Roadierookie

First let me start off by saying that I am a huge LA fan and have been for the past 9 years that I have been involved in cycling. Wanted him to do a respectable ride in this year's Tour as a good send off.

After he crashed he looks like he is just chillin. Why isn't he supporting Levi? Why isn't he putting any effort into the team classification? If he is merely losing time to save himself for a stage win then that will shut me up if I see it but I don't think that will happen at this point.

Is this how he wants to be remembered in his last Tour or is he just too distracted with the federal investigation and the fact that he had some bad luck?

Hezz

It's all about Lance. I don't think he has a chance to take any stage. And he knows that he can't take any of the mountain stages. He can't win any of the sprinters stages. So he is just trying to take it easy. He knows he can't win so he's not going to do that much for others. If Levi was in the top 3 he would probably work for him but unless something changes he is just going to look out for himself. He is just doing damage control. But anyone who knows cycling knows that it's all just PR. The situation is showing Lance for what he is.

boniek1982

Agreed. Its all about Lance. Just look at the way Jens Voigt and the Astana guys have thrown themselves around to support their guys. You wont see that from Lance. Matter of fact Bruyneel said it himself that Lance is saving himself for a stage win.

dgasmd

The only stage he's going to Winn is the one to the airport to never be seen. For me personally, he is proving everything I've said and then some. He is where he deserves to be....... Must taste nasty when you have to eat in public humiliation the **** you've said loudly for 2 years!!!! Despite liking him at one point a long long time ago and still respecting what Livestrong has done for so many, I can personally say im more than happy to see him where he is today: out of the back of the pack in every stage!!!

Quel

He's going for a stage win, and I think if you are him, your eyes have to be locked on Stage 17. I don't think he needs a win, but he needs a great showing on that stage to prove to people that it was more bad luck and tactics than lack of ability that sidetracked this Tour for him. If he does poorly there, I think you have to say that his entire Tour has just been filled with excuses for his poor performance.

Bacciagalupe

I'm not a Lanceboy, but I have to say that I don't see any benefit to him killing himself this time around.

Levi is not going to end up on the podium; if he was, I suspect Armstrong would be much more aggressive. Instead, all they're looking to do is beat Caisse D'Epargne at the team classification. I'm sure if Armstrong can do anything in that regard, he'll at least try.

And of course, his reputation isn't going to suffer based on a passable showing in his final tour, especially with the Versus commentators shining his shoes every day.

Radio Shack pretty much accepted all this after Stage 8. Now it's your turn.

roadrider63

Stage win or not...and I like Lance, I'm a bit surprised he hasn't at least put himself in the mix of things during every mtn. stage. Saving yourself for a possible stage win...bleh. I say go out and show yourself, show that is was the bad luck and not your fitness that kept you from competing. At least stay with Levi...if he can.

rzombie1988

I've been disappointed with Lance this tour. He's just been trying to get through it and nothing more. I can't see him winning a stage especially with people like Vino and Chavanel. I also don't think that anything he does is going to help Levi, as Levi is just not someone who is going to win the tour.

Hezz

Now that he is sure he can't win the tour and because of heightened security he's probably riding clean. At his age not much chance of a stage win clean. He would probably just show everyone that he is completely done. Trying to ride the TDF completely clean gets very difficult after the 8th or 9th day. I don't think he want's to suffer that much.

Looking at the remaining stages. It looks to me like stage 15 is the only possible choice for Lance to win a stage. But that would be very remote. Two steep hills but not that much elevation gain and a long downhill to the finish. He would have to go over the last summit 3-5 minutes before the main group to do it and then out sprint the few guys he is with. Very unlikely. I don't think any of the other stages he could even have a remote chance on.

Claiming he will go for a stage win is just PR garbage and damage control in my book. Something to tell the press to make them think he is going to do something.

xfimpg

+1
I remember a morning interview with Levi the day after Lance crashed 3 times, and Levi said "I'm sure Lance will help me when I'll need him".
Even Levi knows Lance isn't going to help him.

Hezz

After looking more closely at stage 15, I realize I made a mistake in the elevation gain. I now think that there is no stage that Lance could win. And given that Lance is a calculator I don't think that he will try. He is just riding for fitness for his triathlon training.

Garthr

You guys don't get it. He doesn't have to explain anything to you. He doesn't have "to fight" for every stage.

The only disappointment here ..... is people's own expectations they have of him. Things didn't work out as desired. Usually they don't.

People are nuts (including myself) . . . . can't we just watch the damm race for what it is and not worry about what coulda woulda or shoulda been ? When it doesn't turn out our way ... we turn on the riders? That's nuts.

Ride one mile in a TDF riders race....... and you wouldn't be so fast to judge them.

xfimpg

After Lance conceded that his tour was over, he stated on TV that he was committed to helping Levi; he hasn't one bit and that's what this thread is about.

OrionKhan

I don't know what the surprise is all about. Last year he said he would ride for the strongest rider if one proved to be stronger. He didn't do that either. Nothing has changed.

USAZorro

This is Lance's farewell tour. Like it or not, whether it's what he said he'd do or not, he's finally taking some time to smell the roses. Perhaps he'll pick a stage or two and go all out, perhaps he won't. Even though his blind fan-boys tend to get on my nerves, and I have been very skeptical of his entire 2nd comeback, who can say he hasn't earned it? I think it might even be some much-needed psychological therapy. Let the old man enjoy his last tour.

xfimpg

Nothing has changed?

Ummm... different team, different sponsor, different leader, different team director, different team members, etc, etc, etc. Nah, nothing has changed.

C'mon, think about it a little.

OrionKhan

Yep, and Lance still isn't riding for the strongest rider on the team. Isn't that what the team is supposed to do? That hasn't changed.

The Weak Link

Say what he will, there's some chance he'll do jail time. That's got to weigh on his mind.

Not hatin', just sayin'.

DXchulo

I think Levi got screwed. He may not make the podium now, but when Lance's chances went out the window it certainly looked like he had a shot. The RadioShack team showed no confidence in him (just listen to Horner's rest day diary on VeloNews), and perhaps things may have been a little different if he had a little help.

Don't get me wrong, Levi was never going to win. His best chance was 3rd, but can you imagine how hard RadioShack would have pushed to get Lance into 3rd if he was in Levi's position?

OrionKhan

Good post. It doesn't seem that TRS is really putting all of its effort towards any rider at this point. But then again, outside of Levi, most of the others have been dropped on the big climbs fairly early. Don't know if that's age/ability showing or lack of effort.

JoelS

Levi got screwed and Lance just doesn't have it. He's getting dropped and can't seem to stick around to help Levi. Either he doesn't want to, or can't. I think can't is most likely.

Shemp

I've never bagged on Lance before and have always given him the benefit of the doubt over the years, but I'm really disappointed in the lack of help for Levi and effort toward the team competition points. If nothing else, I'd think he'd be trying harder for the sponsor to get the team ahead in points. The Shack appears to have a lot of quality riders riding without a cause. Seems like that'd be a bit deflating to me.

cyclocommuter

I see RS in disarray as it now looks like all they had was plan A, no plan B. Instead of ralllying everyone around Levi to help him get a podium finish right after Lance had his misfortunes (and appeared to have given up) it appears at least one rider (Brajkovic) still has to escort Lance up the hills/mountains even though he appears to just be reserving his legs for "something" that may or may not come.

OrionKhan

I've always wondered what they're strategy would be. Seems like they wanted to win the ToC and challenge for the TdF. Maybe not the overall win, but at least podium at the TdF. Now its like they don't know what to do. They don't really have a classics rider to go out stage hunting. They don't have a top sprinter. Could be we're seeing their backup plan. Nothing. With Lance gone next year, what is the team going to do. They can get away with it this year because of the LA exposure. But next year, who do they hang their hat on?

xfimpg

Don't change the focus; the subject of this thread is still "What the hell is Lance doing?", and not "What the hell is Radio Shack doing."