Kind of a strange little hiatus, here. Two biggish races and then a little gap before the ProTour gets rolling at Paris-Nice. True, Lance is racing again, but I don’t find the early season warm-up all that compelling—certainly not when I can spend my time sussing out the various mind games at work.
It’s probably just that I’m looking for it, but does it seem like Armstrong is “looking great” a lot more often these days, and even managing to “eliminate some riders“. I seem to recall the Texan of old being far more coy during his prep races, though he has engaged in the age-old tactic of labeling someone else the favorite. I guess we’ll see what’s really up during Friday’s time trial.
I almost get the feeling that there’s something about cycling that lends itself to this sort of intrigue and posturing. The fact that hours of racing hinge on the actions of a few seconds seems to have inculcated instincts in everyone associated with the sport to work for every possible advantage, on and off the bike. And, of course, the politics also make a convenient scapegoat.
Thomas Dekker got the mandated two-year suspension for doping while Ricco got off with a reduced sentence? Ah, victim of politics. Didn’t get even a basic pro license because your squad makes Team Lada look like a rigorously-drilled drumline? Friggin’ politics!
But right when you’re about write it all off as a convenient excuse, something happens that makes so little sense that there can be no other explanation.
Armstrong allegedly “suffered” a bit during the first stage in Murcia. Bruyneel waxed rhapsodic over their new, more laid back approach. Smells like bovine effluent to me.
That last one, isn’t it usually less about “respect” and all about money? Not hard to imagine that Xacobeo wanted less start money than BMC.
Hey Cosmo,
What do you think of the wanks over at VS naming a blog “Cyclosomatic”?
@Alex I’d still want BMC to be at my race. Better to have a couple solid second-tier guys fighting with favorites form other teams for a rare chance at glory, than a train of cobble-loathing Spaniards climbing into the broomwagon at 60k to go.
I think some of the best tactical racing at the grand tours comes from domestiques hunting stage wins when the overall favorites take a day off. Certainly Giovanni Lombardi put on some great shows tracking down the handful of “pet wins” he acquired in his career. No reason the classics/semiclassics shouldn’t occasionally be the same way.
@mr. big, I’m ok with it. The Cyclysm back when was far closer to the name of this blog, and I didn’t have any specific complaints about that.
Hey,
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Ummm. Anyone notice a bit of a contradiction here? Note the dates:
(1) From the Team Radio Shack website:
Press Release: Milan-Sanremo: Beppu Replaces Armstrong – Roster Set for Catalunya
Posted by Nick Shuley | March 19, 2010 | 1 Comments
March 18, 2010 – Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will not be able to participate in Milan-Sanremo, the second ProTour event of the 2010 season. The Team RadioShack leader, suffering from acute gastroenteritis, will be replaced by teammate Fumiyuki Beppu. “It would have been good to have Lance lineup for the start but we prefer not to take any risk,” commented Team Director Johan Bruyneel. “It would not be very intelligent to let him start in a race of almost 300 K, while not being healthy.”
Read more: https://www.livestrong.com/teamradioshack/#ixzz0ilqQe218
(2) From Lance’s Twitter Account:
# Dinner @ home w/ @annahansen, @lukearmstrong, @gracearmstrong, and @bellaarmstrong. @maxarmstrong1 is racked out! Listening to @fleetfoxes. 11:13 AM Mar 18th via UberTwitter
Having had some recent experience with “acute gastroenteritis,” I can assure you I didn’t feel much like eating dinner, hanging out listening to music, or joking around on Twitter. If dude didn’t feel like racing MSR, that’s his prerogative, but this is a bit weird, no?