What a stage on the Tour De France today.

[bikeman]

The regimens vary a lot. Lance as an American on an American team can do things that other riders can't. Ulrich, of T-Mobile (the only other active past winner of the Tour) is the other exception.
Most riders must race throughout the year because of sponsorships. Discovery Channel dosen't give a lick if Lance races anything but the Tour. The other sponsors, all European based, need exposure from January through October to rationalize their multi-million euro-dollar investments. There is a bunch more stress racing than training even if the effort is similar. The travel, the crashes and the constant attention of the press all take their toll and disrupt schedules. If Lance had raced for a European based team the last seven years, things would be different. How different? We could speculate forever.
This very senario almost happened. If the French team Cofidis had treated Lance differently after the cancer diagnosis, there might never had been a contract with US Postal.
Lance and his approach to professional bike racing are certainly unique. I follow european racing throughout the year. Lance's approach dosen't do it for me. For folks who only follow the Tour, YMMV.

David

[curtis]

David,
I see where you are coming from now.

In tennis, the ATP, you are required to play "x" number of tournaments a year to maintain your ranking, and the better your ranking, you usually get better "draws" in tournaments you enter.

Once a player is established, many cut back on their schedules, but maintain the minimum.

Now that you have explained some of the benefits that Armstrong and Ulrich have, I can definitely see the advantage they have as long as they can stay race "sharp" without racing as much as others. Team Discovery is also afforded much more exposure than other teams....and I am sure Trek and Giro, and other team sponsors benefit as well.

Through the misfortune of cancer, marketing, and his performance, I think he has earned it though.

[Quinn]

Just looked at tomorrow's stage. That one is going to hurt. 8.6% grade on one of those climbs! The is easiest in 6.9! 6 major climbs over roughly 130 miles.

[curtis]

Oh my!!

I guess I shouldn't complain about the hill on the way home from the beach.

[bikeman]

For those who may have missed the politics of today's stage, it was a masterpiece. Armstrong has tried in the past to get one of his teammates a stage victory but has always been thwarted by other major players. Today, it all feel into place. A Discovery Channel victory other than Lance is a first in the Tour and being George Hincapie, the only rider to join him for all his victories and a close friend, Lance may be the second happiest guy on the planet tonight. George, of course, is the happiest.
Tiger who?

David

[Quinn]

Wasn't Basso last year on a very similar mtn stage that kept Lance from getting Hincapie a stage win?