Levi Leipheimer made an appearance at Lombardi Sports in San Francisco tonight. The main purpose of his appearance was to promote Colorado Altitude Tents (CAT) but he also made time for a Q&A, which lasted for 40 minutes or so.

Some of the highlights included him saying that he was surprised that Discovery signed Basso. That got a bit of an akward laugh from the crowd. He says it is a stress on the management more than on the riders. He also said he will be focusing on the Tour of CA, Georgia, and the TdF and Tour of Germany. He said he and Basso will each ride their own race in the Tour (provided that things get that far) and that he would be very proud if he helps Basso win.

He also admitted that he worked 100% for Hincapie at Nationals last year (not much of a shocker really...) and that all the protour guys agreed that one of them had to win that year. He's also just been in the wind tunnel and supposedly got the lowest drag numbers they had ever seen.

He doesn't have a ton of personality though, except that he does pilates and has lots of yippie dogs...but his wife is a hottie and looks quite good in person. She also has 2-3 inches on him...he is pretty short.

I forgot to ask him about how he likes the new kit, oh well,

Silas

Levi is all class, I can see him making it work with Basso somehow. I would expect them to get some good results. Maybe he wins the TDC in a few months if the team supports him.

This is the video (http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-6763771580745258389&hl=en) of Levi's comments on Basso.

:cool:

+1, Levi is a real class act in my books. I've followed him since I got into cycling and he's still my favourite rider by a long shot. Excellent comments on Basso as well as you notice in the movie, very intelligent in the way he is both honest about the situation and his appraisal of the entire Basso deal. I wish him the best in the coming year, with some luck I may even make it to Tour of California during reading week. GO LEVI!

Levi seems that he had no idea that they would sign Basso. In my opinion, I think Johan told Levi he will be the leader at the Tour when they signed him. He must of been upset when he found out, as well as Tommy D. I read comments from him as well. I know Basso is a great rider but I still would have like to see Discovery as an underdog team with Levi, Popo, Tommy(?), Janez, and George. Oh well, still a long way to France.

Levi seems that he had no idea that they would sign Basso. In my opinion, I think Johan told Levi he will be the leader at the Tour when they signed him. He must of been upset when he found out, as well as Tommy D. I read comments from him as well. I know Basso is a great rider but I still would have like to see Discovery as an underdog team with Levi, Popo, Tommy(?), Janez, and George. Oh well, still a long way to France.

Have never proven that they could even come close to winning a grand tour. They are good riders in them, but have never shown that they had what it takes to win one. Levi and Danielson are both very good for the shorter one week or so stage races, and they should work to their strengths. Popo, I'm starting to think of him the same way. Janez, don't know yet. He is (unlike what people keep saying about Danielson for the the past 4-5 years) still young, and still has a lot of promise on those legs, so jury is still out on him.

Popo, Levi, and Danielson are all going to be super domestiques for the Tour de France, and could have their chance at other grand tours, but they won't be leading the team for the TdF. Basso, is a proven winner so far. George has absolutely no chance whatsoever of ever winning le Tour. I thought at one point he might have a shot, but there's no way. He needs to stick to the Classics, and play domestique duty at le Tour, like he has done so well for so many years.

I agree with you magnolia, I know Basso is proven, I know he could probably win the tour, my point was it would have been fun to cheer for the underdogs. Now that Basso is here, they definitely do not have a chance at even trying. As for George, I know he's not capable at the Tour, I want him to race the classics and actually get something out of it this time.

I agree with you magnolia, I know Basso is proven, I know he could probably win the tour, my point was it would have been fun to cheer for the underdogs. Now that Basso is here, they definitely do not have a chance at even trying. As for George, I know he's not capable at the Tour, I want him to race the classics and actually get something out of it this time.

Always fun to cheer for the underdogs, I can get on board with that one. Although with Basso on board, this is still a chance something could happen. Look back a short while ago when Levi surpassed Heras during la Vuelta and they let him ride for the GC instead of Heras. Same thing for Basso when he got sick at the Giro a couple of years ago, he rode for stages, and for his teammates, so it could still happen, maybe.

George will get a classic win here somewhere in time, I hope, I think. At least before he retires, but I think he can keep going for a while longer anyway. I like him as a rider, and as a person. He's a classy guy as well. Levi too. Danielson, he's not to bad either as a person. Maybe Disco has the "nicest guy" team around?

This is the video (http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-6763771580745258389&hl=en) of Levi's comments on Basso.

:cool:

Having watched the video, it looked to me like Levi was saying that it was surprising that the team would hire Basso because of the doping suspicion. He says things like, "maybe we'll never know what really happened." Then, at the end, he says that if at the end of the investigation, Basso is shown to have been wrongly accused, then he would be proud to help Basso win the Tour.

Signing Basso was the great move of the decade if you ask me. I mean really, if we value due process how can we not support Basso when:

A: Never tested positive
B: His cycling federation decided there was no evidence
C: Spanish authorities said no action should be taken on the evidence released

If you can't find the guy guilty you can't go punishing him! So it was a dumb f'in move by CSC to let him go. They should have stuck it out to the end.

All that said, I realize that chances are that all these folks are guilty, but if you can't prove it then you need to drop it.

Oh yea, this **** should have never been announced until they knew for sure they had a case and were going to proceed with it. Same deal with the Landis case.

And to be on topic, I like Leipheimer, but let's face it he is near the end of his career and not in the same class as Basso, be it single, week long, or grand tour length races.

Signing Basso was the great move of the decade if you ask me. I mean really, if we value due process how can we not support Basso when:

A: Never tested positive
B: His cycling federation decided there was no evidence
C: Spanish authorities said no action should be taken on the evidence released

If you can't find the guy guilty you can't go punishing him! So it was a dumb f'in move by CSC to let him go. They should have stuck it out to the end.

All that said, I realize that chances are that all these folks are guilty, but if you can't prove it then you need to drop it.

Oh yea, this **** should have never been announced until they knew for sure they had a case and were going to proceed with it. Same deal with the Landis case.

And to be on topic, I like Leipheimer, but let's face it he is near the end of his career and not in the same class as Basso, be it single, week long, or grand tour length races.

Unlike Basso, Landis did test positive, and he is suspended (for now).

Due process does not apply to bicycle doping cases. I hate to keep saying this, but it is on the rider to prove his/her innocence, for for the sanctioning body to prove guilt. According to their rules, the sanctioning body has already proven guilt with 2 positive tests. Now, it's up to the rider to prove his or her innocence. Due process does not apply.

"Due process does not apply to bicycle doping cases."

Fair enough but that doesn't address Basso as Einstruzende pointed out.

If the UCI can deny a pro the opportunity to make a living based on evidence as (so far) non-existent as we've seen with Basso then the legal system in either Italy or the EU will probably intervene sooner or later anyways.