Just being speculative here : but suppose Armstrong finds himself in trouble in the 2004 TDF : like he's back in 10th position with absolutely no chance of winning. Do you think, given these circumstances that he would actually complete the TDF or abandon ?
It's an interesting question and one, when I was asked, I had to think about.
For what it's worth, I don't think he would abandon the race for the simple reason that I think he would do the new champion the courtesy of finishing the race (much like Indurain in 1996)
Originally posted by limerickman Just being speculative here : but suppose Armstrong finds himself in trouble in the 2004 TDF : like he's back in 10th position with absolutely no chance of winning. Do you think, given these circumstances that he would actually complete the TDF or abandon ?
It's an interesting question and one, when I was asked, I had to think about.
For what it's worth, I don't think he would abandon the race for the simple reason that I think he would do the new champion the courtesy of finishing the race (much like Indurain in 1996)
Any thoughts ?
Depends if anyone else in his team is well placed, maybe he would ride for them????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!!!!
For once I disagree with you Lim, I think he would bail, LA rides for LA and would care less about helping a team mate or honoring the new champ, If he loses touch this year I think the toys will fly out off the cot faster than Mayo can climb a cat 3 hill.
I'd like to think he wouldn't bail, because he's based his whole life philosophy around never giving up even when there's no visible hope. I suppose he's a different person now than way back when he was struggling to finish races, but the principle remains the same.
My initial reaction is that he would ride it out but now I am not so sure. I could potentially see a story from his camp about a flare up of a nasty injury and that he'd love to keep riding but the pain and risk of long term damage makes it impossible for him to do so.
Originally posted by limerickman Just being speculative here : but suppose Armstrong finds himself in trouble in the 2004 TDF : like he's back in 10th position with absolutely no chance of winning. Do you think, given these circumstances that he would actually complete the TDF or abandon ?
It's an interesting question and one, when I was asked, I had to think about.
For what it's worth, I don't think he would abandon the race for the simple reason that I think he would do the new champion the courtesy of finishing the race (much like Indurain in 1996)
Any thoughts ?
You're dreaming. Speaking of palmares, he has 6 wins this year.
Originally posted by gntlmn You're dreaming. Speaking of palmares, he has 6 wins this year.
It was a speculative question put to our team when we were at our annual club night. Someone posed the question that, if going for his 6th TDF LA found himself with no way of winning, would he actually finish the TDF.
His form has been good so far this season - as you point out.
We were merely speculating - I wouldn't read too much in to it, gntlmn !
Originally posted by limerickman It was a speculative question put to our team when we were at our annual club night. Someone posed the question that, if going for his 6th TDF LA found himself with no way of winning, would he actually finish the TDF.
His form has been good so far this season - as you point out.
We were merely speculating - I wouldn't read too much in to it, gntlmn !
I guess that's one way to motivate the team; ask them a question that is only remotely possible just to try to get it into their heads that it's possible. And we all know anything is possible in the Tour de France. All it takes is one major crash.
I will make you a bet however. Let's call it a gntlm's bet (heh heh). Your team is not USPS. And you don't even have to confirm that because such a question would definitely not have come up at their club night.
Maybe USPS's question would have been, "Would you still domestique for Lance even if he has a 20 minute lead going into the mountains? Would you instead try for the coveted 2nd place spot and leave him to win on his own?" Now that's a remote too, but from a different perspective. lol.
Originally posted by gntlmn I guess that's one way to motivate the team; ask them a question that is only remotely possible just to try to get it into their heads that it's possible. And we all know anything is possible in the Tour de France. All it takes is one major crash.
I will make you a bet however. Let's call it a gntlm's bet (heh heh). Your team is not USPS. And you don't even have to confirm that because such a question would definitely not have come up at their club night.
Maybe USPS's question would have been, "Would you still domestique for Lance even if he has a 20 minute lead going into the mountains? Would you instead try for the coveted 2nd place spot and leave him to win on his own?" Now that's a remote too, but from a different perspective. lol.
Gntlmn,
We're getting the wirs crossed here again - the question was posed at OUR team club night (here in Ireland !).
If is not in a position to win the TDF, I do think that he would finish it regardless (some of my team mates were saying that he wouldn't).
Your question ? It's hard to know isn't it - personal glory I think would be over riding - 2nd place in the TDF would be magnifique !
We're getting the wirs crossed here again - the question was posed at OUR team club night (here in Ireland !).
If is not in a position to win the TDF, I do think that he would finish it regardless (some of my team mates were saying that he wouldn't).
Your question ? It's hard to know isn't it - personal glory I think would be over riding - 2nd place in the TDF would be magnifique !
Yeah! Consider also that Ullrich has won the Tour once and finished 2nd 5 times (or is it 6 now?). He has never finished less than 2nd. This means that he may have already won it 6 (or 7 times?) already were it not for Lance Armstrong. Now that's a record to be proud of. Even if he doesn't win or complete any more TdF's, his place is permanently in the record books for this in the TdF. I'm sure he'd rather be in the #1 spot, however.
Lance wants to ride again next year..........so I believe that he needs to win to secure a new sponsor. It will take millions of dollars to pick up the Postal sponsorship...and what corporation will do that if Lance is perceived as 'finished' or 'over the hill'. Why would a corporation want U.S. Postal Service 'seconds' or 'leftovers' and agree to pay millions for it? Why would someone buy an orange if the juice has already been squeezed from it?
So I believe that Lance wants this Tour badly. If he wins..then I think they get a great new sponsor...but if he loses I think it will mark the beginnig of the end.
Lance is definitely going to win again. No question about that. I think it might be a tough one, since he has alot on his mind due to one particular tw*t, but its certain that his fitness is as good as ever, so second is not an option for LA.
Some of you may have heard that Lance already has gained a team sponsor for the following 3 years. The Discovery Channel is going to be the sponsor. The team will begin to wear its colors after the 2004 Tour de France during which it will still be recognized as USPS.
