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2012 Predictions

Page 3 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Olympic road: Vino
Olympic TT: Wiggins

World Road: Gilbert
World TT: Froome
TTT: Sky

MSR: Di Luca
RvV: Gilbert
PR: Gilbert
LBL: Valverde
GL: Sella
GW: Cavendish
AMG: Henao
FW: Purito
CSS: Astarloza
PT: Petacchi

Giro: Rujano
Tour: Contador by 8 minutes
Vuelta:this will be the podium:Wiggins-Froome-Henao
 
Jun 16, 2009
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18-Valve. (pithy) said:
I don't think he will enter, though. ;)

He'll likely ride FW, then Romandie like he was supposed to this year.

You could be right but I think he has made a big point about helping Gilbert win all the ardennes classics this year. I think ultimately Evans could get away on that premise.
 
Jul 16, 2010
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auscyclefan94 said:
You could be right but I think he has made a big point about helping Gilbert win all the ardennes classics this year. I think ultimately Evans could get away on that premise.

I wouldn't expect Phil to ever help Evans at the Tour then though ;)
 
Olympic Road: Cav
Olympic TT: Tony Martin

World Road: Gilbert
World TT: Tony Martin
TTT: Sky

MSR: Cav
RvV: Spartacus
PR: Spartacus
LBL: Andy
GL: Dan Martin
GW: EBH
AMG: Gilbert
FW: Gilbert
CSS: Gilbert
PT: Greipel

Giro: GC Scarponi, Points Scarponi
TDF: GC Bertie (or Wiggo), Points Cav
Vuelta: GC Bertie (or Gesink), Points Sagan
 
Jun 1, 2010
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18-Valve. (pithy) said:
:eek:

How does that scenario play out in your mind?

I can see that happening. Evans attacks early from a group of favourites that includes Gilbert. Gilbert shuts down all attempts to jump away from that chase group, which then doesn't want to drag Gilbert to the finish where he'd certainly win from the sprint (unless Valverde is there). Evans then wins the race, Gilbert finally outsprints all others for second.
 
Jul 16, 2010
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Greenflame said:
I can see that happening. Evans attacks early from a group of favourites that includes Gilbert. Gilbert shuts down all attempts to jump away from that chase group, which then doesn't want to drag Gilbert to the finish where he'd certainly win from the sprint (unless Valverde is there). Evans then wins the race, Gilbert finally outsprints all others for second.

Gilbert would just chase his own teammate.
 
El Pistolero said:
Gilbert would just chase his own teammate.
That's obvious:) There won't be any kind of co-leaders crap in BMC. Evans, Ballan and Van Avermaet will be simple domestiques I guess. Gilbert would crush their heads if they try something. The season hasn't even started and he has put both Hushovd and Van Avermaet (specially this one) in place on interviews;D
 
Jun 16, 2009
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trevim said:
That's obvious:) There won't be any kind of co-leaders crap in BMC. Evans, Ballan and Van Avermaet will be simple domestiques I guess. Gilbert would crush their heads if they try something. The season hasn't even started and he has put both Hushovd and Van Avermaet (specially this one) in place on interviews;D

I am strongly disliking Phil's attitude towards Van Avermaet. Show some respect please. It seems to be the Phil show at the moment and everyone else can get stuffed.
 
Jul 16, 2010
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I don't get this Van Avermaet hype, he's never challenged for victory in the Ardennes classics or a Monument. He's to Gilbert what Visconti is to Valverde. He IS a domestique, otherwise GVA should just leave BMC and ride for a smaller team where he can be leader. There's no point in making him a protected rider because he'll just get dropped on the Roche aux Faucons or Saint Nicholas. And whatever the final climb is called of Lombardia.
 
auscyclefan94 said:
I am strongly disliking Phil's attitude towards Van Avermaet. Show some respect please. It seems to be the Phil show at the moment and everyone else can get stuffed.

Van Avermaet has not proved anything yet. You cannot blame Gilbert too.
Phil is like Merckx he does not give away victories. I highly doubt another Devolder/Boonen scenario.

You see what happened with Greipel at this year's tour? Gilbert may be egoistical (he chased down VDB2) but with the skills to back it up. There is no denying that Gilbert is THE man in the classics right now. So I really cannot see why any team leader would or should use GVA as a co-leader. The risk of him blowing it is just to great.

Surely Van Avermaet is not a bad rider but at this point he is hardly even an outsider.
 
i miss riccardo ricco a little bit less since i got phil the cannibal smashing everyone,in the front of the microphone but also in the races.i'd pay lot of money to see both riccardo and gilbert in the same team chasing each other
can't wait to see thor's face when phil will attack him on roubaix,it will be epic stuff
 
Panda Claws said:
Yes, and your point is?

I already admitted he was egoistical.

So you chase down your teammate and fail to get the win. That might be fine in a team like Lotto where you're the obvious top dog. But in a team with World Champions and GT winners on it, that might not wash, and they mightn't roll over so easily as the likes of Greipel and VDB2.

Besides, that was after Greipel worked himself into a stupor trying to help Gilbert win in the spring. If Gilbert keeps pulling the prima donna act, then maybe the likes of Hushovd and Evans won't be so wiling to work for him as Greipel and VDB2 were this year.
 
Dec 27, 2010
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auscyclefan94 said:
I am strongly disliking Phil's attitude towards Van Avermaet. Show some respect please. It seems to be the Phil show at the moment and everyone else can get stuffed.

Yes, it is the Phil show at the moment, he is the best classics rider in the world. Winning Paris-Tours is one thing, but suggesting Van Avermaet should be a co-leader with Gilbert at Liege, Lombardy, is frankly laughable.
 
Libertine Seguros said:
So you chase down your teammate and fail to get the win. That might be fine in a team like Lotto where you're the obvious top dog. But in a team with World Champions and GT winners on it, that might not wash, and they mightn't roll over so easily as the likes of Greipel and VDB2.

Besides, that was after Greipel worked himself into a stupor trying to help Gilbert win in the spring. If Gilbert keeps pulling the prima donna act, then maybe the likes of Hushovd and Evans won't be so wiling to work for him as Greipel and VDB2 were this year.

True. Gilbert and Hushovd keep telling everyone that they are best friends though so maybe that will make a difference.


jens_attacks said:
i miss riccardo ricco a little bit less since i got phil the cannibal smashing everyone,in the front of the microphone but also in the races.i'd pay lot of money to see both riccardo and gilbert in the same team chasing each other
can't wait to see thor's face when phil will attack him on roubaix,it will be epic stuff

I thought Gilbert would not ride Roubaix until 2013. But I would like to see that too. Up to Thor to prove he was telling the truth back when he said he could follow Gilbert's accelerations because "he knew the trick."
 
Jul 2, 2009
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Olympic Road: Cavendish
Olympic TT: T Martin

World Road: Gilbert
World TT: T Martin
TTT: Sky

MSR: Boasson Hagen
RvV: Gilbert
PR: Boonen
LBL: Evans
GL: Nibali
GW: Cavendish
AMG: D Martin
FW: Anton
CSS: Some Spaniard who didn't go to the Olympics
PT: Swift

Giro: Basso/Nibali (whoever is leader)
Tour: Wiggins (no guts, no glory pick)
Vuelta: Gesink
 
Mar 8, 2010
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Olympic Road: Kittel
Olympic TT: Cancellara

World Road: Sagan
World TT: T.Martin
TTT: Germany

MSR: Pozzato
RvV: Boonen
PR: Boonen
LBL: Valverde
GL: Visconti
GW: Greipel
AMG: Andy
FW: Evans
CSS: Valverde
PT: R.Feillu

Giro: Basso
Tour: Menchov, if Alberto should do a babypause
Vuelta: Valverde, if Alberto should do a babypause
 
Jun 16, 2009
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Panda Claws said:
Van Avermaet has not proved anything yet. You cannot blame Gilbert too.
Phil is like Merckx he does not give away victories. I highly doubt another Devolder/Boonen scenario.

You see what happened with Greipel at this year's tour? Gilbert may be egoistical (he chased down VDB2) but with the skills to back it up. There is no denying that Gilbert is THE man in the classics right now. So I really cannot see why any team leader would or should use GVA as a co-leader. The risk of him blowing it is just to great.

Surely Van Avermaet is not a bad rider but at this point he is hardly even an outsider.
I never said he should be co-leader but I think the lack of respect Phil is showing to Greg who is a quality rider is rather nasty.

Libertine Seguros said:
So you chase down your teammate and fail to get the win. That might be fine in a team like Lotto where you're the obvious top dog. But in a team with World Champions and GT winners on it, that might not wash, and they mightn't roll over so easily as the likes of Greipel and VDB2.

Besides, that was after Greipel worked himself into a stupor trying to help Gilbert win in the spring. If Gilbert keeps pulling the prima donna act, then maybe the likes of Hushovd and Evans won't be so wiling to work for him as Greipel and VDB2 were this year.

Agreed, if he alienates his team mates they certainly won't want to work for him therefore he certainly won't have the success that he has had in past years.
 
Vuelta JVDB ( for some reason ). otherwise Gesink who should have recovered by then. Froome will be too tired by coming 3rd at the TDF ( hopefully )
Giro Basso
Olympic RR Tyler Farrar
Olympic TT Fabian Cancellara
TDF Cadel/ Alberto taking into account even if Contador is not suspended Evans would probably be his biggest threat.
LBL Dan Martin
MSR Hushovd
GW Sagan/ EBH

That's all i am willing to say for the moment.

GVA has shown ability to work for Gilbert ( challambra crescent 10 WC Geelong ) and still finish 5th. That is quite impressive. I think GVA has evident talent but probably needs another few years to get a classics win, so he might as well work for PG but in a way that Visconti will for Valverde ( by aiding if attacks go and maybe going up the road himself ) However BMC have done well with him. Lotto drove him into the ground.

At the start of the season i thought it was likely that Contador could win 2 GT's. However now the route seems tailor-made for Cadel and Alberto has a busy schedule beforehand. Then he will do the Olympics ITT which i think he can only win if his peak comes in the 3rd week of the TDF. Then he has the Vuelta to do and maybe a WC. I think he can win at least one of the GT's but i am getting more sceptical as to whether this increased workload is necessary.
 
Gilbert showing the pecking order once again.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=B33J2DND

Translation


The first little incident between Greg Van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert is a fact.
It started with Gilbert's statements after winning De Kristallen Fiets. Gilbert told the media that he was not planning on sharing the leadership with Greg Van Avermaet. 'Greg has potential but he needs to stay realistic. In the final of LBL he did not take over from the Schlecks and me, not even one time. He shows his limits. And a rider who shows his limits cannot claim leadership in a big team like BMC.

Yesterday Van Avermaet reacted in the newspaper La dérniere heure. 'What Gilbert has said was not nice to hear.' he admits. 'It does not make me happy but I do not wish to start a battle. I will keep myself busy with my career, but it is never nice to hear something like that and I do not think Gilbert is right either.'
 
Olympic Road: Cav
Olympic TT: Contador

World Road: Gilbert
World TT: Tony Martin
TTT: OP-QS

MSR: Boonen
RvV: Boonen
PR: Boonen
LBL: Valverde
GL: Betanqur
GW: Boonen
AMG: Gilbert
FW: Purito
CSS: Valverde
PT: Boonen

Giro: Basso
TDF: Contador
Vuelta: Contador

...and
Majka to top-10 in the giro.
Contador to win T-A.
Nibbles to podium a grand tour.
 

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