How about Lance today? The guy picked up 4 seconds just by being alert, smart, and reactive. I think there's a lesson in that for all of us. I guess experience really does matter.
I don't know about the rest of you but I hope he's first to the top tomorrow!
AJW
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How about Contador this whole tour? He's had halfhearted support from his team, his rightful place as team leader was basically yanked from under him by Lance's grandstanding, he's gotten very little fan support, etc. etc. And all he's done is climbed spectacularly, ridden his way back into the leadership of what should have been his team to start with, and ridden away with the Tour so far. Sure, Lance is a savvy rider, but how 'bout celebrating the guy who is probably going to win this thing going away? I hope Contador blows away the field tomorrow.
Contador has been amazing. No doubt. Still, I agree with Andy, Armstrong has shown this whole Tour that being experienced and a student of the race can get you some time even when the legs aren't quite there.
Armstrong was most likely a doper and a cheater. From his long association with Dr. Ferrari, to the testimony of his former teammate and his wife, the Andreu's, that he admitted to using a laundry list of PED's, the evidence supports the conclusion of doping. It is true that probably most of the peloton dopes, but there is no reason that Lance should be lionized while Landis, for example, is villified. Unless and until Armstrong successfully sues the Andreu's for defamation (as he has sued many others) the only logical conclusion is that he is tainted. The most likely reason he hasn't sued them, as he has sued everyone else, is that truth is an absolute defense to defamation, and this type of lawsuit would require disclosure of his medical records.
Lance not only almost certainly was a doper, but very likely still is a doper. From his vaunted anti-doping program that he suddenly dropped with no fanfare, to the "shower incident", to his suspiciously fast recovery from the broken collarbone... I suspect that he tried to go it clean this year, realized he couldn't hang, and went for the best program he could find. Not saying the rest of the riders may not be also, but I have little doubt that he is dirty.
Spotting Contador 11 years in age, and coming back from four years off, probably was somewhat of an disadvantage for Armstrong.
Try taking off 4 years from ultrarunning in your mid thirties and then making a comeback. Good luck against the world's best competition, many of whom are over a decade younger than you.
The fact that Armstrong took third and was only 5 minutes or so back is amazing.
All due respect to Contador, who is an amazing rider, but Armstrong also had to deal with the same fractured team.
Personally, I hope Armstrong wins the Tour next year with Team Radioshack and a stacked team of riders with him in support, then comes back one more time at age 40 for a ceremonial ride before calling it a day.
Regarding allegations of doping, it seems to me to be a bunch of sour grapes at worst and speculation at best. How many drug tests does this guy have to pass before he is believed? Good Lord.
Given the concept of innocent until proven guilty I'll give Armstrong the benefit of the doubt.
Go Lance Armstrong. Thank you for being an incredible example of someone who has been victorious against one of the greatest opponents, cancer, and then become simply the best in your field. Simply amazing.
I'm with Andy and Robert - Lance is an inspiration. If you don't like him, don't watch. As someone with a two-time cancer survivor in my family and another fighting cancer, what he does outside of cycling is equally as amazing. If you want to go on with your sour grapes, use your own blog - don't hijack Andy's post.
Lance IS the only reason I stopped following THE tour, and cycling for that matter. Lance is a prima donna who will never match the strength, toughness, loyalty, talent and bounding results of Merckx, Hinault, and other champions who raced ALL year, EVERY race, without headphone coaching, artificial enhancing, or a heavily funded team... Contador was the LeMond of the tour this year, fighting a half-hearted team effort and overly-inflated ego of a has-been loser.
THAT is just the opinion of a cyclist and lover of professional cycling since 1985.
Also, Steve, you know how much I like and admire you but Jasper isn't hijacking this post, since AJW's post is only about Lance and his opinion of Lance's performance in the Tour.
LA has an ego the size of his home state and I'm tired of him side stepping the fight on doping because of his stature and funds in the sport.
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