La Mongie Rundown...

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.
Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden
Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

I wonder what happened to Armstrong on the descent of the Aspin...
I wonder if the body language and positioning of Kloden vs Ullrich
indicated a change of team leader...Kloden is still ahead of Ullrich.
Armstrong didn't have the devastating acceleration of old; or rather,
there were others in the group that could match it.

CSC face off against USPS in the final week, should be interesting.
Basso at 59 sec by my calculations with the 20" time bonus.

Quoted message said:

Voeckler, better than expected.

Last day in yellow, though. My theory about today is that USPS were
ready for anything and wanted to see what everyone else had. A serious
attack would have been countered, but most of what they had to do was
controlled tempo. Tomorrow then as Armstrong indicated, is the most
significant day. If nobody really brought it today, do they have it for
tomorrow? If not tomorrow, then the Tour (barring accidents) is over.

"Richard Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Ivan Basso looked really comfortable in that climb. He
might be a contenda.

M.

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Will be a bit surprising if Hamilton makes the podium imo.
Ullrich should ditch the earring it would be less weight to
carry,clearly he needs all the help he can get.
Good stage for LA.
--

Stewart Fleming said:

Last day in yellow, though. My theory about today is that USPS were
ready for anything and wanted to see what everyone else had. A serious
attack would have been countered, but most of what they had to do was
controlled tempo. Tomorrow then as Armstrong indicated, is the most
significant day. If nobody really brought it today, do they have it for
tomorrow? If not tomorrow, then the Tour (barring accidents) is over.

No -- history has shown that when 5-timers blow, they blow hard.

All it takes is one bad day, and it's a new race.

Dan

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Stage 11 - Thursday July 18: Pau - La Mongie, 158 km
Results
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 4.21.57 (36.190 km/h)
2 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 0.07
3 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) US Postal Service 0.13
4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) iBanesto.com 1.16
5 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre Daikin
6 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.23
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
8 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis 1.34
9 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali 1.49
10 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 1.52

Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 197.5 km
1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 5.03.58
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.20
4 Francisco Mancebo Pérez (Spa) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.24
5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 0.33
6 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.50
7 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.59
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 1.02
9 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1.03
10 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
11 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner
12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco 1.32

Quoted message said:

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

http://www.cyclingnews.com/results/1998/tour98/stage15.html

Quoted message said:

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Indeed. It seems at this point Armstrong & Basso are very likely, so Ullrich is
the favorite for the third.

Quoted message said:

Voeckler, better than expected.

He's the real deal, obviously.

Quoted message said:

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Coming of age.

The key issue is the effect of the cold on the results today (see previous link).

Dan

"Dan Connelly" <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Stewart Fleming said:

Last day in yellow, though. My theory about today is that USPS were
ready for anything and wanted to see what everyone else had. A serious
attack would have been countered, but most of what they had to do was
controlled tempo. Tomorrow then as Armstrong indicated, is the most
significant day. If nobody really brought it today, do they have it for
tomorrow? If not tomorrow, then the Tour (barring accidents) is over.

No -- history has shown that when 5-timers blow, they blow hard.

Recent history, yes. Hinault "blew hard" right in to second place. The
others are so far back in history that you can't learn anything from them.
The training and diet knowledge were nothing close to what is known now.
Future Tour champions are much more likely to fade like Hinault rather than
get blown like Indurain. The only difference between the 2 is one bad day
that Miguel had. That hardly proves anything.

Quoted message said:

All it takes is one bad day, and it's a new race.

Dan

Chris said:

"Dan Connelly" <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Stewart Fleming said:

Last day in yellow, though. My theory about today is that USPS were
ready for anything and wanted to see what everyone else had. A serious
attack would have been countered, but most of what they had to do was
controlled tempo. Tomorrow then as Armstrong indicated, is the most
significant day. If nobody really brought it today, do they have it for
tomorrow? If not tomorrow, then the Tour (barring accidents) is over.

No -- history has shown that when 5-timers blow, they blow hard.

Recent history, yes. Hinault "blew hard" right in to second place.

Indurain also blew very hard.

They all did, AFAIK.

Dan

Michael said:

"Richard Adams" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Ivan Basso looked really comfortable in that climb. He
might be a contenda.

As Phil (or was it Paul) was saying that Lance wouldn't give Basso the
stage win, I was thinking, "Let's see...half hour of posing for
pictures, kissing podium girls, and shaking hands with tour poobahs;
or lose 8 seconds and quickly get started on a nice massage?"

jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3

John Everett said:

As Phil (or was it Paul) was saying that Lance wouldn't give Basso the
stage win, I was thinking, "Let's see...half hour of posing for
pictures, kissing podium girls, and shaking hands with tour poobahs;
or lose 8 seconds and quickly get started on a nice massage?"

Take the half hour and the stage win.

Basso won because he was faster.

Dan

(Richard Adams) said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Leipheimer - showing he deserves the Olympic selection and maybe
moving up to #2 for American hope for two on the podium in Paris.

Julich - you all wrote me off so f*** you.

--dt

Dan Connelly said:

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Stage 11 - Thursday July 18: Pau - La Mongie, 158 km
Results
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 4.21.57
(36.190 km/h)
2 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 0.07
3 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) US Postal Service 0.13
4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) iBanesto.com 1.16
5 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre Daikin
6 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.23
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
8 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis 1.34
9 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali 1.49
10 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 1.52

Last 10K: 27'50" (according to RBR)

Quoted message said:

Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 197.5 km
1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 5.03.58
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.20
4 Francisco Mancebo Pérez (Spa) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.24
5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 0.33
6 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.50
7 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.59
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 1.02
9 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1.03
10 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
11 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner
12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco 1.32

Last 10K: 27'40" (according to my VCR)

Jenko

Dan Connelly said:

Chris said:

"Dan Connelly" <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@i_e_e_e.o_r_g> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Stewart Fleming wrote:

>
> Last day in yellow, though. My theory about today is that USPS were
> ready for anything and wanted to see what everyone else had. A serious
> attack would have been countered, but most of what they had to do was
> controlled tempo. Tomorrow then as Armstrong indicated, is the most
> significant day. If nobody really brought it today, do they have it
> for
> tomorrow? If not tomorrow, then the Tour (barring accidents) is over.
>
>

No -- history has shown that when 5-timers blow, they blow hard.

Recent history, yes. Hinault "blew hard" right in to second place.

Indurain also blew very hard.

This is why it was such a nifty tactical move to let BLB defend the MJ
for a week rather than Postal.

The Dude said:

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for
podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

Basso, coming of age?

Heras, not this year.

Will be a bit surprising if Hamilton makes the podium imo.
Ullrich should ditch the earring it would be less weight to
carry,clearly he needs all the help he can get.
Good stage for LA.
--

Ullrich's goofing off has caught up with him. Training is all very well
and good, but there's no substitute for racing. I wonder if he ever
thought of training behind a bunch of blue scooters going up a hill,
faster and faster and training not to get dropped.

Jenko said:

Dan Connelly said:

Richard Adams said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

Stage 11 - Thursday July 18: Pau - La Mongie, 158 km
Results
1 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service 4.21.57
(36.190 km/h)
2 Joseba Beloki (Spa) ONCE-Eroski 0.07
3 Roberto Heras Hernandez (Spa) US Postal Service 0.13
4 Francisco Mancebo (Spa) iBanesto.com 1.16
5 Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre Daikin
6 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca 1.23
7 Ivan Basso (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
8 Andrei Kivilev (Kaz) Cofidis 1.34
9 Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali 1.49
10 José Azevedo (Por) ONCE-Eroski 1.52

Last 10K: 27'50" (according to RBR)

Quoted message said:

Stage 12 - July 16: Castelsarrasin - La Mongie, 197.5 km
1 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 5.03.58
2 Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal p/b Berry Floor
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.20
4 Francisco Mancebo Pérez (Spa) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.24
5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 0.33
6 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.50
7 Denis Menchov (Rus) Illes Balears - Banesto 0.59
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Domina Vacanze 1.02
9 Iban Mayo (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi 1.03
10 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems
11 Georg Totschnig (Aut) Gerolsteiner
12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saeco 1.32

Last 10K: 27'40" (according to my VCR)

Jenko

Indeed. Lance isn't worse, he's as good as ever, but other riders are
better than they have been. Keep looking over that shoulder as you get
older, some day some young buck won't get dropped and you'll learn the
face of the next champion.

Basso's been finishing the tour strong for some time and he's maturing.
Tomorrow should say a lot more about who Lance really has to watch out
for.

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Richard Adams) said:

Armstrong as good as ever.

He did seem to have to work for it at the very end, though.

Quoted message said:

Ullrich not there, shown up by teammate Andreas Kloden

Hamilton not there either and will have some serious competition for podium.

Voeckler, better than expected.

He's hanging in there way better than many would have expected. I think
he'll start dropping back soon, but this may be an indicator of future
greatness (or maybe just "goodness"😉.

Quoted message said:

Basso, coming of age?

He was very good today. He may indeed be "coming of age". A few days ago
I wrote this of Riis/CSC:
"But he does have Sastre and Basso. I don't see them as being winners
this year (or even podium, but they could be close), but I think they have
the talent to do it in the next few years."

If Basso continues to ride like he did today, he will very thoroughly
exceed my expectations of him. I hope he does.

Quoted message said:

Heras, not this year.

One point I haven't seen mentioned here yet is that perhaps some of the
other contenders eased up a bit today once they saw how Armstrong and Basso
were going, rather than hammering to keep up. They may have figured that it
was better to lose a minute or two today on a hard stage and conserve some
energy so they have more in the tank tomorrow on a very hard stage (where
they could run the risk of losing several minutes).

--
tanx,
Howard

So far, so good, so what?

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?