Team Saxo Bank owner Bjarne Riis doesn’t believe that Lance Armstrong can win Tour de France 2010.
Lance Armstrong made an exceptional comback last year. He was much faster than anyone expected, and he was in the center of the media attention, finishing third in the world’s hardest cycling race, Tour de France, after a three year absence.
Armstrong aims at an 8th Tour de France winner title with his new Team Radioshack, boasting a very strong team of support riders. A few days ago Lance mentioned that he is in much better shape this year.
But according to Bjarne Riis, Armstrong can not win Tour de France 2010.
“I don’t think Lance can win the Tour, but I am very impressed by his achievements last year. That was something special and he deserves all the respect he has earned. But in 2009 Lance was allowed to ride the Tour the way he wanted, because he had Alberto Contador on the team. Apart from that, the stages fit him perfectly, but that will not be the case this year”, Riis says and predicts that Armstrong will not make it to the Tour de France podium in 2010.
“There are more mountains this year, the stages will be more difficult and that will be a problem for Lance Armstrong. He really has to fight to get into top 5. I do think that he can do that, but it will be hard for him to fight his way up to the podium. He will have to get in better shape to achieve that, and I do not see that happening. He is getting older and he will have difficulties on the mountain stages”, Bjarne Riis predicts.
However it is no surprise that Bjarne Riis believes that his own two captains Andy and Fränk Schleck, together with Contador are the biggest favorites to the 2010 title.
“When Frank, Andy and Contador hit the really hard mountains, lance will not be able to follow. In 2009 it was evident that Lance suffered in the mountains. On Mont Ventoux Lance did well, but that was just one single mountain. This year the route is perfect for us”, says Bjarne Riis
It is not just the 2010 route that team owner Riis is satisfied with. He is looking forward to taking advantage of the fact that there is a “war” between Armstrong and Contador, who were both at Team Astana last year.
“It’s an advantage to us that the big riders are spread over more teams this year. There will be internal fights between Armstrong and Contador, and maybe even between Bradley Wiggins from Sky and Armstrong from Team Radioshack. We are all fine with this, because that is to our advantage. This year’s Tour de France is going to be very, very interesting”, says Bjarne Riis.
Bjarne Riis is well-known for his pre-tour media tactics, and his views should come as no surprise to anybody who has followed Tour de France the past 15 years. Riis seems to forget that the only thing that counts is results. That is a lesson he might learn this year.
By editor Jens Christensen
(main source: bt.dk)
I wonder if Bjarne is watcing the Tour down Under….. Lance is the master at peaking at exactly the right time.All Bjarne is trying to do is look for a bit of Media Attention.Lance was no way near the condition his in this year as he was last year. Just watch the Tour down Under and the races that follow leading up to the tour, barring any illness or crashes Lance will be on the podium
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I agree with Francis. Lance looks much stronger this year at the TDU than last year. I respect Bjarne Riis opinion, but I say he is in for a rude awakening. Yes, Lance will have some stiff competition but he will prevail.
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I believe this is just a media stunt. It dosent really add up either. If you have a think about it, Lance is in better shape and he has a better team so if anything, he has a better chance of winning it.
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Yup, he’s obviously brushing aside the fact that Lance does peak when the time is right and this is not the right time. Keep your head in the sand Bjarne, you’re about to be kicked in the rear (come the TDF).
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Everyone that follows the sport knows that Lance races on a bit of anger, revenge, and I-told-you-so. He himself has admitted that these things motivate him when the going gets tough. So, why is it that, EVERY YEAR, somebody comes out and talks trash about him? Manolo Saiz and his team used to do it all the time, Contador has already started talking this year, and now Bjarne Riis.
I don’t know if he’s going to win the Tour or not, but Lance Armstrong is the LAST person I would ever doubt, especially in public where he could read the comments.
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Wow, I didn’t know the TDU turned into the Dauphine Libereor the tour de Suisse or even the TOC, and what has he even done in the TDU except go into a breakaway one breakaway. I am a fan of lance but bjarne has a point it’s contador then shleck then everybody else. I have come to accept this, you guys should too. Oh and livestrong
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hope lance is free-injury this year so he cn kick bjarne ass!!!
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I suppose if one was to take Bjarne Riis seriously, then Lance should pack up and go home, even though he is the master tactician, obviously looks to be in killer form and knows how to win a TdF.
Go Boss, feed off the anger!
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I agree with Bjarne.. Lance will be struggling to make the podium this year. Contador & Andy definite top 2, than you have Vande Velde, the other Schleck bro & Wiggo contending as well. Its shaping as a classic race in the Pyrenees.. can’t wait
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IMO, Bjarne is practicing psychological operations, but his target is his own team, not Lance. His statements are the rationale to his team as to why they should work hard for Andy and Frank to put two of them on the podium AND not get psyched out themselves when “The Boss” comes to the TdF.
Bjarne knows he can’t psych out Lance of the Shack Team; they are far too experienced. He must do all he can to motivate his own team. He talked about Lance, but he is really talking to his team.
Lance’s own psych logical operations is operating as well. Chris Carmichael is saying Lance is in the best shape of his life, comparing it to 2004 and ‘05. Several riders at the Tour Down Under are exclaiming that Lance is very, very strong. We have 6 more months of this; I love it; its soooo interesting to watch.
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Let’s not forget Riis said similar things of Armstong in 2009 only to be proved wrong by his strong 3rd place showing. The article is here: http://www.bikeworldnews.com/index.php/2009/07/02/bjarne-riiss-lance-armstrong-beat-young-guys/
“No way he beats Frank Schleck”
- Bjarne Riis, July 2nd 2009
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With thanks. Still a typical brilliant posting, this is exactly exactly why we returned for a blogs time and again…
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Well,well,well, all you prognosticating experts are wrong and Bjarne was perfectly right. Even though Lance suffered from injury and a crucial flat he couldn’t out climb his breakaway partners on stage 16 and lost minutes trying to keep up with the podium contenders on the Tourmelet. Touche Mr Riis. He gives all due respect to Lance, but this man knows his bike racing. Andy and Frank would do well to stay with him. Without him they may up looking like TEAM SKY this year.
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