Andreas Kloden's Final Bid For Another Coveted Top 10 Tour Finish, 'Official' Thread

[Angliru]

I'll be surprised if Kloden isn't riding for Horner by the end of the Pyrenees. The two of them are both staying nicely under the radar thus far, but when the road tips up I think it favors Chris-- in fact, he may be the best pure climber next to Contador in the Tour this year [/B], and his tactical sense is second to none.

That is a really, really, really unproven "fact", one that apparently exists only in your's and Horner's heads. When we've gone into the 3rd week and Horner has proven his Velonews proclaimation, then we might be able to even rate him with the elite climbers in the sport. To receive those types of accolades you have to do it consistently versus the best, not just say it and expect everyone to accept it. C'mon!

 

[Angliru]

levi was never supposed to be leader for le tour 2011 anyway especially after he messed up all the program in tour de suisse going full gas,suitcase of courage gone.hell i can't wait for luz ardiden,that will be the day of truth but i trust klodi,he will be strong no doubt.

Don't tell Levi that. I'm sure he fully believes that his TdS win put him in the top slot for team leadership.

 

[Oldman]

That is a really, really, really unproven "fact", one that apparently exists only in your's and Horner's heads. When we've gone into the 3rd week and Horner has proven his Velonews proclaimation, then we might be able to even rate him with the elite climbers in the sport. To receive those types of accolades you have to do it consistently versus the best, not just say it and expect everyone to accept it. C'mon!

Both he and Klodi have to make it to that third week except that, according to the exceedingly wise Phil Liggett; Horner is now the leading candidate for RS. That's got to be news to Klodi who still leads him on GC. But that Phil...he knows everything.

 

[webvan]

To his credit Phil was at the ToC and was very impressed like everyone who watched it...

 

[MajorTom]

Jani's crash and subsequent TDF retirement is very hard luck for him. He will have to wait at least another year to discover whether he really is a GT GC rider or not. There are ramifications for Kloden here too. I think the benefit of having one less rival for team leadership slightly outweighs the negativity of losing a potential helper in the mountains. Andreas continues to finish well up on each stage. It seems that he will continue to go well until at least stage 12......then we shall really see the potential of Klodi's 2011 Tour.

Jani is going to ride Vuelta. He made that decision in hospital yesterday.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Jani is going to ride Vuelta. He made that decision in hospital yesterday.

Really depends how he recovers. Fränk Schleck did the same thing last year, but was his performance at the Vuelta truly representative of what he can do as a GC contender in his own right? For his sake I hope not.

 

[Parrulo]

Really depends how he recovers. Fränk Schleck did the same thing last year, but was his performance at the Vuelta truly representative of what he can do as a GC contender in his own right? For his sake I hope not.

indeed doesn't janez has a broken collarbone just like frank had last year? and lets remember that the vuelta starts earlier this year

 

[luckyboy]

To his credit Phil was at the ToC and was very impressed like everyone who watched it...

Yeah and I'm sure the field was quite a bit stronger there too.

Oh wait, no.. No it wasn't.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I personallly think Kloden will do a high GC ride. He seems to be staying out of trouble and has kept quiet so far, Nobody is really thinking about him.

 

[MajorTom]

Really depends how he recovers. Fränk Schleck did the same thing last year, but was his performance at the Vuelta truly representative of what he can do as a GC contender in his own right? For his sake I hope not.

So some bad news. Recovery will take longer as expected.

janibrajkovic
Not the news I was hoping 4. No surgery. Will take same time to recover. Lots of trainer time ))
http://twitter.com/#!/janibrajkovic

Anyway, the most important is that he recovers well. I still believe he'll be able to ride Vuelta, but probably not in top shape.

I personallly think Kloden will do a high GC ride. He seems to be staying out of trouble and has kept quiet so far, Nobody is really thinking about him.

So far so good. I prefer him over Horner. He is very concentrated and lucky for now. But we all know we'll have to wait until Pyrenees to say more about his shape

 

[luckyboy]

Kloden is the leader then.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

after today kloden 100% leader. I'm glad for leipheimer that little turd deserves everything coming to him this tour. but horner I had high hopes for and he deserves a good shot

 

[Oldman]

Kloden is the leader then.

Unless some RS guy is sent off on and early break (Horner...Bottle hasn't been that adventurous) nothing will change. I've said elsewhere that Klodi can now do nothing but sit near Cadel until he is told to do something different (which seems to have served him well up to now). At least they have some support strength for him.

 

[jobiwan]

It would be nice to maybe see Horner go for the KOM or a grand stage win, while helping Kloden Top 10.

This is of course if Horner if even healthy, as I think he had to go to the hospital after today.

 

[Angliru]

Yeah and I'm sure the field was quite a bit stronger there too.

Oh wait, no.. No it wasn't.

My sentiments exactly except worded much funnier than I could have.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Unless some RS guy is sent off on and early break (Horner...Bottle hasn't been that adventurous) nothing will change. I've said elsewhere that Klodi can now do nothing but sit near Cadel until he is told to do something different (which seems to have served him well up to now). At least they have some support strength for him.

Brajkovic is more likely to get into an early break than Bottle.

 

[eleven]

Brajkovic is more likely to get into an early break than Bottle.

Unless he and Horner are doing bed races around the hospital halls, I don't think Jani will be getting in many breaks

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Unless he and Horner are doing bed races around the hospital halls, I don't think Jani will be getting in many breaks

That was the point...

 

[hrotha]

Ok, there's no way Klödi isn't pulling some strings behind the shadows to end up as the team's sole leader. He'll be at least 2nd in Paris.

 

[Angliru]

Brajkovic is more likely to get into an early break than Bottle.

Should the wheel that he's attached himself to move off the front of the peloton then unbeknownst to him he could find himself in a break.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Should the wheel that he's attached himself to move off the front of the peloton then unbeknownst to him he could find himself in a break.

Bruyneel should just tell him to follow Voeckler's or Vino's wheel then.

 

[hrotha]

Bruyneel should just tell him to follow Voeckler's or Vino's wheel then.

Bruyneel probably uses pre-race team meetings to tell Levi to be less aggressive.

 

[Oldman]

That was the point...

funny, because it's true.

 

[roundabout]

Gah, I'm one of the very few here, but I'm really annoyed that Klöden has turned out to be the best shack GC choice after 7 stages.

Not that others would have been a lot better, but pah.

 

[Oldman]

Gah, I'm one of the very few here, but I'm really annoyed that Klöden has turned out to be the best shack GC choice after 7 stages.

Not that others would have been a lot better, but pah.

Agreed. I liked Horner in spite of his constant mincing around that "certain Lance Armstrong" altar they still have in the team PR van. He'd have been more interesting in the hills.