Spoiler - If yesterday didn't do it....

ItalianStallion said:

..... today most certainly did!!

I did not agree with Lance's move yesterday. That has been talked about, some people agree, some don't.

But after what happened today, I cannot imagine anyone defending Lance.

Using the Tour and his superior position as leader of the race for his personal battles is just vile....

I have lost all respect for Lance now. he might be the greatest rider of all time, but to me, he's an ungracious, unsporty, arrogant rider. I overlooked all the comments about other riders, all the slagging off, but this, no.

He's done no favour to cycling and to sprot in general.

So what is your opinion on Eddy Merckx? Bernard Hinault? Two riders who won when they wanted to and never gave gifts. Were they bad for the sport?

ItalianStallion said:

..... today most certainly did!!

I did not agree with Lance's move yesterday. That has been talked about, some people agree, some don't.

But after what happened today, I cannot imagine anyone defending Lance.

Using the Tour and his superior position as leader of the race for his personal battles is just vile....

I have lost all respect for Lance now. he might be the greatest rider of all time, but to me, he's an ungracious, unsporty, arrogant rider. I overlooked all the comments about other riders, all the slagging off, but this, no.

He's done no favour to cycling and to sprot in general.

Wait what? Elaborate

I must have missed it, what incident today are you referring to. All I saw was Lance riding in the pack.

mocka58 said:

So what is your opinion on Eddy Merckx? Bernard Hinault? Two riders who won when they wanted to and never gave gifts. Were they bad for the sport?

Did you watch today's stage? Did you see what Lance did?

He went after Simeoni, he got together with the lead group, then said: if he (Simeoni) stays here, nodoby's going anywhere and the group will come back.

All of this because Simeoni said something bad about dr. Ferrari (Lance's consultant), Lance called Simeoni a liar and Simeoni sued Lance.

He used his power as leader of the race to obstruct somebody's race. Simeoni was never in contention, he wanted a stage win, but, because of something he said, he didn't have a chance.

What a sad day for sport.

ItalianStallion said:

..... today most certainly did!!

I did not agree with Lance's move yesterday. That has been talked about, some people agree, some don't.

But after what happened today, I cannot imagine anyone defending Lance.

Using the Tour and his superior position as leader of the race for his personal battles is just vile....

I have lost all respect for Lance now. he might be the greatest rider of all time, but to me, he's an ungracious, unsporty, arrogant rider. I overlooked all the comments about other riders, all the slagging off, but this, no.

He's done no favour to cycling and to sprot in general.

I assume that what you are talking about is LA going to the breakaway and telling them not to work with Simoni or he would have his team chase them down--if in fact this is what happened? What is wrong with this--it is, after all, exactly what would happen if Simoni were to stay in the breakaway. I'm sure all the riders up there already knew this as well.

I really like your last comment too, about how Lance has done so little for cycling and sport in general. Anyone with a brain can figure out that that statement is complete BS.

I wish some people would think more before they write....

ItalianStallion said:

Did you watch today's stage? Did you see what Lance did?

He went after Simeoni, he got together with the lead group, then said: if he (Simeoni) stays here, nodoby's going anywhere and the group will come back.

All of this because Simeoni said something bad about dr. Ferrari (Lance's consultant), Lance called Simeoni a liar and Simeoni sued Lance.

He used his power as leader of the race to obstruct somebody's race. Simeoni was never in contention, he wanted a stage win, but, because of something he said, he didn't have a chance.

What a sad day for sport.

And since you were there you know exactly what was said too, right? You and Marv were in the breakaway with him, right on his wheel...damn you guys are good.

Whats wrong with LA using his teams ability to chase down competitors, it is afterall a race isn't it? Moron....

ItalianStallion said:

Did you watch today's stage? Did you see what Lance did?

He went after Simeoni, he got together with the lead group, then said: if he (Simeoni) stays here, nodoby's going anywhere and the group will come back.

All of this because Simeoni said something bad about dr. Ferrari (Lance's consultant), Lance called Simeoni a liar and Simeoni sued Lance.

He used his power as leader of the race to obstruct somebody's race. Simeoni was never in contention, he wanted a stage win, but, because of something he said, he didn't have a chance.

What a sad day for sport.

Ok, a bit more explicit

Simeoni and Lance are not best buddies.

Lead group out, 2 minutes in front. Simeoni tries to bridge the gap. Armstrong goes after him. Simeoni manages to catch the people in front. Then Armstrong, allegedly, says to the other riders that if Simeoni stays in the group, he'll set the USPS after them with the peloton. In the mean time, T-mobile has got to the front and is chasing Lance.

He went after Simeoni deliberately to screw up his chances.

Why? Reasons above.

martin_j001 said:

And since you were there you know exactly what was said too, right? You and Marv were in the breakaway with him, right on his wheel...damn you guys are good.

Whats wrong with LA using his teams ability to chase down competitors, it is afterall a race isn't it? Moron....

Why would the yellow jersey chase after a breakaway in first person.... knowing too well that the group, led by T-mobile and CSC would close up in no time.

Also, there's interviews from Simeoni and his sport director.

martin_j001 said:

I assume that what you are talking about is LA going to the breakaway and telling them not to work with Simoni or he would have his team chase them down--if in fact this is what happened? What is wrong with this--it is, after all, exactly what would happen if Simoni were to stay in the breakaway. I'm sure all the riders up there already knew this as well.

I really like your last comment too, about how Lance has done so little for cycling and sport in general. Anyone with a brain can figure out that that statement is complete BS.

I wish some people would think more before they write....

The problem is that he did it because of something Simeoni said about his friend.

He should leave his personal issues out of the Tour.

ItalianStallion said:

Did you watch today's stage? Did you see what Lance did?

He went after Simeoni, he got together with the lead group, then said: if he (Simeoni) stays here, nodoby's going anywhere and the group will come back.

All of this because Simeoni said something bad about dr. Ferrari (Lance's consultant), Lance called Simeoni a liar and Simeoni sued Lance.

He used his power as leader of the race to obstruct somebody's race. Simeoni was never in contention, he wanted a stage win, but, because of something he said, he didn't have a chance.

What a sad day for sport.

yeah, he rode like a PATRON today. Very sad.

if you'd seen footage of Merckx doing this you'd shake your head in appreciation of the power he exerted over a field of 160 riders.

I'm just sayin'

TexasMojo said:

I must have missed it, what incident today are you referring to. All I saw was Lance riding in the pack.

He neglected to slit his own throat to appease the masses of cycling experts on this particular cycling forum. He did, with considerable pleasure and no uncertain degree of forethought and possibly even malice, did pedal the damn bike in the general direction of Paris.

This sort of behaviour is unforgiveable. And worse yet, for those of us really hip people who are in the know, think that Lance Armstrong, unrepentant serial cyclist that he is, is planning to do the same thing tomorrow.

What kind of message is he sending to the children?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5410879/

Quoted post said:

“I was protecting the interests of the peloton,” he said, referring to the main pack. “Other riders were very, very thankful.”

Sebastien Joly, a French rider who was in the escape group, said: “I think it was a reaction of pride on Armstrong’s part.”

The escape riders knew that their chances of winning the stage were nil while Armstrong was with them. So they asked Simeoni to leave, Joly explained.

“When he let go, Lance had the kindness to do the same thing,” he said.

ItalianStallion said:

The problem is that he did it because of something Simeoni said about his friend.

He should leave his personal issues out of the Tour.

Man, I wouldn't want you as friend. You would never stick up for me

TrekDedicated said:

Man, I wouldn't want you as friend. You would never stick up for me

Over the last few stages LA has finally fully embraced his role as the Patron of the group. Todays check of Simeoni was an assertion of power. Nice to see.

eddie22 said:

Over the last few stages LA has finally fully embraced his role as the Patron of the group. Todays check of Simeoni was an assertion of power. Nice to see.

www.letour.fr says

[quote][font=Arial]It was a move the five-time champion may regret one day but for the rest of the stage at least, he raised a few dry smiles from others in the bunch, including the man considered most likely to finish as the runner-up again this year, Jan Ullrich. After sharing a joke with the T-Mobile captain, Lance closed his lips, flashed his fingers passed his mouth in a gesture that indicated that he had nothing more to say on the matter.[/QUOTE] He will regret it.

This move, motivated from reasons far from the race (and closely connected do the doping theme), will cost him dearly.

Reactions in European media are quite negative already.

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HuckFinn said:

www.letour.fr says

He will regret it.

This move, motivated from reasons far from the race (and closely connected do the doping theme), will cost him dearly.

Reactions in European media are quite negative already.

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Oh [censored]!Have you people been in a protected closet all your life. The tour as in all sports is about money. Lance will be back without question, the bigger the scndal, the bigger audience, besides my favorite rider is Mary Poppins she is so nice and polite to everyone and don't win S**T!

jhuskey said:

Oh [censored]!Have you people been in a protected closet all your life. The tour as in all sports is about money. Lance will be back without question, the bigger the scndal, the bigger audience, besides my favorite rider is Mary Poppins she is so nice and polite to everyone and don't win S**T!

This move wasn't about money. It was about power.

It was about punishing a rider who said to a judge Ferrari adviced him to dope.

How will he regret it?

TrekDedicated said:

How will he regret it?

He will be remembered punishing a rider who accused Ferrari of advicing doping.

Many people will think he did it because he wanted this theme to be quieted.

Many people will think he did it because he was personally involved in this theme.

It has a bad smell.