2012 Speculation (and confirmation) thread - rider schedules and parcours

[The Hitch]

I would like this thread to serve 2 purposes.

The first is to establish the schedules of the riders.

The second is to establish the Parcors of the races.

We obviously know and have individual threads for some major riders and for the major grand tours already.

But what of the others.

First of all does anyone know the parcors for any of the week long races? Any announcments yet? If not any rumours about the parcors, or anyone know when they will be announced?

In the 1 day department

Ronde is obviously changing its course, as has been documented, and Lombardy will change its course and its date.

Secondly, the riders.

Liqui are apparently doing Giro Basso Tour Nibali.

Contador Schlecks, Cadel are all going to go to the Tour confirmed (unless Contador gets banned of course).

Samuel Sanchez is also, despite speculation that he would do the Giro, now going for the Tour, while Igor Anton will surprise surprise, target the race he holds closest to his heart.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=44248

And now for the speculation.

Gilbert?

My guess would be he will go for all the classics bar PR like last year, and win some of them, and then do the first week of the Giro if not the first 2.
I do expect him to line up for the Tour though there is a good chance that he wont.

Cavendish.

Surely 1st week of Giro, all of TDF and then olympics. Will he do Vuelta after that? He doesnt need to peak for worlds this time, so will he go for some stage wins in the Vuelta or will he rest after the earlier schedule?

Sky.

Does Froome do the Tour. Probably yes. Does Uran save himself for domestiquing in the Tour? Probably yes. They will send a 2nd rate team to Giro I think, maybe with Porte though they want him doming in the Tour too. Henao probably to the Tour as the surprise.

Cadel and Contador early schedule and 1 day races

Cadel will probably go for Ardennes. WIll Contador do them? They both do Tirreno or maybe Cadel goes for Paris Nice. I wouldnt be surprised to see them both do Vuelta worlds after the Tour. Whether Contador will try to win some 1 day races or just go for Castille Leon and Pais Vasco is the main question.

Valverde

Whats his schedule? I expect him to just go for everything he enters, Paris Nice, Spanish week races, Ardennes, Romandie, TDF Vuelta and Worlds. Whether going for it will mean challenging or coming in 15th, is the big question.

More to come.

 

[Ferminal]

Gilbert's big push will be for Ronde, and he's got the team to do it. I can see him trying to get Evans the win in L-B-L.

I'm most interested in the P-N and T-A routes, as that is when the season starts Also who is doing the Giro, got the feeling it may be a much lesser field than what we had this year.

 

[roundabout]

For Paris-Nice and Tirreno routes you will have to wait til new year or even February if past history is anything to go by.

 

[Ferminal]

T-A was only a fortnight or so before the race this year, P-N was a bit before that I think.

 

[The Hitch]

Gilbert's big push will be for Ronde, and he's got the team to do it. I can see him trying to get Evans the win in L-B-L.

I'm most interested in the P-N and T-A routes, as that is when the season starts Also who is doing the Giro, got the feeling it may be a much lesser field than what we had this year.

Its going to be lesser because Contador and Menchov wont be there, though Menchov didnt do much and Contador killed the race.

If you look at the riders between those 2 I expect all but Nibali and maybe Kreuziger to come, and Basso will replace Nibali.

Scarponi - yes
Nibali - no but 2010 winner instead
Gadret - He wanted to do the Tour up until he saw the route.
Purito - If he does the Tour hell just be another rider in the peloton. If you had to design a route with the sole purpose of stopping Rodriguez from coming, its what it would look like.
Kreuziger - Martinelli is a good sport. He will send someone good to the Giro be it Kreuziger or Brajko. Though Janez has a mich better shot at the Tour so lets see.
Rujano - doesnt have the option of the Tour. Would love to see him at the Vuelta though.

On top of that we might get 1 or 2 riders surprise as by doing the Tour. Henao might be a feature. Betancourt will be a year older. Eueskaltel will go with Nieve I think, maybe Astaroloza.

Movistar will send maybe Inxausti, maybe Arroyo, since he doesnt really have any business elsewhere.

And Kiriyenka loves the Giro so maybe he will go.

 

[Havetts]

Either one of Kruijswijk or Mollema to do the Giro, my guess would be Kruijswijk. Then Mollema riding the Tour for GC. Gesink to ride the Tour for form and to destroy the Vuelta GC .

 

[just some guy]

2012 WorldTour calendar
1 January 17-22, 2012: Tour Down Under
2 March 4-11, 2012: Paris-Nice
3 March 7-13, 2012: Tirreno-Adriatico
4 March 17, 2012: Milano-Sanremo
5 March 19-25, 2012: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
6 March 23, 2012: E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke
7 March 25, 2012: Gent-Wevelgem
8 April 1, 2012: Ronde van Vlaanderen
9 April 2-7, 2012: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco
10 April 8, 2012: Paris-Roubaix
11 April 15, 2012: Amstel Gold Race
12 April 18, 2012: La Flèche Wallonne
13 April 22, 2012: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
14 April 24-29, 2012: Tour de Romandie
15 May 5-27, 2012: Giro d'Italia
16 June 3-10, 2012: Critérium du Dauphiné
17 June 9-17, 2012: Tour de Suisse
18 June 30-July 22, 2012: Tour de France
19 July 10-17, 2012: Tour de Pologne
20 August 6-12, 2012: Eneco Tour
21 August 14, 2012: Clásica Ciclista San Sebastian
22 August 18-September 9, 2012: Vuelta a España
23 August 19, 2012: Vattenfall Cyclassics
24 August 26, 2012: GP Ouest France-Plouay
25 September 7, 2012: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
26 September 9, 2012: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
27 September 29, 2012: Il Lombardia
28 October 10-14, 2012: Tour of Beijing

Also Evans is starting later than 2011 so probably no T-A

Contador is going to T-A

Gilbert will ride the Tour and Vuelta Worlds

I have a feeling Evans will ride the Tour and go to the Olympics then the states and Canada and then Worlds

 

[The Hitch]

Also Evans is starting later than 2011 so probably no T-A

Contador is going to T-A

Gilbert will ride the Tour and Vuelta Worlds

I have a feeling Evans will ride the Tour and go to the Olympics then the states and Canada and then Worlds

We know Contador does Tirreno


Did Gilbert say that ? Just a few months ago he said he wouldnt bother with the Tour with the Liege stage being so flat, though they did change it.

Interesting with Cadel. I think he might do the Vuelta for 3 reasons

1 he was going to do it this year.
2 He is one of those noble characters who cares about cycling beyond the Tour, He would love a Vuelta win.
3 He did the Tour and the Vuelta - for gc when he won the worlds. So if he wants to go for worlds that might be a good way to get peak.

 

[just some guy]

Did Gilbert say that ? Just a few months ago he said he wouldnt bother with the Tour with the Liege stage being so flat, though they did change it.

Bits cut

He said he will try to get Yellow stage 2-3 then help Cadel after that and he also said going to Canada was a mistake and will ride the Vuelta - about 2 weeks a go I think

Gilbert picking Seraing stage unless Evans in Yellow

 

[Anonymous]

Complete previews/map sets ive done so far

Tour down under
http://teamskyfans.com/tdu.html

Giro d'Italia
http://teamskyfans.com/giro.html

Not expecting much more before January.

Oman and Qatar will be about ten days before the races if last years anything to go by, in fact all ASO races generally dont go up till at earliest a month before the race.

RCS are a lot more prompt, Tirreno should be available by late january.

Independant organisers are hit and miss, some as much as 6 months in advance, some you are lucky to get anything before the race starts.

 

[Christian]

Some people have been speculating that the world will come to an end in 2012, so far no confirmation though

 

[Eshnar]

Yesterday Scarponi told in an interview that both he and Cunego are going to the Giro, though it isn't 100% sure

 

[Anonymous]

Just put the full Flanders details up with all the maps and profiles, and tables showing all of the climbs and cobbled sections.

Phew

http://teamskyfans.com/flanders.html

 

[ferryman]

Just put the full Flanders details up with all the maps and profiles, and tables showing all of the climbs and cobbled sections.

Phew

http://teamskyfans.com/flanders.html

Looks fantastic. Cheers TSF

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Volta a Portugal will start in Castelo Branco and finish in Lisboa. But perhaps more importantly, it has been moved to later in August, so that it no longer clashes with the Vuelta a Burgos, which will likely enable a better startlist of those Spanish teams not riding the Vuelta and no longer clashing with the early August Italian races too.

 

[roundabout]

I have a feeling that's it's due to a calender rejig because of the Olympics though.

And looking at the calender it's still too close to Trittico Lombardo but it does look better for Spanish teams

 

[Havetts]

Good news Libertine and thanks for the work TSF .

 

[Matthijs]

Gilbert?

My guess would be he will go for all the classics bar PR like last year, and win some of them, and then do the first week of the Giro if not the first 2.
I do expect him to line up for the Tour though there is a good chance that he wont.

Valverde

Whats his schedule? I expect him to just go for everything he enters, Paris Nice, Spanish week races, Ardennes, Romandie, TDF Vuelta and Worlds. Whether going for it will mean challenging or coming in 15th, is the big question.

More to come.

no LBL for Valverde???

why would Gilbert ride the first Giro part?
I guess Sanremo till LBL is a quite long peak. Then he wants the Tour (grand depart in his hometown...) and vuelta (form for the worlds with AGR Cauberg-finish).

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Gilbert's big push will be for Ronde, and he's got the team to do it. I can see him trying to get Evans the win in L-B-L.

I'm most interested in the P-N and T-A routes, as that is when the season starts Also who is doing the Giro, got the feeling it may be a much lesser field than what we had this year.

I'm not so sure, with a favourable tour course I wouldn't be surprised to see evans have a relatively light scehdule, and probably miss top form at LBL.

For Paris-Nice and Tirreno routes you will have to wait til new year or even February if past history is anything to go by.

yeah these races generally don't come out until a month or so before.

Either one of Kruijswijk or Mollema to do the Giro, my guess would be Kruijswijk. Then Mollema riding the Tour for GC. Gesink to ride the Tour for form and to destroy the Vuelta GC .

On gesink's website I read similar thoughts in an article (not sure who wrote it). Basically is said, gesink will go to the tour underraced, no pressure, if he does well so be it, if not it doesn't matter because his injuries mean no expectations and he can help mollema to a good place. Then still relatively fresh, or rather in full peak form he will destroy the vuelta.

Was very optimistic. In theory it is a good plan tho if it should surface. Considering he will be underraced he should enter the vuelta in fine form.

I'm interested in what Kruijswijk does. I really would like to see him (and maybe slagter) do the giro again, but I have a bad feeling they send him to tour in mollema-like tour role. Which would be a shame... however I do sometimes think Kruijswijk style and mentality might be most appropiate for the tour (of the 3 gc guys). But yeah I'd rather see him do the giro again.
If not hopefully slagter goes with a free role in the mountains.

Kelderman obviously has no business in a GT next year. Curious to see exactly how he devoleps and what type of rider he becomes. Would be nice if he showed some things in smaller stage races.

Also poels, I'd really him to try the giro.

 

[The Hitch]

no LBL for Valverde???

why would Gilbert ride the first Giro part?
I guess Sanremo till LBL is a quite long peak. Then he wants the Tour (grand depart in his hometown...) and vuelta (form for the worlds with AGR Cauberg-finish).

LBL counts under "Ardennes"

Gilbert said in an interview in the mag "cyclesport" that since hes worn the Vuelta and Tour leaders jerseys he wants to complete the set with a pink one. He ranked it pretty highly on his goals, naming it after the world championships to the question, "what goals have you left to achieve"

But if hes doing Tour Vuelta, probably will leave Giro till 2013.

 

[gregrowlerson]

This is a really good thread idea. I am looking forward to seeing all the parcours profiles pop up over the coming months.

I hope that Contador skips Pais Vasco so that it gives Kloden a chance to go back to back

 

[Ferminal]

Evans is actually starting a few days earlier next year, doing Lugano before Friuli, MSB and T-A.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=44292

 

[Matthijs]

On gesink's website I read similar thoughts in an article (not sure who wrote it). Basically is said, gesink will go to the tour underraced, no pressure, if he does well so be it, if not it doesn't matter because his injuries mean no expectations and he can help mollema to a good place. Then still relatively fresh, or rather in full peak form he will destroy the vuelta.

Was very optimistic. In theory it is a good plan tho if it should surface. Considering he will be underraced he should enter the vuelta in fine form.

Also poels, I'd really him to try the giro.

I think they want him on top form for the WC in Valkenburg too. He has been 3th at AGR after all. But I think Mollema has a greater chance with his stronger finish so I hope Mollema can ride the Vuelta, but Tour and Vuelta are probably too much.

 

[karlboss]

Gilbert to ride the tour to take his early stages and then as a mountain domestique for evans. I think Gilbert is getting delusions of grnadeur and this is the beginning of his stage racing career.

 

[Swabian Lass]

Gilbert to ride the tour to take his early stages and then as a mountain domestique for evans. I think Gilbert is getting delusions of grnadeur and this is the beginning of his stage racing career.

I do hope not. I'd rather see him continuing to kick *** in the Classics, I think that's where his talents lie.

I think he's a dead cert for the TdF though, specially with them setting up the first stage specially for him.....

Not so sure about the Giro. If he's wanting a pink jersey, he may give the Giro a miss this year. The Vuelta would be better prep for the Worlds too and that has to be a major goal for him this year.