 3rd fiddle? I don’t think so, and I don’t want to think so. He has made up for being a minute-and-some behind, before. He might be an “old man” in the Tour, but he’s also the bionic man.
But, I could be wrong.
TDF 2009 stage 15 moving mountains
In the aftermath of a stage riddled by disappointment and tragedy, the mighty Alps loom ahead where all standings can change dramatically.
Hincapie will probably not have the legs to vindicate himself today, and there will be some bad blood in the field about yesterday’s unsportsmanlike maneuvering by Garmin.
Cav has no chance of retrieving the green jersey after being dropped to last place, part of his fine for blocking Hoshovd at the finish.
Contador and Armstrong will have to battle it out on the mountain for the yellow, and the commentators are fully expecting younger legs to take the top of the mountain.
Then, there’s Carlo Sastre.
Let the battle begin!
Boy, I need to double check what I wrote before hitting “update!”
So, if it was according to Bruyneel’s plan (that he would not divulge), then the plan was executed beautifully. Contador reclaims the maillot jaune, Armstrong and Team Astana performed superbly. Way to go!
Now, let’s play the hindsight game: did Contador accelerate as if to say, “hey, old man, catch me if you can!” Did Armstrong give Alberto one of his looks as if to say, “hey, go – now!” Did Team Astana form a little pack to crush Garmin as vindication for their pal, Hincapie? In the end, it’s all a race. We’ll see who the rock star (aka king of the Alps) will be next week.
Armstrong begins his 12e TDF
At 10:17 am ET, Lance Armstrong left the starting chute on the first time trial of his 12th TDF, wearing number 22 (is that for his 22 stage wins?), amid a cheering crowd near the square in front of the famous Casino of beautiful Monte Carlo. It’s a fairly high climb for a Stage 1/Prologue time trial, but he’s very familiar with mountainous hairpin turns (driving them in Monaco is nuts).
He said it doesn’t matter if he wins, it’s an opportunity to establish a pecking order for Team Astana and see how well they’ll do.
I’m a Lance fan, so I’m biased – I expect he’ll do just fine.
UPDATE: Lance finished 20:12, 22 seconds ahead of Montfort’s best time at 20:40. There is still quite a field to go!
UPDATECancellara fabulous again in a Tour Prologue with a first place finish of 19:32, dropping the incumbent yellow jersey, Contador, to 2nd place. And so, it begins!
Trivia
For the first time, there are 2 Japanese riders: Yuki Arashiro (BB Telecom) and Fumi Beppu (Skil-Shimano) who might be able to finish the Tour. In 1926 and 1927, Kisso Karamuro had to pull out in the first stage, and in 1998, Daisuke Imanaka was dropped when he didn’t make the time cut on stage 14.
Notes of a consumate tourist
While a student at the University of Grenoble, I took a little trip to Monaco and stayed in a lovely villa at Cap d’Ail, just a couple of miles west along the Riviera toward Nice, where the water is so blue that you feel as though you can reach out and touch the bottom of the cove.
