2016 predictions

[cycleMN]

Down Under: Matthews
Paris-Nice: Froome
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Quintana
Romandie: Froome
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Thomas

Giro: 1. Nibali 2. Landa 3. Majka
Tour: 1. Froome 2. Quintana 3. Contador
Vuelta: 1. Quintana 2. Landa 3. Chavez

Strade: Stybar
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Van Avermaet
Roubaix: Cancellara
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: Martin
Liège: Kwiatkowski
Sebastian: Valgren
Lombardia: Wellens

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Valverde

Worlds RR: Kristoff
Worlds TT: Martin

 

[42x16ss]

Down Under: Clarke
Paris-Nice: Kwiatkowski
Tirreno: Pozzovivo
Catalunya: Rodríguez
Pais Vasco: Landa
Romandie: Špilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Nibali

Giro: 1. Nibali 2. Uran 3. Landa
Tour: 1. Quintana 2. Contador 3. Aru
Vuelta: 1.Froome 2. Landa 3. Valverde

Strade: Stybar
San Remo: Cavendish
Flanders: GVA
Roubaix: Stybar
Amstel: Matthews
Flèche: Gallopin
Liège: Alaphilippe
Sebastian: Wellens
Lombardia: Chaves

Olympic TT: Martin
Olympic RR: Sagan

Worlds RR: Ewan Ok - Kittel
Worlds TT: Martin

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Down Under: Porte
Paris Nice: Contador
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Rodriguez
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Zakarin
Dauphiné: TVG
Suisse: Costa (Will he be back?)

Giro: 1. Landa, 2. Nibali, 3. Majka
Tour: 1. Froome, 2.Contador, 3. Quintana
Vuelta: 1. Contador, 2. JRod, 3. Nibali (?)
(yes I know 2 GT's for SKY would be terrible, but I'm fearing the worst . . .)

Strade: Stybar
MsR: Sagan
E3: Cancellara
G-W: Tom "Balen we have a problem" Boonen
De Ronde: Cancellara
Roubaix: Some Etixx rider - they have the numbers.
Amstel: KwiatK.
Fleche: Moreno
Liege: Piti
Lombardia: Piti

Olympic TT: Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: TBH no idea
Worlds TT: Kiriyenka (yes he will do both )
Worlds RR: Kristoff

 

[pink_jersey]

Down Under: Meintjies
Paris Nice: Froome
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Rodriguez
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Froome
Dauphiné: not Froome
Suisse: ?

Giro: 1. Nibali 2. Landa 3. Valverde
Tour: 1. Froome 2.Contador 3. Quintana
Vuelta: 1. Joaquim Rodriguez 2.Sergio Henao 3. Quintana

Strade: Stybar
MSR: Kristoff
E3: Kristoff
G-W: Kristoff
De Ronde: Cancellara
Roubaix: Degenkolb
Amstel: Gilbert
Fleche: Purito
Liege: Valverde
Lombardia: Purito

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Valverde
Worlds TT: Dennis
Worlds RR: Kristoff

 

[Circlecycle]

Down Under: Taaramäe
Paris Nice: Froome
Tirreno: Landa
Catalunya: Rodríguez
Pais Vasco: Landa
Romandie: Quintana
Dauphiné: Contador
Suisse: Pinot

Giro: 1. Nibali 2. Landa 3. Valverde
Tour: 1. Froome 2. Aru 3. Quintana
Vuelta: 1. Contador 2. Landa 3. Purito

Strade: Dumoulin
Sanremo: Viviani
Flanders: Valverde
Roubaix: Bonnen
Amstel: Kwiatkowski
Flèche: Kwiatkowski
Liège: Rodríguez
Lombardia: Moreno

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Adam Yates
Worlds TT: Malori
Worlds RR: Kristoff

 

[GdaG]

Down Under: No idea
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Contador
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Thomas

Giro: 1. Landa, 2. Nibali 3. Valverde
Tour: 1. Froome 2. Quintana 3. Aru
Vuelta: 1. Contador 2. Quintana 3. Poels

Strade: Valverde
Sanremo: Greipel
Flanders: Stybar
Roubaix: Degenkolb
Amstel: Kw.
Flèche: Moreno
Liège: Thomas
Lombardia: Diego Rosa

Olympic TT: 1. Dumoulin 2. Froome 3. Kyrienka
Olympic RR: 1. Thomas 2. Valverde 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Dumoulini 2. Dennis 3. Kyrienka
Worlds RR: 1. Kittel 2. Cav 3. Sagan

WT: Valverde
Most wins: Cav
CQ ranking #1: Valverde

 

[Ruudz0r]

Down Under: Gerrans
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Quintana
Pais Vasco: S Henao
Romandie: Froome
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Thomas

Giro: 1. Nibali, 2. Landa 3. Uran
Tour: 1. Froome 2. Quintana 3. Porte
Vuelta: 1. Quintana 2. Chaves 3. Nibali

Strade: GvA
Sanremo: Degenkolb
Flanders: Stybar
Roubaix: Kristoff
Amstel: Matthews
Flèche: Valverde
Liège: D Martin
Lombardia: Nibali

Olympic TT: 1. Dennis, 2 Dumoulin, 3 Froome
Olympic RR: 1. Valverde, 2 D Martin, 3 Nibali
Worlds TT: 1. Dumoulini 2. T Martin 3. Malori
Worlds RR: 1. Greipel 2 Cav 3 Guardini

 

[hfer07]

Predictions for 2016:

The stock market will collapse- global recession
Trump to become President
Russia-Turkey conflict to escalate further
Yuan to become the world's currency reserve
Obama to be impeached

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

I'd be very surprised if Gavriria could win either of MSR or the WC RR. Firstly he has not even ridden a WT race yet and is still quite young, so the distance would be a huge challenge. However he has proven that he can climb well, better than Kittel so maybe they would use him as a sprint option. Secondly at the WC the Colombian team would be inadequate to protect him, I would argue that only Duque and Uran (maybe Contreas and Betancur if he's fat again) could protect him through the whole race and the second tier Colombian climbers that go there like Jaramillo and Pantano would be inadequate. On the other hand, if he can deal with the distance by then and maybe get help from some EQS teammates he could win.

TBH, Gaviria would be more likely to get assistance from Spanish riders at Movistar like Castroviejo, as Spain doesn't really have a pure sprinter fast enough to take on the likes of Kittel, Greipel, Kristoff, Cavendish, Viviani and possibly (POSSIBLY) Ewan. If the guys on Etixx don't have national teammates capable of winning it chances are they would help Kittel first, as Gaviria doesn't have the experience or palmares yet.

 

[Wallenquist]

Tour Down Under: Porte
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Quintana
Pais Vasco: Purito
Romandie: Froome
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Thomas

Giro: 1. Nibali, 2. Landa, 3. Valverde
Tour: 1. Quintana, 2. Froome, 3. Contador
Vuelta: 1. Quintana 2. Landa 3. Chaves

Strade: Stybar
Sanremo: Kristoff
Flanders: Kristoff
Roubaix: Stybar
Amstel: Matthews
Flèche: Valverde
Liège: Nibali
Lombardia: Chaves

Olympic TT: 1. Dumoulin, 2. Tony Martin, 3. Malori
Olympic RR: 1. Valverde, 2. Majka, 3. Uran
WT: Valverde
Most wins: Kittel
CQ ranking #1: Valverde

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

[quote="
TBH, Gaviria would be more likely to get assistance from Spanish riders at Movistar like Castroviejo, as Spain doesn't really have a pure sprinter fast enough to take on the likes of Kittel, Greipel, Kristoff, Cavendish, Viviani and possibly (POSSIBLY) Ewan. If the guys on Etixx don't have national teammates capable of winning it chances are they would help Kittel first, as Gaviria doesn't have the experience or palmares yet.

Good point actually, hadn't thought of that. Although with the helping of Kittel I don't know if that will occur, due to the strength of the German squad the EQS riders mightn't allow him to ride in their trains like Gaviria who can capitalise on the goodwill of having a weaker team.

 

[classicomano]

Kristoff will fail spectacularly this season, Kittel will do even worse than last season.

That is all.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

[quote="
TBH, Gaviria would be more likely to get assistance from Spanish riders at Movistar like Castroviejo, as Spain doesn't really have a pure sprinter fast enough to take on the likes of Kittel, Greipel, Kristoff, Cavendish, Viviani and possibly (POSSIBLY) Ewan. If the guys on Etixx don't have national teammates capable of winning it chances are they would help Kittel first, as Gaviria doesn't have the experience or palmares yet.

Good point actually, hadn't thought of that. Although with the helping of Kittel I don't know if that will occur, due to the strength of the German squad the EQS riders mightn't allow him to ride in their trains like Gaviria who can capitalise on the goodwill of having a weaker team.

But how many pure sprinters do the Belgians/Dutch have? Bos is in with a shot if he can last the distance but that's a big if, Boonen hasn't had a decent kick since 08/09 and the likes of Gilbert, Meersman, Van der Sande and Vanmarcke just aren't quick enough.

With so few genuine contenders, there could be some interesting alliances at the Qatar worlds, with trade teams getting preference occasionally.

 

[Velolover2]

Re:

Kristoff will fail spectacularly this season, Kittel will do even worse than last season.

That is all.

Who do you think will be the best sprinter?

 

[StryderHells]

Re: Re:

Kristoff will fail spectacularly this season, Kittel will do even worse than last season.

That is all.

Who do you think will be the best sprinter?

Greipel has the most settled committed team around him so him

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Kristoff will fail spectacularly this season, Kittel will do even worse than last season.

That is all.

Who do you think will be the best sprinter?

Greipel has the most settled committed team around him so him

Yep, Greipel and Cav to be the top 2 in that order, while Ewan and Gaviria continue with their very promising progressions.

 

[greenedge]

Re: Re:

[quote="
But how many pure sprinters do the Belgians/Dutch have? Bos is in with a shot if he can last the distance but that's a big if, Boonen hasn't had a decent kick since 08/09 and the likes of Gilbert, Meersman, Van der Sande and Vanmarcke just aren't quick enough.

With so few genuine contenders, there could be some interesting alliances at the Qatar worlds, with trade teams getting preference occasionally.

True again. Boonen though has dominated at Qatar in the past, whilst Terpstra should be a good candidate to lead the Dutch who will have to attack.

 

[GdaG]

eddy merckx in l'equipe today: 'froome will win the tour again'

 

[WheelofGear]

Prediction of the GC (both 1 & 3 week races) hierarchy in 2016:

1. Froome
2. Landa
3. Quintana
4. Ilnur
5. Aru
6. Thomas
7. Valverde
8. Big Tom
9. Simon and Adam
10. Majka

Major flops: Porte, Nibali, Uran, Van Garderen, Alberto, Chaves.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yawn.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Prediction of the GC (both 1 & 3 week races) hierarchy in 2016:

1. Froome
2. Landa
3. Quintana
4. Ilnur
5. Aru
6. Thomas
7. Valverde
8. Big Tom
9. Simon and Adam
10. Majka

Major flops: Porte, Nibali, Uran, Van Garderen, Alberto, Chaves.

Where's Purito? He's still world class in 1 week races.

You even put him 2nd for La Vuelta next year. How can a podium rider in a GT not be in the top-10?

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

Prediction of the GC (both 1 & 3 week races) hierarchy in 2016:

1. Froome
2. Landa
3. Quintana
4. Ilnur
5. Aru
6. Thomas
7. Valverde
8. Big Tom
9. Simon and Adam
10. Majka

Major flops: Porte, Nibali, Uran, Van Garderen, Alberto, Chaves.

Where's Purito? He's still world class in 1 week races.

He is not there. I have the idea that he is going to flop as well. Ilnur and Spilak will do better.

 

[WheelofGear]

Yeah, but I had Contador to winning the Vuelta after getting beat by Froome in the Tour. Same with Purito, after he will fail in the Tour.

The Vuelta will be the race of the losers.

 

[Arredondo]

Re:

Yeah, but I had Contador to winning the Vuelta after getting beat by Froome in the Tour. Same with Purito, after he will fail in the Tour.

The Vuelta will be the race of the losers.

Well, if you win/finish on the podium in a GT, i don't think you'll be a loser at the end.

I think Zakarin will flop immensely. Purito and Spilak two in a stage race.

 

[WheelofGear]

Re: Re:

Yeah, but I had Contador to winning the Vuelta after getting beat by Froome in the Tour. Same with Purito, after he will fail in the Tour.

The Vuelta will be the race of the losers.

Well, if you win/finish on the podium in a GT, i don't think you'll be a loser at the end.

I think Zakarin will flop immensely. Purito and Spilak two in a stage race.

Yes you will. He had the chance to win two GT in one year but blew it up. He IS a loser. The eternal second of modern cycling.

He will likely get a lot of 3rd and 2nd places again next year, but no major wins.