If the team and or Levi were other than American, would he be leading
the team rather than Popo or Contador? And even as they are, why
downplay the two European riders with so much talent in favor of Levi,
who seems to be so prefictable in his inability to take time without
sitting on wheels?
Popo may be developing slower than expected, but this is just as
likely caused by Disco's environment and racing scenarios (IOW,
demands on him that are far from ideal development-wise) but his
experience in the gts has to be at least as strong as Levis, albiet
more in Italy than in France. This might still indicate Levi is a
better risk, but I disagree and think it is more about what Popo has
been asked to do, and the resulting reduction of opportunities (at
Disco) to shine as brightly as compared to when he was so young and
threatening the Giro GC podium (on the Colnago team essentially built
around him).
Is Popo the biggest talent in this year's Tour without a *1 race
number? I think so, and I also think that the post-Lance years have
disproven the theories about the greatness of Bruyneel as a Tour
director, and indicate to me that Bruyneel was the greatest "Lance
director". Guimard still trumps all other directors for wins with the
widest variety and talent, even without counting Lemond (though
Guimard plucked him out of the west coast amateur scene at age 19, but
then left Guimard and Renault after his Tour debut when Fignon
blossomed faster on the same Renault team).