Will politics ruin Astana's Tour De France?

For those of you following professional cycling you know that teams are selecting their final nine-man rosters for next month’s Tour De France. The Cervelo Test Team and Team Milram released their squads on June 23 and Garmin-Slipstream released their team on June 24. Astana released their roster on June 25 but not without a little controversy.

The final 2009 Tour de France roster for Astana includes Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, Andreas Klöden, Yaroslav Popovych, Haimar Zubeldia, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sergio Paulinho and Gregory Rast. The one name not on that list is American Chris Horner who has trained significantly with Lance and Levi over the last couple of months which included racing together at the Tour of the Gila and at the Nevada City Classic. The events leading up to Chris’ dismissal are explained by Chris himself here. In short, it was politics that will cause him to miss the tour this year.

Is the snubbing of Horner only the tip of the iceberg though? When Astana put together the team they did they assembled one of the most talented teams ever created that includes a combined ~~seven~~ eight tour wins and multiple podium finishes. Having that much talent on one team, especially with multiple tour winners on it, has created a pressure cooker that has potential to explode. Throw in the financial woes of the team during the Giro d’Italia, the potential team takeover by another sponsor and the rumors of Cantador going to Garmin-Slipstream and you have a good ole fashioned soap opera.

Now that Horner has been left off the roster because Cantador wanted one of his “boys”, combined with the events surrounding the team over the last two months, I think we’re going to see some real fireworks during the tour. It reminds me of when Lemond and Fignon were teammates and all the drama surrounding them. I just hope the Astana soap opera doesn’t totally ruin the tour.

What do you think? Will Astana provide us more drama than racing? Did Chris Horner totally get boned?

http://www.331miles.blogspot.com 331miles

I don't know what I think (yet) about the Contador / Armstrong / Astana situation. But what I DO KNOW is I love Horner's response to the news: "After the call I did what I always do when things are going badly; I rode my bike."

http://bikingtolive.com Bryan

Yeah, that's a way awesome response by Horner.

http://www.weiland.net/ Weiland

My take is Horner was left off because of the sponsors wanting one of their guys on the team. Since Contador was named team leader it is only right that he gets to name at least one rider he wants at his side so Horner drew the short end of the stick. I don’t blame Contador for not wanting Horner as he knows where Horners allegiance probably lies. Thus if there is a power struggle within Astana Contador would be outnumbered.

The total TdF number you posted is wrong, on team Astana, you have 7, Armstrong himself won 7 and Contador 1 = 8.

http://bikingtolive.com Bryan

I know Contador has been named the team leader but It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out. Right you are on the number of total wins…fixed…thanks.

burt hoovis

I hope that Contador and Armstrong get their blood bags mixed up and both have adverse reactions and have to drop out.

Pro cycling is a freaking joke. Its over, the Dark Lord Won.

Go Lance JUST GO…!!!!

Thanks
Burt

http://bikingtolive.com Bryan

While I agree that pro cycling does have its problems I don't agree with you. Thanks for your opinion though.

http://doucheblogcycling.blogspot.com burt hoovis

Seriously dude. You're into cycling. That's cool. I started riding and racing in 1988. I was crazy into cycling. Used to know just about every single decent rider on every pro team. Used to read velo news and winning cover to cover. Used to cut out the pictures and hang them on my wall.

There have always been drugs in the sport. But back in the day it was stuff like testosterone, cortisone and amphetamines. The stuff worked to aid in recovery, charge riders up, etc. Those drugs didn't alter a person's fundamental physiology though, and the really talented guys (like LeMond) could still beat the dopers.

In the early 90s, that all changed. With the introduction of recombinant products like HGH, EPO, etc, you now really could turn a draft mule into a racehorse. Guys like Claudio Chippucci, who never won anything, now were suddenly duking it our with World Champions and beating them. Guys who weighed 180+ pounds (like Indurain) were suddenly flying up mountains faster than 120 pound Columbians. And later, guys built like linebackers and who were never able to do well in anything but classic-type races were suddenly were winning multiple grand tours. You want to run a winning pro team? Don't worry about what riders you sign, your first concern should be what doctors you have and developing the infrastructure to dope and get away with it.

I actually thought a few years back with Armstrong's retirement and the rise of a few teams (e.g., Garmin/Chipotle) who seemed really committed to competing clean, there was some real hope that the sport had turned a corner. This year, though, all my hopes have been quashed. I've watched as the organizers of the Giro and Tour have kissed that cheater's in the hopes that his return will raise interest and bring more money and sponsorship. I've seen the Giro organization conspire to keep Simeoni (the reigning Italian National Champion) out of his national race because he didn't adequately prostrate himself to Armstrong over comments from over 5 years ago. And just in the past week, we've seen the supposedly "clean" Garmin squad make a play to spirit the Doper Contador away from Astana.

The Verdict: Same old sport, same old cheating, everyone's making money, don't rock the boat. Keep the drugs flowing and the Omerta strong.

But by following pro cycling and rooting for these guys, you're allowing yourself to be part of the problem. The sport is rotten to the core. These guys aren't admirable. They're a bunch of cheats and frauds. Pay attention to what guys like Steve Larsen, LeMond, Bassons, Simeoni, Ashendon, and Walsh have been saying: There's no way to be a "champion" in cycling without drugs.

Everyone needs heros. As I've gotten older though, I've realized that they become harder and harder to find. If you want to root for someone, I'd suggest finding the man or woman in your neighborhood who helps at at the homeless shelter, hospice, the children hospital or some shit like that. Those people are real heros. Don't allow yourself to be a dupe..

Have a great day, man…

Burt
http://www.331miles.blogspot.com 331miles

GRENADE!!!!
Cliff

Every time Horner doesn't make some team, the Tour this year, the Olympics he heads for his bike OK but after hitting his computer to bitch about how he got "hosed" by politics.

If he spent more time riding he might have been good enough to have his time in the lime light when he was young enough to do something with it.