Apparently Lance and Oprah race
Lance on Oprah today at 4PM ABC
Fri, 02/11/2005 - 4:11am
Mon, 02/14/2005 - 10:49am
#1
link to show highlights
You can find some slides and comments on the show on Oprah's web site.
http://www2.oprah.com/tows/slide/200502/20050211/slide_20050211_101.jhtml
Fri, 02/11/2005 - 1:42pm
#2
tour de france spoiler -- don't read if you're taping
he said . . .
Fri, 02/11/2005 - 2:08pm
#3
No TV
Tell me!! I do not get any tv stations.
Sat, 02/12/2005 - 4:53am
#4
No TDF Spoiler -- just an Oprah Livestrong fest.
"Oprah didn't ask Lance about his racing schedule.
Lance's Mom was in the audiance -- he gave her a number of props during the show. Mom is writing a book.
Sheryl Crow joined him onstage. Oprah asked Lance if he was going to have more children, he more or less ducked the question (with ms. Crow beside him). That was the edgiest part of the show.
They did a clip of his trials and triumphs to start the show. A repeat of the OLN clip of the Gerona Spain casa
Sheryl did a ""love song"" at the end of the show. Sheryl mentioned that Lance gave her a 59 Mercedes convertible
Livestrong moment: A schoolteacher that is fighting breast cancer was greeted at her home and told she would be on Oprah with Lance. She was estatic hearing the neews, and was very joyful meeting Lance, who gave her a bike.
Oh, and ophrah and Lance rode together , with Lance riding one legged"
Sat, 02/12/2005 - 1:43pm
#5
none
Oprah actually did ask Lance if he would go for no. 7 and he said he definitely would but didn't say when (as usual).
Sun, 02/13/2005 - 6:23pm
#6
You mean he wasn't referring to 2005?
I took it as implicit that the question about a number 7 referred to THIS YEAR. You mean he might have been referring to a future #7, not in 2005?
Mon, 02/14/2005 - 8:07am
#7
yes - 2005 or 2006
Lance has made it clear he will do it again but it seems he wants to sit out 2005. Even though he is popular and respected in the world, there is Lance-fatigue and it gets boring when he just wins it every time. So I think he wants to skip the Tour and do some races and events he never cared about (as well as working on his no-handed climb up Alpine) to enhance his legacy and then come back for Number 7 in 2006. Then there'd be a little drama even though he will probably just win it. But it would be a greater victory.
The problem: Discovery Channel is his brand new sponsor and they surely want him to win the Tour this year so they can start getting some immediate returns on their investment. He is probably trying to convince them that if he sits 2005 out and with the other events, the 2006 Tour will be that much bigger and worth it for the sponsor to wait. Meanwhile, we wait for the imminent announcement to see whether Lance or Discovery Channel wins this debate.
Mon, 02/14/2005 - 3:28pm
#8
I think everyone has missed the point
Whether it is boring or not that Lance keeps winning the tour is irrelevant. Anyone who has followed Lance's career should be aware that he is a master tactician both on and off the bike. That includes putting up smokescreens about what he will or will not do.
He has talked countless times in the past of doing one of the other major grand tours, but has never done so.
I think this time he is trying to lull everyone into a false sense of security by making them think he will not line up for the start of the 2005 TdF this year. I fully expect him to be there, unless a fitness or injury messes up his final preparations.
And I think the spring classics, and possibly one of the other grand tours, will be like a huge victory parade or lap of honour in his final year in 2006 as a professional rider. I wouldn't be at all surprised if, next year, he did the spring classics and the Giro as a supporter to one of his team mates and then announced his retirement at the end of the Giro.
Tue, 02/15/2005 - 4:52am
#9
The Hour Record
"""I wouldn't be at all surprised if, next year, he did the spring classics and the Giro as a supporter to one of his team mates and then announced his retirement at the end of the Giro.""
He's got to attempt the World Hour Record before he hangs it up. That would normally be done late in the season. By doing the Giro instead of the Tour de France, he'd be more rested. As a skilled time trialer, the Hour Record is a natural for him. The only question will be whether it's this year or next.
""Chainwheel""
"
Tue, 02/15/2005 - 7:02am
#10
I forgot about the 'Hour;' Record
"You're right. I forgot about the 'Hour' Record. So next year, he might do the spring classics and the Giro then prepare to do the 'Hour' Record later in the year, then retire.
The question is, will he do the 'Hour' record in the same way as Chirs Boardman, ie, not with a fancy bike and not at altitude? By doing it at 500m or less above sea level and with a fairly standard road bike, but with aero bars, this would be a true test of the athlete. Boardman argues that by doing it any other way would not be a true test of the athlete.
Boardman has actually thrown down the gauntlet to Lance and stipulated very specific blood and urine testing before and after (at precise moments before and after) in order for LA's attempt to be at true comparison with Boardman's. In Boardman's mind, any other method of attempting and breaking the 'Hour' Record would not be valid.
Boardman originally broke the record using a fancy bike, but decided to redo the 'hour' at the end of his career in precisely the same circumstances as Eddy Merrx, the previous holder who did not have any technological assistance with the bike. Boardman wanted to test himself against Merx under the same circumnstances and he did break his record.
It will be interesting to see if LA takes the bait. At the moment, the Armstrong camp is still talking about an attempt at altitude.
Personally, I think Boardman has it right, as it would enable a true test of the athlete and a true comparison of LA's performance with Boardman's.
But, reading between the lines of Boardman's recent remarks on the subject, he suspects that Armstrong does have a case to answer on the drug issue. Boardman was quoted as saying that an attempt at the 'hour' in the method described by Boardman, would be a wonderful opportunity ""to lay to rest"" all the allegations about doping.
I am not sure what point Boardman is making here and I don't think that blood and urine tests before and after an 'hour' attempt by LA would necessarily show anything different from his tests throughout his career. But Boardman is definitely sceptical."
Tue, 02/15/2005 - 7:47am
#11
Eddy did it at altitude
"""Boardman originally broke the record using a fancy bike, but decided to redo the 'hour' at the end of his career in precisely the same circumstances as Eddy Merrx...""
""At the moment, the Armstrong camp is still talking about an attempt at altitude.""
I'm confused. Eddy Merckx set the record on a regular track bike, but at altitude (Mexico City). I think the ""traditional"" record could still be done at altitude as long as a traditional bike and position are used.
Otherwise there would have to be four versions of the record:
<500m traditional bike
>500m traditional bike
<500m funny bike
>500m funny bike
Maybe I'm missing something.
BTW, there's a great article about Eddy's hour record at:
http://www.torelli.com/home.html?http://www.torelli.com/owen/eddyhour.html&1
""Chainwheel"""
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 5:56am
#12
I stand corrected!
Ok, I didn't know it was in Mexico City.
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 6:28am
#13
Lance's sponser Trek, is preparing a specially made, wind tunnel tested, carbon fiber one-off bike for him in his attempt at the hour record. Boardman went back to basics for his second attempt, and broke it. I would like to see Lance do the same thing, but apparently this will not be the case. Being an excellent time trialist is one thing, having to ride laps on an enclosed track for an hour is another. All those who have attempted the Hour, have said it was the hardest ride they have ever done.
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 8:17am
#14
Too bad...
"""Lance's sponser Trek, is preparing a specially made, wind tunnel tested, carbon fiber one-off bike for him in his attempt at the hour record.""
I guess it is about the bike!
""Chainwheel"""
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 10:35am
#15
Hour Record rules
"Anthony Poole wrote:
""The question is, will he do the 'Hour' record in the same way as Chirs Boardman, ie, not with a fancy bike and not at altitude? By doing it at 500m or less above sea level and with a fairly standard road bike, but with aero bars, this would be a true test of the athlete. Boardman argues that by doing it any other way would not be a true test of the athlete.""
The Hour Record rules don't say anything about sea-level or altitude. But aero-bars are forbidden. See UCI Rule 3.5.026. Chris Boardman used traditional bars: http://ida1.physik.uni-siegen.de/menn/hourrecuci.htm.
And you mean ""fairly standard track bike.""
""But, reading between the lines of Boardman's recent remarks on the subject, he suspects that Armstrong does have a case to answer on the drug issue. Boardman was quoted as saying that an attempt at the 'hour' in the method described by Boardman, would be a wonderful opportunity 'to lay to rest' all the allegations about doping.""
In 2001, Lance was talking about attempting the Hour Record with Dr. Michele Ferrari's help. Unfortunately, Lance has ""suspended his professional affiliation with Dr. Ferrari"" (http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=131301).
"
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 1:12pm
#16
I believe it was last week on www.cyclingnews.com, that they featured Lance's team at Trek who are preparing a bike for him if he attempts the hour record. It will be a one-off wind tunnel tested carbon fiber frame. It's anything but a standard track frame.
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 10:16am
#17
The Hour Record
"""Chainwheel"" wrote:
""He's got to attempt the World Hour Record before he hangs it up.""
Why does he have to? There are a lot of other good time trialists who have passed up an attempt.
""By doing the Giro instead of the Tour de France, he'd be more rested.""
The year Merckx set the record, he won Milan-San Remo, the Ardennes double (L-B-L and Fleche Wallone), Giro, Tour, and too many other races to mention. Part of his palmares for October 1972:
Oct. 7 - Tour of Lombardy: 1st.
Oct. 8 - Lausanne: 1st.
Oct. 8 (yes, same day) - Sallanches: 1st.
Oct. 11 - Trofeo Baracchi (two-man t.t.): 1st, with Roger Swerts.
Oct. 18 - Putte-Kapellen: 2nd.
Oct. 25 - Hour Record, Mexico City.
But that was Merckx.
"
Tue, 02/15/2005 - 6:11am
#18
yep
"No one has ever heard of ""rope a dope?""
Well, get ready to see a new expression of it.
"
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 9:57am
#19
Lance & other Grand Tours
"Anthony Poole wrote:
""He has talked countless times in the past of doing one of the other major grand tours, but has never done so.""
He did come in fourth in the 1998 Vuelta, but that was before he started winning the TdF.
""I wouldn't be at all surprised if, next year, he did the spring classics and the Giro as a supporter to one of his team mates and then announced his retirement at the end of the Giro.""
Lance doesn't ride for teammates. When Heras rode for him in the Tour, did he reciprocate by riding for Heras in the Vuelta?
As for the Giro, there was a cyclingnews.com interview that doesn't promise well for that:
-----------------------------------------------------
LA: ...But as we know, the climate in Italy is very political right now and very motivated to keep this issue of doping in cycling in the forefront and this is just another sub-plot. For a true cycling fan to sit back and read this, they must chuckle. Granted, we can all say: 'Lance you should have done that or your shouldn't have done this; you're the Yellow Jersey and don't waste your time doing that'...that's all fine. And I might even agree with that...but don't...the problem is giving Simeoni a platform when he doesn't deserve a platform. But does that lead to a criminal investigation? Absolutely not.
So I'm fine with an editorial that says 'bad move, no class, why the hell did you do that?'. No problem; I can deal with that. But to then be investigated for (allegedly) intimidating a witness, sporting fraud and whatever the other charge is, that's crazy.
CN: Will this situation change your possibility to ride the Giro d'Italia?
LA: Yeah, and I have to ask myself do I want to subject myself and my team and my sponsor the Discovery Channel to a tremendous photo op for the Italian police and the answer to that is no. Why would I want to show up and have them waiting at the airport and whisk me off? They are wasting their time for something that has no effect on their process over there and what's fair and right over there, and has even less effect on what I do.
Here I am...what do I care? If they think that they are getting even, they're not! I'm sitting here in Austin, Texas and working on dozens of things that make a positive difference in the world. Come on! Do you leak stuff to a scummy journalist? Sure, you can do that. Do you launch an investigation for sporting fraud and all these other things? You can do that. Do I care? Absolutely not. Come on; I'm busy and I'm busy with the right things, not the wrong things. So have fun, fellas...
----------------------------------------------------
(What charming modesty!)
"
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 10:53am
#20
Simeoni and 2004 TdF
Call me vengeful, say I am mean, whatever, but I must admit that I loved what Lance did to Simeoni last year. That was just great. The best in the world asserted his authority and crushed the (relatively-speaking) lowly Simeoni. Screw tactics, this was personal.
I did not know, however, that it could result in criminal charges.
Wed, 02/16/2005 - 1:15pm
#21
Heras
If you remember, after Heras helped Lance win the Tour, he promised Heras to help him win the Vuelta. Lance did not show, and Heras had less then a stellar team riding for him that year. He lost the Vuelta in the final couple of days if memory serves me well.
Lance will never ride either the Vuelta or the Giro. I'd be pretty surprised if he did. The hour record will suffice for him.
Thu, 02/17/2005 - 7:01am
#22
I don't recall this
I don't remember Lance promising to help Heras in the Vuelta, but maybe I didn't read or hear that interview.
Thu, 02/17/2005 - 7:01am
#23
I forgot
I forgot about his 1998 Vuelta.
