2016 predictions

[Squire]

which of these 5 riders will make a positive 2106 season in your opinion? who will have the best results?
Bystrom Kudus Hoelgaard Moscon Battaglin? i'm intresting for fantabike

I'd say Bystrøm is the safest pick to have a decent-scoring season, while the others probably have a higher ceiling, maybe except Hoelgaard. If he can adapt to the new team and new culture, I guess Battaglin can make the most noise.

 

[Scarponi]

I want Scarponi to win a small overall race.

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage


Contador to win the Tour and go for the Veulta instead of the Olympics

Hoping Sergio Pardilla can get back to a top 10 in a GT

I want to see a full on sprint in Ronde up the cobble climb with Spartacus and Boonen

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

 

[Brullnux]

which of these 5 riders will make a positive 2106 season in your opinion? who will have the best results?
Bystrom Kudus Hoelgaard Moscon Battaglin? i'm intresting for fantabike

I'd say Bystrøm is the safest pick to have a decent-scoring season, while the others probably have a higher ceiling, maybe except Hoelgaard. If he can adapt to the new team and new culture, I guess Battaglin can make the most noise.

Battaglin is like 26 now, so is almost at his peak. Kudus should be fun.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

It'll be Berto

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

which of these 5 riders will make a positive 2106 season in your opinion? who will have the best results?
Bystrom Kudus Hoelgaard Moscon Battaglin? i'm intresting for fantabike

Wow 2106! That's some serious prediction game you're playing! I don't think any of the riders you mention will be having a particularly good 2106 season, lest they go the papy Horner way.

(Or if Jens_Attacks becomes president of the UCI and all riders become cyborgs)

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

It'll be Berto

Yeah, I think the Lac de P. stage will be the first assigned "mountain stage" that will be raced as a GC stage, unlike stage 5. Aspin could be hard enough for Sky and Froome to drop everyone bar Contador at that stage in the race.

 

[Velolover2]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

It'll be Berto

Yeah, I think the Lac de P. stage will be the first assigned "mountain stage" that will be raced as a GC stage, unlike stage 5. Aspin could be hard enough for Sky and Froome to drop everyone bar Contador at that stage in the race.

Yeah. I will be funny to see how many arrive together in the GC group in the final of Lac de Payolle. It can't be more than 10. Col D' Aspin is a hard climb.

 

[Arredondo]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

It'll be Berto

Yeah, I think the Lac de P. stage will be the first assigned "mountain stage" that will be raced as a GC stage, unlike stage 5. Aspin could be hard enough for Sky and Froome to drop everyone bar Contador at that stage in the race.

Yeah. I will be funny to see how many arrive together in the GC group in the final of Lac de Payolle. It can't be more than 10. Col D' Aspin is a hard climb.

Col d'Aspin is one of the easiest climbs of the Tour.

Bar really hard pressure from Froome, at least 25 guys will arrive in the same time.

 

[MatParker1711]

It's a stage made for Valverde, Leon Sanchez or maybe Kwaitkowski.

 

[Breh]

Climb longer than 3km, higher than 1000m altitude. Not made for Kwiatkowski.

 

[Alexandre B.]

I want at least one rider to at least stay within 10 seconds of Froome in the first mountain stage

That's actually likely to happen.

Yeah, I think the Lac de P. stage will be the first assigned "mountain stage" that will be raced as a GC stage, unlike stage 5. Aspin could be hard enough for Sky and Froome to drop everyone bar Contador at that stage in the race.

Yeah. I will be funny to see how many arrive together in the GC group in the final of Lac de Payolle. It can't be more than 10. Col D' Aspin is a hard climb.

Col d'Aspin is one of the easiest climbs of the Tour.

Bar really hard pressure from Froome, at least 25 guys will arrive in the same time.

It's a stage to conquer the Maillot Jaune. The early breakaway will decide what GC guys will do.

 

[mikelarriola]

Down Under: Henao
Paris-Nice: Contador
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Froome
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Rui Costa
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Rui Costa

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

Strade: Stybar
Sanremo: Degekolb
Flanders: Fabian
Roubaix: Fabian
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: Valverde
Liège: Valverde
Lombardia: Gilbert

Olympic TT: 1. Froome 2. Contador 3. Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: 1. Nibali 2. Pinot 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Martin 2. Dumoulin 3. Dennis
Worlds RR: 1. Fabian 2. Sagan 3. Degenkolb

WT: Contador
Most wins: Cavendish
CQ ranking #1: Valverde

 

[DBotero]

Tour Down Under: Dennis
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Henao
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Tour de Suisse: G.

Il Giro: Nibali
Le Tour: Froome
La Vuelta: Quintana

Strade Bianche: GVA
Sanremo: Cav
Flanders: Kristoff
Roubaix: Stybar
Amstel: Matthews
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: J.Rod
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Pinot

Olympic TT: Dennis
Olympic RR: Valverde

 

[May0maniac]

Re:

It's a stage made for Valverde, Leon Sanchez or maybe Kwaitkowski.

LuLu will have to work in the crazy Vino train that will go berserk on stage 8, so he'll try to save some energy for that stage
I badly want Dombrowsky to ride the Giro, he could do well, he was pretty impressive on the Andorra stage (wanted to go in the breakaway but crashed early and had to chase, rode with the gc-riders and finished 15th in the same group as Quintana, Torres and Atapuma and Meintjes, not to bad for your first GT).

 

[JOMPASS]

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

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

Strade: Quintana
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Degenkolb
Roubaix: Sagan
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: GVA
Liège: Stybar
Lombardia: Nibali

Olympic TT: 1. Dennis 2. Dumoulin 3. Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: 1. Sagan 2. Pinot 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Dumoulin 2. Malori 3. Dennis
Worlds RR: 1. Kittel 2. Sagan 3. Degenkolb

 

[JozefK]

Giro: Nibali
Tour: Froome
Vuelta: Valverde

Strade Bianche: Sagan
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Sagan
Roubaix: Stybar
Amstel: Matthews
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: D.Martin
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Chaves

Olympic TT: T.Martin
Olympic RR: Uran

World TT: T.Martin
World RR: Sagan

 

[Escarabajo]

Re:

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

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

Strade: Quintana
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Degenkolb
Roubaix: Sagan
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: GVA
Liège: Stybar
Lombardia: Nibali

Olympic TT: 1. Dennis 2. Dumoulin 3. Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: 1. Sagan 2. Pinot 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Dumoulin 2. Malori 3. Dennis
Worlds RR: 1. Kittel 2. Sagan 3. Degenkolb

I am a fan of Quintana. But I don't see him winning Strade!

 

[Velolover2]

Re: Re:

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

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

Strade: Quintana
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Degenkolb
Roubaix: Sagan
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: GVA
Liège: Stybar
Lombardia: Nibali

Olympic TT: 1. Dennis 2. Dumoulin 3. Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: 1. Sagan 2. Pinot 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Dumoulin 2. Malori 3. Dennis
Worlds RR: 1. Kittel 2. Sagan 3. Degenkolb

I am a fan of Quintana. But I don't see him winning Strade!

GVA winning Flèche Wallone would be a huge surprise too. And Stybar winning Liege.

They are very similar. Heavier puncheurs with a nice acceleration who is both suited for the hills (like Amstel Gold Race) and the cobbles. But Flèche and Liege is more in the territory of the climbers. Maybe they could both do well in LBL, but not in FW.

But it could be interesting to see the more versatile cobblestone experts with a punch (GVA, Stybar and Sagan) also do the Ardennes.

 

[damian13ster]

Tour Down Under: Matthews
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Kwiatkowski
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Tour de Suisse: TJ

Il Giro: Nibali, Landa, Uran
Le Tour: Froome, Quintana, Contador
La Vuelta: Contador, Purito

Strade Bianche: Sagan
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Kwiatkowski
Roubaix: Boonen
Amstel: Kwiatkowski
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: Valverde
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Majka

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Kwiatkowski

 

[Jspear]

Tour Down Under: Matthews
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Kwiatkowski
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Tour de Suisse: TJ

Il Giro: Nibali, Landa, Uran
Le Tour: Froome, Quintana, Contador
La Vuelta: Contador, Purito

Strade Bianche: Sagan
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Kwiatkowski
Roubaix: Boonen
Amstel: Kwiatkowski
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: Valverde
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Majka

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Kwiatkowski

I don't think Matthews is racing the TdU, but if he was that would be an interesting pick. I'd like to see how close he could stay to Porte on willunga hill. He could pick up bonus seconds on other stages.

 

[damian13ster]

Tour Down Under: Matthews
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Kwiatkowski
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Tour de Suisse: TJ

Il Giro: Nibali, Landa, Uran
Le Tour: Froome, Quintana, Contador
La Vuelta: Contador, Purito

Strade Bianche: Sagan
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Kwiatkowski
Roubaix: Boonen
Amstel: Kwiatkowski
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: Valverde
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Majka

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Kwiatkowski

I don't think Matthews is racing the TdU, but if he was that would be an interesting pick. I'd like to see how close he could stay to Porte on willunga hill. He could pick up bonus seconds on other stages.

You are right, he starts his season late I believe. I was impressed by how he hung on to Gilbert, although in the end it turned out to be foolish. Just a bit more improvement and TDU would not be out of his reach in my mind.

 

[nepetalactone]

Re:

Down Under: Henao
Paris-Nice: Contador
Tirreno: Nibali
Catalunya: Froome
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Rui Costa
Dauphiné: Froome
Suisse: Rui Costa

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

Strade: Stybar
Sanremo: Degekolb
Flanders: Fabian
Roubaix: Fabian
Amstel: Gilbert
Flèche: Valverde
Liège: Valverde
Lombardia: Gilbert

Olympic TT: 1. Froome 2. Contador 3. Kiriyenka
Olympic RR: 1. Nibali 2. Pinot 3. Uran
Worlds TT: 1. Martin 2. Dumoulin 3. Dennis
Worlds RR: 1. Fabian 2. Sagan 3. Degenkolb

WT: Contador
Most wins: Cavendish
CQ ranking #1: Valverde

Oh how I wish we could see Fabian and Conti on top in their last year like that! Almost makes me feel bad theres Sagan with no big wins...

 

[Mr.White]

Tour Down Under: Matthews
Paris-Nice: Porte
Tirreno: Kwiatkowski
Catalunya: Porte
Pais Vasco: Contador
Romandie: Spilak
Dauphiné: Froome
Tour de Suisse: TJ

Il Giro: Nibali, Landa, Uran
Le Tour: Froome, Quintana, Contador
La Vuelta: Contador, Purito

Strade Bianche: Sagan
Sanremo: Sagan
Flanders: Kwiatkowski
Roubaix: Boonen
Amstel: Kwiatkowski
La Flèche: Valverde
LBL: Valverde
Clasica San Sebastian: Gilbert
Il Lombardia: Majka

Olympic TT: Dumoulin
Olympic RR: Kwiatkowski

Well that would be one hell of a year for Kwiatkowski!

 

[Valv.Piti]

Arredondo: Aspin from that side is actually decently hard. The climb itself is rough enough to reduce the field to 5 or even less, it just depends on how much Sky will invest (I dont think too much).

I say 15-20 too arrive at the top.