A year without Pistolero part DOS ?

With headlines everyday about Alberto Contador and his possible suspension, I have started to ponder a year or two without the Pistolero.  We did the same type of pondering last year, and some of the predictions about his riding proved to be true. The year of the Pistolero or Not?

As I have admitted in previous blogs, I have had a like him/ hate him sports fan perspective on Conta.  With Chain Gate, my initial reaction was that it was Bush league and had no place in the top level of the sport.

At the time I thought Chain Gate was a horrible display, and I was rooting for the lanky one to take back the time on Conta. Then the TDF played out and Andy's SCHLECKnd attitude brought me full circle with the Spaniard.  Sometimes sports force you to root for one athlete over the other - Bird or Magic, Brady or Manning, Lance or Jan.  Conta vs Andy.... it's very easy for me to pull for the guy that WANTS it and shows he knows how to finish.  In truth, Andy Schleck got me back on the Contador bandwagon with being a bit on the SOFT side. With time to think about it, many of us would have done the same thing as Alberto.  We are human and flawed....many of us are a bit more Conta down deep than Andy.  Whether we like to admit it or not, our inner "black hat" is a bit more likely to come out than our "white"one.

The Schlecks are a bit on the soft side (Marshmallow Peeps kinda soft)  when it comes to having a killer instinct

As most of us do, I think a lot while out riding.  With some time to reflect on Contador's 2011 season, I realized/remembered a few things.

*Dramatic story of a near death experience, to Grand Tour winner (As fans, we like those stories... especially in A-Merika!)
* Regardless of the help needed (Rasmussen ejection) or how close some of the victories were, he has won 5 GRAND TOURS... All 3 Grand Tours not just 1 of them multiple times. Really let that one sink in! That is the combined GC wins of Ivan Basso & Denis Menchov.

* He and his team got screwed out of the TDF in 08 (Anti-Astana/ Anti-Johan/Lance or whatever the reason) Without him we had the MOST forgettable Tour in....um.... a long.... LONG TIME! Who won that again?!? Carlos...zzzzzz

* I thought the cobbles at the 2010 edition of the Tour would end him, instead he did a very solid job with  them and went on to another win!  He wanted no part of riding that type of race, but he prepared and used it to gain some time instead of lose time.

* He is damn good for TV viewing!  As a sports fan, there are athletes you love & ones you love to hate.  Either way, you tune in to watch them.  He is one of those guys & I think the sport needs him for engagement sake.  Overall,  he is more like Lance than most US fans might realize and that means he is one to watch (to root for or against).  He has a wicked desire to win, he is a smart athlete that knows how to seize the moment even if it might require damage control later. He would rather be off the podium if he isn't on the top step.  He is egocentric, he is not a nice guy on the bike, and he will do whatever it takes. Yep, Lance was all of those things as well....and as I have stated many times I liked every bit it from LA (No Gifts, The Look,  Simeoni gate)!

I will say this and own it: Doped or not guilty, I hope he is riding in top form next year!  I want to watch Conta vs Cadel vs Schleck vs Wiggo at the TDF!


If Conta is 2nd TDF winner stripped in the last 5 years that means, This is now the 2nd times in the last 100 years!  Does this mean that cycling is closing the gap on the dopers, or are they throwing out a sacrificial lamb?  As Floyd Landis explained in our Twitter exchanges earlier this year, Alberto is not the most likable and is a big name, so a good target.  He lacks the "cancer shield" Lance carried so he is fair game.  Would it make the sport any cleaner?  Would it really make any rider pause and not take drugs?  Did the Festina affair or Op Puerto really do that?

I know what some of you are asking "Don't I want a clean sport?" I do! But I am also an optimistic realist, I know that there are 70 year old Masters racers doping and the French Cat 3 kid that was positive for 12 different drugs.  It has been part of the sport since 1900 will always be there. I do want a clearer sport, but I know it will never be squeaky clean and 100% "Pure". No twibbon band is going to change someone's mind that is that close to their dreams & financial security.

Honestly who are we to judge one rider against another?  Contador's winning margins are less that past Grand Tour winners like Lance, Basso, Merckx, etc.  So is that some kind of proof that he is clean or pretty clean? Our current favorite riders can all be tied directly or by 1 degree to a doping team, teammate, Dr. or director.  For example: Cadel Evans (time with T-Mobile 03-04), Andy Schleck (Riding for Riis & his brothers payments to Fuentez, etc), Cav having a missed test in 2011.

Either way I am looking forward to the 2012 season!  I am just rooting for a season with a certain Spaniard racing it!


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Andy Schleck can win the 2012 TDF if....

We decided to to lay out how the Lanky Lux can win the 2012 Tour de France in response to this tweet @ us earlier today:

@hbstache He @andy_schleck is going to win the TdF this year. Even a good chance he'll win it twice... #againstallods

#1 There will need to be a massive crash crash like the one in 2003 that took out or hurt most of the GC contenders.  Andy will need to have Cadel, Conta, Basso, Wiggo and maybe even Levi hit the deck.  Team Nissan RadioSchack is researching what type of spectacles could cause this level of crash:

*Truth be told, Andy will need to have Frank  home as well; all that Schlooking around costs time and effort.

#2 Andy has to be okay with swapping bikes at the top of climbs (kind of a reverse Contador).  He might loose a bit of time putting on the armor & full face helmet but he at least he will have a fighting chance of making it down the descent in one piece.

#3 Andy will need Johan’s proposed UCI TT rule change to be approved.  The new rule would allow a teammate to ride Grand Tour TT’s for their leader.  "Hey Fabian take it a bit easy on your TT, save some for Andy’s."  When this idea was shared with Fabian, he responed in Fabanese “I am bit worried about Tony Martin, but he is busy with Chavenel’s pillow so it ok.  I ride hard for Andy!”

#4  A huge doping scandal could help his chances as well; something that will take out around a third of the field.  Think of what it would look like if 1998 met Op Puerto.  If Dr. Fuentez drove the Festina-mobile to the Saxo, BMC, & Sky team hotels with his cooler in the passenger seat. Andy is a lock for the top step (unless Frank bought "training plans" from Fuentez again)!

There is a chance Andy might end up as the  winner of the 2010 TDF if Conta gets  suspended.  But, Andy will always be SCHLECKnd to us!  

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Tough choices for GC contenders: Which race is winnable?

Are the GC Contenders finally getting it?  For years I have wondered why certain riders continue to chase the dream of winning the Tour, instead of focusing on winning the Giro or the Vuelta.  I know the Tour is THE RACE for almost every young cyclist in the world, but that also makes it an unrealistic goal for 99%  of them.  

The Vuelta in particular looks to be the race that is the most wide open.  So should riders like Wiggo, 

Nabali, Leipheimer, or Horner make this race their primary goal for 2012?  Sounds like Igor Anton has already made this decision. Don't forget everyone's favorite Op Puerto character, Valpitti, is also back in 2012.  

What about the Giro?  It can be argued this is the toughest course year in, year out, but the TDF contenders often skip this race. So this race could be won by some of those that are consistently in the top 5 of the TDF.  Van den Broeck, Gesink, and Vande Velde.  Sounds like Ivan Basso has finally decided to give up his TDF dream and is looking to win his 3rd Giro. 

In the end, it has to be a mix of chasing a dream and being realistic.  Some riders are rewarded with their persistence, take Cadel for example, and others never quite get there, like Poulidor.  So what about Andy Schleck?  Should he take a closer look at these 3 races and figure out which one he is most suited for?  After seeing the TDF route and the amount of TT kilometers, he will be very lucky to get SCHLECKnd (we make this tee so we are pulling for him on this one!) or even SCHLird this year.  I think for many fans of these riders, a pink or red jersey on the wall is better than a yellow one in a dream.  

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What the stars of Pro Cycling are think about 2012

The dust has finally settled for the big teams and big names (except for the foot gas/dust for Geox as pictured on their jersey).  I think we might have a pretty good idea what they are thinking about 2012.  So here is our take on the things running through their head.

Cadel Evans:

-I won the Tour and now I have less riders to defend me?
-Gilbert & Thor are kidding me?
-So is Thor gonna look for the green jersey and go on all day break aways?  Is Phillipe gonna try to win every race again?
-This is GREAT...I am gonna rip someone's head off this year!
-DO NOT STEP ON MY DOGGIE!!!!!!
-Hey Contador how did that Tour treat you, mate?

Alberto Contador:

-Wow!  I love Under 17 World Cup soccer now!  So glad they all tested positive for eating bad meat.
-Having the Schlecks working with Johan is a interesting, but unless he has Lance sneak into the start house for them,  they still suck on a TT bike.
-Bjarne GO GET COBO or MENCHOV or both!!!
- It was the bad meat!
- Pistols are so cool! Finger Bang!
- I will have the chicken
- I am clean...I am clean....I am clean...
- I am the best!

Andy Schleck:

-I hope I still get to race every race with Frank.
-I really want to win the Tour or get 2nd as long as Frank is on the podium with me.
-I hope Johan is not like Bjarne - yelling at me and telling what to do & how to win.
-Next year's Tour route sucks! Too much time on that weird bike with the disc wheel.

Frank Schleck:

-I hope I still get to race every race with Andy.

-I really want to see Andy win the Tour or get 2nd as long as I am on the podium with him.

-I hope Johan is not like Bjarne - yelling at me and telling what to do & how to win.

-Next year's Tour route sucks! Too much time on that weird bike with the odd handlebars.

Phillipe Gilbert:

-I look good, the bike will look good & I will win every race I enter.

-Cadel & Thor? What about them?  

Thor:

I DEMAND RESPECT! 

I HATE JV!

Johan Bruyneel:

-FABIAN....FABIAN....F*CKING FABIAN!  YES, I CAN NOW WIN ROUBAIX!

-The Schlecks need to HTFU 

-Frank & Andy should get really used to being seperated.

-I will take so many leaders to the TDF that we can crash everyday and still be on the podium!

-We might as well win!

Bjarne Riis:

-I have Contador...

-I will steal some more races like the Ronde.....Muuuumuuuuhhhaaaa

-The Schlecks are soft

-Contador is on my team

-This bad meat excuse is actually gonna work...that was a close call!

-I hate Johan & his "super team" 

-Alberto Effin Contador rides for me!

-I am the best DS ever....I won the Tour with Sastre...WHO?  Yes, Sastre!

-You can't win Roubaix on a Trek so Fabian is screwed!

Juan Jose' Cobo:

-Maybe I should not have been smiling on the Angliru?  Was that a bit much considering my past and poor season so far?  Think that had something to do with Geox folding?

-I kinda liked the shoe farting on the front of our jersey!

Wiggins:

-What the F*ck this some bloddy bull shit Cavendish on my team...WHAT THE HELL?

CAV REALLY?  

-How am I gonna win the Tour with that little hobbit trying to win the green jersey?  

-F*******CCKKKK!!!!

-Does anyone have any taller socks? I want to take it up to my knee cap for 2012.

-Cav...SHIIIITTTT!!!!!!  

Jonathan Vaughters:

- How do my sideburns look?

- I hate Johan

- I am the smartest person ever in or around cycling

- How does my shirt look?

- I hate Lance?

- Anything we do at Garmin is better

- I miss Wiggo

- How do my trousers look?

- Bradley come back 

- I hate the UCI

- How do my loafers look?

Mark Cavendish:

- I am the fastest man in the world!

- I feel like I might cry

- The difference between myself and Wiggo is that I win, he just talks about how he might win.

- Sky is MY new team!

- I am feeling like I might shed a tear

- I am so bloody fast on my bike!

2012 should be an epic & entertaining year in Pro Cycling!

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The LEAST interesting cyclist in the world

I saw that Carlos Sastre is in the break at the Vuelta today and I start thinking about how this made me feel...to be honest I felt like I just took a sedetive.  I am sure Carlos is a nice enough guy, but he is also the most boring rider in the peloton.  He is the the opposite of this man:

"When I am lying in bed with 3 women and must finally fall asleep, I watch the 08 TDF. I am out like a like in 10 min."

I'm not sure why his attacks look like they are in slow motion? I'm also not quite sure why he Phil & Paul refer to him as a "climber" when he get dropped as soon as the road tips up? Carlos is pretty much the San Antonio Spurs of cycling (with less hardware).  Just for fun ask people who won the 2008 TDF then just watch them?  They will pause, then realize that wasn't the one Floyd won/got stripped of, Must be Contador...no wait he didn't race....ummm...Sastre? Still not sure what kind of pictures/info he had on Riis, that allowed him to win the TDF?

I think some time riding with Rock Racing would have done Carlos some big favors and loosened him up a bit. Cipo could have mentored him on having a bit of panache.  At this point even if he tried this trick, I am afraid I might not be able to watch it for more than 3k.

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