USPro/Dauphine Libere...discuss

[Artie Fufkin]

USPro is tomorrow. I would like to see an American rider win the race outright and get the Stars and Stripes instead of the highest placed American getting the jersey. The fact that the US Road Championships is an international race is what makes it great. I would like to see Bobby J win, but I think Fast Freddy Rodriguez will defend his title, hopefully he can win the race outright. Chris Horner needs to ride well if he wants to try to get on Saunier's TdF team.

USPRO Preview from CyclingNews.com


Lance's 2nd to last race begins tomorrow in Aix Le Bains. It will be interesting to see how he rides since he has not raced since Georgia. I don't think that he will be going 100%, his performance on Ventoux could be telling. Other riders to watch are Vinkourov, Landis and Leipheimmer.

Dauphine Libere preview from CyclingNews.com

The TdF is only a few weeks away, so the Lance mania should be getting into full gear. I am not convinced that he is in form to win a 7th, we'll see this week. I am a Lance fan, but it would be great to see another(non doping) American step up like Bobby J or Levi. I don't think Basso wil be a factor due to the Giro. I would like to Lance win, hopefully the racing will be as good as the Giro.

Interesting article about T Mobile and why riders do not well on the team, riders seem to win before and after they are on T Mobile, does not bode well for Jan Ulrich:
Why T Mobile Fails

[Plakespear]

Well, I'll be at the USPRO tomorrow- and thanks to some contacts from work I've got tickets for the VIP areas.

Well, I guess I'll hijack the thread by commenting on the T-Mobile fiasco. Interesting how they take some of the most promising riders and destroy them, and they seem to have comebacks when they leave the orginization. They are like the LA Clippers of cycling.

This morning I was thinking about Ullrich. I've packed on a few pouds, kind of like Jan, the last few months and am now riding furiously and watching my diet. I thought to myself that at least Ullrich gets fat by partying and having fun. If I put on most of my weight by clubbing and chasing women, I might not feel so bad.

Ullrich is about a year older than me, and he's the last cycling star to come out of the East German sports machine. When he was nine years old, some doctore probably said he had the physiology of a cyclist, and was trained by the government to become one. Unlike Armstrong, who chose cycling. Most people agree that Ullrich has more natural talent than Lance, but Lance works harder than anyone and is more dedicated to win. I wondered how there different backgrounds have effected their views toward training and competing. One was told he would be great, the other had to prove it to people first.

[Artie Fufkin]

Well, I'll be at the USPRO tomorrow- and thanks to some contacts from work I've got tickets for the VIP areas.

Nice, USPro(I've always thought of it as Corestates) is one race I have always wanted to check out. I saw somewhere that the expected attendance is 500,000. Let's see some photos.

Well, I guess I'll hijack the thread by commenting on the T-Mobile fiasco. Interesting how they take some of the most promising riders and destroy them, and they seem to have comebacks when they leave the orginization. They are like the LA Clippers of cycling.

Unlike Armstrong, who chose cycling. Most people agree that Ullrich has more natural talent than Lance, but Lance works harder than anyone and is more dedicated to win. I wondered how there different backgrounds have effected their views toward training and competing. One was told he would be great, the other had to prove it to people first.

It was amazing reading that article and seeing the great riders that did not perform on the team, it looks like a mess over there. Lance's work ethic is what has set him apart, and Jan knows it, but it seems he doesn't do anything about it, he has one more shot to try and beat Lance. That article also pointed out that Jan's best recent TdF was the one year he left TMob for Bianchi.

[phUnk]

My money's on TelePhil.

[Artie Fufkin]

My money's on TelePhil.

It would be great to see a Maggot bring home the Stars and Stripes. I think he can take on the some of the world's best cyclist if he rides a smart race.

[TeleAl]

Just my 2 cents on T-Mobile:
Too many chiefs.

I was surprised last year. Kloden & Jan against Lance & Floyd(?).
Stage ???, an exciting finish. Lance's famous, "There are no gifts" line.
What surprised me was not that Lance won (he earned it that day),
but that Jan was working for Kloden.

If Jan is to win the TDF, he needs to be "the boss."

And then there is the Sprinter, Zabel.
More T-Mobile riders working for someone else.

Lance's team works for Lance. And Lance works for no one.

US Postal/Berry Floors is about Lance winning the Tour.
T-Mobile is about the Team T-Mobile winning the Tour.

And both accomplish their goals.

[Cornholio]

Holy ! Chris Wherry used to ride on my junior team in Boulder. I owe most of my interest in cycling to him and his family, who are good friends. He's absolutely killing it this year with wins in Redlands and now this.

Congrats, Chris!

[Artie Fufkin]

Holy ! Chris Wherry used to ride on my junior team in Boulder. I owe most of my interest in cycling to him and his family, who are good friends. He's absolutely killing it this year with wins in Redlands and now this.

Congrats, Chris!

Wherry's had an amazing season so far, congrats to Pate and Horner for taking 2nd and 3rd, an all American podium at the US Pro has not been the norm the last few years.

Horner took third place after being on the bike for only 3 weeks prior to the race after recovering from a broken hip. I would like to see him in the TdF.

USPro report from CyclingNews with results and a alot of photos

I would like to hear a TR on the race from Plakespear.

Just my 2 cents on T-Mobile:
Too many chiefs.

I was surprised last year. Kloden & Jan against Lance & Floyd(?).
Stage ???, an exciting finish. Lance's famous, "There are no gifts" line.
What surprised me was not that Lance won (he earned it that day),
but that Jan was working for Kloden.

If Jan is to win the TDF, he needs to be "the boss."

And then there is the Sprinter, Zabel.
More T-Mobile riders working for someone else.

Lance's team works for Lance. And Lance works for no one.

US Postal/Berry Floors is about Lance winning the Tour.
T-Mobile is about the Team T-Mobile winning the Tour.

And both accomplish their goals.

USPS/Disco appears to be a vewy well run team, there never appears to be any doubt on the objective of a race or an individual stage. This is likely due to Bruyneel.

Lance did play domestique yesterday for Hincapie who is in the yellow at the Dauphine. Apparently Lance singlehandedly bridge a gap between the peloton and the break to help out George. An effort that will likely be repaid in a few weeks. So far the Americans are doing well in the Dauphine:

General classification after stage 1

1 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 5.20.50
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.01
3 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Credit Agricole 0.03
4 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.05
5 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.06

[ulty_guy]

Lance did play domestique yesterday for Hincapie who is in the yellow at the Dauphine. Apparently Lance singlehandedly bridge a gap between the peloton and the break to help out George. An effort that will likely be repaid in a few weeks.

holy shit, image that...you're just some piddly domestic trying to get some spancer time in the break and super-domestic l.a. singlehandledly destroys your break. that's gotta be demoralizing!

[Plakespear]

holy shit, image that...you're just some piddly domestic trying to get some spancer time in the break and super-domestic l.a. singlehandledly destroys your break. that's gotta be demoralizing!

Hincapie has never bee a "piddly domestique". He's pretty much their go to guy for the Spring Classics and other one day races.

[ulty_guy]

obviously not referring to hincapie, i was referring to the guys in the break yesterday.

[freshies]

Go George! Would be awesome to see him win this, w/Lance helping him out. But I think the Ventoux TT will be Lance's....we shall see.

[Artie Fufkin]

Wow! Results from the 47K ITT, Botero is back from the dead...Hopefully this race is a preview of the TdF. From what I have read Vino is bent on stopping Lance this year. I think there is a good chance to have multiple Americans on the podium in the Tour this year and Lance might not necessarily be #1. The finish on Mt Ventoux tomorrow should be epic. BTW there is live coverage of the stages on Eurosport.

Provisional
1 Santiago Botero (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.00.06.55(46.915 km/h)
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.01
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.26
4 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.39
5 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 1.00
6 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.09
7 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.11

GC

General classification after stage 3

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 11.11.20
2 Santiago Botero (Col) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.12
3 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.30
4 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.42
5 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.09
6 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 1.12

[Telephil]

My money's on TelePhil.

Ha, just saw this now. Thanks for the props phUnk, though I would have to say if it came down to George and I....something tells me George would take it, not by a little bit either.

That said, GO GEORGE

[Artie Fufkin]

Dauphine Libere Stage 4 Mt Ventoux. Lance did not get the win that he has always wanted on Mt Ventoux, but still rode well and is in second place on the GC. Vino dropped two other riders less than 1K from the finish to get the stage win.

Stage 4 - Thursday, June 9: Tournon-sur-Rhône - Le Mont Ventoux, 182 km
Results
1 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 4.07.23 (44.14 km/h)
2 Jose Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.06
3 Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 0.16
4 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.37
5 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.41
6 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Credit Agricole 0.43
7 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.46

General classification after stage 4

1 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 15.19.29
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.21
3 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) T-Mobile Team 0.26
4 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.47


The VeloNews Tour de France preview issue is on the newstands. I picked it up today. Alot of information on the teams, routes and bikes.

Edit for photo: This gets me fired up for the tour, Landis and Armstrong going at it on Mt Ventoux, Leipheimer is in the blue helmet behind them

[freshies]

awesome pic! totally fired up for le tour! I am gonna bike down to town shortly to get that Tour issue of Velo News, then spend the next 3 hours on the sofa reading it, while my GF is like "honey, what are you doing" and all i hear is the Charlie Brown parents noises "wah wah wha, whah wha wha"

[Artie Fufkin]

awesome pic! totally fired up for le tour!

If the Dauphine is a preview of the Tour than the race should be amazing. Lance appears to be getting stronger everyday, and Leipheimer is looking strong as well. T Mob will have to decide if Jan or Vino is going to be their GC guy, I think Vino has the killer instinct. From the race reports Lance was intentionally puting the hurt on Floyd Landis, I guess that's what happens when you defect from USPS/Disco.

Dauphine and other racing photos from Graham Watson

Stage 6 Results, Report and Photos from CyclingNews.com

Levi, Floyd and Lance going at it in Stage 6 of the Dauphine...

[tjb]

Hincapie has never bee a "piddly domestique". He's pretty much their go to guy for the Spring Classics and other one day races.

Can someone explain why this is so ? Not just in reference to Lance, but some riders seem to be Classics riders, others are GC for the Giro etc.

But one would think a classics rider would need largely the same skills as a GC rider. Or is it the Classics don't have the climbs that the multi day tours ala Giro, Dauphine, TdF and thus different riders prosper ?

Or is it a the classics fall down more to individual riders in long breaks ?

Or in the case of Lance is it simply a matter of focus - he hasn't gained great results in the spring classics as he focuses so strongly on the Tdf ?

[Cornholio]

Daupine finale was AWESOME to watch. I won't post spoilers for a few hours in case some west-coasters are still going to see it, but it was RAD.

[Artie Fufkin]

Daupine finale was AWESOME to watch. I won't post spoilers for a few hours in case some west-coasters are still going to see it, but it was RAD.

That last stage was great, Hincapie and Popovych breaking away and making it stick for 1st and 2nd, and Lance beating Vino at the line for 3rd shows just how strong Disco is heading into to the Tour. I just ordered digital cable the other day so I could watch the Tour and it was great to watch the last couple stages of the Dauphine on OLN this past weekend.

At this point Lance is still the rider to beat at the Tour(I wasn't sure prior to this race), even though he was fourth at the Dauphine, he and Disco seemed to be in control of the race and Lance is looking very strong, as is the rest of the team.

Bring on the Tour!

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