Landis as Phoenix
It is still true that if you play with matches you get burned. But the Phoenix rises from its own ashes to fly again.
image from wikipedia, adulterated by JG
When Tyler Hamilton went solo to win a stage in 2003, we thought that was one of the most amazing things ever. Floyd Landis makes Hamilton look mundane. Here's how...
The stage was harder. Landis attacked on the first of 4 big climbs. Landis set out on a suicide mission. All common sense predicts he cooks himself in the long breakaway and dies on the final climb.
The stakes were higher: Landis just suffered the worst day of his career. He had every excuse to sulk. Instead he gave it his all and ended up once again the favorite to take the yellow jersey to Paris.
The margin was bigger. Hamilton made about 2 minutes on the peloton on his ride; Landis toasted Sastre by 5 mintues and Pereiro by over 6 minutes.
Hamilton had a broken collarbone. Landis can match that with a degenerative hip. Plus, Landis isn't suspended for blood doping.
Floyd Landis accomplished something I didn't think was possible today. We questioned his tactics and his drive. Forget it. Stage 17 is proof that Landis wants to win this thing more than anyone else in the peloton. The Phoenix is a myth. Landis is the real deal; I stand corrected.
Landis should be the favorite to take the yellow jersey on the Saturday time trial. He's a better time trialist than Pereiro and Sastre, providing he can recover from the Alps. Comparing how these 3 got here is really interesting. Pereiro is the opportunist to exploited a 30 minute gift. Sastre is the guy who has been great and consistent throughout. Landis has been totally erratic: fine at times, remarkably dumb in tactics, dead in stage 16, brilliant and tough in stage 17.
One last note to Pereiro, Sastre, and Landis: Should someone like Kloden or Menchov or Evans attack the peloton 150 km from the finish on stage 18, chase him down, OK.
image from wikipedia, adulterated by JG
When Tyler Hamilton went solo to win a stage in 2003, we thought that was one of the most amazing things ever. Floyd Landis makes Hamilton look mundane. Here's how...
The stage was harder. Landis attacked on the first of 4 big climbs. Landis set out on a suicide mission. All common sense predicts he cooks himself in the long breakaway and dies on the final climb.
The stakes were higher: Landis just suffered the worst day of his career. He had every excuse to sulk. Instead he gave it his all and ended up once again the favorite to take the yellow jersey to Paris.
The margin was bigger. Hamilton made about 2 minutes on the peloton on his ride; Landis toasted Sastre by 5 mintues and Pereiro by over 6 minutes.
Hamilton had a broken collarbone. Landis can match that with a degenerative hip. Plus, Landis isn't suspended for blood doping.
Floyd Landis accomplished something I didn't think was possible today. We questioned his tactics and his drive. Forget it. Stage 17 is proof that Landis wants to win this thing more than anyone else in the peloton. The Phoenix is a myth. Landis is the real deal; I stand corrected.
Landis should be the favorite to take the yellow jersey on the Saturday time trial. He's a better time trialist than Pereiro and Sastre, providing he can recover from the Alps. Comparing how these 3 got here is really interesting. Pereiro is the opportunist to exploited a 30 minute gift. Sastre is the guy who has been great and consistent throughout. Landis has been totally erratic: fine at times, remarkably dumb in tactics, dead in stage 16, brilliant and tough in stage 17.
One last note to Pereiro, Sastre, and Landis: Should someone like Kloden or Menchov or Evans attack the peloton 150 km from the finish on stage 18, chase him down, OK.
posted by uberschuck at 4:10 PM
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