HuwB
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The Astana 4 Become the Astana 3!Levi, Lance and Bruyneel have all posted on Twitter that Levi's broken his scaphoid and is out of the Tour.
Poor guy must be gutted........unlike the neutrals!
http://twitter.com/LeviLeipheimer
Lance loses chief lieutenant at the worst possible time, on a nothing stage.
Has his luck finally run out?
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Slapshot 3
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The CN feed.......
| Quote: | Bitter disappointment for Astana
Levi Leipheimer is out of the Tour de France after breaking his wrist in a crash on stage 12 of the race on Thursday.
Cyclingnews spoke to an Astana's press officer, Phillipe Maertens, on Friday. He confirmed that Leipheimer would not start stage 13 on Friday.
"He wasn't too bad last night but this morning, the pain was too much," he said. We took him to the hospital in Vittel, where scans revealed a transversal fracture of the scaphoid bone of the wrist. He is still in hospital now. He will certainly want to go home as soon as possible, but we haven't organised a flight yet."
Leipheimer confirmed the news on his Twitter account on Friday morning: "My wrist is broken. I can't describe how disapointed I am" read the post. |
So no more watching the dwarf out-Cadel Cadel....shame, what will poor Lancey-poos do now.
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MAILLOT JAUNE
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Maybe this is Cadel's tactics to move up the GC - crash into someone and hope they have to drop out! 
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Bartali
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On the Contrary. LA will be delighted, because that's one place higher he's going to finish on GC. Given that LL would blitz him in the ITT and shouldn't have had any trouble hanging tough in the Alps, I really struggled to see how LA could beat him ... even if he was riding shotgun.
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Slapshot 3
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From CN.....
| Quote: | Astana director says he expects attacks from rivals
Johan Bruyneel has responded to Levi Leipheimer's departure from the Tour de France, on Friday, with a broken wrist.
Speaking to Cyclingnews on Friday morning in Vittel, the Astana directeur sportif expressed his disappointment at losing one of the team's key riders.
"He had a bad night so we took him to the hospital, where we saw the fracture this morning," he said. "Obviously it's disappointing and for us it changes a lot. He was fourth on GC and he's one of the guys that could have won the Tour."
Bruyneel said the loss of Leipheimer - who had been 0:39 adrift of Rinaldo Nocentini's (AG2R La Mondiale) yellow jersey lead - would encourage rivals in the race for overall honours to make their move.
"We'd wanted to keep our options open and this morning we lost one of those options. Strategically we are now weaker and it is likely to motivate the other teams to attack us today."
Speaking specifically about Friday's hilly stage 13 from Vittel to Colmar, Bruyneel expects other teams to attempt to take advantage of Leipheimer's absence.
"I don't know if it will determine the outcome of the stage as the climb [of the Col du Firstplan] is a long way from the finish, but it will weaken us as we'll have one less guy. I expect attacks today.
"That's the race, you know, we'll have to deal with the situation," added Bruyneel. |
on the count of three....1..2..3...Awwwwww shame
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Jackov
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No conspiracy posted yet? I'm expecting "Lance paid McQuaid to blackmail Cadel into taking out LL"
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SlowRower
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| Bartali wrote: | | Given that LL would blitz him in the ITT... |
Levi would probably have beaten him in the ITT, but probably not by much, based on the 1st stage result. Depends on the definition of "blitz" I suppose!
Levi would doubtless have slowed down if going too fast in the ITT anyway.  (Didn't Telekom have to tell Ullrich to slow down in the final ITT in 1996, to make sure he didn't inadvertently overtake Riis in the GC?)
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Nolte
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| Bartali wrote: | | On the Contrary. LA will be delighted, because that's one place higher he's going to finish on GC. Given that LL would blitz him in the ITT and shouldn't have had any trouble hanging tough in the Alps, I really struggled to see how LA could beat him ... even if he was riding shotgun. |
+1
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SlowRower
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| Slapshot 3 wrote: | From CN.....
| Quote: | Astana director says he expects attacks from rivals
Johan Bruyneel has responded to Levi Leipheimer's departure from the Tour de France, on Friday, with a broken wrist.
Speaking to Cyclingnews on Friday morning in Vittel, the Astana directeur sportif expressed his disappointment at losing one of the team's key riders.
"He had a bad night so we took him to the hospital, where we saw the fracture this morning," he said. "Obviously it's disappointing and for us it changes a lot. He was fourth on GC and he's one of the guys that could have won the Tour."
Bruyneel said the loss of Leipheimer - who had been 0:39 adrift of Rinaldo Nocentini's (AG2R La Mondiale) yellow jersey lead - would encourage rivals in the race for overall honours to make their move.
"We'd wanted to keep our options open and this morning we lost one of those options. Strategically we are now weaker and it is likely to motivate the other teams to attack us today."
Speaking specifically about Friday's hilly stage 13 from Vittel to Colmar, Bruyneel expects other teams to attempt to take advantage of Leipheimer's absence.
"I don't know if it will determine the outcome of the stage as the climb [of the Col du Firstplan] is a long way from the finish, but it will weaken us as we'll have one less guy. I expect attacks today.
"That's the race, you know, we'll have to deal with the situation," added Bruyneel. |
on the count of three....1..2..3...Awwwwww shame |
At the risk of sounding like a bed-wetting liberal, I have to say I'm not overly impressed with anyone who derives satisfaction from a rider, even one who is vertically challenged or from the evil Astana empire, having to withdraw following a crash-induced injury.
Soap box away, and tin-hat at the ready...
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ventoux
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| SlowRower wrote: | At the risk of sounding like a bed-wetting liberal, I have to say I'm not overly impressed with anyone who derives satisfaction from a rider, even one who is vertically challenged or from the evil Astana empire, having to withdraw following a crash-induced injury.
Soap box away, and tin-hat at the ready... |
Hey SR, I'm with you there... no satisfaction in Levi (or anyone else) getting knacked.... BUT, there is a hope (if slight) that this weakening of the Astana mob might make it more likely that (a) they'll be attacked and (b) attacks might succeed... as ever though, I'm not holding my breath... 
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Slapshot 3
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| SlowRower wrote: | | Slapshot 3 wrote: | From CN.....
| Quote: | Astana director says he expects attacks from rivals
Johan Bruyneel has responded to Levi Leipheimer's departure from the Tour de France, on Friday, with a broken wrist.
Speaking to Cyclingnews on Friday morning in Vittel, the Astana directeur sportif expressed his disappointment at losing one of the team's key riders.
"He had a bad night so we took him to the hospital, where we saw the fracture this morning," he said. "Obviously it's disappointing and for us it changes a lot. He was fourth on GC and he's one of the guys that could have won the Tour."
Bruyneel said the loss of Leipheimer - who had been 0:39 adrift of Rinaldo Nocentini's (AG2R La Mondiale) yellow jersey lead - would encourage rivals in the race for overall honours to make their move.
"We'd wanted to keep our options open and this morning we lost one of those options. Strategically we are now weaker and it is likely to motivate the other teams to attack us today."
Speaking specifically about Friday's hilly stage 13 from Vittel to Colmar, Bruyneel expects other teams to attempt to take advantage of Leipheimer's absence.
"I don't know if it will determine the outcome of the stage as the climb [of the Col du Firstplan] is a long way from the finish, but it will weaken us as we'll have one less guy. I expect attacks today.
"That's the race, you know, we'll have to deal with the situation," added Bruyneel. |
on the count of three....1..2..3...Awwwwww shame |
At the risk of sounding like a bed-wetting liberal, I have to say I'm not overly impressed with anyone who derives satisfaction from a rider, even one who is vertically challenged or from the evil Astana empire, having to withdraw following a crash-induced injury.
Soap box away, and tin-hat at the ready... |
My sarcasm was aimed at the CN report after talking to the hog. It's unfortunate that Levi has broken his wrist but if it "breaks the tedium" no pun intended, of this tour by allowing other teams the chance to attack Astana then I'm all for it.
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SlowRower
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Tin hat away then - for now...
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SlowRower
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Ventoux - I wonder if Levi's demise makes it more likely that one half of Astana will attack the other? Bertie's breakfast croissant might have tasted a bit better than usual on hearing the news. (I'll allow him to feel some satisfaction, given how he's been stitched up by Armstrong's return.)
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HuwB
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Well, Rochie didn't waste much time, in having a dig.
"Good for the race" and "Will open things up," were his comments.
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ventoux
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| HuwB wrote: | Well, Rochie didn't waste much time, in having a dig.
"Good for the race" and "Will open things up," were his comments. |
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cyclingtv
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| MAILLOT JAUNE wrote: | Maybe this is Cadel's tactics to move up the GC - crash
into someone and hope they have to drop out! |
you all wanted an attacking CE.. well you've gotten it..  who's next.. AC 
question.. why do the astana and s-l team mates who waited and
shepard LL and CE to the finish get the same time a the group.. that's wrong..
so if you have a team mate down in the last 3km you get to just sit up?
imagine if the tour used the LL ToC 10km rule.. that'd be a bigger farce 
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bianchigirl
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The other conspiracy theory is surely linked to the rumour about Kloeden and Leipheimer having dodgy values - surely better to leave than get caught, especially withe current climate around Astana?
BTW am now on my holidays and will be an infrequent poster - enjoy your summer everyone
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Bartali
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Enjoy BG!
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Fontfroide
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I am never happy to see anyone crash out, never.
And I do hope the race opens up sooner or later. Would have been fun to see how Levi would fit into the next week though. I am not a fan of his, but he rides well, and would be a great domestic for anyone.
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Geraint
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| MAILLOT JAUNE wrote: | | Maybe this is Cadel's tactics to move up the GC - crash into someone and hope they have to drop out! |
He must have learnt it from Michael Schumacher
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Geraint
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| ventoux wrote: | | SlowRower wrote: | At the risk of sounding like a bed-wetting liberal, I have to say I'm not overly impressed with anyone who derives satisfaction from a rider, even one who is vertically challenged or from the evil Astana empire, having to withdraw following a crash-induced injury.
Soap box away, and tin-hat at the ready... |
Hey SR, I'm with you there... no satisfaction in Levi (or anyone else) getting knacked.... BUT, there is a hope (if slight) that this weakening of the Astana mob might make it more likely that (a) they'll be attacked and (b) attacks might succeed... as ever though, I'm not holding my breath... |
Who would attack them? Suxobank is the only team that has near the strength but none of their riders has a hope of being in contention after the ITT.
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ventoux
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| Geraint wrote: | | ventoux wrote: | | SlowRower wrote: | At the risk of sounding like a bed-wetting liberal, I have to say I'm not overly impressed with anyone who derives satisfaction from a rider, even one who is vertically challenged or from the evil Astana empire, having to withdraw following a crash-induced injury.
Soap box away, and tin-hat at the ready... |
Hey SR, I'm with you there... no satisfaction in Levi (or anyone else) getting knacked.... BUT, there is a hope (if slight) that this weakening of the Astana mob might make it more likely that (a) they'll be attacked and (b) attacks might succeed... as ever though, I'm not holding my breath... |
Who would attack them? Suxobank is the only team that has near the strength but none of their riders has a hope of being in contention after the ITT. |
I know, I know, I know..... but desperate to find some hope that this bad dream will be over soon...
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