Astana's Chris Horner blasts Alberto Contador for the Lance Armstrong feud!

[Umbria27]

So many layer's to Chris' hypocrisy here. He's the denouncing his team leader for not being a team player. Oh the irony. Horner didn't get picked for the Tour team and he's annoyed; a team player keeps that to himself. Not Chris, he bitches about Contador. It's like a second string offensive lineman trash talking his QB. "Team" to Horner means "Lance" not Astana. He wanted to be there to help Lance. The final irony is that all the while Lance and Bruyneel had already set up their own new team.

[errbud]

I like Horner and think the level he's riding at today is inspiring but I totally disagree with him. AC had no loyalty from the team the participation in the cross wind break was shameful so you get back what you give ...

[FattyUllrich]

personally I think that Horner is a little b*tch. Contador simply attacks whoever he wants because he CAN. If he was back in the day of Pantani/Lance on Ventoux, and doped to 60% HcT like they were, he would drop their asses.

[60sisthashit]

lol, Horner was obviously jealous here...

Contador TdF*3>Chris Horner ToC

[ryanchandler25]

Lance is an old man, as is Horner. These guys have had their day, it's someone elses day now.

[ryanchandler25]

I'm not understanding the beef here. So what Lance didn't get the yellow jersey. If he did get the yellow jersey, he would not have held onto it. Contador was the stronger rider, not Lance. You can hardly fault Contador for attacking Lance. He was the star of the team, the top dog in the sport. What? Was he supposed to take a back seat because Lance decided to come back from retirement.

[kvirzi]

Chris Horner is just an honest great guy, you guys are wrong about him.

[barondebrane]

Chris: you are so queer!

[joe99f1]

horner you are a prick, contador beat the whole team end of story, hate the american pricks,!!!!!!

[poursuivant1]

Alberto = Doper

He'll get caught again.

[lamargna]

I have always respected Horner. Not anymore. Just lost a lot of respect for him after watching this. Fact is that Dopador was stronger than Liestrong. Did Pharmstrong ever care about a teammate becoming second or third or adapt his tactics accordingly? Dopestrong would have done the same thing had he been in Clentador's position and physically stronger. One guy wants yellow in Paris that's what its all about, nobody remembers second or third... this is cycling. Bitter Pelota-fans stop whining!

[poursuivant1]

@lamargna

Regardless of his drama with Lance, what he did to Kloden was unforgivable. These days, it takes a team to win a major tour and he demonstrated that he is a selfish arse.

[TheSHAD0W93]

wow cavendish is not cocky at all. he just says the truth. he is the fastest sprinter in the whole peleton. and kloden is good enough to win the tour but he decides to help out other people like ullrich

[TheSirOlivier]

If Chris Horner was there he ould have helped armstrong with leipheimer and they would have fucked contador that's why alberto had a spanish rider with him

[soulripper30]

Horner and Klöden are just fucking domestiques, who gives a shit for their placing in the general classification. The only thing those guys are good for during the Tour is carrying the watter bottles.

[mambomx]

Chris Horner PROFESSIONAL cyclist is right!

[hugolmafer]

bye, lance, bye

alberto contador rules!

spanish power!

viva españa

[Letsgoflyerzzzz]

@hugolmafer too bad Andy Schleck is gonna win pal.

[hugolmafer]

@Letsgoflyerzzzz are you sure??? haha

In pyrennes contador will atack and he will catch yellow maillot.

and then in time trial he will win 2 minutes.

AC will win his third TDF. españa

[gaizkabebe]

@Letsgoflyerzzzz Win what?? Pharmstrong he's where?

[Letsgoflyerzzzz]

@gaizkabebe schleck's still going to win, ARMstrong is 23rd. contador wouldn't be in yellow if not for a mechanical problem.

[gaizkabebe]

@Letsgoflyerzzzz Contador will take 1minute at least at the time trial. And Today Contador let Shleck won the tourmalet...but he won the Tour ;-) .....again

[gaizkabebe]

@Letsgoflyerzzzz Contador could have won today ...but he let Schleck go infront. But Contador can still win the time trial saturday. He will take more than a minute there to Shleck. By the way Contador lost time over Schleck only in the third stage when he fell and nobody wait for him plus he had a brake rubbing on his wheel for the last 30K , that's why he lost 1:13 to Schleck. Schleck he's good but he's born in wrong era (Contador).

[KGLoki]

What little respect i retained for Horner, after he and the others mutineed and deserted Astana to be with that coward texan, has gone. What an arogant, small minded, pathetic little child. Enjoy team shack because the public will lose intrest when the facts show the arogant egotistical dictator no longer has the ability to tackle todays peleton.

[tehRealtorChazzzy]

Lance strikes first today in the 2010 Tour De France! He gains a small 5 second lead on Contador but sends a signal that he's in form.

[bubbahchops]

Whats interesting is that Lance came back to Astana and no other team. Is that because his buddy Bryuneel managed the team or because Trek was there sponsor? Also when Lance was leading US postal and Discovery who else would have been able to go for the yellow jersey on either of those squads? However he comes to Astana after a 3+ year hiatus and no theres going to be a 3 or 4 leaders on the same team? Crazy! Lance had no intentions of helping the teams current leader Contador! Wake up people!

[IMER1112]

Alberto was the team leader, Lance should be working for him not the other way round? Lance, come on, you're not as good as you used to be, let someone else take the limelight?

[6Trento]

Alberto is so childish, he's in it for himself and knowbody else, not even his team. And the prick has to stop doing the dumb pistola thing, i laugh because its so stupid lol. Go Team Radio Shack and Go Team Garmin Sliptream

[ThePelawmaniac]

lance wanted horner but pistola wanted ben noval so bruyny said no to both of them thats why he didnt ride go alberto

[jcbruru]

Lance would never have beaten Andy Schleck in 09.... and this year will be the same too. Radioshack will be nowhere.

[folklore2]

I just lost a load of respect for Horner...

[hugolmafer]

contador will win tf 2010 like..

stupid americans...viva españa

[wchamp2]

Lance Armstrong is without a doubt the great athlete that has ever existed and i cant wait to see the world of pain Contador is going to go through just to try and get on the deice .,., the is a reason why this great man has Won 7 Tour De France so hang on as we are about to see number 8

[therealtimshady1983]

talking rubbish horner. armstrong came back after 4 years out, displayed no form in the giro. contador was always going to be the strongest and armstrong did his best to undermine him. if they werent working for armstrong then why was kloden babysitting him upto verbier?

[morten050691]

What are Horner talking about? Lance helped Contador? Lance didn't do shit, and none of the teammates where there for him, contador won almost on his own. Contador could have won by a bigger margin if he wanted to. Go Contador, lets see what Lance will cry about this tour

[The1quaresma7]

i want to see LA win!

No quiero ver contandor ganar otra vez, prefiero que Sastre gane si Lance no puede ganar...

[golubinci]

He's just jealous that AC has a full head of hair and he doesn't!

[eirepol73]

I agree with Horner and rascasse1.

I don't think he was bitching per se. Valid points. It's clear he's aggrieved and not a fan of AC. Fair enough. Horner will only ever be a great domestique, but with a heart. That counts.

I know quite a few pros in FR & GER, and heard what Kloeden had said re AC's attitude in that AC was out of order. AC was always going to win, but did not think of his team.

As much I'm a big LA fan, I'm glad AC has moved on! Barring crashes or mishaps, he will win TdF 2010.

[tehRealChazzzy]

@eirepol73 Very informative comments--thanks! IMO this year's Tour will be one of the most anticipated ever.

[eirepol73]

You're welcome tehRealChazzzy and, yes, "one of the most anticipated ever".

I mean, I badly WANT LA to win and, as an ex-pro myself, I know what he's doing and where his mindset is. It'd be sensational victory..

However, everyone gunning for tour glory this year will fear the 'even more improved' AC, as he'll have matured physically by approx 5-?%, knowing he's slowly inching towards his 'peak' years, which makes them truly groan. He is a potential tour career-killer for the Schlecks, etc. Wow..

[tehRealChazzzy]

@eirepol73 Solid critique. I am so looking forward to the 2010 TDF!

[elguero28]

lance is a baby '''''its all about him'''he attacked contador and nobody said anything but contador attacks and its bloody murder...lance shut up....how many times did lance help teammates when he was winning the tour ahhhhh never.......

[duveimperial]

One big hater..(quite your crying chump.)

[5Keown]

I'm amazed by the views of some Americans, not only here, but all over the net and in the media. Contador was by far the best rider. And no; just because Lance used to win he is not a shoe-in for leadership. Claiming so is both arrogant and ignorant.

[btinder711]

@5Keown

Uhh, have you ever been to Europe or more specifically, Spain? The American cycling media is by FAR the most objective in the world.

[farmboyjad]

I think it's clear that contador was the strongest rider in last year's tour and Lance was clearly not going to waltz in and automatically reclaim the number one spot. HOWEVER, I also think it was clear that after it became obvious that contador was the best chance for yellow, armstrong worked his tail off for the young spaniard. Alberto, for his part, was incredibly ungrateful and seemed to continue to view his own teammates as enemies. That's where I have a problem.

[kvgjyfr]

Yeah, but he's a beast on a bike so he's got a right to be. Horner is just a baldy old man.;-)

[Dwhite4490]

Horner may be an old man, but he can kick your ass on a bike; you and all but about a dozen riders in the world.

[5Keown]

@kvgjyfr honey, I live in "Europe".

[kvgjyfr]

'I think lance would've got the yellow jersey if i was there'. Sounds like an  arrogant little prick!!.

[ChaZZZy007]

Indeed...

Alberto Contador is definitely an arrogant little prick! ;-)

[r13p13]

@kvgjyfr FU and the fucking Yanks...

Dá-lhe Alberto caralho!!!

You bitches are crying cause yours bastard is old...Now you want to sign Alberto for Radioshack...prick's!

[Letsgoflyerzzzz]

@r13p13 alberto is arrogant and cocky like cavendish, i dont want him going to radioshack, especially after Andy Schleck WILL beat him. And F U

[BrianBUrlacher]

@kvgjyfr not being offensive but i disagree to some extent..although he comes across as arrogant it kind of just shows that the inter team feud and saying that he would have helped armstrong more so than the team now which focus on contador..

[grtas1]

I also seem to remember Ullrich waiting for Armstrong when he could have won the tour in 03 and Lance had the nerve to say to Charlie Rose that Jan seemed to be going at race tempo. Armstrong has a history of manipulating and bullying his way around the peloton - like when jan attacked in 04 and he ordered csc to chase him down - then at the finish line he wanted everyone to obey so that Landis could get the stage win. I respect the guy for all he's been through but he can still be a prick.

[grtas1]

Yeah of course his determination was off the charts - that's one of the things I genuinely admire about the bully.

However I'm saying if Ullrich had just focused himself more like he did for 03 then Armstrong I don't think would have won seven - but hey that's Ullrich's fault - he's only got himself to blame.

[grtas1]

Armstrong was so lucky that Ullrich was such a lazy bastard cos if Ullrich had continued to race like he did in the 97 tour they would have would been some damn close races and Lance definitely wouldn't have won seven of them.

[ChaZZZy007]

Part of Lance's greatness is his discipline and hunger to win. When it comes to the Tour De France, only Eddy Merckx's rivals Lance in these 2 areas.

[ChaZZZy007]

Lance a bully??? LoL! Hardly. The only times Lance ever bullied people has been with his talent on the course during a race. In that respect he's absolutely punished his competitors. In the same breath one has to admit lance has always been a great sportsman. I still remember quite vividly the 2001 TDFwhen Ullrich crashed and Lance would not increase the gap on Jan but waited for him. Quite a difference from "Mr. Pistolero" who attacked his team mates twice during the race this year.

[TettenDikke]

@ChaZZZy007 Do you know Simeoni ? 

[ChaZZZy007]

The 1st time Contador attacked Lance and others who had been riding tempo during the mountain stage was shameful. The 2nd time when he attacked Kloden was shameful AND stupid...

[robertoquinto]

@ChaZZZy007 do you forget when farmstrong put 41 sec on contador on the flat stage on the crosswinds when he put to pull popo and zubeldia and lance get into the podium because they were riding tempo and for theTTT thats when lance took time on andy . and one more thing what happend to the old man this year? did he finish the tour ? oohhhhh yes he did he was all the time riding with the group righ

[Kristake90]

@ChaZZZy007 look for folklore2 comment, this is my point. Contador should push kloden off bike before he attack to make sure he`ll have a worst time.What Astana does with Contador it`s not fair at all and Armstrong and Bruyneel are the reason of that.

[maine932]

@grtas1 and If the queen had balls she'd be king, and the King laughed, cause he had two...!

[alech98]

Did any spanish rider said something about lance NO!!

did Alberto said something about Lance during the race no!

Did you know that alberto had to come back alone (in his brother's car) to the hotel, becouse lance and bruyneel left with out him??

How would you feel when you are the best rider in the world and a legend comes to take your place?

and whats more, IF LANCE WIN, THE TEAM WIN, BUT IF ALBERTO WIN, LANCE SAYS THERE IS NO I IN TEAM??

SHOULD I REMEMBER 1999-2005 YEARS? stop crying...

[ulliboll]

hypocrite

[ChaZZZy007]

Alberto is no doubt a phenomenal talent. However he is a lousy team mate and a very bad team leader. His in race decisions, and post race comments isolated him from virtually everyone on the team.

[jonyzoo]

jajaj what,team,they just,really want to help,lance,no contador.

[jguitar29]

Lance is a dick! If Astana would've backed up contador, maybe he would have not dropped everyone. If AC was allowed to ride other past tours, then lances record will be in jeopardy. But theres still time for him to break it. LANCE YOU ARE NOT GETTING NUMBER 8.

[boazmoss]

This Astana 123 could never happen with Andy and frank Shleck's perssistent presence.

And, if, Andy, wouldnt have slowed down the pace for Frank to join him and AC duo,

Lance would not be on the podium in the Champs

And as he declared in the begining , he would gladly let the stronger man win.

So mission acomplished.

[r13p13]

Vamos Alberto....

O resto é treta destes cowboys...siga para bingo!!!

[laetrille]

Lance le ba a ganar a Alberto en 2010

[jonyzoo]

como,jajajja,necesita ir agarrado a una moto,en la subida.

[skiviper]

Chazzz, you assume Astana was a "normal" team, It was clear JB and LA had isolated Contador within the team with the all the politics and mind games to favor lance. How many times did USPS try to get more than one guy on the podium? that podium sweep thing was a sham....

[ChaZZZy007]

USPS was a completely different setup. The Team was built for Lance to win. Aside from the Grand Tours though Lance worked for his team mates like he did for Levi in the Tour De California this year. Contador sees himself as a one man show.

Having said that Lance said that he never disobeyed Johan's orders...never. Contador not only disobeyed team orders but did so to the detriment of his own team members placings. This team had 4 peeps who could have made the podium.

[skiviper]

Chazzz, We have seen other times when a leader wasnt declared, with the same tension as a result (Vino and Ullrich,

Lemond/Hinault)

I understand that from a logical view, doing this 2-3 man leader thing works, but when you throw in human emotions, it can backfire.

What you see as Contador disobeying was actually him going paranoid over the toxic atmosphere in the team created by LA and JBs relationship.

Kloden was not his teamate as far as Contador was concerned, he was LA's only

[ChaZZZy007]

Ski take a look at Lance's and Contador's dealing with the exact situation on a race stage. While Lance was riding Wiggin's wheel so as not to bring him back to Alberto during stage 17, Contador was attacking Kloden.

Vino and Ullrich's team was a dangerous one. You also had Kloden as well. Even then though they worked together to try and beat Lance. In this case Contador used his team mates riding orders to gain time and attack them.

[skiviper]

Chazz, you keep assuming Astana was a "normal" team. Yes, under normal circumstances, Contador may have been "wrong"

But this was not a normal team, it was a dysfunctional one. You had "team lance", and then Contador and Paulinho. I can undertand why people would side with lance (they want a radio shack contract, etc) . But still, it was clear that Contador was being alienated in the team, so the "loyalty" of AC to Astana was gone.

Also, not attacking doesnt equal helping

[jguitar29]

Chazzz get off of LA dick, as a matter of fact . I'd wish that everyone would get off of it.... He's a selfish. Did he really think he had a chance. and another thing. LOYALTY. Look what they did to George. Contador was forced to ride by himself.

[behemotjr]

I think that is obvious that Bruynell prefered Armstrong.

Contador was by far the best, he committed a mistake when he attacked th day he was with the Schleck's and Kloden, but anyway Kloden agreed with him when he asked him, but he wasn't able to follow his leader.

What he was supposed to do, wait for Kloden as Andy did for his brother in Mont Ventoux?

I think that the whole problem began when Armstrong tried to take the place of Astana leader when this place was already taken by Contador

[ChaZZZy007]

First off Contador was far and away the best rider in the Tour this year and deserved to win.

Contador was in no way a dependable team mate. The team did nothing to damage Contador and everything to support him,. In exchange he attacked his team mates on the road, and in the end cost the team a possible sweep o the podium when he attacked Kloden and the Schlecks on stage 17. That was a supremely foolish decision.

[kilomeister]

bullshit. the bruynel armstrong love in was evident far before le tour. in the tour of california , bruynel rolled out the armstrong superstars, while ac was held out to dry in the paris-nice.

anyway. i think it was stage 3, lance joined the columbia breakaway and stole 40 seconds. if astana would have set out for 123 with ac in 1st place, they would have. you can't upset lance's ego or his teammates. even if you happen to be younger, fitter and better than him. kloden got what he desrerved!

[ChaZZZy007]

Lance didn't steal anything. He was on the front where he should have been, and made the move with Columbia HTC. No other GC contenders were in the lead group Astana didn't chase them down. If Contador had made the same move Astana wouldn't have chased him down either. It was Contador who "stole" time by attacking Lance and Kloden while they were riding tempo up front for the team on the final climb up Arcalis. In the Tour of Cali Lance worked hard for Levi as a domestique.

[segundorodriguez]

Since when must a leader, dressed in yellow, wait for his team mate? do you know anything about cycling? Contador only had +2' on the other riders, a bad day in mont Ventoux and he could lose his yellow... And BTW did amstrong wait for Kloden when he pased him? And, do you think Kloden would have been able of staying with schleck brothers rythm? They had 20 m and Contador stoped trying to let kloden join them... instead he lost +2' and +20" with Amstrong... the super team mate.

[ChaZZZy007]

Since when must a leader wait for his team mate? How about when the Team Director tells him to...

[segundorodriguez]

And that excellent Astana team work in Arcalis? Didn't you see Kloden and Amstrong running after Contador and bringing the rest of leaders to him??? Is that teamwrok in USA??? No man, Astana was running for asmtrong and not Contador... you could even see that in the Time Trial when Bruyneel choose to be in Mastrong car instead of his number one rider... very bad image for a team to have the the main sport manager in yhe second team rider's car...

[ChaZZZy007]

Arcalis??? What race were you watching? Lance stayed on the wheel of Cadel Evans who was considered a race favorite at the time.

[foxy3f]

what a bullshit from Horner. If Armstrong was in the situation of AC, he defenitely should have done a demarrage. The team damaged Alberto for 3 weeks, but he still wins. I have deep respect for that. Like AC said, I won 2 races.