Basso In and Flanked by DC Blue

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http://www.thepaceline.com/members/view_gallery.aspx?cid=182

http://www.thepaceline.com/members/view_gallery.aspx?cid=183

A couple of things evident in the pictures:

1) Basso is clearly the #1 rider (as he should be) on the team

-- Note all the shots highlighting Basso with either Bruyneel or LA, or both of them
-- Note all pics of Basso at the front of the group

2) Levi is not featured a lot

-- The write-up accompanying this on thepaceline also emphasizes Basso. If I were Levi, I'd feel pretty unhappy about this arrangement so far. There is a pic of Levi riding with LA, but compare that to all the close-ups and riding photos of LA with Basso.

3) LA can still ride, despite the leg injury he sustained in connection with running the NY Marathon

[QUOTE=musette]http://www.thepaceline.com/members/view_gallery.aspx?cid=182


2) Levi is not featured a lot

[QUOTE=musette]


Two reasons for that:

1) He's still contracted to Gerolsteiner, hence the Gerolsteiner kit. Why would Disco feature a rider not in their kit?

2) He hasn't got a cat in Hell's chance of winning the Tour so he'll get exactly the same publicity as all the other worker ants.

Yup, what's the big deal. Until further notice Levi is lieutenant. Not captain.

Meanwhile, a little comic relief from Mr. Tommy D:

"TD: Obviously we are reading a lot about Ivan Basso coming to the team. For sure it’s great he is coming to the team and he is filling a need for the sponsors. He is a big name in cycling and there is sound reasoning behind it at the team level. With that said, I have my ultimate goal and I can’t have that change based on who is on the team and the changes that have been made. My goals are mine and that’s who I am! Just because people are saying this guy is the next TdF winner I can’t let that change what my goals are as an individual. Keeping that in mind I am going to train as hard as I can this winter and get to the highest level of conditioning I can for '07 and then we will see where I am at and decide what my roll will be. I am not going to sit here in November and read that people are talking about Basso this Basso that, and think, ok cool he is going to take up the slack on the team and I am going to go eat some more donuts and call it a season and hope '08 is for me. NO!NO! I have my time line and my goals and I am not going to let whoever is on the team dictate what my goals are as an individual. Then of course if he is much better than me then of course I am going to work for him as a team and give my best performance for the Team. But until then I am going to train for '07 to be the best racer I can be, bottom line!"

Umm, Tom, I think you misunderstand. The word I placed in bold above is not "if". It should be "because". Including because Bruyneel will say so, or you will not be on the TdF team. Hah Hah ;) :D

Who knows who is going to improve from year to year you just can’t tell these days. It is funny to me how a lot of

LOL. Does anyone take TD seriously except himself?

LOL. Does anyone take TD seriously except himself?

..............................Musette does.

She touted Tom Danielson to win the 2006 Giro!

I didn't, and your repeated assertions in this regard (to the point where I offered bet on it and offered to search old threads, and you backed down -- whether because you were afraid or not, I cannot tell) aren't going to show anything other than the desperation in your losing arguments. Do you want to bet who said what, with the loser acknowledging they are a big loser who should put up or shut up on this board? I am not afraid to address that. If you take the bet, we shall see who gets that label.

Returning to the subject: "if he is much better than me". I like the word "much". :p

I didn't, and your repeated assertions in this regard (to the point where I offered bet on it and offered to search old threads, and you backed down -- whether because you were afraid or not, I cannot tell) aren't going to show anything other than the desperation in your losing arguments. Do you want to bet who said what, with the loser acknowledging they are a big loser who should put up or shut up on this board? I am not afraid to address that. If you take the bet, we shall see who gets that label.

Returning to the subject: "if he is much better than me". I like the word "much". :p

You're in New York : so settling any proposed bet is impractical.

You touted Danielson to do great things in 2006 Giro : you posted that prediction here.
Needless to say that prediction was wrong as well.

It's sad how self-delusional TD and certain relevant parties may be. For TD to think that he could even be "better" than Basso, let alone "much" "better", when the whole world knows who is better, is sad indeed.

Please, let's not inject wurm's name in this part of the forum. He already has wrecked the Soapbox part of the forum.

LOL, So is it "Musette touted Tommy D to win the 2006 Giro" or is it "she touted Danielson to do great things in 2006 Giro". Dont backtrack now.


Oi ! Where did you come from ? Do you have a Google Alert for Tommy D related coversations ?

Basso is testing new time trial equipment in the wind tunnel. Photo below was taken by a covert spy that specializes in industrial espionage.

Here are lots of Basso pictures:

www.thepaceline.com

They are going to have fun like paint ball and go-karts, not go on freezing or otherwise physically treacherous treks that are supposedly character-building. They eat out at nice restaurants in Austin, and generally have a great time!

I love the observation LA had, when he told Basso that it's better late than never, with respect to joining DC. ;) :cool:

Settling a bet if one bets begin labelled a bumbling idiot forever on this board is not impracticable from a longer distance. We could bet that.

It will be interesting to see in the Giro if Basso is able to ride up the mountains like an E.-Terrestrial, as he was accused of being last year. It will also be very interesting to see how he is received in the peloton.

I personally believe in the new era of cycling, with greater pressure on dopers, that there will be less doping. In that sort of milieu, I believe the attacking riders will win more. I pick Vino from this bunch. But we will see -- Basso might just be impossible to beat, as he was in the Giro this past year.

I personally believe in the new era of cycling, with greater pressure on dopers, that there will be less doping.

I think that's the only way things will ever work out - the testing will get better and better and more and more riders will get popped and many will be overturned on technicalities or procedural errors or unproven testing but eventually the risk of getting caught will be so high that the dopers will just quit doping. It's more about getting caught than what the punishment is.

Settling a bet if one bets begin labelled a bumbling idiot forever on this board is not impracticable from a longer distance. We could bet that.

Try communicating in english.

Basso In and Flanked by DC Blue
Actually that colour is now officially called 'Epo Blue'.

I think that's the only way things will ever work out - the testing will get better and better and more and more riders will get popped and many will be overturned on technicalities or procedural errors or unproven testing but eventually the risk of getting caught will be so high that the dopers will just quit doping. It's more about getting caught than what the punishment is.
I don't see that happening. The money is all in the cheating, far more so than in improving the testing.

The way I see it: the testing will improve very slowly. New drugs will be developed much more rapidly and the testers will take years to catch up. Hence there will be a period of using the new wonderdrug without fear of being caught until the drug gets banned and a test is eventually made. Just before that test is first used, they'll move on to the newer drug.

Just like DSC getting busted with actovegin before it was banned.

Meanwhile, a little comic relief from Mr. Tommy D:

"TD: Obviously we are reading a lot about Ivan Basso coming to the team. For sure it’s great he is coming to the team and he is filling a need for the sponsors. He is a big name in cycling and there is sound reasoning behind it at the team level. With that said, I have my ultimate goal and I can’t have that change based on who is on the team and the changes that have been made. My goals are mine and that’s who I am! Just because people are saying this guy is the next TdF winner I can’t let that change what my goals are as an individual. Keeping that in mind I am going to train as hard as I can this winter and get to the highest level of conditioning I can for '07 and then we will see where I am at and decide what my roll will be. I am not going to sit here in November and read that people are talking about Basso this Basso that, and think, ok cool he is going to take up the slack on the team and I am going to go eat some more donuts and call it a season and hope '08 is for me. NO!NO! I have my time line and my goals and I am not going to let whoever is on the team dictate what my goals are as an individual. Then of course if he is much better than me then of course I am going to work for him as a team and give my best performance for the Team. But until then I am going to train for '07 to be the best racer I can be, bottom line!"

Umm, Tom, I think you misunderstand. The word I placed in bold above is not "if". It should be "because". Including because Bruyneel will say so, or you will not be on the TdF team. Hah Hah ;) :D

Who knows who is going to improve from year to year you just can’t tell these days. It is funny to me how a lot of


Wow, I could hardly believe your quote, so ridiculous, so I went and found the interview online.

NewsFlash:
TomD is over. He will not ride on the TdF team. He is too unpredictable.

A few weeks ago, was it in a magazine? he wrote some pathetic thing about locking up on the first big Mnt stage in the Vuelta.
Having it happen is bad enough.
Writing about it in public is like, stupid right?
Embarassing, like I cannot figure out what this guys prob is.

But for sure Disco and Lance have moved on.
There will be no more press or photo ops with TDanielson.
Can he not read the writing on the wall?

If I were Lance or Ivan, I would look at his performances and absolutely not pick him for the TdF. I mean what you want are solid consistent riders ready to bury themselves, not panty-waist mincing little climber girl-boys who get sick, choke, freeze up and dont perform.
I recommend some serious therapy for Tom and sports psychology.

BASSO will do the double.
Tom will do nothing.