Stage 17 Winner

Richard Adams said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.
Will be very interesting to see Ullrich's journal regarding the exchange
of words with Armstrong when Landis was caught.

I guess this goes back to what I mentioned a while ago regarding the
status of the "patron" in the peloton. Armstrong isn't the patron in
the conventional European sense and this may be why European DSs haven't
worked out a strategy to defeat him yet. Lance MUST win. It's not just
WANTS to win. It's MUST win. It's what Boardman talked about last year
regarding some champions. Pantai was the same. The "patron" bestows
stage wins, controls pace and attacks, lets breaks form and go.
Indurain gave stage wins to Rominger. Armstrong doesn't bestow anything.

This is not a new era or anything like that; its a characteristic unique
to this athlete and the team he has built.

But is a stage outcome like today's a SATISFACTORY outcome?

"Stewart Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Richard Adams said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.
Will be very interesting to see Ullrich's journal regarding the exchange
of words with Armstrong when Landis was caught.

I guess this goes back to what I mentioned a while ago regarding the
status of the "patron" in the peloton. Armstrong isn't the patron in
the conventional European sense and this may be why European DSs haven't
worked out a strategy to defeat him yet. Lance MUST win. It's not just
WANTS to win. It's MUST win. It's what Boardman talked about last year
regarding some champions. Pantai was the same. The "patron" bestows
stage wins, controls pace and attacks, lets breaks form and go.
Indurain gave stage wins to Rominger. Armstrong doesn't bestow anything.

This is not a new era or anything like that; its a characteristic unique
to this athlete and the team he has built.

But is a stage outcome like today's a SATISFACTORY outcome?

In his post-stage inteview, LA mentioned that when the sprint formed at the
end it was "game on". Maybe it's nothing more complicated than getting into
the moment just like you would at the end of any bike race.

Quoted message said:

Armstrong doesn't bestow anything.

He has tried on several occasions, but the breaks dont work out. Today he
tried to get Landis the win, but they could not lose
Kloden and Ullrich. He tried last year with Hincapie and Heras and the same
thing happened. I think he would like nothing more than to
"bestow" a victory to one of his domestiques.

Quoted message said:

This is not a new era or anything like that; its a characteristic unique
to this athlete and the team he has built.

But is a stage outcome like today's a SATISFACTORY outcome?

Absolutely satisfactory for the Postal. T-Mobile? Not so much.

"Stewart Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.

What a tired cliche that is. Like the 'scouting the courses' mantra, it's
not like LANCE is the only person to do this.

"Carl Sundquist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Stewart Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.

What a tired cliche that is. Like the 'scouting the courses' mantra, it's
not like LANCE is the only person to do this.

What? You're saying that some people take wisecracks about having the right
gear and use it for motivation? ;-)

Andy Coggan (who will be TTing on a fixie in a couple of weeks)

Carl Sundquist said:

"Stewart Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.

What a tired cliche that is. Like the 'scouting the courses' mantra, it's
not like LANCE is the only person to do this.

Actually, I was going to bridge the metaphysical thing to my post with
an opener of "Whom the gods will destroy, they first make mad" but I
thought better of it at 3:25am here. But thanks for the chance at a
second bite.

"RJG" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<bnRLc.10249$8_6.4184@attbi_s04>...

Quoted message said:

"Stewart Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Richard Adams said:

Man, Greg LeMond must be spinning in his grave.

It's a metaphysical thing...

Rule #1. Don't get Lance mad.
Will be very interesting to see Ullrich's journal regarding the exchange
of words with Armstrong when Landis was caught.

I guess this goes back to what I mentioned a while ago regarding the
status of the "patron" in the peloton. Armstrong isn't the patron in
the conventional European sense and this may be why European DSs haven't
worked out a strategy to defeat him yet. Lance MUST win. It's not just
WANTS to win. It's MUST win. It's what Boardman talked about last year
regarding some champions. Pantai was the same. The "patron" bestows
stage wins, controls pace and attacks, lets breaks form and go.
Indurain gave stage wins to Rominger. Armstrong doesn't bestow anything.

This is not a new era or anything like that; its a characteristic unique
to this athlete and the team he has built.

But is a stage outcome like today's a SATISFACTORY outcome?

In his post-stage inteview, LA mentioned that when the sprint formed at the
end it was "game on". Maybe it's nothing more complicated than getting into
the moment just like you would at the end of any bike race.

We've seen Lance sprint to win 3 times so far this year. Not bad for
an "old man", eh!