In the case of Team RadioShack, perhaps a better title should simply be “The Pack”. The newly formed 2010 team’s potential for greatness comes not from a singular spectacular athlete but instead is based on a whole squad of them. Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipenheimer, Andreas Kloden, Sergio Paulinho, Gregory Rast, and Yaroslav Popovych are names that could highlight any team roster and a quick look at their stats illustrates this argument.
Therefore, the importance of Team RadioShack is its depth and this year’s team could possibly evolve the sport of cycling by clearly defining it as a team sport. Serious fans already understand the concept of teamwork in cycling but it is easy for the casual fan to underestimate the level of collaboration involved. What makes cycling more interesting and more fun than something like conventional auto racing is that the team is not behind a pit stall with a sandwich and an air gun. They are out there with their superstar- suffering, sweating, and sometimes bleeding alongside him.
The significance of having a supporting cast that complements the team’s champion rider has already been shown by Team Astana. Just a few weeks ago in Paris-Nice (March 7-14), Alberto Contador won handily but with just over 16 km to go in the final stage he attacked in order to break up the field. The problem was that when he looked over his shoulder to find his teammates- they weren’t there. Contador’s ability to hang on to the win was due entirely to his own superb individual effort. As Lance himself stated in a March 20th interview with Paul Sherwen “…if he’s [Contador] a five star favorite… then there’s a bunch of other two star favorites. There’s no four or three stars.” Unfortunately for Contador, even the Spanish cycling superman will have a hard time withstanding repeated assaults by a well-oiled team over multiple stages if left alone.
Fortunately for Team RadioShack fans, last year’s Team Astana that helped push Alberto Contador into the Maillot Jaune and Armstrong onto a solid podium finish at the Tour de France is the bedrock of this year’s RadioShack bunch. All of the aforementioned Team RadioShack stars were there in 2009 along with Haimar Zubeldia, Dmitriy Muravyev, and others.
The Team RadioShack gang might not rate alongside the likes of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup team or the 1927 New York Yankees quite yet, but the potential for a dominant 2010 cycling season is within reach. Lance Armstrong has a history of being at the forefront of the lineup that stands atop the cycling summit at the end of the day and it’s hard to argue that this year will be any different.
By Joshua W. Larson, staff writer
This years tour will be decided in the mountains. Does Lance have the legs to stay with Contador and the Schleck brothers. There will be alot of cat and mouse during those stages, i can’t wait.
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This year’s TDF will really show how much of a win is a team effort and how much one man can do alone. Alberto doesn’t think a strong team is that important. With no TTT this year, he may be right. BUT — if teams determine victory, the Shack has to be considered contenders.
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Contador will do what Lance did in his first 3 tours, take off and leave everyone behind. The Schlecks, Kloden and Menchov (not riding in the Giro) will be nipping at his heels. Evans is going for the Giro so the TDF may not be on his radar.
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This article is hilarious. You would think that Radioshack has been winning every race so far this season. Yet they keep just claiming that all these races are training races as they continue to get very few actual results. While Contador may not have the world’s strongest team, they have been winning races and do appear to be rounding into some form as evident by the pace that Vino set yesterday.
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