Johan Bruyneel Quotations

I feel like with have a really strong team but without Lance, it's going to take some time and some races to get used to him not being here. It will be big challenge for me. I think in a few years we will have another strong leader at the head of this team and I think we have a few that are here now and are ready to step up into that role.

But don't make me say that Lance has already decided what he will do with the rest of his career. That said, we speak for 15 minutes on the phone every day, and for 13 of those we talk about cycling.

He's planning on being here. Just sitting with me in the car, he helps.

He has another Tour in his legs yet

He will try to do the best he can and try to finish as high as possible. The last week of a grand tour is always the hardest and that's the experience that he's really lacking. After two weeks of what we've seen, it's been very positive.

I'm a little surprised that Lance was ignored like this. He won this race seven times in a row, no one has done this before. The Tour helped him become what he is now.

his two wins in Benelux were nice but this is something else. It's great for his morale and for the team's morale. Before the race began, I stated our goal is to win two stages. It's not easy to win but hopefully we can fulfil the goal.

He's definitely have a great start of the year.

He got back on the bike to train three weeks after the end of the Tour de France,

Lance is confident he has a strong team and now it's up to him to be ready. His form is coming.

It is always easy to look back and say I could have done this or that. It does not work that way. Cycling is not a science you try to be the strongest on the road. We tried to follow the plan, and Floyd was stronger than we expected, and we have to accept that. We have no regrets.

I think if you have to name five names, as of today, he is one of them.

I think he's been very offended, ... If you know him, he doesn't need a lot to find some motivation. I think it woke up the competitive side of him.

I think he's been very offended. If you know him, he doesn't need a lot to find some motivation. I think it woke up the competitive side of him. Physically and mentally he can deal with a lot.

We didn't really look for somebody to replace him, ... For one, there is nobody - not a strong leader like he was. Without him, we have a very good team, but not the favourites.

We didn't really look for somebody to replace him. For one, there is nobody - not a strong leader like he was. Without him, we have a very good team, but not the favourites.

We didn't really look for somebody to replace him. For one there is nobody, not a strong leader like he was. Without him we have a very good team . . . but not the favorites.

We haven't signed anybody. We're full. We have 27 riders and we're going to keep it that way.

We're convinced that he would have kept his leader's jersey had he not crashed. You don't take the yellow jersey away from a rider who crashed out.

We're definitely not going to sit back and watch. Tomorrow and the day after are two hard stages and I think we can still try to do something. We're going to be aggressive.

We were up there in the Classics and the Tour of Spain as well.

We put this team together specifically for this course, and it turned out to be the best team I have ever seen.

Another issue here is that the code of ethics, the proper protocols were not followed properly in this matter. The only purpose is to damage Lance's image. Normally, a matter like this is handled via the correct organs of the sport, not just published in a newspaper with leaked information. But we've been through all of this before, so many accusations. So it's not a surprise. We're used to it.

The way he won this year... everything pretty much under control and he never showed any weakness. He has another Tour in his legs yet.

These are the young riders that we can help build the future of the team. There's not going to be another Lance, we know that much already.

Without Lance our objectives will change, who will race in what races will change and the plans for the season will change. But we still have a very strong team without him. If you look at our 2005 season and take out what Lance accomplished, basically his Tour victory, this team had an amazing season. It was a season that any team would sign up for before it started.

definitely an open possibility, I know he is on the bike.

There's still some work ahead of us but the timing is right, ... his sensations.

This time trial was really the stage that mattered, the real test for us. And from what I saw, we have every reason to be satisfied.

This year, things were planned a little different. The Tour route is different, with the mountains coming so late, so we are trying to have everyone reach top shape right at the start of the Tour, maybe even a bit later,

We attacked all the time and I think we have to accept we were beaten by a very solid Landis. Floyd was just strong than we expected.

This is a transition year, not in terms of being competitive but in going from being Lance's team to being a team without Lance. The goals will remain unchanged. Even without Lance, when I look at the guys here, we have a lot of good bike riders.

I'm sure he could win (another Tour), ... The way he won this year... everything pretty much under control and he never showed any weakness. He has another Tour in his legs yet.

I'm sure he could win (another Tour). The way he won this year... everything pretty much under control and he never showed any weakness. He has another Tour in his legs yet.

I'm conscious Lance won seven Tour de France titles and owes a lot to the race. But at the same time, the Tour de France became more important with an American who won seven Tours.

I'm more satisfied than at this time last year. If I had to give him a mark, it would be B plus.

I walked away a bit angry, but at the same time, and I have to thank the Tour for this; we're more driven than ever before. One of the things Lance passed on to me was to find motivation out of unpleasant things. I walked away thinking about how we are going to try to win the Tour next year.

I'm not counting out anything. With what's happened in France, he would have a little extra motivation.

Everyone has to judge for themselves, ... Lance realizes where he is now is because of the Tour de France and what the race has given him. I think he's also given a lot back and that the Tour wouldn't be where it is today without a big U.S. champion. It's sad that certain people cannot recognize that.

It's unbelievable what Lance did today. It's undoubtedly a good operation.

I haven't spoken with him today, but it's nothing new. He started training three weeks ago and it shows he's getting a little bored with being retired.

He's still up there in the GC. After two weeks, he's done a lot better than we expected. We're very satisfied with how he's ridden so far.

George is a total professional and I expect him to be in top form for his next objective, the Tour de France.

It's definitely an open possibility, I know he is on the bike.

It's not easy to plan but I think we calculated it well and the guys have confidence that their form is coming.

It's nothing serious. He actually fell on the tarmac. There is not much you can do when a crash takes place just in front of you. In the first week of the Tour, riders are very nervous and you must be especially careful.

We could decide during our training camp in December, which will be decisive (for the Tour),

We could decide during our (U.S.) training camp in December, which will be decisive (for the Tour),

We could decide during our (US) training camp in December, which will be decisive (for the Tour),

It was a very hard stage today. There were four third category climbs in the beginning part but in the last part, it all came back together. We knew it was a good finish for Max as it was slightly uphill at the finish.

It was a very serious wake-up call. I think he took a few things for granted last year.

It's good for the motivation of the team. It was good to have him around.

He proved in the past that he can deal with that. He is at his maximum under pressure,

He absolutely wants to be part of the training camp in December and wants to get fit to compete with the guys there.

He began training again three weeks after the Tour de France ended. It is clear he is hungry for cycling. ... He could feel a need to prove to the world he is the strongest and that it isn't due to any banned substance.

If he decided to come back, it wouldn't surprise me. I cannot say for sure, but (a comeback) would be something beautiful.

The mental damage is going to be worse than the physical damage.

The true value of communication is often not so much what you say to each other but the simple, powerful fact that you care enough to say something to each other so often.

I’ve always had this idea that if you’re going to try something, if you’re going to expend that first big block of effort and energy to participate - whether it’s riding the Tour de France or applying for a new job or coaching your daughter’s soccer team - you might as well go ahead and give whatever else it takes to win, I mean, I’m going to be there no matter what, right? Why not go ahead and get the victory?