Dear Al, (can I call you Al?)I understand that you've gotten the short end of the stick at times and that in America's eyes you are the one who defied orders and "attacked our Lance" on stage 7 of the 2009 Tour on Arcalis in the Pyrenees. But let's put 2009 behind us. You know that was a bone head move, we know that was a bone head move and it got you more enemies than allies. Let's move on.
I feel as though I was finally starting to come around for you this year. You made a small effort to makes amends with Johan and the team that helped you win the Tour last year by delivering watches to them (as is customary of the winner) as a thanks. That was mighty big of you. My hats off. But just when I start to think that you're growing up and becoming less selfish you go and do something...well, selfish.
Let's take stage 12 as our first example. Very end of a 210.5Km day in the Alps. The last climb of the day, Cote de la Croix-Neuve, and your team mate has charged ahead for the win. He is absolutely of no threat for the general standings. He was going hard and had no one that was coming up behind him, he was going to win the stage. Then Joaquim Rodriguez (also a non threat to you) decided to make a go of it on his own and for some reason you decided to chase. Why? Rodriguez was 9th going into that day and over 4 minutes behind you, there wasn't 4 minutes left in the race. You could have stopped when he broke away, waited for him to cross the line and then started riding again and you still would have been ahead of him in the GC. Instead you broke one of the cardinal rules of cycling and chased down your own team mate that had been working for you the last few days in the Alps. I know you "let" him win the following day's stage but that really doesn't make up for it.
My second example comes from yesterday's stage 15. Again, the last climb of the day. A beast of a climb, again in the Pyreness, and one that many riders had been dreading. There's only 31 seconds dividing you and Schleck. Each of you were keeping a close eye on each other and the stage was turning into a great duel. Then Schleck's chain jumps as he attacks, just a few Kilometers from the peak, and he has to pull over to get it back on gear. The unwritten rule of cycling is if the yellow jersey has a mechanical problem then the second place pulls up the reigns and waits for him. This is not a sign of weakness from a competitor but of respect. The person that wins this race should know that he won it on a level playing field and not because he exploited his rivals misfortunes.
Now I've heard and read many sides of the argument. Some say that Schleck got his mercy when the whole peloton waited for him (and every other GC contender) on stage 2 when everyone crashed on the descent from the Col due Rosier. Some have said that it's karma because Schleck didn't wait for you when you had a mechanical during stage 3 on the cobbles and some have asked when are we going to stop pandering to the maillot jaune?
My response to the first claim is that, like I said, everyone that had any chance of winning the Tour was in a wreck on that descent. At the start of stage 4 there was more white gauze at the starting line then there was spandex. This had nothing to do with Schleck individually but the entire GC. The carnage was vast and it was in everyone's best interest to slow things down so that they could get back into the peloton so the standings wouldn't be turned on their heads. As far as stage 3 on the cobbles goes, you were in 7th place going into that day and Schleck was in 59th. I watched the Tour de Suisse just as I'm sure you did and had no idea which Andy Schleck was going to show up, 2009's Tour de France Schleck or 2010's Tour de Suisse Schleck (say that 10 times fast). I don't think anyone was sure that you were going to need to worry about him at this point in the race either. On a side note, Armstrong was in 5th place (ahead of you) heading into that day and I didn't see anyone waiting for him when he had a flat and now he's sitting at 31st place. My point is that during stage 3 of a 20 stage tour no one knows where anyone is going to end up on that last day into Paris. I know that I never would have guessed that S. Sanchez and Menchov would be up this high in the standings, would you have? Sure Menchov won 2009's Giro, but what has he done for me lately?
In the end my fear is that you're becoming the Terrell Owens of cycling. You're insanely talented but lack the teamwork and tactical skills to be a threat for the duration because teams just won't find that you're worth the trouble. Just like Owens I believe that you will find yourself abhorred by the masses (except Spain) and looking for a job towards the end of your career while you still have a few more tours left in your legs. All the while you'll complain that you did nothing wrong and play the victim role looking for one more shot at fame.
Please Al, winning is nice but not if you have to swallow your ethics to do so.
Love and Kisses,
Patrick
