In the News: Basso to sign for Discovery Channel
Jason Spaceman
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/sports/EU_SPT_CYC_Discovery_Basso.php
From the article:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
ROME: Two weeks after being cleared of doping allegations, Giro
d'Italia champion Ivan Basso looks set to join the Discovery Channel
cycling team.
"It's done," seven-time Tour de France champion and former Discovery
leader Lance Armstrong was quoted as saying in Wednesday's Gazzetta
Dello Sport. "We've reached an agreement."
The 28-year-old Basso signed a three-year deal worth about US$6
million (€4.69 million), according to the report. The deal will be
formally announced later Wednesday in Austin, Texas.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
J. Spaceman
cycledogg
Now we know why Basso's case was cleared so fast compared to Ullrich.
LA and company!
Rick in Tennessee
Simon Brooke
('notr...@jspaceman.homelinux.org') wrote:
> Don't trade in your Trek Madones just yet -->
>
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/sports/EU_SPT_CYC_Discovery_Basso.php
>
> From the article:
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> ROME: Two weeks after being cleared of doping allegations, Giro
> d'Italia champion Ivan Basso looks set to join the Discovery Channel
> cycling team.
Oh shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
I /cannot/ support Disco. I just /can't/. Shit!
--
si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
"This young man has not the faintest idea how socialists think and does
not begin to understand the mentality of the party he has been elected
to lead. He is quite simply a liberal"
-- Ken Coates MEP (Lab) of Tony Blair
bob sullivan
> in message <1mh3l21jpgptakcju...@4ax.com>, Jason Spaceman
> ('notr...@jspaceman.homelinux.org') wrote:
>
>> Don't trade in your Trek Madones just yet -->
>>
> http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/sports/EU_SPT_CYC_Discovery_Basso.php
>> From the article:
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ROME: Two weeks after being cleared of doping allegations, Giro
>> d'Italia champion Ivan Basso looks set to join the Discovery Channel
>> cycling team.
>
> Oh shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
>
> I /cannot/ support Disco. I just /can't/. Shit!
Quite a quandary. How to be a Basso fan without rooting for Disco.
Man, I bet Levi's pissed.
~bob
Mike Jacoubowsky
>>
>> I /cannot/ support Disco. I just /can't/. Shit!
>
> Quite a quandary. How to be a Basso fan without rooting for Disco.
>
> Man, I bet Levi's pissed.
Why? It's not as if Levi was likely to win one of the Grand Tours, and this
cleans up the issue of leadership elsewhere. Basso will be the Big Gun for
the GTs, leaving just about everything else (if he wants) to Levi. This
year, anyway. Obviously, there's some great talent coming down the road in a
couple years. But seriously, Levi allows Johan to take the pressure off the
other guys, give them a chance to mature & learn, knowing full well that
Levi isn't going to be around forever (he's how old, after all?).
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
"bob sullivan" <bsul...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:peadnfYlO74mvc_Y...@comcast.com...
bob sullivan
>>> Oh shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.
>>>
>>> I /cannot/ support Disco. I just /can't/. Shit!
>> Quite a quandary. How to be a Basso fan without rooting for Disco.
>>
>> Man, I bet Levi's pissed.
>
> Why? It's not as if Levi was likely to win one of the Grand Tours, and this
> cleans up the issue of leadership elsewhere. Basso will be the Big Gun for
> the GTs, leaving just about everything else (if he wants) to Levi. This
> year, anyway. Obviously, there's some great talent coming down the road in a
> couple years. But seriously, Levi allows Johan to take the pressure off the
> other guys, give them a chance to mature & learn, knowing full well that
> Levi isn't going to be around forever (he's how old, after all?).
You don't think Levi thought when he signed with Disco a couple of
months ago that he assumed he was going to be their GC guy for the
Tour next year?
~bob
aco...@earthlink.net
> Man, I bet Levi's pissed.
Levi may not be, but I'll bet Warren is. ;-)
Andy Coggan
aco...@earthlink.net
> It's not as if Levi was likely to win one of the Grand Tours, and this
> cleans up the issue of leadership elsewhere. Basso will be the Big Gun for
> the GTs, leaving just about everything else (if he wants) to Levi.
I think a more plausible scenario would be for Basso to be the team
leader for the Tour (TIOOYK) and Leipheimer to be the team leader for
the Vuelta. It's unlikely that Basso would attempt all three GTs
(especially riding for Discovery), and even if he does decide to
double-up again, the Giro/Tour makes a lot more sense for him than the
Tour/Vuelta. At the same time, the Vuelta, with its steeper climbs and
shorter TTs, is the one GT in which Leipheimer might have a good chance
of making the podium.
Andy Coggan
Mike Jacoubowsky
> months ago that he assumed he was going to be their GC guy for the
> Tour next year?
I give Levi far more credit than that. With things up in the air regarding
both Landis and Basso, and knowing just how much Discovery wants to build a
team to win, not place, how could an intelligent person (which Levi is)
think that he'd be the 1st choice to lead the team to a win at the TdF?
I agree with Andy- Levi's likely to be the man for their Vuelta team. Which
creates a bit of conflict, since it might be difficult to provide 100%
support for Basso in the TdF and then go on to win the Vuelta. Hmm.
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"bob sullivan" <bsul...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Df6dnWRGHcd_uM_Y...@comcast.com...
RicodJour
Namely the WAGS. We're now in the enviable position of having the
hotties coming out of the woodwork. Levi's wife, Basso's sister,
George's wife. You people seem to forget that the first term in this
newsgroup is rec for recreation. Which is like procreation only more
fun. Please stay focused in future. It's not about the bike.
R
bob sullivan
To get the full complement of hotties, they'd have to lure Zabriskie
(and his hot wife) back from CSC.
Eyes on the prize, you know.
~bob
bob sullivan
>> You don't think Levi thought when he signed with Disco a couple of
>> months ago that he assumed he was going to be their GC guy for the
>> Tour next year?
>
> I give Levi far more credit than that. With things up in the air regarding
> both Landis and Basso, and knowing just how much Discovery wants to build a
> team to win, not place, how could an intelligent person (which Levi is)
> think that he'd be the 1st choice to lead the team to a win at the TdF?
>
> I agree with Andy- Levi's likely to be the man for their Vuelta team. Which
> creates a bit of conflict, since it might be difficult to provide 100%
> support for Basso in the TdF and then go on to win the Vuelta. Hmm.
If I were Levi, I'd still be pissed. Because in effect, Basso's signing
means there's not even a little hope of Levi ever winning the Tour.
Giving up on a huge dream like that has to be disappointing.
~bob
RicodJour
>
> If I were Levi, I'd still be pissed. Because in effect, Basso's signing
> means there's not even a little hope of Levi ever winning the Tour.
> Giving up on a huge dream like that has to be disappointing.
Any more disappointing than giving up on the dream of staying forever
young? I think they kind of come hand in hand.
R
Chris M
response to the whole Spanish "Door Dilemma". What a load of crap,
stopping guys from racing when at a minimum, we KNOW that the timing of
the leak was intended to disrupt the Tour. F all of these people that
are exploiting the paranoia the public now has WRT doping.
robert...@gmail.com
Why not?! You think he's the only pro who dopes? Am I crazy, or is it
not common knowledge that everyone at the top is on drugs?
Personally I feel that if everyone is doping, it makes a level playing
field. This is not to say that I'm advocating for cheating in sports
(because, let's be honest, that's what it is), just that it's clearly
not going to change, so get over it. I would rather have watched Ivan
and Jan riding in the tour than see it won by someone else who also
cheated and probably wouldn't have been able to beat either of them
anyway.
Ivan--welcome to this side of the Atlantic.
Nobody
Think of how Odessa must feel now that Basso's sister is on
the scene.
Dave
Mike Jacoubowsky
> means there's not even a little hope of Levi ever winning the Tour.
> Giving up on a huge dream like that has to be disappointing.
I know it sounds harsh saying this, but at this point, Levi thinking he can
win the TdF isn't just a dream, it's a distraction. Levi's a great rider,
but I don't think you can make a case for him being one of the very few
capable of winning the TdF. Vino, Basso, Valverde. Just for starters, that's
three people who stand in the way of Levi winning the TdF, and that's just
raw talent. Each of those three could do it almost without a team.
Again, Levi's a great guy. Nice guy. Local guy to us (lives maybe 75 miles
north). Loaded with talent. Definitely a top-10 contender. Definitely a
potential stage winner. But I also have to believe he's smart enough to know
his limitations, and, based upon past performance at the Vuelta, perhaps
wanting to make a major go at that again. And quite possibly with the
support of a really strong team behind him too. That has to count for
something. Not a bad dream to have either. No shame in going for, and
possibly winning, the Vuelta.
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"bob sullivan" <bsul...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:HPmdnWpziZKu2c_Y...@comcast.com...
billyroll
bob sullivan wrote:
> You don't think Levi thought when he signed with Disco a couple of
> months ago that he assumed he was going to be their GC guy for the
> Tour next year?
>
> ~bob
If he did think that, he's a blind bastard. He clearly signed on to be
George's bitch. I give you exhibit A: US national championships. And if
anyone thinks it'll be different over the ocean, they're kidding
themselves. Up until today, Georgie was Disco's golden boy of the
moment, keeping the seat warm for the next pretender to the throne. The
real question is how is Boy George going to deal with having to play
second fiddle in Johan's mind again, especailly at this stage of his
career?
-B
amit....@gmail.com
billyroll wrote:
> bob sullivan wrote:
>
> > You don't think Levi thought when he signed with Disco a couple of
> > months ago that he assumed he was going to be their GC guy for the
> > Tour next year?
> >
> > ~bob
>
> If he did think that, he's a blind bastard. He clearly signed on to be
> George's bitch. I give you exhibit A: US national championships. And if
> anyone thinks it'll be different over the ocean, they're kidding
> themselves. Up until today, Georgie was Disco's golden boy of the
> moment, keeping the seat warm for the next pretender to the throne.
dumbass,
"hincapie as GC contender" was the stupidest ongoing plot this spring.
after this year's tour it's still not dead ?
billyroll
amit....@gmail.com wrote:
> billyroll wrote:
> > If he did think that, he's a blind bastard. He clearly signed on to be
> > George's bitch. I give you exhibit A: US national championships. And if
> > anyone thinks it'll be different over the ocean, they're kidding
> > themselves. Up until today, Georgie was Disco's golden boy of the
> > moment, keeping the seat warm for the next pretender to the throne.
>
> dumbass,
>
> "hincapie as GC contender" was the stupidest ongoing plot this spring.
>
> after this year's tour it's still not dead ?
Certainly a stupid ass plot. But it was Disco's plot nonetheless.
-B
Geraard Spergen
I don't know why they chose that code name for the sting, but "puerto"
means "port" - like sea port not the fortified wine; door is "puerta".
Jason Spaceman
From the article:
-------------------------------------------------------------
By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press Sports
Updated: 5:31 p.m. ET Nov 8, 2006
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -Two weeks after being cleared of doping accusations,
Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso signed a two-year contract to ride for
Lance Armstrong's former Discovery Channel cycling team.
"I am very excited to have Ivan as a part of the team,'' said Bill
Stapleton, general manager of the Discovery team. "During Lance's final
Tours, Ivan pushed Lance to a new level and we expect great things from him
in 2007.''
Basso finished third in the 2004 Tour de France and was second in 2005
behind Armstrong. Basso left his Danish team, CSC, three weeks ago.
Basso will begin training with Discovery in December in Austin and Stapleton
said he considers him the team leader for the 2007 Tour de France.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
J. Spaceman
Michael Press
<1163027447.0...@i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
,
"billyroll" <billyb...@hotmail.com> wrote:
George showed exactly how much he could do. Opinions
vary. He is a strong rider, a tough rider, not a
killer. Basso will walk into camp, mount up, and
everybody else will follow.
--
Michael Press
amit....@gmail.com
Michael Press wrote:
> George showed exactly how much he could do. Opinions
> vary. He is a strong rider, a tough rider, not a
> killer.
dumbass,
it's not a question if he's a "killer" or not. it's a question of if he
can reasonably be expected to climb well enough over three weeks to
contend a GT.
even "killers" who win hilly one day races, like bettini, aren't up to
that.
Michael Press
<1163050040.9...@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
,
amit....@gmail.com wrote:
George can climb and ride a three week tour strongly
from end to end; that is proven. Your Bettini argument
is cooked.
--
Michael Press
Donald Munro
>> "hincapie as GC contender" was the stupidest ongoing plot this spring.
>> after this year's tour it's still not dead ?
billyroll wrote:
> Certainly a stupid ass plot. But it was Disco's plot nonetheless.
I don't think they had a plot this year, or if they did they lost it.
Donald Munro
> Don't trade in your Trek Madones just yet -->
> http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/08/sports/EU_SPT_CYC_Discovery_Basso.php
Was it a coincidence that Bruyneel went to Japan around the same time
Basso did ?
amit....@gmail.com
Michael Press wrote:
> > even "killers" who win hilly one day races, like bettini, aren't up to
> > that.
>
> George can climb and ride a three week tour strongly
> from end to end; that is proven.
dumbass,
if by "strongly" you mean something other than place well overall.
Michael Press
<1163056666.8...@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com>,
amit....@gmail.com wrote:
Yes. I mean does not fade in the third week. As I said,
he is strong, tough, and trains hard. I cannot speak
for his congenital gifts. I do not see him going out
determined to crush the competition. Basso does so.
--
Michael Press
Simon Brooke
> To all those who won't support a Basso-laiden Discovery Channel team:
>
> Why not?! You think he's the only pro who dopes? Am I crazy, or is it
> not common knowledge that everyone at the top is on drugs?
I didn't say I wouldn't I wouldn't support Basso. Of course I'll support
Basso, I've supported him for years. I'll just blink my eyes and pretend I
can't see whose jersey he's wearing.
--
si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
begin 666 this_is_not_a_virus.vbs
There is no virus attached to this post.
end
Donald Munro
> I cannot speak for his congenital gifts.
LANCE however was missing one of his congenital gifts.
RicodJour
He found it?
R
Donald Munro
>> > I cannot speak for his congenital gifts.
Donald Munro wrote:
>> LANCE however was missing one of his congenital gifts.
RicodJour wrote:
> He found it?
I suffer from tensesion when posting to rbr.
DepartFictif
Vuelta scenario, let alone evoke the topic with any kind of
seriousness.
aco...@earthlink.net wrote:
> Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
>
> > It's not as if Levi was likely to win one of the Grand Tours, and this
> > cleans up the issue of leadership elsewhere. Basso will be the Big Gun for
> > the GTs, leaving just about everything else (if he wants) to Levi.
>
> I think a more plausible scenario would be for Basso to be the team
> leader for the Tour (TIOOYK) and Leipheimer to be the team leader for
> the Vuelta. It's unlikely that Basso would attempt all three GTs
> (especially riding for Discovery), and even if he does decide to
> double-up again, the Giro/Tour makes a lot more sense for him than the
> Tour/Vuelta. At the same time, the Vuelta, with its steeper climbs and
> shorter TTs, is the one GT in which Leipheimer might have a good chance
> of making the podium.
>
> Andy Coggan
aco...@earthlink.net
> I'm surprised to see someone like you (andy C) even talk of a Tour,
> Vuelta scenario, let alone evoke the topic with any kind of
> seriousness.
I was really just laying out all the possibilities so that my logic was
clear (although I guess I didn't mention the Giro-Vuelta double, now
did I?).
Andy Coggan
Simon Brooke
DepartFictif ('bor...@wanadoo.fr') wrote:
> I'm surprised to see someone like you (andy C) even talk of a Tour,
> Vuelta scenario, let alone evoke the topic with any kind of
> seriousness.
Why not? It's been done in the past, and will I'm sure be done in the
future. And Basso is one of the best currently riding.
Indurain did the Giro/Tour double twice (92 and 93). Pantani did the
Giro/Tour double in 98. Stephen Roche did the same double and the World
Championships in 1987. Bernard Hinault is the most recent person to do the
Tour/Vuelta double in one year, in 1978. The Cannibal, of course, did the
lot, although never all in one year; but he did doubles of grand tours in
1970, 1972, and 1973, and did the Tour and the World Championships in
1971.
Just because Armstrong was never good enough to win two Grand Tours in one
year does not mean it can't be done.
--
si...@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; may contain traces of nuts, bolts or washers.
Mike Jacoubowsky
> Basso, I've supported him for years. I'll just blink my eyes and pretend I
> can't see whose jersey he's wearing.
He's wearing the jersey of the absolute-best-possible team if his goal is to
win the TdF.
Also, quite possibly the jersey to wear if one wants to accomplish the
unthinkable. All 3 Grand Tours in one year. Definitely not for 2007, but I
still think it might be something to try for in 2008. You don't even have to
announce your intentions... if you just happened to win the Giro and Tour...
So, from an entirely-selfish perspective, it's hard to argue that Basso
isn't doing the best-possible thing for himself.
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
"Simon Brooke" <si...@jasmine.org.uk> wrote in message
news:6clb24-...@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk...
bob sullivan
I suffer from torsion when reading rbr.
~bob