Tour de France 2012

[Bos]

Ok So I'll put my bets down..

Ive never really liked Wiggo, he's bloody ugly at that.. but his riding has impressed me this year and I think he has some attitude an on top of that he wants to win. I think the fact that he will be caravanned around by his team is obviously going to count in his favour but Im not convinced of his climbing.. Yes He'll have Froom but I dont think he's as good in the high mountains as Andy and Alberto (obviously not riding but if anyone thinks someone else will win the Vulta this year they are cunfused individuals)

 

IMO Not Cadel or Wiggo can really go with the two of them and mark my words Andy will do something like his long breakaway victory of lasy year again on one of the last mountain stages. I dont think he can get 6minutes clear in the mountains though, because thats what Wiggo wil take out of him in the TT. Dont get me wrong he is everything Everyone dislikes in a cyclist exceopt he doesnt quite cry like Cuddles.

 

But I like Cuddles.. I use to like him because he is a ex mtbiker but nowdays so many athletes goes back and forth its not a big deal. What I do like about him is he's been showing agression and he's not afraid of improvising. I think he will take wiggo on in quite a couple of stages where the finish is at the foot after the climbs. Yes Sky kept it together for Wiggo on a stage in the Dauphine, but They will not always have a hand full of riders left in the high mountains. and I dont think theres many that will stick to Cadel on the downs. I'll also put my cash on cadel to go for a stage win in a medium mountain stage with a uphill finish.

 

I do look forward to this years tour though and I think a lot of guys are going to be "made" this year. SAGAN is so good.. I would love to see him take Cav's money because its getting a bit boring to see cav win the whole time, although at the same time nice to see someone dominating in a area in a sport that ever changes and is as competative as it gets.

 

So although I have voted Wiggo because He is the obvious strongest rider at this moment.

My heart goes to Evans..Just because he's the underdog although reighning champion. He will have to do so much more and play so much cleaverer to beat such a team as Sky.

 

1- Evans

2- Wiggo

3- Nibali

4- Froom

4-Schleck

['Dale]

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

 

From velonews.com:

 

Horner said he learned about his exclusion from the RadioShack Tour team from his wife, who read it on the Internet and called him while he was out training. He added that as of Monday evening, he had not yet spoken with anyone from RadioShack team management. The last time he spoke with team manager Johan Bruyneel, Horner said, was a month earlier in Santa Rosa, California, when Bruyneel briefly visited the team prior to the start of the Amgen Tour.

“While I’m out doing a 100-mile training ride, I’m told that my back is wrecked beyond competing at the Tour de France,” Horner said. “As bike racers, you want to do the Tour more than any other race. By all means I can understand the team being concerned about a back problem, but my therapist was able to get it back under control, and at almost three weeks out, it’s still early to make that kind of decision.”

[TNT1]

1- Evans

2- Wiggo

3- Nibali

4- Froom

4-Schleck

 

I agree, but may I exchange Schleck for Rolland? May I also exchange Kreuzinger, or Cobo, or Menchov for Nibali?

Edited June 13, 2012 by TNT1

[petatodd]

So if Bos is right we're going to be treated to an attempt to win the tour with sneaky little attempts to steal a few seconds on Wiggins et all every time we have a descent finish? That's exactly why we all love Evans wheel sucking habits!

 

Anyway, it should keep the "nothing" finishes more interesting.

Edited June 13, 2012 by petatodd

[Tumbleweed]

Some love for Impey:

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/goss-refining-lead-out-for-the-tour-de-france-in-slovenia?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=cyclingnews&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0

[Cav']

 

1- Evans

2- Wiggo

3- Nibali

4- Froom

4-Schleck

I agree with wiggo and cuddles not being the same caliber climber ad AC.

But with him absent-i'd switch your no 1 and 2 above ,also hesjedal at no 4.

[Cav']

Some love for Impey:

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/goss-refining-lead-out-for-the-tour-de-france-in-slovenia?ns_campaign=news&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=cyclingnews&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0

He deserves it.

[Fujioso]

I watched the Dauphine. Evans, I suspect, was sandbagging ever so slightly. He definitely has his sights set on a second Maillot Jaune and there is a lot of experience in the BMC team, despite losing Hushovd. Phillipe Gilbert needs to repay the faith placed in him and he will be devasting in the early parts of the long climbs, pushing the tempo really hard. Just watch him.

 

Sky will do well to keep an eye on Gilbert. He might eye a stage win.

 

The Sky team is by far the strongest and best drilled unit, but in the end only Froome has the engine to go with Wiggins in the Big mountains. But that is where he failed in Spain, and I suspect he will struggle again in the last week of the Tour.

 

Cadel Evans for the win.

[FatBoyDrunk]

I watched the Dauphine. Evans, I suspect, was sandbagging ever so slightly. He definitely has his sights set on a second Maillot Jaune and there is a lot of experience in the BMC team, despite losing Hushovd. Phillipe Gilbert needs to repay the faith placed in him and he will be devasting in the early parts of the long climbs, pushing the tempo really hard. Just watch him.

 

Sky will do well to keep an eye on Gilbert. He might eye a stage win.

 

The Sky team is by far the strongest and best drilled unit, but in the end only Froome has the engine to go with Wiggins in the Big mountains. But that is where he failed in Spain, and I suspect he will struggle again in the last week of the Tour.

 

Cadel Evans for the win.

I don't think you can say he failed in Spain. He had a broken collarbone 6 weeks earlier!!

It's quite understandable he struggled in the last week with his fitness, you can't take that as a benchmark.

['Dale]

Nibs went back to high-altitude training in his final pre-le Tour preparations.

He fell flat at the queen stage of Dauphiné.

He'll have Basso as a super duper domestique. Cool!

 

GO, NIBALI!

 

For me, he can earn a spot on the podium after the very experienced and competent Evans and Wiggo.

['Dale]

Love this sport.

 

It is so difficult to forecast who will take the maillot jaune.

 

So much can happen in 3 weeks!

Some can come to form.

Some can dip in form.

Crashes.

Technicals.

Flu.

Bad directeur calls.

 

:clap:

[G-Unit]

I watched the Dauphine. Evans, I suspect, was sandbagging ever so slightly. He definitely has his sights set on a second Maillot Jaune and there is a lot of experience in the BMC team, despite losing Hushovd. Phillipe Gilbert needs to repay the faith placed in him and he will be devasting in the early parts of the long climbs, pushing the tempo really hard. Just watch him.

 

Sky will do well to keep an eye on Gilbert. He might eye a stage win.

 

The Sky team is by far the strongest and best drilled unit, but in the end only Froome has the engine to go with Wiggins in the Big mountains. But that is where he failed in Spain, and I suspect he will struggle again in the last week of the Tour.

 

Cadel Evans for the win.

 

I certainly hope you're right about Gilbert. He's really exciting when he's on form. But he's been off the pace lately.

[kosmonooit]

Phillipe Gilbert has yet to show any form this whole season - despite high expectations and the 'kings ransom' handed over to him to move to BMC. Haven't seen him pulling for the team as yet, he has tried a few breaks towards the end or the races but never seems to stick.

[scotty]

Love this sport.

 

It is so difficult to forecast who will take the maillot jaune.

 

So much can happen in 3 weeks!

Some can come to form.

Some can dip in form.

Crashes.

Technicals.

Flu.

Bad directeur calls.

 

:clap:

Tainted steaks

[Bos]

I agree, but may I exchange Schleck for Rolland? May I also exchange Kreuzinger, or Cobo, or Menchov for Nibali?

 

sorry that was Andy Scmuck in 5th.. personally I dont think he's racing fit, but as I said, he'll take 2-3 minutes on every one on a particular day..And when He rides the tour will still be a favourite. (not of mine though)

 

Ya like mentioned a couple of times its so hard to rate guys doing well in lesser races. Cobo for instance. I think we all watched him put the hurt on Sky in the Vulta where every day seemed to be a mountains day and 20% seemed to be the order of the day.. so it proves he is strong I'd like to see him up there for sure!

 

Nibali has showed he can ride mountains but that was 2 years ago.. and I really think that unless youre a Albero Contador you have to peak so perfectly for those big mountain weeks that these other names might be there for one or two days but not be there every day.

 

It sure as hell is going to be interrested and Im sure a lot of us is going to be proven wrong, and thats exciting.

 

You mention Pierre Roland.. but surely he will have to ride for Tommy Voekler? although he cant Climb high mountains not TT..so its pointless.

 

Moviestar has a team quite capable climbers with lots of mountain stage winners so far this year.

 

Anothe rname no one is mentioning is Micheal Rogers from skyy.. Jeezlike Sky has a packed team.. Wil be interesting to see how they keep them all happy. I guess they have the dosh..

['Dale]

Rolland & Voeckler is like Froome and Wiggins.

 

A lekka 1-2 GC threat.

 

Very few other teams, if at all, have that back up.

Movistar has Cobo and Valverde, too.