Tour de France 2012

[scotty]

Odd for Horner not to be there, would have thought it's a given.

[Cav']

They most prob wanted young blood , Chris turns 41 this year

[Capcha]

They most prob wanted young blood , Chris turns 41 this year

Jens is 41 so what's the diffs? ...Oh wait, he rides like a 25year old testostirone demon!!!

[Cav']

Jens is 41 so what's the diffs? ...Oh wait, he rides like a 25year old testostirone demon!!!

Horner can't be compared to Voight.....

[Squier]

Bruyneel said on facebook that Horner was not selected because he is strugglinh with a back injury.

[Squier]

Bruyneel said on facebook that Horner was not selected because he is struggling with a back injury.

[Aurora]

Is Chris Froome riding? He dropped team sky at the Vuelta last year

[bontie]

Is Chris Froome riding? He dropped team sky at the Vuelta last year

 

Yes, Froome is there.

I hate to say it, but Wiggins is looking very sharp. It would take a hell of a ride from Evans to beat him.

SKY's prep is very clinical and focused, similar to USPS back in the day...Suppose that is what it takes these days.

 

How I miss those days where everyone just raced the cr@p out of each other.

[1hill@aTime]

Cadel, Wiggins, Andy

['Dale]

Indurain says:

"There is no clear favourire for this Tour, but the benchmark will be Cadel Evans, last year's winner. This Tour will be open," Indurain said on Spanish website marca.com.

"There's still time left [before the start] and some riders will certainly improve. In addition, the hardest part of the Tour will come at the end, and until then it will serve as stepping stones towards improving their shape. The same has happened in the recent Giro [d'Italia], where everything was played out in the last week. Many enter the race at 80 percent and improve with the passage of time."

['Dale]

On another poll on a cycling forum, Wiggo has a massive lead.

Here on HUBSA, well... it is more even between Evans, Wiggo and Schleckie - after more than 100 votes.

 

[Zook]

Schleckie is gonna kick his azzz in 2013...

 

If so, the Schecks are going to need a better strategist. They have absolutely no brains.

['Dale]

If so, the Schecks are going to need a better strategist. They have absolutely no brains.

 

['Dale]

If so, the Schecks are going to need a better strategist. They have absolutely no brains.

 

Well, let's pay some respect, Zook... they were on the 2nd and 3rd step of the TdF podium last year.

[Zook]

Well, let's pay some respect, Zook... they were on the 2nd and 3rd step of the TdF podium last year.

 

TBH, I was looking that they have Bruyneel and actually he's brilliant, so I take that back. But I've never looked at what Contador has done and thought "why, why why you fool" like I have with the Schlecks, so very often.

 

For example, when Frank is ahead, Andy should at least be making a show of supporting him. That raises the chance that one of them will do well, instead of showing so obviously that Andy is your only chance at success. With the latter, your competitors have one less worry.

 

The amount of times the Schlecks wasted energy with Contador right behind them. That's idiotic, because he's generally very strong. Let him do that, especially when you have any time in reserve. Attack him only when he's attacked you a few times in a row.

 

The Schlecks are quite capable of getting onto the podium, but I'm pretty sure they consider that a failure. They're going there to win it. If you don't have the absolute sheer strength of e.g. Contador, you need to make it up by using what you have cleverly. They have often not done that.

 

/signing off, armchair TDFer who likely couldn't catch Schleck's granny on a downhill

[Peter Parker]

With two ITT, Wiggins must be favourite.

He was 1.30 odd minutes faster than Evans in the Criterium de Dauphine.

He will just follow up the hills and kick butt in the TT.