tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post3930773132822149548..comments2023-09-08T06:31:18.925-05:00Comments on Belgium Knee Warmers™: The Astana QuestionRadio Freddyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07419506761098758178noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-71475634121627946382009-06-10T08:49:52.404-05:002009-06-10T08:49:52.404-05:00Padraig - I don't see this as a Puccini traged...Padraig - I don't see this as a Puccini tragedy. I see it as a Rossini comedy - Rossini's Barber of Seville. Or, depending on how ridiculous the pay/team politics situation on Astana gets, the Rabbit of Seville. Tragedy would be if the team doesn't get paid and breaks up, then neither A nor C rides the tour. This one has either a happy or at least not-unhappy ending.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461836999036966262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-66131222149625287052009-06-09T23:28:58.835-05:002009-06-09T23:28:58.835-05:00DaRobot--2007 with Contador and Leipheimer. Maybe ...DaRobot--2007 with Contador and Leipheimer. Maybe they could try to take all three spots! Don't think thats ever happened, has it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-41924863869516947472009-06-09T19:26:27.596-05:002009-06-09T19:26:27.596-05:00I can't believe AC will leave Astana before t...I can't believe AC will leave Astana before the TdF. The money looks like it might come through, but I can' t believe he'd want to roll the dice this close to the event.<br /><br />I also don't believe Lance has enough in the tank to win it. I really believe that he'd have taken a Giro stage if he could have, if only to demonstrate that he's worth riding for at the Tour. <br /><br />Astana, as currently constituted, is built for grand tours. I wonder if they might not strategize around taking two spots on the podium. That would give Bruyneel a feather in his cap, he's not yet earned, and that guy has some ego to stroke, too.<br /><br />If I'm honest, I have no clue.Da Robothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726631064230013191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-43306555644524687882009-06-09T18:59:51.960-05:002009-06-09T18:59:51.960-05:00Do you think part of the "Contador, no Armstr...Do you think part of the "Contador, no Armstrong, no wait.." talk is to confuse the other teams on who to mark? Or are they not so easily fooled?jimmytheflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10060952522546330342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-47448833946974183252009-06-09T17:40:58.509-05:002009-06-09T17:40:58.509-05:00...excellent...at least the sponsorship thingy has......excellent...at least the sponsorship thingy has been settled for 'le tour'...<br /><br />...act one in which the characters were introduced w/ much wringing of hands & the scene setting subterfuge of <i>"woe be unto us, for united though we are, we are but paupers"</i> was brought to the fore...<br /><br />...jim has wonderfully set the stage (if you will) w/ the description for act two...<br /><br />...act three commences in monte carlo (how appropriate for a modern opera)...the knives will be unsheathed albeit surreptitiously & a slow circling will begin...<br /><br />...(king of the new world) --- <i>"after you, good sir"</i>...<br />...(dusky latin prince) --- "oh, no, no, no, i insist for surely you, sir are the better man !!!"...<br />...<i>"please, please, you deserve this opportunity more than i...but wait, is that an inflamed looking knee your favoring, sir ???...my, i certainly hope that won't affect your efforts"</i>...<br />..."ummm...i, ahhh, well no...i'm quite fine, honestly...maybe i did twinge it a little in my preparation"...<br />...<i>"here, let me offer you my best most trusted man...why, of course he'll serve you loyally & it's obvious to me you'll most likely need help"</i>...<br />..."well thank you, sir...most kind of you...hmmm, damn...now i have such concerns as never before"...<br /><br />...& the finale will be played out deliciously over three long weeks w/ a strong cast of characters & perhaps a very surprise ending...<br /><br />...just sayin'...bikesgonewildhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489983012589939600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-61139608533180214952009-06-09T17:15:53.803-05:002009-06-09T17:15:53.803-05:00smashing!smashing!3Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01871499903889648021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-49061437000781278912009-06-09T13:58:57.837-05:002009-06-09T13:58:57.837-05:00http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM...http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iNPwNVAGwJsTC9fnwCwmtFO91Bhw<br /><br />Looks liek this answers some of the ?s.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15624220224583576399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-88885725102410302812009-06-09T12:11:27.137-05:002009-06-09T12:11:27.137-05:00I think we may be coming similar things from diffe...I think we may be coming similar things from different angles. I guess what I'm looking at as "party line" is the "evolving party line." As you point out, in the early days, it was Contador-as-leader, Armstrong-as-happy-domestique. But over the past month or so, there's been a lot more saber rattling from the Armstrong camp, and Bruyneel, Horner, et. al. seem to be moving more towards Armstrong OR Contador as the new talking point. <br /><br />What I'm wondering is how much of the shift is connected to the reality of who IS the strongest on the team, and how much is related to the need to portray Armstrong as a contender for the sake of sponsorship. At the beginning of the comeback, Astana was one of the best funded teams in the business. Now the leadership talk seems to be shifting in close step with their need for money.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11768191616232019052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-4459021999044682142009-06-09T11:09:32.742-05:002009-06-09T11:09:32.742-05:00First, love reading your posts. Second, this year&...First, love reading your posts. Second, this year's tour will be great to watch, and third. The 1986 La Vie Claire team is still the best tour team ever. That’s just my humble opinion.Brent's Tour de France Picks!https://www.blogger.com/profile/08651960659286443777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-37382416758303289002009-06-09T11:04:19.066-05:002009-06-09T11:04:19.066-05:00All: Thanks for the comments.
Jim, the compariso...All: Thanks for the comments. <br /><br />Jim, the comparison to opera couldn't be more apt. I'm sure Puccini could have turned the '09 Tour into into a grand and elaborate tragedy.<br /><br />Ryan, the interesting thing about the party line is that what Horner said couldn't have been less party line. It's always been "I'm riding for the strongest guy. Contador is the strongest guy in the world." That's fine so long as Contador is the strongest guy on the team. If that status comes into question, so does his leadership. For Horner to say anything other than he's riding for Contador won't sit well with AC. Put another way, officially, there's not supposed to be any question and for Horner to call the leadership into question publicly is a big change.Padraighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14806791547912750107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-65644486432412342632009-06-09T10:14:05.658-05:002009-06-09T10:14:05.658-05:00Interesting analysis -- thanks. One point you bro...Interesting analysis -- thanks. One point you brought up that interests me is what's been communicated to the team by Bruyneel. While you may be right that even fairly big players like Horner may be kept in the dark about who they're riding for in July, I'm pretty certain they've all been well-drilled on the party line when it comes to doing interviews: say it's Armstrong OR Contador, or else.<br /><br />The riders may feel or even know it's BS while they're saying it, but to land a new sponsor, particularly from an American company, Bruyneel et. al. need Armstrong to still be viewed in some sort of on-the-road leadership capacity. There may be big internationals (e.g., B-M-S, Coca-Cola) that could benefit enough from a Spanish win to make it worthwhile, but they'll still want the Armstrong bump for their money.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11768191616232019052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-74914153837469714242009-06-09T09:26:34.322-05:002009-06-09T09:26:34.322-05:00Jim, I wouldn't say no to either one. However,...Jim, I wouldn't say no to either one. However, I am a little (lot) partial to AC. Who I think is quite capable of a real beatdown. And one has to wonder how Astana's spanish armada could figure into the equation of loyalty.<br /><br />I've often said the ProTour is better than a soap opera.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-23925907180186553232009-06-09T09:05:56.982-05:002009-06-09T09:05:56.982-05:00Time for a conspiracy theory - I am beginning to t...Time for a conspiracy theory - I am beginning to think that the Discovery Team migration to Astana was all planned to alienate the team's sponsors (only one Kazakhstani rider remains?) and give Armstrong/Bruyneel a fully functioning pro-team ripe for the takeover.Steve Dennishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05007547685719061260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-4916888847493638042009-06-09T04:42:41.290-05:002009-06-09T04:42:41.290-05:00Just in case you've never seen opera, this res...Just in case you've never seen opera, this resembles a good Italian opera plot where the two suitors, one young and handsome but flighty, the other older and cunning but somewhat dislikable, vie for the young lady's hand. All the while they sing funny things while they wander around the stage, like, "I'm not that interested in beating him" or "may the best man win," or, "fate has dealt me a funny hand," then they go to a corner of the stage and sing 'privately' to the audience in an aside, "I'll mop the floor with him!" <br /><br />Cycling as opera is a metaphor that never wears out thanks to the multi-dimensional drama (and operatic nature) of the great stage races. Enjoy this - it's harmless fun and we'll be laughing about it years from now the way opera buffs chuckle about a memorable performance from 30 years ago.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461836999036966262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2821760991275369602.post-21363341272207438302009-06-09T03:57:47.334-05:002009-06-09T03:57:47.334-05:00Despite the ringing tones of mockery loud in my ea...Despite the ringing tones of mockery loud in my ears from all my cycling friends I have my money on Armstrong to win the Tour.<br /><br />Great post...Olihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12870524373958344954noreply@blogger.com