1.) If it doesn't rain on the first TT, does Levi now have yellow?

2.) If there is a TTT in this tour, does Discovery have first and second in Paris?

3.) If levi doesn't ride for Contador, does he win the tour?

Len

1) Maybe
2) Definitely
3) When did Levi ride for Contador? Contador did a lot more riding for Levi.

Or if Rass had been booted a day eariler and Disco's tactic was to displace Evans instead of Rass would have Levi have got more time on him than he did.

coulda, woulda, shoulda.....
I know I know... I was thinking it this morning while watching Versus too.

never having had competed NEAR this level, i wonder how much the pros think through these things...all the maybs. I think it could drive them nuts if they let it.

3) When did Levi ride for Contador? Contador did a lot more riding for Levi.

Stage 16....Levi attacked Ras at least 3 times trying to set up Contador.

All of the mountain stages, when Contador was up the road, Levi did not try to put time in Evans.

When did Contador ever ride for Levi?

Len

Stage 16....Levi attacked Ras at least 3 times trying to set up Contador.

All of the mountain stages, when Contador was up the road, Levi did not try to put time in Evans.

When did Contador ever ride for Levi?

Len

Levi's "attacks" were pathetic and had almost no effect. Levi did little to help Contador until the very end. Levi didn't spend much time in the wind, outside of the TTs, during the whole tour. He was tucked nicely in the pack, even on the climbs.

Contador was riding for Levi for many stages early on. The whole team was riding for Levi for too long. The idea was that Contidor and Popo would break up the leaders by breaking away on the mountains. Instead, Contador ended up in front kicking everyone's butt. Contador is much stronger in the mountains than Levi, and not far enough behind Levi in the TT for Levi to make up the difference. The results speak for themselves.

Levi's "attacks" were pathetic and had almost no effect. Levi did little to help Contador until the very end. Levi didn't spend much time in the wind, outside of the TTs, during the whole tour. He was tucked nicely in the pack, even on the climbs.

Contador was riding for Levi for many stages early on. The whole team was riding for Levi for too long. The idea was that Contidor and Popo would break up the leaders by breaking away on the mountains. Instead, Contador ended up in front kicking everyone's butt. Contador is much stronger in the mountains than Levi, and not far enough behind Levi in the TT for Levi to make up the difference. The results speak for themselves.

we were watching a different race, or....

you don't have the experience level to realize what you are watching.

Contadors attacks in the Alps were for Contador....JB admitted as much in his press confrences.

With Contador up the road, Levi does not attack either Ras or Evans, in order to protect his teammates position, that is called riding for your teammate. This was a repeated theme.

On stage 16, Levi attacked Ras 3 times, forcing ras to do all the work to get back to him. Contedor than counter attacked on the third one but was unable to make it stick. Ras's strength (drug induced?) was what made the attacks not work, not Levi's Pathetic climbving (You should be so lucky to have such pathetic climbing.

Levi, in his stge 16 post race interview (as well as JB in both his prerace & postrace) said they went out there to help Contedor win it and risk losing the podium. Levi stated he never would have rode that way if it wasn't his teammate with a chance for yellow. Looking back now, Levi, without the attacks, would have been able to gain even more time on Evans than he did & might have gotten at least second without the attacks.

I could give more examples but I suspect they would fall on deaf ears. JB as well as all the comentators commented on this.

Let's just agree to disagree.

Len

What if Basso was still riding for Discovery? Would it be first, second and third?

What if Basso was still riding for Discovery? Would it be first, second and third?

Disco would have done a Mapei on the Paris Podium.

we were watching a different race, or....

you don't have the experience level to realize what you are watching.

Contadors attacks in the Alps were for Contador....JB admitted as much in his press confrences.

With Contador up the road, Levi does not attack either Ras or Evans, in order to protect his teammates position, that is called riding for your teammate. This was a repeated theme.

On stage 16, Levi attacked Ras 3 times, forcing ras to do all the work to get back to him. Contedor than counter attacked on the third one but was unable to make it stick. Ras's strength (drug induced?) was what made the attacks not work, not Levi's Pathetic climbving (You should be so lucky to have such pathetic climbing.

Levi, in his stge 16 post race interview (as well as JB in both his prerace & postrace) said they went out there to help Contedor win it and risk losing the podium. Levi stated he never would have rode that way if it wasn't his teammate with a chance for yellow. Looking back now, Levi, without the attacks, would have been able to gain even more time on Evans than he did & might have gotten at least second without the attacks.

I could give more examples but I suspect they would fall on deaf ears. JB as well as all the comentators commented on this.

Let's just agree to disagree.

Len

No, no. You're right. I'm wrong. I was watching tennis in my fat skirt. You were watching the real race wearing your old 7-Eleven team jersey.

We could argue all day long about what if's and who was working for who. JB and the boys were telling he camera whatever they thought would suit them at the time. JB was playing three tactics. Let Popo and Contador attack in the mountains and let Levi cruise up in the pack. That suits their styles. One would expect the two attackers to do well in some stages, but to ultimately fall back like Popo did. The problem was, Contador didn't fall back. He went on and won the tour.

To answer your original question: No, I don't think Levi would have won if he hadn't been working for Contidor. I think he went as fast as he could up the mountains and in the time trials.

1.) If it doesn't rain on the first TT, does Levi now have yellow?

2.) If there is a TTT in this tour, does Discovery have first and second in Paris?

3.) If levi doesn't ride for Contador, does he win the tour?

Len

Evans fans could be thinking similar thoughts but it has been a great race with one day left, I wonder what they will come up with overnight to amuse us?

Better question is what if LL wasnt penalized the 10 seconds. Would that have mattered at all? Maybe.

But we could play this game all day long.