Anyone want a second shot at making a Top 10

[Bobby G]

Velits to win?

God no. Top 10, on sportingbet.

 

[luckyboy]

Here's what I'm hoping could possibly happen somehow.

Contador
S.Sanchez
Evans
A.Schleck
Basso
F.Schleck
Kloden
Cunego
Gesink
Vande Velde

 

[b.broadhurst]

Here's what I'm hoping could possibly happen somehow.

Contador
S.Sanchez
Evans
A.Schleck
Basso
F.Schleck
Kloden
Cunego
Gesink
Vande Velde

Vande Velde has done alot of work for Hushovd, I think he might struggle. No Martin or Velits?

 

[vcampbell]

Here's what I'm hoping could possibly happen somehow.

Contador
S.Sanchez
Evans
A.Schleck
Basso
F.Schleck
Kloden
Cunego
Gesink
Vande Velde

Danielson, not Vande Velde, but ok. What I don't understand is Cunego. DL? A one week race. Cunego still waits for the big mountains since 2005. He will lose big times, when the real moutains arrives.

 

[luckyboy]

I'm struggling to see who is left that climbs better than the guys I've put there. Can't see any of Coppel, Roche, Taaramae doing better. Velits and Martin might have a chance at being around 10th place if the TT gaps are big and they do really well in it.

Didn't realise VDV crashed today as well.

Anyway, what I posted is biased towards what I want to happen.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Danielson, not Vande Velde, but ok. What I don't understand is Cunego. DL? A one week race. Cunego still waits for the big mountains since 2005. He will lose big times, when the real moutains arrives.

Cunego just has wait to be the last GC man not taken out by a crash then hobble home to Paris.

1. Yada
2. Yada
3. Yada
4. Yada
5. Yada
6. Yada
7. Tom Danielson
8. Yada
9. Yada
10. Yada

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

There are still about 20 guys with legitimate hopes of making the top 10. It would be 25 or so, but a number of riders will have heavy domestique burdens to carry.

 

[b.broadhurst]

There are still about 20 guys with legitimate hopes of making the top 10. It would be 25 or so, but a number of riders will have heavy domestique burdens to carry.

....and 5 have crashed out!!

 

[ericthesportsman6]

At the start of the tour, I wouldn't of given him much chance of making the Top 20, would have definitely preferred Velits. But after Brajkovic, Kern, Kiryienka, Wiggins, Horner, Van Den Broeck, Vinokourov all crashing out I think he has a massive chance now.

He is in the form of his life and can hang with these guys in the mountains but the biggest thing is the TT, he can put good time into other top 10 contenders which was shown by the 1.30 he beat Evans by on the exact same course in the dauphine.

I also feel this is his last chance to prove that he is a GC contender otherwise he will just be part of the Cavendish train for the rest of his career. He doesn't have the support of his team which will make it difficult.

Actually, as stupid as it is, Martin is designated as HTC's leader for the GC. (even though that doesn't mean much) I'm not quite sure how you are so sure what form he is in when we haven't even gotten to a real mountain stage. Anyway mine:

1. A. Schleck
2. Contador
3. S. Sanchez (This is more of what I hope than what I think)
4. F. Schleck
5. Basso
6. Velits
7. Kloden
8. Evans
9. Fuglsang
10. Roche

 

[the_kman]

im still gonna stick to my top 5: I've never rated gesink, wiggins, brakovic(well not yet)

1. AC
2. AS
3. SS
4. FS
5. CE

 

[b.broadhurst]

Actually, as stupid as it is, Martin is designated as HTC's leader for the GC. (even though that doesn't mean much) I'm not quite sure how you are so sure what form he is in when we haven't even gotten to a real mountain stage. Anyway mine:

1. A. Schleck
2. Contador
3. S. Sanchez (This is more of what I hope than what I think)
4. F. Schleck
5. Basso
6. Velits
7. Kloden
8. Evans
9. Fuglsang
10. Roche

Fuglsang will be working for the Schleck brothers in the mountains so I will be surprised if he finishes inside the top 10.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Fuglsang will be working for the Schleck brothers in the mountains so I will be surprised if he finishes inside the top 10.

Forgot about that. Then I'd put Roche in 9th and LL Sanchez at 10.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Forgot about that. Then I'd put Roche in 9th and LL Sanchez at 10.

Don't fancy Martin, Cunego or Gesink?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I'll reserve judgement until stage 12

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Don't fancy Martin, Cunego or Gesink?

Martin just isn't a very good climber. If there were two time trials, and maybe one less mountain top finish, then yea, I would put him in there. Cunego is incredibly inconsistent so if he is smart, he will just go for stages. If not, I think he'll have a really bad day somewhere. I didn't include Gesink simply because I have no idea what sort of physical and mental state he is in.

 

[Eric8-A]

If Martin makes the top 10, it won't be because he's good enough to hang in with the other GC riders. It will be because the competition's dwindling down.

And I don't think Tony Martin will put in too much time on Evans in the final TT. Evans is a great TT'ist, and if he still has a good overall position once that time comes, we could see something special from him.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

If Martin makes the top 10, it won't be because he's good enough to hang in with the other GC riders. It will be because the competition's dwindling down.

And I don't think Tony Martin will put in too much time on Evans in the final TT. Evans is a great TT'ist, and if he still has a good overall position once that time comes, we could see something special from him.

Evans was a great TTr.
And he has never been an amazing 3rd week TTst so I wouldn't expect too much there

 

[luckyboy]

Comparing Martin + Evans for the final TT is an irrelevance seeing as Cadel will be too far ahead of Tony by then (barring injury).

 

[b.broadhurst]

Comparing Martin + Evans for the final TT is an irrelevance seeing as Cadel will be too far ahead of Tony by then (barring injury).

They will be far behind together, they will both struggle on the steep stuff!!

 

[Anonymous]

Cunego...to make it 2 italian in the top 10.

 

[Parrulo]

Cunego...to make it 2 italian in the top 10.

il principe has been good so far. didn't crashed always well positioned and seems to be there on the though finishes. lets hope he is consistent on the mountains tho. he is the guy that can do something amazing 1 day (stage 3 TdS) and a couple of days later get dropped by bottle on a climb. . .

 

[42x16ss]

I missed most of the stage last night, so can anyone tell me how Kloeden was looking after his crash? Apparently it was a pretty heavy fall, did it look bad enough to lower his chances for Top 10?

 

[rzombie1988]

I never really made more than a top 5, but all the guys I picked are still in play.

I had:
Alberto
A. Schleck
F. Schleck
Gesink
Cadel

 

[Pantani_lives]

1 Contador
2 A Schleck
3 Basso
4 F Schleck
5 Evans
6 Sanchez
7 Gesink
8 Klöden
9 Cunego
10 Martin
Other outsiders for the top 10: LL Sanchez, Velits, Gilbert, Van de Velde, Danielson, Roche, Casar, Voeckler...

A few years ago I saw LL Sanchez as a potential GC man. Could he make the top ten now?

 

[Eric8-A]

I still think Contador will be capable of taking back time and having a chance of winning. If not, he'll podium. It's good to see Basso staying out of trouble, I want to see him land a top 3.