Does this guy just have a head problem or what?

Is he like the whiny kid who can't stand to get beaten in video games and so will only play against his younger brother?

Shows up at the Dauphine flying, 1 stage win 1 2nd, then can't be bothered to FINISH the Tour, then shows up a couple weeks later to win a stage and overall of the 2.HC Vuelta a Burgos.

"If I can't win, I'm not playing!"

Add: Danielson Fans -- Mayo is only 1 year older than Tom.

Comparing the palmares, it's funny that people consider Danielson an up-and-comer and Mayo a has-been failure. (Danielson -- Won a 2.1 stage race, some domestic races, and an 8th in the Vuelta a Espana, all while a member of arguably the strongest team in the world. Mayo -- Won the Dauphine, 3 Dauphine stages, Vuelta Asturias, 1st and 2nd, Vuelta a Pais Vasco (3 stages), 5th and 11th, Vuelta a Espana, 2nd Liege Bastogne Liege, etc.)

the two riders but to say the team that Discovery had the Vuelta was strong is just not so. Danielson rode much of the Vuelta with minimul help from the team.

the two riders but to say the team that Discovery had the Vuelta was strong is just not so. Danielson rode much of the Vuelta with minimul help from the team.

And when is EE ever a powerhouse team? All of Mayo's results have been the result of his climbing ability.

The comparison to Danielson is appropriate I think. Perhaps being pure climbers the rigors of a three week tour take a lot out of the climbing legs.

Does this guy just have a head problem or what?

Is he like the whiny kid who can't stand to get beaten in video games and so will only play against his younger brother?

Shows up at the Dauphine flying, 1 stage win 1 2nd, then can't be bothered to FINISH the Tour, then shows up a couple weeks later to win a stage and overall of the 2.HC Vuelta a Burgos.

"If I can't win, I'm not playing!"

I think his blood transfusions make him sick in the TdF.

It actually worked ok for him at the Dauphine.. but this year at the tour - it was too much again.

I think his blood transfusions make him sick in the TdF.

It actually worked ok for him at the Dauphine.. but this year at the tour - it was too much again.

That's fine and all, as long as we can claim the same thing about Danielson and any other racer that has a bad time of it.

[QUOTE=Einstruzende]And when is EE ever a powerhouse team? QUOTE]
I never said EE was a powerhouse and personally I think Mayo is a better rider than Danielson. But downgrading Danielson's finish in last year's Vuelta because of a strong team when, in fact, it was a very weak team is not right.

Between Mayo and Danielson, who would you rather have on your team? I think I would go with Danielson.

Between Mayo and Danielson, who would you rather have on your team? I think I would go with Danielson.

Mayo. Definitely. What does Danielson bring to the table except another year of being an up and comer (at 28)? At least Mayo has had some solid results in actually hard races. Hell, Mayo even beat Danielson's wet dream Armstrong.

Mayo has a definite head problem, but I grew up in Boston rooting for the Red Sox back in the Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Bill Lee era so it comes as no surprise that in many ways my attachment to Mayo grows every time he falls apart under pressure.

Mayo has a definite head problem, but I grew up in Boston rooting for the Red Sox back in the Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Bill Lee era so it comes as no surprise that in many ways my attachment to Mayo grows every time he falls apart under pressure.

Yeah, I can empathize with the Red Sox analogy. Grew up in Maine, same thing for me. Second time I ever saw my Dad cry is when the Red Sox won the world series.

I think he has some mental problems, but not on the juvenile level you seem to be able to connect with.

Does this guy just have a head problem or what?

Is he like the whiny kid who can't stand to get beaten in video games and so will only play against his younger brother?

Shows up at the Dauphine flying, 1 stage win 1 2nd, then can't be bothered to FINISH the Tour, then shows up a couple weeks later to win a stage and overall of the 2.HC Vuelta a Burgos.

"If I can't win, I'm not playing!"


I think sometimes people forget about the basics of cycling. Some riders are climbers, some are sprinters, some are rolleurs,etc. Not everyone can be great at every discipline. Mayo is a pure climber. The Tour, like no other race, has tremendously fast flat stages in the first 10 days or so. For a pure climber without rolleur power or a flat land workhorse team to protect him, the early stages just beat him to a pulp. For a grand tour that lasts 3 weeks, he then has nothing left when the action really starts in the second half of the race.
Part of the problem lies with the Euskatel team. Look at their selection: no big strong rolleurs to protect him in the tour's first half. I bet if he switched to Quickstep or D-Lotto, he would fair better. Make sense?

Does this guy just have a head problem or what?

Is he like the whiny kid who can't stand to get beaten in video games and so will only play against his younger brother?

Shows up at the Dauphine flying, 1 stage win 1 2nd, then can't be bothered to FINISH the Tour, then shows up a couple weeks later to win a stage and overall of the 2.HC Vuelta a Burgos.

"If I can't win, I'm not playing!"


"Mayo recovers form to win Burgos Tour"

http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/vuelta-a-burgos/2006/sport_sto942011.shtml

Make sense?

Euskatel has been a second rate team ever since they fired their doctors following a doping positive a couple of years ago. Mayo hasn't been worth much since then either, only a brief spot of hope here and there. Didn't Mayo beat Armstrong in some pre-Tour TTs when he was on that "super" form a few years ago?

yeah, that win was what made me post this. See the second-to-last line of my OP.

Euskatel has been a second rate team ever since they fired their doctors following a doping positive a couple of years ago. Mayo hasn't been worth much since then either, only a brief spot of hope here and there. Didn't Mayo beat Armstrong in some pre-Tour TTs when he was on that "super" form a few years ago?

They were a second rate team before that as well. I have no recollection of Mayo beating LA in any flat TT and it seems unlikely that he ever did.

They were a second rate team before that as well. I have no recollection of Mayo beating LA in any flat TT and it seems unlikely that he ever did.

Whatever first rate, second rate Euskatel used to get better results.

I didn't specify flat TT and although a prologue isn't technically a TT (IIRC that prologue was flat).

2004 Dauphine Libere

prologue

1 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa-Eus)
2 Tyler Hamilton (Usa-Pho)
3 Lance Armstrong (Usa-Usp)
4 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa-Ph

Stage 4 = ITT on Mt Ventoux

1 Iban Mayo Diez (Spa-Eus)
2 Tyler Hamilton (Usa-Pho)
3 Oscar Sevilla Ribera (Spa-Pho)
4 Juan M.Mercado Martin (Spa-Qsd)
5 Lance Armstrong (Usa-Usp)