From VeloNews:

"It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier."

Now THAT'S what I call sound team leadership. No wonder he's the only one who really thinks he can win the Tour. Everyone else is just waiting for his team to stab him in the livers.

"It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier."

Now THAT'S what I call sound team leadership. No wonder he's the only one who really thinks he can win the Tour. Everyone else is just waiting for his team to stab him in the livers.

:hand: :yesnod: :crazy: :D

priceless.

From VeloNews:

"It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier."

Now THAT'S what I call sound team leadership. No wonder he's the only one who really thinks he can win the Tour. Everyone else is just waiting for his team to stab him in the livers.

+1

OMG! What was he thinking :shocked:

and wearing the yellow and your team is still playing 2 hands and the oother hand who seems to be getting more respect gets dropped, you might drop that bomb as well. All Menchov had to do was suck wheel.

It could have been said jokingly, I am thinking he was quoted out of context. He doesn't strike me as a guy who would say that but who knows.

It could have been said jokingly, I am thinking he was quoted out of context. He doesn't strike me as a guy who would say that but who knows.

Well, I quoted him out of context, but at VeloNews there was context and there wasn't anything that would specifically point to a different interpretation of the statement. But they don't use smilies on VeloNews, so maybe it was a joke and we can't tell.

Here is the complete quote from Velonews below..... At least he isn't afraid to speak his mind!! And.. he was left pretty isolated with no teamates on the last climb and run to the finish.. that might be even more of a problem later...

"I am very happy with today," said the skinny Dane. "Now there is no doubt about who is the captain of this team is. I stayed close to Valverde because he had another teammate up there. I felt like it was a victory for me to be able to fight back the 25 times Valverde tried to attack. I felt very clear in the head today seeing the tactics of the race. It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier. I think it's a climber's Tour."

Here is the complete quote from Velonews below..... At least he isn't afraid to speak his mind!! And.. he was left pretty isolated with no teamates on the last climb and run to the finish.. that might be even more of a problem later...

"I am very happy with today," said the skinny Dane. "Now there is no doubt about who is the captain of this team is. I stayed close to Valverde because he had another teammate up there. I felt like it was a victory for me to be able to fight back the 25 times Valverde tried to attack. I felt very clear in the head today seeing the tactics of the race. It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier. I think it's a climber's Tour."


I wonder if he'l feel that way saturday?:eek:

If he was speaking English, perhaps that was a poorly used colloquialism. In any case, he's right. Menchov was supposed to be the team leader on Rabobank, and he came in 4 minutes back. Now Menchov is 7 minutes behind, and there's no way he will win the Tour de France. He needs to stop pretending and get his ass on board the Rasmussen train.

Here is the complete quote from Velonews below..... At least he isn't afraid to speak his mind!! And.. he was left pretty isolated with no teamates on the last climb and run to the finish.. that might be even more of a problem later...

"I am very happy with today," said the skinny Dane. "Now there is no doubt about who is the captain of this team is. I stayed close to Valverde because he had another teammate up there. I felt like it was a victory for me to be able to fight back the 25 times Valverde tried to attack. I felt very clear in the head today seeing the tactics of the race. It was disappointing that Menchov couldn't get his ass over the Galibier. I think it's a climber's Tour."
That's my chicken!!!

Yeah, he nailed back Valverde's attacks. Yeah, he pulled Contador back in. Yeah he almost dropped Levi and Kloden. It was a good day.

Valverde and Mayo had helpers. Discovery had three players. Where was his? Yeah I'm disappointed too Menchov's ass couldn't get over the Galibier. What's the problem??

It was a good but hectic day for the chicken. His interviews are a bit blunt but frank and honest.

fc

That's my chicken!!!

Yeah, he nailed back Valverde's attacks. Yeah, he pulled Contador back in. Yeah he almost dropped Levi and Kloden. It was a good day.

Valverde and Mayo had helpers. Where was his? Yeah I'm disappointed too Menchov's ass couldn't get over the Galibier. What's the problem??

It was a good but hectic day for the chicken. His interviews are a bit blunt but frank and honest.

fc


His day wasn't perfect..he cracked a bit, but after all was said and done he got a result he liked. Here's an interview with him after the stage today:

Video #4
http://www.versus.com/broadband_player_popup//pbr_player_popup/?artID=39800&catID=566

Levi talks about him in his interview (video #5)

His day wasn't perfect..he cracked a bit, but after all was said and done he got a result he liked. Here's an interview with him after the stage today:

Video #4
http://www.versus.com/broadband_player_popup//pbr_player_popup/?artID=39800&catID=566

Levi talks about him in his interview (video #5)

That's what I hear. What exactly happened to him?

He sounds a bit stressed out that he had to do it all himself. A couple days like this and he will burn out.

fc

Rasmussen hung on today.....he couldn't respond to either Contadors, or zEvans or Valverdes final attacks.

What a great teammate! I'd love to hear the interview with menchov when Rasmussen gives up time in the TT.

But he's still young & inexperienced.

Len

Rasmussen hung on today.....he couldn't respond to either Contadors, or zEvans or Valverdes final attacks.

What a great teammate! I'd love to hear the interview with menchov when Rasmussen gives up time in the TT.

But he's still young & inexperienced.

Len

Not so young at 33 years of age.

Though I must say that the title of this thread got me ... "Chicken wins friends and influences people"

I was a big chicken hater until sometime during the last TdF when I watched an interview with him. He converted me.

But yea, we'll see if it's still a climbers tour after the two long TTs.

I'm in ur Alps pwning ur jerzy.
http://images.velonews.com/images/details/12792.19604.t.jpg

Not so young at 33 years of age.

Though I must say that the title of this thread got me ... "Chicken wins friends and influences people"

I was a big chicken hater until sometime during the last TdF when I watched an interview with him. He converted me.

But yea, we'll see if it's still a climbers tour after the two long TTs.

I thought I read that this was only his 5th tour and that he was 28.

Edit...I forgot he was formerly a Mountain Biker....my bad.

Len

Rasmussen hung on today.....he couldn't respond to either Contadors, or zEvans or Valverdes final attacks.

Len

he's got some days to recover and he paid for the days before effort

but he's gonna get isolated in the Pyr.

But he's still young & inexperienced.

Len

He's 33.

I can't help but think having a teammate on a climb is over rated. A pull so to speak is mostly mental if anything on a climb. There is no slip stream going uphill at 12 MPH.

If someone attacks you are either strong enough to stay with him or not. The effort to get up the hill doesn't change if you have a teammate or not. In a group going up a climb , the stongest guy will get up first, period.

The only thing a teammate can do is block someone for you but really only momentarily. If you cant match the speed you will be dropped , teammate or not.

I know it makes for good TV and message board fodder but thats all it is.

The only thing a teammate can do is block someone for you but really only momentarily. If you cant match the speed you will be dropped , teammate or not.

I know it makes for good TV and message board fodder but thats all it is.

A team mate can do several things, #1 set the pace when the favorites can't get their sh*t together which is exactly what happened the other day once Popo pulled off after doing his work for Contador.

And #2, what happened today when it doesn't end on top, a team mate can sacrifice himself for the leader or at least work with him. Valverde had Arroyo, Contador had Popo again, Mayo had Cobo but he was spent.

Rasmussen's comment basically says he was pissed he was isolated in the finale.

He wasn't complaining about not having a teammate ON the climb. He was complaining about not having a teammate AFTER the climb. Menchov could have helped pull his group to the finish, and take time from his rivals. Maybe they even bring back the eventual stage winner and win another stage. This was demonstrated pretty well by Popovych and Contador today.

Also, I don't know if you've ever climbed any high mountains, but there's usually wind up there, and you can definitely ride a slipstream going uphill.

I think Rasmussen is pretty cut and dry.

In one ineterview, he referred to his awful, crash laden time trial very succinctly.

He stated, "if I hadn't been fiddling around on the pavement".:D


I 'd say he gave himself and Menchov about the same assessment on a poor performance.:)