Discovery in disarray.... ?

[whiteboytrash]

Totally off topic, but is Cunego staying with Lampre? If so, what would Savo's role be?

They have strategised that Cunego will be a classics/one day rider to build into a GT rider in 3-4 years time.... good move me thinks because he is young... Savo will become the GT rider and probably has 2-3 years left in him.... at least he will get the support at Lampre that is lacking at DC....

 

[cheapie]

sigh...sadly, disco is sucking. they even had to wear these green numbers yesterday because they're doing so badly. i forget, what are those numbers for?

 

[whiteboytrash]

sigh...sadly, disco is sucking. they even had to wear these green numbers yesterday because they're doing so badly. i forget, what are those numbers for?

Green numbers are for top team in overall classification... CSC are 1 second behind with T-Mobile 3rd...... like the blue jersey at the Giro it is a prize for mediocrity... ok at everything, great at nothing....

 

[cheapie]

hahaha....FISH ON!

 

[Ullefan]

Here is an interview with Sean Kelly and Bruyneel about yesterdays stage:
mms://vipeurosport.yacast.net/eurosport/2006/07/05/Kelly_Bruyneel_com_27667_4_18_0_320x240.wmv
Some bits:
Kelly: "I think the question is... Martinez, you wonder why he's in the break because he's not a sprinter, we haven't seen discovery do alot except when they were leading with Hincapie, so that was a suprise today."

Bruyneel: "There was no real strategy... It was clear from the beginning they weren't going to stay away... he took the bonus, i think he took 6 seconds...so that's good for morale."

Discovery know their only hope is the overall team classification in this tour.

 

[cheapie]

while i don't necessarily think a disco rider will podium, i really, REALLY enjoy watching the sharks circle disco every year only find out SURPRISE! there was a plan and they've been holding their cards close to the vest yet again.


if you think bruyneel is wondering what the game plan should be and what in the world they can do you have apparently forgotten how strategic this man is.

 

[wolfix]

I doubt that DC thinks it's only hope is the team classification. It still has Savo in the group and right now isn't he the only GT winner in the peloton? Is Simoni riding? Cugeco. If you have a GT winner riding, you have a chance at the overall.
The TDF has not revealed anything yet about the overall victor. What we have watched is a parade so far. It is a parade that highlights the sprinters. The podium riders have not shown anything yet. At this point it is nothing but speculation as to the intentions of the teams thinking podium in Paris.
The TT will show who is a contender and who is not.

 

[JRMDC]

The TT will show who is a contender and who is not.

To a good extent, yes, but there will still be some reading of tea leaves as people try to figure out who was stronger than expected and who was weaker than expected. For example, if Rogers wins it, do we learn much?

I think we have to wait for the first mountain stage to really get a sense of who the contenders are.

I like your metaphor of "parade," apt.

 

[whiteboytrash]

What can I say ? disarray. What a shocking time trial effort by DC.... I thought Hincapie was going to win ! or Popo ! Looks like with Armstrong the drugs supply went with him LOL ! Looks like Germany is the new cycling force and T-Mobile are the best team !

 

[Andrija]

Looks like with Armstrong the drugs supply went with him LOL ! Looks like Germany is the new cycling force and T-Mobile are the best team !

No man.
It looks like Germany is new doping force and it seems that Jan gave his supplies to his team mates.

 

[musette]

Danielson is one easy stage away from winning the GC on Tour of Austria. Nice.

 

[patch70]

Danielson is one easy stage away from winning the GC on Tour of Austria. Nice.

Welcome to musette's nightmare!
TMO have 4 of the top 6 in the PROTOUR race. DSC nowhere to be seen.

 

[bobke]

Yes, we have all noted that T-Mobile, even their domestiques have beaten the favored riders for the Tour de France.

The German teams and riders have clearly gooten ahead this year, and are to be congratulated.
At least for now.
We'll see if Fuentes sings.
Or Jascke's doctor.
Or other riders facing jail or life sentences.

In the meantime I hope Jean Marie is enjoying Eddy Mazzoleni beating every one of Discovery team in todays ITT. Quite a result isnt it?

 

[theresa51]

I can't believe you are still milking this topic. It is pretty entertaining but after a few days of the same tongue in cheek speculation, jokes about Tmo suddenly become an example of solidarity (OK, those are still funny), and so on. At least it has it's own thread now.

I am reading Lance Armstrong's War by Daniel Coyle which is about the leadup to the TDF 2004. It focuses on Lance and his three perceived rivals, Tyler, Ullrich, and Mayo. Several interesting points come out of the book which is behind the scenes at Postal. Lance was as little fun to be around, as intense, and as much of a control freak as it seems. Even his best friends got jettisoned when they disagreed or asked him for something. Second, there is a whole set of methods for checking out the asses and bellies of rivals that everyone does at the first big races. Just like we are doing in the Jan's gut thread, they do that constantly. Funny chapter. Most interestingly, the book basically argues that Carmichael is not actually Lance's coach. They are partners in the CTS business and they pretend Carmichael coaches Lance to get people to sign up for CTS training and pay for it. But Ferrari is the guy Lance relies on to test him, gauge progress, and give him workouts. The book describes in detail how Ferrari tests Lance and the other good riders on the team for lactic acid, wattage, and power to weight ratio. Lance just doesn't brag about working with Ferrari because he has been so directly associated with doping for his whole career. I think the author got the book checked out and ok'd by Lance so he wouldn't get sued which is interesting because it sure doesn't paint Lance in a very positive light. I am only halfway but it is an interesting read so far and they only are in Georgia.

The way they describe Lance's work with Ferrari in this book, I can see why some of you are so totally convinced that Lance doped his way through seven tours.

That is a great book!! It gives insight into Lance that nothing else I've read does. Warts and all......

 

[theresa51]

...and 49 pages of how Ullrich has lost the plot is not milking it ?

I to have read the book "War" and thought it was very well written. I did enjoy the 'fat pinching' chapter and laughed when Ullrich rocked up that he kept about 9 layers of clothing on because he was "fat" !



Back to the topic at hand.... like you say without Armstrong at the helm the team is falling away at the seems.... there are no clear leaders and every rider is jumping up and down wanting to lead the team regardless of pedigree.... this often happens when there is a vacuum left by a strong leader..... other riders are saying nothing not knowing what to do as there is no direction from Bruyneel....... Bruyneel is much to blame as anyone for this situation... he should have signed up Vino when he had the chance... I guess he was too cocky and confident that he would sign Basso.....

They lost Floyd after TdF 2004, by ignoring him. After that awesome performance.(in 2004)..Now, they want to mend fences and get Floyd back. I've noticed a couple of former Disco riders on Phonak this year...Floyd has a say on hiring on Phonak. And he's his same quirky self, too.

 

[whiteboytrash]

They lost Floyd after TdF 2004, by ignoring him. After that awesome performance.(in 2004)..Now, they want to mend fences and get Floyd back. I've noticed a couple of former Disco riders on Phonak this year...Floyd has a say on hiring on Phonak. And he's his same quirky self, too.

Floyd has said a big fat "NO" to joining DC again.... he will never go back... Seems like no one wants to join Discovery.... after Basso, Vino and now Landis all say no.... and to think you guys thought Ullrich would join ! LOL !

http://www.velonews.com/tour2006/news/articles/10280.0.html

[size=-1]Rumors that Floyd Landis is set to move to Discovery Channel in 2007 appear to be just that, at least for now.[/size]
[size=-1]Michael Rutherford, Landis's agent and lawyer, denied reports that the Phonak rider is poised to return to the American team for which he raced during 2002-04.[/size]

[size=-1]"There have been no discussions with Discovery Channel at all," Rutherford told VeloNews. "That is definitely just a rumor."[/size]

[size=-1]Rutherford confirmed that Landis's contract with Phonak is up at the end of this season, but said that no new deal for next year has been cut with any team.[/size]

[size=-1]With new sponsor iShares taking over for the 2007 season, many are expecting Landis to stay with the team and bring other top Americans to join him as well.[/size]

[size=-1]Last fall, Discovery Channel tried in vain to persuade Landis to return to the team, but the Pennsylvania native decided to stick with the Swiss outfit despite troubles following a string of doping scandals surrounding the team.[/size]

[size=-1]Stories started to fly around the Tour press room late Friday that Landis had signed a contract and was set to announce the deal this weekend.[/size]

[size=-1]Discovery Channel assistant sport director Dirk Demol also told Belgian journalists the reports were untrue.[/size]

[size=-1]More likely is an extension with Phonak/iShares. A press conference is scheduled for Monday's rest day where team officials said Landis will talk about "his future with the team."[/size]

 

[wolfix]

I know Landis was thinking hard of joining DC last year. It was a money issue. He wanted more then what they could [or wanted to ] pay.

 

[sydsyd]

What can I say ? disarray. What a shocking time trial effort by DC.... I thought Hincapie was going to win ! or Popo ! Looks like with Armstrong the drugs supply went with him LOL ! Looks like Germany is the new cycling force and T-Mobile are the best team !

Well, the mountains are still ahead, so we'll see. DC is obviously suffering from the absence of a strong leader. Lance was SO loath to lose, I can't imagine how he'd feel about results like this. It was interesting that he decided a few days ago that he was going to go to the Tour after all. Supposedly he'll be there for the final week.

 

[Eldrack]

Well, this thread is bound to be revived so I might as well do it.

Before today there was very little basis for an arguement that Discovery where in disarray, just WBT having some fun and goading the DC fans. Today its different. To day Discovery, with four possible top 5 contenders in their ranks firmly sucked so badly they are going to have to work hard to salvage anything from this years tour. Ah well, seems that the team was all about a man called Lance after all.

 

[jhuskey]

WBT needs to edit the title from "disarray" to "disbelief".