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

[will10]

The latest Rabobank fail brought to you by Wielerflits:

http://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/16717/matti-breschel-slaat-ronde-van-vlaanderen-over.html

Sigh...

I can see the logic from the point of view that he is returning from a season ruined by injuries and he doesn't want to aggravate them doing tough cobbled classics. On the other hand I don't think he is going to get anywhere at all in Liege and won't be capable of more than a top 10 at Amstel. It's a shame.

 

[luckyboy]

Seems a weird decision.

 

[auscyclefan94]

no montelupone in tirreno adriatico has been confirmed

 

[Libertine Seguros]

At last, a pretty good-looking Ruta del Sol route.

Much like Alpes-Maritimes, which only get a going over on some of the lower passes because Paris-Nice passes in March, the Ruta is kind of hamstrung by being in February.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Sky have announced their february squads..

Most notable is the monster squad they are sending to Sardinia
Sergio Henao, Peter Kennaugh, Danny Pate, Richie Porte, Salvatore Puccio, Ben Swift, Geraint Thomas, Rigoberto Urán
wonder how much of that is the basis of the giro squad?

Omloop
Michael Barry, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Bernhard Eisel, Juan Antonio Flecha, Mathew Hayman, Jeremy Hunt, Christian Knees, Ian Stannard

Kuurne
Michael Barry, Mark Cavendish, Alex Dowsett, Juan Antonio Flecha, Mathew Hayman, Jeremy Hunt, Ian Stannard, Chris Sutton

Henao makes his debut in Mallorca. Cavendish debuts in Qatar

Good to see Cav getting 17/18 race days in before MSR.

In general the Sky lineups just illustrate the jump they've made. No crap 3rd choice squad led by Greg the moaner anymore - every race they have genuine potential winners, as well as lots of younger riders for interest.

 

[Vicelard]

Hmm, no races for Mick Rogers in February...
Surprising.

 

[El Pistolero]

http://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/16721/rabobank-breschel-wel-in-ronde-van-vlaanderen-.html

Thank god, Breschel will be in the Ronde after all. Breschel said he wasn't going to ride it to a Danish newspaper, but Rabo said he will. Strange, but whatever.

 

[will10]

Hmm, no races for Mick Rogers in February...
Surprising.

I thought that, he certainly hit the ground running in Jan, bit unusual.

 

[search]

Bakelants is the one who's stupid, he never should have switched teams in the first place.

Unless RadioSheck pays him a million euros or so.

from velonation.com:

“I also felt good at Omega Pharma-Lotto and I did not leave without hesitation, but the financial proposal from Johan Bruyneel was something I could not turn down.”

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Poels on his website, in the calander days he will do tour.
No mention of giro
TA also mentioned. It looks pretty incomplete tho.

 

[greenedge]

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/road/news/34401/No Tour de France for Haussler
It says that Haussler will be targeting the Spring Classics/ Olympics.

 

[theyoungest]

Seems a weird decision.

We had the "Breschel won't ride Vlaanderen" story a month ago already, it was just as wrong then as it is now. Breschel will ride the same programme as guys like Nuyens and Kroon, same type of rider. Makes much more sense than riding Roubaix.

At last, a pretty good-looking Ruta del Sol route.

Much like Alpes-Maritimes, which only get a going over on some of the lower passes because Paris-Nice passes in March, the Ruta is kind of hamstrung by being in February.

At last? Just two years ago they had a steep uphill finish in the first stage, looks better than this course TBH. It had Fränk Schleck complaining right from the get-go, as Schlecks go.

 

[theyoungest]

At last, a pretty good-looking Ruta del Sol route.

Much like Alpes-Maritimes, which only get a going over on some of the lower passes because Paris-Nice passes in March, the Ruta is kind of hamstrung by being in February.

At last? Just two years ago they had a steep uphill finish in the first stage, looks better than this course TBH. It had Fränk Schleck complaining right from the get-go, as Schlecks go.

 

[mc_mountain]

Tour Méditerranéen startlist

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/16929-tour-mediterraneen-les-engages.html

 

[Libertine Seguros]

We had the "Breschel won't ride Vlaanderen" story a month ago already, it was just as wrong then as it is now. Breschel will ride the same programme as guys like Nuyens and Kroon, same type of rider. Makes much more sense than riding Roubaix.


At last? Just two years ago they had a steep uphill finish in the first stage, looks better than this course TBH. It had Fränk Schleck complaining right from the get-go, as Schlecks go.

Ah yes, the one Pardilla won on the same La Guardia de Jaén finish they're using this year, I remember that now. That was the race where all the Spanish teams bar Andalucía themselves boycotted the race, wasn't it?

 

[will10]

Ah yes, the one Pardilla won on the same La Guardia de Jaén finish they're using this year, I remember that now. That was the race where all the Spanish teams bar Andalucía themselves boycotted the race, wasn't it?

Really? Why?

 

[theyoungest]

Ah yes, the one Pardilla won on the same La Guardia de Jaén finish they're using this year, I remember that now. That was the race where all the Spanish teams bar Andalucía themselves boycotted the race, wasn't it?

Yeah, I think it was. Not the same finish as this year though, that one was much harder. They climbed the Puerto de las Whatever then.

 

[FF'Wilco]

Tour Méditerranéen startlist

http://www.directvelo.com/actualite/16929-tour-mediterraneen-les-engages.html

No Di Luca ? He said some time ago that he will start season with this race. Maybe he will go to Calabria instead ? Or his contract with A&S hasn't even been signed yet and he actually wont ride for them ?

 

[jens_attacks]

No Di Luca ? He said some time ago that he will start season with this race. Maybe he will go to Calabria instead ? Or his contract with A&S hasn't even been signed yet and he actually wont ride for them ?

it's a weird situation but i think he will stay with his abruzzese people.i think he signed something but it didn't made any news.
and indeed he was scheduled to start tour mediterranean,i doubt that those are the official startlists,there still is time.

 

[Lupetto]

Stage 1, Dunas Douradas - Albufeira, 151 km
Stage 2, Faro - Lagoa, 188 km
Stage 3, Castro Marim - Malhão (Loulé), 194 km
Stage 4, Vilamoura - Tavira, 186 km
Stage 5, Lagoa - Portimão (ITT), 25,8 km

Teams

Ag2r (Péraud, Roche)
BMC
Garmin (Farrar, Haussler)
Lotto (Van Den Broeck)
QuickStep (Martin, Ciolek)
Rabobank (Boom, LL Sanchez)
RadioSchleck (Klöden, Machado)
SaxoBank (Contador)
Sky (Wiggins, Froome, EBH)
Vacansoleil (Westra, Hoogerland)
RusVelo
Topsport Vlaanderen
UnitedHealthcare (Reus)
Efapel
LA Antarte
Onda Boavista
Carmin Prio

 

[auscyclefan94]

I'd imagine Cummings + Van Garderen would be leading BMC at Algarve considering their peformances last year at Algarve

 

[Libertine Seguros]

No Caja Rural? They have most of the best Portuguese racing for them these days. No Movistar is also a shock, would have thought Rui Costa would fancy this one, though perhaps the ITT is a bit long for him. Froome to win. Froome will win everything this year.

 

[theyoungest]

No Caja Rural? They have most of the best Portuguese racing for them these days. No Movistar is also a shock, would have thought Rui Costa would fancy this one, though perhaps the ITT is a bit long for him. Froome to win. Froome will win everything this year.[b/]

Unless Cobo is there.

Tony Martin vs. Contador. And yes, maybe Froomey can challenge as well.

 

[Parrulo]

No Caja Rural? They have most of the best Portuguese racing for them these days. No Movistar is also a shock, would have thought Rui Costa would fancy this one, though perhaps the ITT is a bit long for him. Froome to win. Froome will win everything this year.

actually the tt length isn't that bad for rui costa. he top 10'd the grenoble itt on the dauphine. i think its more a case of focusing 100% on classics and if he went to algarve he would feel obligated to be near top shape to show himself to the portuguese crowds so this way he can save himself. no caja rural is a shock tho.

the battle for the win will be btw contador and machado. both will arrive to this race in better shape then last year so i don't see martin hanging on to them on the climb to malhão tbh and both contador and machado can manage thier losses to martin on a 25k hilly(iirc) itt.

froome could also be a surprise indeed but i prefer to wait and see

 

[maltiv]

Unless Cobo is there.

Tony Martin vs. Contador. And yes, maybe Froomey can challenge as well.

The Sky team here is ridiculously strong so might as well say just "sky" instead of just Froome. Löfkvist, Sivtsov, EBH, (Nordhaug), Froome, Wiggins...Imagine the leadout they can do for Contador in the mountains!