Seeing you love Old School I am sure you will appreciate my response 😎
WarrenG said:
Or maybe Hamish is psychic and can predict acute ailments.
Or maybe Hamish was about to put his bet down on winners and always being well prepared and eager to win consulted 20 coaches, pro riders, masseurs, team directors etc in Europe who are close to TdF contenders and not one of them listed Levi as a contender. I did ask the question and of the 16 who replied none backed Levi for the top five let alone the podium.
Kudos to Andy for picking up another reason for Levi's poor performance. As for an ailment, isn't that what we have sports doctors for, well at least one reason we have sport doctors 😄
Is Max really telling you all this stuff about his high profile riders? I don't believe he would be so unprofessional 😕
Kudos to Andy for picking up another reason for Levi's poor performance.
Just a possible reason...IOW, really just a guess based on his appearance and knowing that it is standard practice to avoid starting the Tour too lean. Of course, it could be that he's looking so gaunt because he's been sick (despite his DS's assertions), or it could be he's no leaner than usual.
Or maybe Hamish was about to put his bet down on winners and always being well prepared and eager to win consulted 20 coaches, pro riders, masseurs, team directors etc in Europe who are close to TdF contenders and not one of them listed Levi as a contender. I did ask the question and of the 16 who replied none backed Levi for the top five let alone the podium.
Masseurs didn't know? Amazing. Your respondents must have missed all the other coaches, pro riders, team directors, etc. who are near the contenders who have said in public (check cyclingnews, OLN, etc.) who predicted Levi would be on the podium based on the facts that he rode well in the DL as he did last year, and that none of the guys who finished ahead of him last year are at the Tour this year.
Tell us Hamish, exactly which team directors were those that responded to you?
Think about it. What would make someone like Levi finish 10% slower than the others? IMO, his director has made some odd comments during the last month or so. Maybe it is a language issue or tactics.
Max and I chat about many things related to Euro-pro cycling-some of which I won't share here.
I can think of one possible reason-I sure hope you're not hinting at what I think you are.
Of course, it could be that he's looking so gaunt because he's been sick (despite his DS's assertions)
Considering that he lost another ~2 min today (and in just the last 10 km, apparently), I'd say that it's looking more and more like his DS has been spinning things. Of course, if Leipheimer is ill, that's can't possibly be due to the way he prepared for the TdF, even though if he was doing well it would completely the result of his meticulous preparation. 😉
In any case, I'd say that my prediction that he wouldn't be on the podium in Paris is looking pretty good right now!
Considering that he lost another ~2 min today (and in just the last 10 km, apparently), I'd say that it's looking more and more like his DS has been spinning things. Of course, if Leipheimer is ill, that's can't possibly be due to the way he prepared for the TdF, even though if he was doing well it would completely the result of his meticulous preparation. 😉
Like I said earlier, IMO his DS has made some strange comments in the last month or so. Levi did not over-extend himself at the DL. You can see this yourself by watching him lead on the climbs (that mattered most) when he wanted to, and how he was riding during the final mountain stage. Read how he did in last year's DL before riding well in the Tour a month later.
His training before this year's Tour wasn't too hard for him. He was fine in the prologue TT. Hopefully he'll get past the problem soon.
Like I said earlier, IMO his DS has made some strange comments in the last month or so. Levi did not over-extend himself at the DL. You can see this yourself by watching him lead on the climbs (that mattered most) when he wanted to, and how he was riding during the final mountain stage. Read how he did in last year's DL before riding well in the Tour a month later.
His training before this year's Tour wasn't too hard for him. He was fine in the prologue TT. Hopefully he'll get past the problem soon.
Here's the conspiracy theory on why Levi isn't in top form. After Daulphine he got a letter from the UCI -- like Tyler did -- saying that they were watching him closely. I've also heard Hincapie got one too.
Total conspiracy [censored] you hear in the news room. Just some guy shooting his mouth off or testing out an idea for a novel about bike racing... or maybe it is true. Probably not. Just thought I'd throw it out there. He's probably still doped to the gils along with the rest.
anyone got any more details on the 'reformer' he describes?
"this one machine called the reformer. It has a carriage that slides back and forth. One foot is on the end that's stable and the other foot is on the carriage, which is on a really light spring so it wants to spread apart. You have [light] weights in your arms and you lift them up ... and at the same time let your legs go out as far as they can. Then you bring 'em back in, and do that with your feet turned out, turned in, bent ... and by the time you're done the inside of your legs are so trashed. You're sore for like three days.
anyone got any more details on the 'reformer' he describes?
"this one machine called the reformer. It has a carriage that slides back and forth. One foot is on the end that's stable and the other foot is on the carriage, which is on a really light spring so it wants to spread apart. You have [light] weights in your arms and you lift them up ... and at the same time let your legs go out as far as they can. Then you bring 'em back in, and do that with your feet turned out, turned in, bent ... and by the time you're done the inside of your legs are so trashed. You're sore for like three days.
Masseurs didn't know? Amazing. Your respondents must have missed all the other coaches, pro riders, team directors, etc. who are near the contenders who have said in public (check cyclingnews, OLN, etc.) who predicted Levi would be on the podium based on the facts that he rode well in the DL as he did last year, and that none of the guys who finished ahead of him last year are at the Tour this year.
Well obviously the ones I spoke with were a bit more clued up then 😄
Quoted post said:
Tell us Hamish, exactly which team directors were those that responded to you?
What, and give up my competitive advantage for winning TdF bets and jeopardising channels for promising Kiwis wanting to race in Europe.
Still keen to hear just how much Max is really telling you. I know the good riders I work with would shoot me if I let the smallest amount of information about any aspect of their form and preparation.
Considering that he lost another ~2 min today (and in just the last 10 km, apparently)
Turns out that was due to a crash:
"During today's stage, there were some gaps in the peloton which gave some GC riders with an unexpected time loss. Knowing that you can win the Tour by only eight seconds, it could prove to be very costly for some of them. The reason for the gaps was a crash, which included Levi Leipheimer. The Gerolsteiner leader finished 1'45 behind Oscar Freire, but was granted the same time of the riders surrounding him before the fall. Thus, the American lost only 26 seconds"
To get back to the original thread, strange as that sounds on this board, pilates makes a lot of sense for cyclists. I mean, with cycling, there's no tolerances in the equipment unless you're running Power Cranks. So the only thing that could really change in alignment is your body. So some sort of apparatus to straighten it back out again makes sense. Yoga and core strengthening classes help me, but I could roll with a pilates class.
Still keen to hear just how much Max is really telling you. I know the good riders I work with would shoot me if I let the smallest amount of information about any aspect of their form and preparation.
Hamish Ferguson "Connected" Cycling Coach
I haven't said anything in public-including here, about Levi's form and preparation that you couldn't already find in the public domain.
Seeing were talking bets here a few of us are prepared to wager that Max is totally professional and doesn't share anything about Levi and his other star riders with you or anybody.
I know the good riders I work with would shoot me if I let the smallest amount of information about any aspect of their form and preparation.
I can't figure out why they would care as long as it's not made public without their approval/support. Within a handful of riders working with a coach the riders either know about each other's form (racing with each other) or it doesn't matter enough to keep it some big secret.
And the preparation for each rider working with that coach doesn't need to be a secret because each rider understands that they are doing what they need to do and there's no need to keep secrets about what the others are doing in training.
Perhaps it's because I, like Max come from a team environment. Collaboration and conversation about training occurs among teammates, friends, colleagues, fellow doctors and coaches-helping each other.
Perhaps it's because I, like Max come from a team environment. Collaboration and conversation about training occurs among teammates, friends, colleagues, fellow doctors and coaches-helping each other.
Brains trust I call it. As mentioned about 20 strong in Europe, another 20 in the US and about 60 people in Australasia that I chinwag with about coaching and cycling with. I still don't give away information [censored] nilly unless I know the feedback I get is going to by worthwhile.
So your telling us that Max shares all of Levis info? And Levi is cool with this?
