The 100th Edition Of The Tour de France: Chirps, Opinions, News, Updates.

['Dale]

“We are a young team. We’re all behind Chris and very motivated...“Geraint [Thomas] will be the road captain. We have strong riders for the climbers. We are actually all pretty good mates. That’ll help us that we’re such a tight team. As a team, we are ready to fight for Froomey...

Contador's the one who’s won the most... there are five or six guys who really could give us some stress. Alberto, he’s the main one that we’re watching.”

 

Porte, on Sky approach.

Edited June 22, 2013 by ' Dale

['Dale]

[hayleyearth]

I watch that program on SS with some footage from the start of TdF those ones were tough!!

[jamiecanter]

I guess this is one way of practicing climbing.....

[media=560x315]http://youtu.be/mgkkU-TRwvY[/media]

Edited June 22, 2013 by jamiecanter

[kosmonooit]

BMC Racing Team for the 2013 Tour de France

 

Brent Bookwalter (USA)

Marcus Burghardt (GER)

Cadel Evans (AUS)

Tejay van Garderen (USA)

Philippe Gilbert (BEL)

Amaël Moinard (FRA)

Steve Morabito (SUI)

Manuel Quinziato (ITA)

Michael Schär (SUI)

 

VeloNews

 

BMC Racing Team will surround Cadel Evans with a cadre of veterans for the 100th edition of the Tour de France.

 

Among the Australian’s teammates are six riders who supported Evans during his 2011 Tour victory: Brent Bookwalter, Marcus Burghardt, Amaël Moinard, Steve Morabito, Manuel Quinziato and Michael Schär.

 

Joining them will be reigning world road champion Philippe Gilbert and last year’s best young rider, Amgen Tour of California winner Tejay van Garderen.

 

“We have a really strong team and can go to Corsica with a lot of confidence with this team of experienced guys,” said sports director John Lelangue. “They are all in good shape and focused on a sole objective.”

 

Evans, who will start his ninth Tour de France coming off a third-place finish at the Giro d’Italia last month, said his recovery and training “have progressed well this time as we attempt the Giro-Tour double.”

 

Evans said the team is even stronger than the 2011 squad.

 

“I am happy to have my three guardian angels — Quinziato, Burghardt and Schär — around me, plus Brent, Amaël and Steve from our successful 2011 team,” he said. “And with Tejay coming into the mix, we are a lot stronger in the mountains than in past years.”

 

Van Garderen, who was fifth last year in his second Tour appearance, said repeating as the race’s best young rider is not an objective.

 

“The white jersey wasn’t a goal of mine last year and it’s not again this year,” he said. “It just came along with me being up there every day, helping Cadel, which is my focus again this year.”

BMC Racing Team will surround Cadel Evans with a cadre of veterans for the 100th edition of the Tour de France.

 

Among the Australian’s teammates are six riders who supported Evans during his 2011 Tour victory: Brent Bookwalter, Marcus Burghardt, Amaël Moinard, Steve Morabito, Manuel Quinziato and Michael Schär.

 

Joining them will be reigning world road champion Philippe Gilbert and last year’s best young rider, Amgen Tour of California winner Tejay van Garderen.

 

“We have a really strong team and can go to Corsica with a lot of confidence with this team of experienced guys,” said sports director John Lelangue. “They are all in good shape and focused on a sole objective.”

 

Evans, who will start his ninth Tour de France coming off a third-place finish at the Giro d’Italia last month, said his recovery and training “have progressed well this time as we attempt the Giro-Tour double.”

 

Evans said the team is even stronger than the 2011 squad.

 

“I am happy to have my three guardian angels — Quinziato, Burghardt and Schär — around me, plus Brent, Amaël and Steve from our successful 2011 team,” he said. “And with Tejay coming into the mix, we are a lot stronger in the mountains than in past years.”

 

Van Garderen, who was fifth last year in his second Tour appearance, said repeating as the race’s best young rider is not an objective.

 

“The white jersey wasn’t a goal of mine last year and it’s not again this year,” he said. “It just came along with me being up there every day, helping Cadel, which is my focus again this year.”

 

 

 

 

So, no Thor. Guess the Tour of Cal was the testing/proving ground.

Edited June 22, 2013 by kosmonooit

[T-Bob]

I guess this is one way of practicing climbing.....

 

You just can't hate the guy! He looks like the one rider in the bunch who is enjoying living the dream.

[Squier]

I don't get it. Cadel wasn't as strong as Tejay last year and this year he has to contend with the Giro in his legs as well. When I saw him at the Giro I thought that left the door wide open for Tejay, but clearly I was wrong. I see Tejay finishing ahead of Cadel again this year.

[jamiecanter]

You just can't hate the guy! He looks like the one rider in the bunch who is enjoying living the dream.

 

I love the guy. Shame on Cannondale for not including an auto park feature like the one on Wiggo's Pinarello though.

['Dale]

I guess this is one way of practicing climbing.....

[media=560x315]http://youtu.be/mgkkU-TRwvY[/media]

 

Insane

['Dale]

Sagan’s haul of three stage wins was matched by both Cavendish and André Greipel, but such was his ability to pick up points on all terrains – in bunch sprints and even in the high mountains – that the Slovak had all but sealed the green jersey by the second rest day and reached Paris with a winning margin of some 141 points.

 

Not since Sean Kelly in the 1980s has the maillot vert been won by a rider regularly capable of scoring so many points in so many different situations, and long before Sagan reached Paris, speculation was building as to whether he could rival or even beat Erik Zabel’s record of six green jerseys.

 

READ MORE ANALYSIS HERE

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-2013-sagan-cavendish-and-the-fight-for-the-green-jersey

['Dale]

Cav's never won green.

Gonna be a good fight for points.

[T-Bob]

I don't get it. Cadel wasn't as strong as Tejay last year and this year he has to contend with the Giro in his legs as well. When I saw him at the Giro I thought that left the door wide open for Tejay, but clearly I was wrong. I see Tejay finishing ahead of Cadel again this year.

 

- Cadel was on the ropes for most of last year with an infection and struggled through.

- He went to the Giro as a fitness test and managed to get 3rd (though if it wasn't for a massive mechanical on one of the last stages I reckon he would have held 2nd).

- He's won the tour before and that counts for a lot. Le Tour doesn't come for free.

- TJ is the future, if BMC can keep him, and will be for a decent time to come. He's got time to take out tours at will but maybe not the experience of leading in the biggest tour. Massive difference between doing well as a support rider and then taking the weight of the race on your shoulders.

- Cuddles looks like a chipmunk that's going to cry all the time but he doesn't know how to quit. I don't think he can win this year, time is against him, but then everyone thought he was going embarrass himself at the giro and that didn't happen.

 

There is a lot of quiet contenders this year for the 3 steps.

[T-Bob]

Cav's never won green.

Gonna be a good fight for points.

 

2011?

 

http://cdn1.coresites.mpora.com/rcuk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cavendish-greenjersey.jpg

Edited June 22, 2013 by hellocolour

[kosmonooit]

The situation with TJ vs Cadel came up in the Tour of Cal, BMC management response was what hello is saying, TJ is their long term plan. He is keen and biting at the bit,but holds a lot of respect for Cadel, also their Plan B,

 

But Thor, w.t.f. ... and the World Champ has yet to come to the party as well.

['Dale]

 

 

2011?

 

http://cdn1.coresites.mpora.com/rcuk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cavendish-greenjersey.jpg

 

I thought so too!

So many reports are getting it wrong then. *puzzled*

 

['Dale]

"Personally, a victory by Alberto in the 2013 Tour de France would be a huge thrill and feel of achievement...When you see how much passion and belief Alberto has day in and day out in what he is doing, it's impossible to not feel emotional. Like all great leaders he brings the best out of his team and I can't wait to get things going."

 

Matt Rogers, Saxobank's nr 2 man