Lance's best Tour

Seems everybody here is interested in LA doping case (some to accuse him, other to deny he doped), but nobody's interested in LA's Tours🙁

I'll take that one up. 2003, no doubt about it. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire Tour.

When he finally took off on Luz Ardiden, I thought - okay, this is the LA I remember. Then, he crashed. Then he got up and kept going, Then he almost crashed again - he's finished. Then he got up again and left them all behind, albeit with a bit of help from the Euskaltel boys - they ambushed Jan at the end and cost him some bonus points.

It wasn't over until Jan crashed on the final TT. And the fates would bring down rain on that day, turning what normally was a brute strength contest into an exercise in fine judgment. In the end, that Tour was won by the team - they covered LA until he found his legs. Actually, they were all won by the team - something Liberty Seguros is demonstrating right now.

There were moments in the other Tours - passing Jan in the 2005 prologue, passing Ivan in 2004 on Alpe d'Huez, 'the look' and explosion on Alpe d'Huez 2001, and the Armstrong-Pantani duels of the 2000 TDF. (I still don't buy that 'gifting' line on Ventoux - it wasn't given, it was won with a hard ride)

But 2003 stands out as the Tour I couldn't stop watching. Exciting. I don't blame LA for making some of the other Tours boring, I blame the other teams for not being more competitive.

JohnO said:

When he finally took off on Luz Ardiden, I thought - okay, this is the LA I remember. Then, he crashed. Then he got up and kept going, Then he almost crashed again - he's finished.

Haha, I was on the edge of me seat during that. I was screaming at the TV, and my redneck neighbors were going, "wtf? It's not football season... wtf is he screaming at?"

lol. i was at work listening to it in my cubicle and trying not to yell and scream and bring out the praire dogs wondering what i was smoking.

cheapie said:

lol. i was at work listening to it in my cubicle and trying not to yell and scream and bring out the praire dogs wondering what i was smoking.

Cubicle praire dogs! yip yip yip!!😄

They were all impressive, but 2003 was my favorite simply because it was so close right up until the final day. I have to admit, when the outcome is already decided several days in advance, it's a little like reading a novel after you've already skipped to the end and read the last chapter.

I just have a sorrow over the 2003 TdF: LA's fall in the Luz-Ardiden. We'll never know if he benefited from it (Jan cutting his effort and needing ten minuts to go back to his rythm)... I'm really sorry we don't know who would have won this stage in a "normal" way.

An another great moment in the 2003 TdF is LA escaping Beloki and riding in the countryside! Unbelievable!

Turenne said:

I just have a sorrow over the 2003 TdF: LA's fall in the Luz-Ardiden. We'll never know if he benefited from it (Jan cutting his effort and needing ten minuts to go back to his rythm)... I'm really sorry we don't know who would have won this stage in a "normal" way.

An another great moment in the 2003 TdF is LA escaping Beloki and riding in the countryside! Unbelievable!

Armstrong may have benefited from Ullrich waiting, but Ullrich was, in part, repaying Armstrong for waiting on him after a fall in the 2001 tour.

What struck me that year is how much "luck" is involved in cycling. Despite all the preparations and training that goes into it, Armstrong had the good luck of Ullrich falling during the rain-soaked final TT. And there was Beloki's fall -- good luck for Armstrong, bad for Beloki. And Tyler Hamilton's broken collarbone...

But Armstrong also fought through a lot of bad luck that year -- the fall in the Luz-Ardiden, the dehydration he suffered during the earlier TT (what was he thinking, warming up in the heat while Jan warmed up in an air-conditioned room?)... And had he gone down with Beloki, well... Tour over...

wineandkeyz said:

Armstrong may have benefited from Ullrich waiting, but Ullrich was, in part, repaying Armstrong for waiting on him after a fall in the 2001 tour.

That's true. However, the 2001 Tour wasn't as close as the 2003. I'm really [censored] by LA's fall because I really don't know if things would have happened the same way.

Quoted post said:

What struck me that year is how much "luck" is involved in cycling. Despite all the preparations and training that goes into it, Armstrong had the good luck of Ullrich falling during the rain-soaked final TT. And there was Beloki's fall -- good luck for Armstrong, bad for Beloki. And Tyler Hamilton's broken collarbone...

Yes. However, I think LA already won the Tour before the final TT and Jan's fall.

Quoted post said:

And had he gone down with Beloki, well... Tour over...

His avoiding of Joseba and his riding in the field is among the legendary moments of the Tour de France. Simply incredible!

Funny, I always questioned after 2003 weather or not Jan had what it takes to put the screws to LA, Sure he held up for him in 2001 (I do think the finish was still in doubt at that point but would have to rewatch to see for sure) but to have a golden opportunity like that and not take it always made me think Jan didnt have that killer instinct where LA was concerned.

nugsfan said:

to have a golden opportunity like that and not take it always made me think Jan didnt have that killer instinct where LA was concerned.

If you can read french, I urge you to read this very funny chronicle about Jan's sickness: victoryphobia 😄

velochronique.comarticle.php3Open ↗

Turenne said:

Yes. However, I think LA already won the Tour before the final TT and Jan's fall.

Really? 😕 I thought it was still close up to that point. Jan had to go all out, then after he fell, Armstrong knew he just had to stay upright to win.

I like dominant sporters like armstrong, federer, schumacher etc.......

So that's why I liked the 2001 tour the best.......he was on top of his game and totally destroyed the field. No one was even close to him.......his best year!!

Turenne said:

I have written a lot about Armstrong doping scandal, but I still appreciate the champion. What is LA's best Tour de France?

I begin: 2003. LA was very lucky to win it, but he also showed great moral qualities to overcome Jan and Vino. In the Plateau de Bonascre climb, he showed incredible moral strenghts to resist Ullrich (alongside a stupid tactic by Jan). Also in the Tourmalet.
Overall, he resisted many attacks by many opponents and showed a great courage. That's my favourite Tour.

Your thoughs?

Hmmm Lance's best tour... I'd say 2005. Although it was the most boring but you have to admit. The guy knew he was going to win. He was calm and collected and rode a great TT to beat Jan Ullrich to win the stage.

The most exciting to watch was the 2003 Tour because of all the strange mishaps. Way too much weird [censored] going on the entire time.

Lance's best moment was giving Jan the look as he passed him on the final climb of L'Alpe d'Huez. Cmon, you have to admit, that was pretty hardcore.

But to me the more exciting moments were any mountain stage in the 2000 TdF with Marco Pantani and Armstrong. Soooo many attacks on those stages.

wineandkeyz said:

Really? 😕 I thought it was still close up to that point. Jan had to go all out, then after he fell, Armstrong knew he just had to stay upright to win.

Well... LA had 1'07 over Jan. A bit too much I think.
LA was ultra-determined to keep his yellow jersey and showed great moral strengh.
Jan was disappointed after the Pyrénées )where he should have taken the yellow jersey) and I think he alredy knew it was over.

I don't think LA would have lost 1'07 in the TT, even on a warm day.

Of course, I may be wrong...

Does anyone know where (internet) I can copy-paste a photo of LA's ride in the field during the Beloki incident?

This is all I could find...

StartTday said:

This is all I could find...

Thanks, Startday.
This remind me the gendarme (equivalent of a cop, with the blue shirt): he was completely lost. He didn't know what to do...