Quite Possibly Moronic Ant-Postal Rant

[Dr. Doofus]

1) Johan B. was a successful pro racer and his team has won 5 Tours. Johan knows a lot.

2) The Doc was a borderline D1 college swimmer, a borderline-good 5k runner, a borderline 2, and lasted all of three amateur races in Frogland. The Doc knows nothing.

3) Still....

4) Why does Johan decide that G-W is a "B-Team" race, saying that the real emphasis is P-R? Everytime the Doc and I have heard that kind of thing said, whether by a rival HS track coach, a college swimming coach, a rival runner, or by the idiot Doc himself (who managed to lose a stage race once by holding back in the RR to save himself for the time trial...which he screwed the pooch in...nyuk nyuk nyuk), the result is that the team loses *both* the small one *and* the big one...so once again, we see George in at the kill, but 1-on-7 vs. Quick Step, who appear to be taking a "small" race rather seriously....

5) Senor Jerk, we're going to stop trying to figure out your secret identity, even though it *still* drives us nuts, cause we're obsessive-compulsive like that...but anyway, senor, what's your take on the Postal "we're saving ourselves for Roubaix" line?

6) Munson -- give us some vintage Roy Vitriol, please.

[JohnS]

the rest of the field also considers G-W a minor race. Why else do you think they'd let Quick Step get 7 riders into a 20 man break? They all couldn't have been asleep.

[Dr. Doofus]

Minor race? Cat 1.HC.

I think the weather, the wind and the power of Quick Step did more to take Rabobank and Lotto out of the race than did apathy...Dwars Door Belgie is a "little" race...the Fleche Brabaconne is a "little" race...the Ichtegem/Brakel/St. Niklaas/wherever Kermesse is *definitely* a little race...G-W is a classic with significant UCI points up for grabs

Big George finishes fourth at P-R.

[Roy E. Munson]

In 2001 at P-R, Domo got four riders in the winning break of six and Knaven pulled off the win. Who was in that break with the four Domo riders? Ludo Dierckxsens and some other creampuff....schit, can't remember his name. I guess the rest of the field considered P-R a minor race that year as they let Domo get four riders in the winning break.

That has to sting for Hincrapie seeing Boonen get the win after literally leaving George in the gutter two years ago!!

[saab2000]

..... and I am a bit surprised that Mr. Max Van Heeswijk (sp?) was not in the thick of things.

But the fact remains that USPS is designed solely for LA and exists with just one target - winning the TdF. The rest of it is just not important for the sponsor, though I guess Berry Floor is going to be a big part of this team and they do have interest in races like G-W.

I do not know why George is the only one here who can play a role.

I guess I am just talking out of my a$$ today......

[JohnS]

I'm not saying that I think it's aminor race. Different teams have different goals. For all their firepower, Quick Step isn't a force in the TdF. Why?... Because they're a classics specialist.

[bostondrunk]

I agree, USPS is all about TDF, otherwise they would have George riding the classics as a domestique and they'd hire someone who can sprint.
I predict George will take 8th at PR, and I am always right.

[Climb01742]

why the f**k does george stay with postal? 1) loyalty to lance. 2) money. 3) bad decision. 4) other. it must drive him nuts to be outnumbered like he was today. once lance retires, interesting to see what george does, where he goes. but will it be too late? other posties have left to pursue their own careers. why not george?

[JohnS]

Mybe it's like The Jerk says. He's not the sharpest tack in the box. I've wondered about his line of clothing. Doesn't he realize how limited his name recognition is, even amongst cyclists?