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

[Libertine Seguros]

Every rider mentioned in paragraph two had questionable values, including Salvoldelli. As for Klodi, who knows? I am sure Klodi beats Salvoldelli
No one beats Contador or Basso in the GIRO.
I think Klodi could have beaten Cunego, or Simoni (maybe) and also Di Luca, if he had been fair.

Klöden is as suspicious as any. He paid a fine to make an investigation go away. That whole T-Mobile team from that era is suspect.

On any route bar the 2004 Giro I agree he beats Cunego. But against the might of Saeco on a route so ideal for the Little Prince, I'm not so sure.

 

[The Plediadian]

Klöden is as suspicious as any. He paid a fine to make an investigation go away. That whole T-Mobile team from that era is suspect.

On any route bar the 2004 Giro I agree he beats Cunego. But against the might of Saeco on a route so ideal for the Little Prince, I'm not so sure.

In reference to a true such a quandary, because it is so hard to tell who really is a winner. The values are way off. I am speaking about who would be better. There really is no reality in the GTs after 93.
In a race like the Giro, Tour, I would think Kloden, far superior to Cunego, except for......you know, who is the real Cunego? Cunego was always a suspect until his results dropped out of sight in GTs. That is the real Cunego. Similar to Pelozotti.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Andreas to kick off his 2012 campaign in the 5 day Volta Algarve in Portugal from February 15-19. Last year he placed a creditable 5th in the GC.

 

[gregrowlerson]

The CAS decision to out Contador until after this years TDF gives many riders a realistic chance to win the race. But this might mean that the Tour is overloaded with GC riders at the expense of the Giro. Which serious riders are going to ride the Giro this year?

Basso.
Rujano.
Gadret? And if so is he likely to repeat last years strong performance?
Scarponi, or will he now give himself a chance of winning the Tour in the absence of Contador?
Nibali? No, he will focus on TDF.
Frank Schleck? No, he will believe that he has a slight chance to win with AC out (though I don’t believe he does), and will also be having dreams of a 1-2 with Andy.
Evans, Menchov, Sanchez, Wiggins, Froome, Cobo, Leipheimer, Valverdje, Rolland, Gesink, VDB will all ride the Tour.

Could be a fairly wide open Giro.

I feel that Kloden will be forced to ride as a domestique for Andy in France, and so despite that parcours suiting him, I’d be happy to see him suit up in Italy. It’s unlikely that he can climb with Scarponi/Basso/Rujano, but I doubt there will be any really strong teams there (Nibali will be spared some support for July), and without a great GC field it’s less likely that high mountain stages will be torn up on penultimate climbs. Therefore a guy like Kloden may be able to limit his losses reasonably well.

If he is in good form of course.

His team may well be the best of the GC contenders in the TTT, which at over 30kms could see some significant time gaps (I’d be hopeful of JB sending Fabian to the Giro, if only for the first week). Fulgsang is already guaranteed to ride it and he hopes to contend also. RSNT is a big squad, so they can form a strong team, even with a lesser team than what they send to the Tour.

Kloden would have to change his season’s plans from last years if he is to ride the Giro. There will be no defending of his Tour of the Basque country. But he can still try to win Paris-Nice in March, which has a great parcours for him. So a peak there, then a quiet period before gradually building back up for May, perhaps with racing at Romandie, but because he wants to be peaking for week three, he would not want to be winning their like he did in ’08.

And he could still go in the TDF later on purely as a domestique.

 

[Angliru]

Every rider mentioned in paragraph two had questionable values, including Salvoldelli. As for Klodi, who knows? I am sure Klodi beats Salvoldelli
No one beats Contador or Basso in the GIRO.
I think Klodi could have beaten Cunego, or Simoni (maybe) and also Di Luca, if he had been fair.

Since when is cocaine (Simoni) a PED and as such what has that got to do with his performance in hypothetical versus Kloden?

 

[BillytheKid]

Klöden has only raced the Giro once as said, but he would have to be taken seriously no doubt. Too bad for him that he is the odd-man-out again on a new team. In this year's TdF he beats either Schleck hands down given a protected role which, of course, will not happen. I did not get a chance to back read far enough, but is he slated for the Giro for sure?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Klöden has only raced the Giro once as said, but he would have to be taken seriously no doubt. Too bad for him that he is the odd-man-out again on a new team. In this year's TdF he beats either Schleck hands down given a protected role which, of course, will not happen. I did not get a chance to back read far enough, but is he slated for the Giro for sure?

No I am pretty sure The Hog said that he might race the Giro. Then if he does get ahead of the Schlecks in Tour they would just whine and he most likely would not get any help at all.

 

[The Plediadian]

Since when is cocaine (Simoni) a PED and as such what has that got to do with his performance in hypothetical versus Kloden?

Tom Boonen and Simoni tested positive for cocaine. I don't think it effective as a PED as its effects are probably 1 hour max. Still illegal though.
Going back to Simoni and Kloden it would be interesting to see Simoni and Kloden head to head in their prime.
As far as Salvodelli, I think his results have been positively false in the Giro.
Thusly if Kloden had gone head to head with Salvodelli in their prime it most likely have been an unfair fight.
I think Kloden has done better than Salvodelli in the tour, but since that is not Salvodelllis target, it is still an unfair comparison.

 

[Nikoloz]

Giro

no chances for Klodi...

 

[gustienordic]

The CAS decision to out Contador until after this years TDF gives many riders a realistic chance to win the race. But this might mean that the Tour is overloaded with GC riders at the expense of the Giro. Which serious riders are going to ride the Giro this year?

Basso.
Rujano.
Gadret? And if so is he likely to repeat last years strong performance?
Scarponi, or will he now give himself a chance of winning the Tour in the absence of Contador?
Nibali? No, he will focus on TDF.
Frank Schleck? No, he will believe that he has a slight chance to win with AC out (though I don’t believe he does), and will also be having dreams of a 1-2 with Andy.
Evans, Menchov, Sanchez, Wiggins, Froome, Cobo, Leipheimer, Valverdje, Rolland, Gesink, VDB will all ride the Tour.

Could be a fairly wide open Giro.

I feel that Kloden will be forced to ride as a domestique for Andy in France, and so despite that parcours suiting him, I’d be happy to see him suit up in Italy. It’s unlikely that he can climb with Scarponi/Basso/Rujano, but I doubt there will be any really strong teams there (Nibali will be spared some support for July), and without a great GC field it’s less likely that high mountain stages will be torn up on penultimate climbs. Therefore a guy like Kloden may be able to limit his losses reasonably well.

If he is in good form of course.

His team may well be the best of the GC contenders in the TTT, which at over 30kms could see some significant time gaps (I’d be hopeful of JB sending Fabian to the Giro, if only for the first week). Fulgsang is already guaranteed to ride it and he hopes to contend also. RSNT is a big squad, so they can form a strong team, even with a lesser team than what they send to the Tour.

Kloden would have to change his season’s plans from last years if he is to ride the Giro. There will be no defending of his Tour of the Basque country. But he can still try to win Paris-Nice in March, which has a great parcours for him. So a peak there, then a quiet period before gradually building back up for May, perhaps with racing at Romandie, but because he wants to be peaking for week three, he would not want to be winning their like he did in ’08.

And he could still go in the TDF later on purely as a domestique.

Kreuzinger/Janez will be up there... but I think that Kloden, in last years form, could have a realistic shot at for sure being on the podium. Without Contador, there will not be crazy attacks to drop the diesel climbers. Riders like Rujano benefited from having Contador attack and then stay with him like on Etna.

 

[SiAp1984]

but I think that Kloden, in last years form, could have a realistic shot at for sure being on the podium.

I would love to see Klöden do a good Giro. In the years arround 2006-7, I would have really liked to see him to compete for another GT than just the Tour as he would have had good chances eg in the Vuelta. But as his friend and capitain Ullrich, only the Tour counts for Klöden. I would be surprised if that changed in th probably last year of his professional career.

 

[El Pistolero]

Tom Boonen and Simoni tested positive for cocaine. I don't think it effective as a PED as its effects are probably 1 hour max. Still illegal though.
Going back to Simoni and Kloden it would be interesting to see Simoni and Kloden head to head in their prime.
As far as Salvodelli, I think his results have been positively false in the Giro.
Thusly if Kloden had gone head to head with Salvodelli in their prime it most likely have been an unfair fight.
I think Kloden has done better than Salvodelli in the tour, but since that is not Salvodelllis target, it is still an unfair comparison.

Cocaine is not doping if you test positive for it in an out of competition test.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I would love to see Klöden do a good Giro. In the years arround 2006-7, I would have really liked to see him to compete for another GT than just the Tour as he would have had good chances eg in the Vuelta. But as his friend and capitain Ullrich, only the Tour counts for Klöden. I would be surprised if that changed in th probably last year of his professional career.

He may not do the Giro. We don't know yet.

The problem is Andy Schleck, who will be the undisputed leader at the Tour, no matter what Bruyneel may say in interviews.

 

[webvan]

Yeah and we may have a situation like in 2006 at T-Mobile where Honchar crushed the first ITT and got the yellow jersey but was doing some lead out work on that first mountain stage in the pyrenees where Klodi and Kessler made fools of themselves. Because Klodi cracked on the last climb but also because they refused to follow orders from team director, Olaf Ludwig, an interesting read about their feud http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/no-love-lost-between-kloden-and-ludwig - also interesting to read Klodi's hopes for the 2007 TDF at Astana and also Kessler's career plan...

 

[cineteq]

He may not do the Giro. We don't know yet.

The problem is Andy Schleck, who will be the undisputed leader at the Tour, no matter what Bruyneel may say in interviews.

It makes more sense for Klodi to ride ToC...

A. Schleck will be the undisputed leader at the beginning of the TdF, mainly because of the Sponsors, not because he has any chance to win. Bruyneel is not stupid, he'll have plan B ready, although the riders might not know what that is...

 

[SiAp1984]

Yeah and we may have a situation like in 2006 at T-Mobile where Honchar crushed the first ITT and got the yellow jersey but was doing some lead out work on that first mountain stage in the pyrenees where Klodi and Kessler made fools of themselves.

Honchar and the other TMOs that year should have worked earlier and more on the stage Pereiro went and the famous Landis stage- and Klöden would have one Tour already under his belt They won't repeat that kind of error and Bruyneel is a better DS than Ludwig. Of course A. Schleck will be the man to watch at RS.

It was mentioned here several times already: Klöden finally deserves a GT stage win. He was a close second for several times, so it would be beautiful would he take a stage this year. In that case, his GT position would be irrelevant.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

It makes more sense for Klodi to ride ToC...

How so?


....

 

[Nikoloz]

It makes more sense for Klodi to ride ToC...

A. Schleck will be the undisputed leader at the beginning of the TdF, mainly because of the Sponsors, not because he has any chance to win. Bruyneel is not stupid, he'll have plan B ready, although the riders might not know what that is...

+1...

they need Kloden...

even A.Schlack needs klodi... to share pressure...

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

+1...

they need Kloden...

even A.Schlack needs klodi... to share pressure...

Andy Schleck handled the pressure remarkably well when he was in yellow. He doesn't need Kloden as a co-leader. It doesn't benefit him at all. It complicates things.

 

[The Plediadian]

Andy Schleck handled the pressure remarkably well when he was in yellow. He doesn't need Kloden as a co-leader. It doesn't benefit him at all. It complicates things.

With a strong team RadioShack Treks strategy should likely be to throw strong riders like Kloden and Horner to break up any kind of Tempo rhthum that BMC/Cadel is able to make.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

With a strong team RadioShack Treks strategy should likely be to throw strong riders like Kloden and Horner to break up any kind of Tempo rhthum that BMC/Cadel is able to make.

Sure, but that won't amount to much. There are other teams who have stronger mountain domestiques than BMC. It's not like Horner and Kloden are super climbers, either.

Okay, Horner had a good day at the ToC once.

 

[webvan]

Horner not a super climber ?! Looks like you missed last year's Sierra Road finish, one of the most impressive cycling feats in recent history, ask AS who blew up early in the climb.

 

[Schnellinger]

Great god, Sierra is a hill for kids in a minor race. We're talking about Alpes and Pyrenes. Horner thinks he's is one of the best climbers, but that was never proven

 

[The Plediadian]

Great god, Sierra is a hill for kids in a minor race. We're talking about Alpes and Pyrenes. Horner thinks he's is one of the best climbers, but that was never proven

Actually quite an epic feat by Horner, looking at that days parcours.
The short hard stages are fun to watch.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Great god, Sierra is a hill for kids in a minor race. We're talking about Alpes and Pyrenes. Horner thinks he's is one of the best climbers, but that was never proven

He is not one of the best he is the best now Contador is not riding.