Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tour de France - Stage 4 - A New Controversy?

Credit a Tweet from Robbie McEwen with starting today's controversy theory:

"I'm sure @Lancearmstrong did that on purpose to leave Cancellara in the jersey. He sat up in last 50m."

Interesting thoughts, Robbie. Armstrong and Bruyneel did say they worked yesterday to help preserve Cancellara's yellow to avoid defending it themselves in the first week. Maybe they planned it to down to the tenth of a second?

Interesting that Robbie noticed Lance sitting-up in the last 50km. I was too busy noticing the monster pull that Contador put-in just before the line. Could Contador have been trying to put Armstrong in yellow?

Maybe we're reaching; maybe not. But it's interesting food for thought nonetheless.

Let the pot be stirred! Thanks for getting things started, Robbie!
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6 comments:

  1. HepiusJuly 7, 2009 at 12:02 PM

    No way. Armstrong was off his seat going full tilt in the final stretch. If he pulled up it was in the final half a meter.

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  2. 9TOESJuly 7, 2009 at 2:47 PM

    Great sighting...maybe he did / did not...but i smell "ARMSTRONG YELLOW!"

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  3. AnonymousJuly 7, 2009 at 4:31 PM

    i think you are paranoiac, they can take the jersey and don't defend it.

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  4. WSYJuly 7, 2009 at 5:50 PM

    Great comments, everyone. Paranoid? Maybe. But it's interesting to speculate nonetheless.

    However, taking the jersey and not defending is something rarely done; it's always better to let someone else take it and sap their team by having to defend it instead of you.

    Astana is perfectly placed for the coming days. The question is: who will emerge as their true leader?

    Thanks again all!

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  5. JeremyJuly 7, 2009 at 6:23 PM

    Up to today i kinda thought the whole Lance-Contador-"who will take the tour?" stuff was a bit trumped up considering the lack of form that LA had, especially in the Giro, but as of today I'm convinced he could win it.

    My prediction: Contador, Lance and Astana work together and spend the Pyrennes and the first few Alps stages putting as much time into the other contendors as possible, then let Contador and Lance hang it all out, mano a mano on the slopes of Ventoux. Wouldn't that be something to watch??

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  6. WSYJuly 7, 2009 at 6:35 PM

    I'm with you Jeremy. I thought Lance wouldn't live-up to the hype, but so far he's put his money where his mouth is.

    Would be incredible to see them fight it out.

    Thanks for the comments!

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