ubuntu-cyclists team mailing list archive

[Rodrigo Moya <rodrigo.moya@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 2009-09-16 at 13:21 -0500, Richard JOHNSON wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 06:07:57PM +0200, Rodrigo Moya wrote:
> > On Tue, 2009-09-15 at 10:37 -0500, Richard JOHNSON wrote:
> > > [...]
> > > > and what about an Ubuntu team for running the Tour de France, Vuelta of
> > > > Spain, etc? :)
> > > 
> > > This would have been great if Astana would have disolved without the
> > > creation of Team Radio Shack. No reason to go for the TdF since Lance and
> > > his boys will have that wrapped up next year. The Vuelta would be good
> > > since the teams had a lot of their hard hitters out at the Tour of
> > > Missouri. Look at the top 10 at the Vuelta, no-namers.
> > > 
> > hmm, no-namers?? Alejandro Valverde, Robert Gesink, Ivan Basso, Samuel
> > Sánchez, Cadel Evans, etc, are no-namers??? They are top level runners,
> > some of which have been several times in the TdF podium.
> 
> I don't think Gesnick or Basso would be top 10, Sanchez is iffy, and Cadel
> Evans has had a horrible season this year after last years accomplishments.
>
you're right about Evans this year, but he's been in the TdF podium a
couple of times, IIRC. Gesink and Sánchez are very young, in fact, their
teams are keeping them away from the TdF for now so that they improve a
lot for, let's hope, being serious contenders in the next few years. And
Basso, right, he's not what he used to be before his 2 years sanction
for dopping, but he was once or twice in the TdF podium, and seems to be
quite strong again, not for beating Contador and Andy Schleck right now,
right, but still

> > So, even though Contador, the Schlek bros and Armstrong are not running,
> > the top 10 could perfectly be a TdF top 10 (with Contador, Schlek and
> > Armstrong inserted in between :)
> 
> Contador and the Schlek bros are dangerous. I don't think Armstrong is
> dangerous yet. He was awesome considering his break, but you can thank
> Astana for him getting on the podium. Even though Contador kind of screwed
> him and the team, Contador still worked to keep him on the podium.
> 
right, I really think Astana screwed the first part of the TdF this year
to keep Armstrong with chances, really. If the race had been like
previous years, with lots of mountains in the Pyrenees (this year it
looked like a joke, with the finish lines 40/70 kms from the last peak),
I think Lance would have been out of chances pretty soon, I think.
Fortunately there was enough mountain in the Alps

But he's going to be dangerous next year, I think. It was awesome to see
him come back. Even with Astana "playing" to have him win, being in the
3rd place was indeed impressive. Not sure if he'll be able to win
another TdF (Contador and Andy Schlek are superior, IMO, plus some other
youngsters, like Gesink, Sanchez, Valverde, and others)

> 
> The bad thing about the US racing scene, it is pretty much over until next
> year. I have 2 crits, 1 road race, and a time trial left before the
> Cyclocross season kicks off in full force.
> 
wow, nice! A pity I can't see your races from here, good luck anyway!