Astana and Picks
Armstrong and Contador. The current great versus one of the greatest of all time. Now, technically, Lance is going to ride for Contador as his lieutenant, but I don’t think anyone seriously believes that. Lance will ride for Contador the same way Hinault rode for LeMond.
One of Lance’s great strengths was his team. The Posties were just a well-organized machine in which every cog worked for the ultimate goal of the machine: yellow for Lance. Armstrong continually beat the star-studded, but horribly fractured Telekom team.
And now Armstrong has joined the equivalent of Telekom. Forget the two-headed beast at the top for a second. That can be a virtue. In addition, Kolden and Leipheimer have both finished on the podium. If the team fractures, what is to prevent them striving for their own ambitions? I wouldn’t worry too much about domestiques Popovych and Zubeldia, who are both incredibly taltented riders who both know they aren’t serious contenders. The open question is, who do they ride for?
Bruyneel has a well-deserved reputation has a master strategist and tactician. He won’t let a team fracture against itself. Then again, he made his bones as Lance’s right hand, so I am curious how easily he can shut down Lance. Or if he’ll even want to, if Lance makes a big break.
This is a team so good they could put three men on the podium. This is, quite frankly, the most absurdly talented team I have ever seen. They just have to ride as a unit. I do think it will come down to a showdown on the final day between Lance and Contador, which seems pretty cool. Because right now, it looks like the only way the other teams can compete is if this team does its best T-Mobile impression.
THE PICKS
1. Contador
2. Armstrong
3. Menchov
4. Evans
5. Kloden
One of Lance’s great strengths was his team. The Posties were just a well-organized machine in which every cog worked for the ultimate goal of the machine: yellow for Lance. Armstrong continually beat the star-studded, but horribly fractured Telekom team.
And now Armstrong has joined the equivalent of Telekom. Forget the two-headed beast at the top for a second. That can be a virtue. In addition, Kolden and Leipheimer have both finished on the podium. If the team fractures, what is to prevent them striving for their own ambitions? I wouldn’t worry too much about domestiques Popovych and Zubeldia, who are both incredibly taltented riders who both know they aren’t serious contenders. The open question is, who do they ride for?
Bruyneel has a well-deserved reputation has a master strategist and tactician. He won’t let a team fracture against itself. Then again, he made his bones as Lance’s right hand, so I am curious how easily he can shut down Lance. Or if he’ll even want to, if Lance makes a big break.
This is a team so good they could put three men on the podium. This is, quite frankly, the most absurdly talented team I have ever seen. They just have to ride as a unit. I do think it will come down to a showdown on the final day between Lance and Contador, which seems pretty cool. Because right now, it looks like the only way the other teams can compete is if this team does its best T-Mobile impression.
THE PICKS
1. Contador
2. Armstrong
3. Menchov
4. Evans
5. Kloden
posted by Poseur at 9:53 AM
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