Best rider on every PT team.

[Zaschrona]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Nicolas Roche
• Astana - Roman Kreuziger
• BMC Racing Team - Alessandro Ballan
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Samuel Sanchez
• Garmin-Cervélo - Tyler Farrar
• HTC-Highroad - Mark Cavendish
• Lampre-ISD - Alessandro Petacchi
• Leopard Trek - Fabian Cancellara
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Peter Sagan
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Philippe Gilbert
• Quick Step - Tom Boonen
• Rabobank - Robert Gesink
• Team Katusha - Alexandr Kolobnev
• Team Movistar - Juan Mauricio Soler
• Team RadioShack - Robbie McEwen
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - Alberto Contador
• Team Sky - Juan Antonio Flecha
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Marco Marcato

• Acqua & Sapone - Carlos Betancourt
• Andalucia-Caja Granada - David Bernabeu
• Androni Giocattoli - Jose Serpa
• Bretagne-Schuller - Johan Le Bon
• Caja Rural - Inigo Cuesta
• CCC Polsat-Polkowice - Andre Schulze
• Cofidis - Rein Taaramae
• Colnago-CSF Inox - Domenico Pozzovivo
• Colombia es Pasion-Cafe de Colombia - Alexander Quintana
• De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia - Patxi Vila
• Europcar - Thomas Voeckler
• Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli - Giovanni Visconti
• FDJ - Yauheni Hutarovich
• Geox-TMC - Carlos Sastre
• Landbouwkrediet - Bert De Waele
• Saur-Sojasun - Jerome Coppel
• Skil-Shimano - Simon Geschke
• Team NetApp - Leopold Konig
• Team SpiderTech - Svein Tuft
• Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis - Jure Kocjan
• Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator - Dominique Cornu
• Verandas Willems-Accent - Stefan Van Dijk
• UnitedHealthcare - Robert Forster

 

[jaylew]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Nocentini (another year like 2010 and Roche takes it)
• Astana - Vino
• BMC Racing Team - Cadel
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Sammy
• Garmin-Cervélo - Thor
• HTC-Highroad - Cav
• Lampre-ISD - Cunego (could have gone either way between he and Ale-Jet)
• Leopard Trek - Cancellara
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Basso (tossup between he and Nibali)
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Gilbert
• Quick Step - Tommeke
• Rabobank - Freire
• Team Katusha - JoRod
• Team Movistar - Ventoso (by far the hardest to pick)
• Team RadioShack - Levi (a toughie)
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - AC
• Team Sky - EBH
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Devolder

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Didnt expect Riblon but Szmyd yes

Riblon will be in the top 10 for most km in breakaways in more or less any race he enters. He will kill himself for his leader, and still be off the front the next day. He's one of those unsung break guys as well, who disappears in the big groups on mountain stages to try and win his team leaders back some time, and who truly deserved his big mountain win last year.

Anyway, the further rounds:

Acqua e Sapone - Garzelli
Andalucía - David Bernabéu
Androni - José Rujano
Brétagne - Florian Vachon
Caja Rural - Javier Ramírez
CCC Polsat - Marek Rutkiewicz
Cofidis - Leonardo Duque
Colombia es Pasión - Nairo Quintana
De Rosa - Patxi Vila
Europcar - Thomas Voeckler
Farnese Vini - Giovanni Visconti
FDJ - Pierrick Fedrigo
Geox - Denis Menchov
Landbouwkrediet - Bert de Waele
Saur - Jérôme Coppel
Skil - Marcel Kittel
NetApp - Bartosz Huzarski
SpiderTech - Svein Tuft
Team Type 1 - Rubens Bertogliatti
TopSport Vlaanderen - Preben Van Hecke
United Healthcare - Boy Van Poppel
Verandas Willems - Stefan Van Dijk

 

[Cobblestoned]

Best rider for what kind of race ?

I really tried, hitch.

 

[Beech Mtn]

I don't understand why so many are picking Leipheimer for Radioshack over Kloeden. I can see choosing Brajkovic based on future expecatations whereas the other guys are on the way down, but no way is Levi better than Klodi.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What the hell, I'll add a new division.

AA Drink-Leontien.nl - Kirsten Wild
Bizkaia-Durango - Anna Sanchis
Colavita-Chirio Forno d'Asolo - Giorgia Bronzini
Debabarrena-Gipuzkoa - Leire Olaberria
Diadora-Pasta Zara - Mara Abbott
Dolmans Landscaping - Martine Bras
Fenixs-Kuota - Evgeniya Vysotska
Garmin-Cervélo - Emma Pooley
Gauss - Tatiana Antoshina
Kleo - Annalisa Cucinotta
Lointek - Eneritz Iturriagaecheverría
Lotto Honda - Rochelle Gilmore
Nederland Bloeit - Marianne Vos
Peanut Butter & Co 2012 - Coryn Rivera
MCipollini-Giambenini - Marta Bastianelli (heart over head, should really be Nicole Cooke if I'm totally honest)
Michela Fanini Record Rox - Veronica Léal
Skil-Koga - Regina Bruins
Hitec Products - Emma Johansson
HTC-High Road - Ina-Yoko Teutenberg
Specialized-DPD Pakket Service - Vera Koedooder
Tibco-To The Top - Tara Whitten
Top Girls-Fassa Bortolo - Elena Berlato
TopSport Vlaanderen-Ridley - Grace Verbeke
Vaiano-Solaristech - Rasa Leleivyte

 

[kurtinsc]

I'm far from an expert, but here's who I would view as best without reading what other say. If you want to argue I could easily switch.

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Roche
• Astana - Vino
• BMC Racing Team - Evans
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Sanchez
• Garmin-Cervélo -Farrar
• HTC-Highroad - Cavendish
• Lampre-ISD - Scarponi
• Leopard Trek - Cancellera
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Basso
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Gilbert
• Quick Step - Boonen
• Rabobank - Gesink (though part of me wants to say LuLu)
• Team Katusha - Rodriguez
• Team Movistar - Soler?
• Team RadioShack - Brajkovic
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - Contador
• Team Sky - Boasson-Hagen
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Mosquera

Geox - Menchov

 

[kurtinsc]

I don't understand why so many are picking Leipheimer for Radioshack over Kloeden. I can see choosing Brajkovic based on future expecatations whereas the other guys are on the way down, but no way is Levi better than Klodi.

Well... just for comparison I looked up the CQ ranking points for the two over the last 5 years:

2010: Kloden 525, Levi 512
2009: Kloden 893, Levi 861
2008: Kloden 751, Levi 1787
2007: Kloden 886, Levi 1323
2006: Kloden 735, Levi 990


I know CQ Ranking points aren't the end all of ranking riders... but they are an unbiased measure to take into account. Both seem to be at a very similar level at the moment, with Levi having a stronger recent history.

 

[kurtinsc]

• Acqua & Sapone - Garzelli
• Androni Giocattoli - Serpa
• Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne - Taarmae
• Colnago - CSF Inox - Pozzovivo
• Europcar - Voeckler
• Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli - Visconti
• FDJ - Fredrigo
• Geox - TMC - Menchov
• Saur - Sojasun - Coppel
• Skil - Shimano - Van Hummel
• Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis - Kocjan

 

[flicker]

Cancellera/classics, world TT
Boonen/classics
Gilbert/late season classics
AS/Tour
Cav/San Remo/Worlds/green tour
Griepel/Turkey/Deutchland
Boonen/Some Classic
The Shack/Levi,Cali, Kloeden tour
RABO Gesink winning some smaller hard classics, lots of crashing action in GTs
Graeme Browne, a hella lot o hooking + headbutting.
Oscar Friere, good some late action, exciting victories.
Vino, busted again.
Leaky Basso 2nd tour, Sagan winning stages in every race he rides
EBH, Haussler, hurt.
Wiggo 5 in tour
Pelozotti, spending a lot of time in court.

 

[luckyboy]

Ok now someone pick the worst riders

 

[Beech Mtn]

Well... just for comparison I looked up the CQ ranking points for the two over the last 5 years:

2010: Kloden 525, Levi 512
2009: Kloden 893, Levi 861
2008: Kloden 751, Levi 1787
2007: Kloden 886, Levi 1323
2006: Kloden 735, Levi 990


I know CQ Ranking points aren't the end all of ranking riders... but they are an unbiased measure to take into account. Both seem to be at a very similar level at the moment, with Levi having a stronger recent history.

Kloeden has an Olympic medal. I give him a lot of credit for that. But you are right that these two aren't that far apart. Radioshack was one of the harder teams to do, because they have a couple groups of similar riders.

 

[Squire]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Nicolas Roche (bigger repertoire than Gadret)
• Astana - Alexandre Vinokourov (wins races, as opposed to Kreuziger)
• BMC Racing Team - Cadel Evans (self-explanatory)
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Samuel Sanchez (Best GT, classics and TT in his team)
• Garmin-Cervélo - Thor Hushovd (tough, but Hushovd is their most well-rounded rider)
• HTC-Highroad - Mark Cavendish (wins)
• Lampre-ISD - Alessandro Petacchi (world top 3 in his field, Cunego/Scarponi are not, atleast not any more)
• Leopard Trek - Fabian Cancellara (self-explanatory)
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Ivan Basso (possibly among top3 climbers in the world)
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Philippe Gilbert (is a favourite in almost all classics he rides)
• Quick Step - Tom Boonen (who else in on this team? Chavanel?)
• Rabobank - Oscar Freire (close call, but Freire gets it for his winning ability)
• Team Katusha - Joaquim Rodriguez (Pozzato hasn't shown anything for years)
• Team Movistar - Xavi Tondo (the only standout (Soler potentially) in a team of second-rate sprinters and GT riders)
• Team RadioShack - Robbie McEwen (by method of elimination, Brajkovic has one result, the others are too old to do anything)
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - Alberto Contador (what team?)
• Team Sky - Edvald Boasson Hagen (close between EBH and Flecha, EBH has more strings to play on)
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Romain Feillu (strong sprinter who climbs, Devolder hasn't done much lately)

• Acqua & Sapone - Stefano Garzelli (only top rider left after Paolini)
• Androni Giocattoli - José Serpa (don't really know what to expect from Sella and Rujano, Serpa is consistent)
• Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne - Rein Taaramae (more all-round and motivated than Moncoutie)
• Colnago - CSF Inox - Domenico Pozzovivo (tough, Modolo also a candidate, Pozzovivo more results)
• Europcar - Thomas Voeckler (he basically is the team)
• Farnese Vini - Neri Sottoli - Giovanni Visconti (winner of continental rankings)
• FDJ - Pierrick Fédrigo (most talented frenchman?)
• Geox - TMC - Denis Menchov (top climber, top tt)
• Saur - Sojasun - Jerome Coppel (good allrounder, engoulvent is a bit of a one-trick prologue pony)
• Skil - Shimano - Kenny Van Hummel (fast, wins races)
• Team Type 1 - Sanofi Aventis - Jure Kocjan (only one with notable results lately)

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

• Colnago - CSF Inox - Domenico Pozzovivo (tough, Modolo also a candidate, Pozzovivo more results)

*Cough* Begins with a V *Cough*

 

[MADRAZO]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Nicolas Roche
• Astana - Alexandre Vinokourov
• BMC Racing Team - Cadel Evans
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Samuel Sanchez
• Garmin-Cervélo - Tyler Farrar
• HTC-Highroad - Mark Cavendish
• Lampre-ISD - Michele Scarponi
• Leopard Trek - Fabian Cancellara
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Vicenzo Nibali
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Philippe Gilbert
• Quick Step - Tom Boonen
• Rabobank - Robert Gesink
• Team Katusha - Joaquin Rodriquz
• Team Movistar - Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil
• Team RadioShack - Tiago Machado
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - Alberto Contador
• Team Sky - Edvald Boasson Hagen
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Romain Feillu

• Acqua & Sapone - Carlos Betancourt
• Andalucia-Caja Granada - Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle
• Androni Giocattoli - Jose Serpa
• Bretagne-Schuller - Johan Le Bon
• Caja Rural - Jose Herrada
• CCC Polsat-Polkowice - Marek Rutkiewitz
• Cofidis - Rein Taaramae
• Colnago-CSF Inox - Domenico Pozzovivo
• Colombia es Pasion-Cafe de Colombia - Nairo Quintana
• De Rosa-Ceramica Flaminia - Patxi Vila
• Europcar - Thomas Voeckler
• Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli - Giovanni Visconti
• FDJ - Pierrick Fedrigo
• Geox-TMC - Denis Menchov
• Landbouwkrediet - Aidis Kruopis
• Saur-Sojasun - Jerome Coppel
• Skil-Shimano - Alexandre Geniez
• Team NetApp - Leopold Konig
• Team SpiderTech - Svein Tuft
• Team Type 1-Sanofi Aventis - Jure Kocjan
• Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator - Michael Van Staeyen
• Verandas Willems-Accent - Stefan Van Dijk
• UnitedHealthcare - Robert Forster

 

[The Hitch]

Best rider for what kind of race ?

I really tried, hitch.

Thats kind of the point.

Riblon will be in the top 10 for most km in breakaways in more or less any race he enters. He will kill himself for his leader, and still be off the front the next day. He's one of those unsung break guys as well, who disappears in the big groups on mountain stages to try and win his team leaders back some time, and who truly deserved his big mountain win last year.

So absolutely no one sees Gadret as all that?

Apart from you with Ribblon and someone with Rinaldo (my second choice) its been all Roche.

But Gadret came 5th on Mortirolo and 3rd, yes THIRD on the Kronplatz. In the midst of looking where Basso and Cadel and Nibali and Scarponi and Vino and Sastre and Arroyo came, no one even noticed him there, but he beat all but Cuddles while they were all going for the gc, on one of the hardest climbs in world cycling,

He also came top 10 in one of the ardennes a few years ago i think.

While i dont expect everyone to say him, i certainatly think its comparable enough to Roches 7 against a weak field at the Vuelta, to gain him a few mentions.

 

[Havetts]

I know Gadret has done that, but I think Roche has more potential than he has. Eventhough Roche is only 4 years younger, but yes Gadret is a better climber indeed than Roche is.

 

[Boeing]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - Roche
• Astana - Vino
• BMC Racing Team - Evens
• Euskaltel-Euskadi - Antón
• Garmin-Cervélo - Hushovd
• HTC-Highroad - Cavendish
• Lampre-ISD - Cunego
• Leotard Trek - Cancellara
• Liquigas-Cannondale - Nibali
• Omega Pharma-Lotto - Gilbert
• Quick Step - Boonen
• Rabobank - Gesink
• Team Katusha - Purito
• Team Movistar - Tondo
• Team RadioShack - Horner
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard - Clentador
• Team Sky - EBH
• Vacansoleil-DCM - Leukemans

Nice work. good to see someone didn't pick every gc contender


Horner over Levi all day

 

[jaylew]

I don't understand why so many are picking Leipheimer for Radioshack over Kloeden. I can see choosing Brajkovic based on future expecatations whereas the other guys are on the way down, but no way is Levi better than Klodi.

I went back and forth on it, but now having looked at their results in depth I think I made the right choice, though it's very close. I focused mostly on stage race overall wins, GT top 10s, and one day wins.

GTs
Kloden has two Tour 2nds and a 6th.
Levi has a 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 9th at the Tour. a 2nd and 3rd at the Vuelta and a 5th at the Giro.

Stage races
Klodi won Paris-Nice, Tirreno, Romandie, Pais Vasco, Regio, and Sarthe.
Levi won Deutschland, Dauphiné, Castilla y Leon, Route du Sud, and Cali three times.
They both have several other podium places at major stage races.

One day
Levi won the Clasica Ciclista a los Puertos
No one day wins for Klodi that I saw

National Titles
Klodi won the German RR championship once.
Levi won the USA RR championship once and the TT champs once.

Olympics
Kloden has a bronze RR medal
Levi has a bronze TT medal

 

[The Hitch]

I went back and forth on it, but now having looked at their results in depth I think I made the right choice, though it's very close. I focused mostly on stage race overall wins, GT top 10s, and one day wins.

GTs
Kloden has two Tour 2nds and a 6th.
Levi has a 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 9th at the Tour. a 2nd and 3rd at the Vuelta and a 5th at the Giro.

Stage races
Klodi won Paris-Nice, Tirreno, Romandie, Pais Vasco, Regio, and Sarthe.
Levi won Deutschland, Dauphiné, Castilla y Leon, Route du Sud, and Cali three times.
They both have several other podium places at major stage races.

One day
Levi won the Clasica Ciclista a los Puertos
No one day wins for Klodi that I saw

National Titles
Klodi won the German RR championship once.
Levi won the USA RR championship once and the TT champs once.

Olympics
Kloden has a bronze RR medal
Levi has a bronze TT medal

Surely the bit you miss is the gt stages.

Kloeden has never won a grand tour stage (well the ttt in 2009 he did).

Levi has 4.

 

[kurtinsc]

• Team RadioShack - Robbie McEwen (by method of elimination, Brajkovic has one result, the others are too old to do anything)

I find myself a bit of a Brajkovic defender at times. I'd argue he's had a bit more then 1 result... though one does stand out (winning th DL last year). If you only look at wins, that might be right, but he's got some high finishes in races of note.

Last year:
1st in DL
5th in Romandie
4th in Castilla y Leon
4th in Sardegna

2009:
6th in WC ITT
2nd in Giro Trentino

2008:
2nd in Lombardia
8th in WC ITT
3rd in Deutchland Tour

While he's still fairly early in his career, and his resume doesn't shot GT accomplishments or being a dominant racer... he's got two top 10's in the world championship time trials, a win and 5 top-5's in stage races against solid to good competition and a podium at Lombardia.

Plus McEwen is 38... if the others are too old then how is he not?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Thats kind of the point.






So absolutely no one sees Gadret as all that?

Apart from you with Ribblon and someone with Rinaldo (my second choice) its been all Roche.

But Gadret came 5th on Mortirolo and 3rd, yes THIRD on the Kronplatz. In the midst of looking where Basso and Cadel and Nibali and Scarponi and Vino and Sastre and Arroyo came, no one even noticed him there, but he beat all but Cuddles while they were all going for the gc, on one of the hardest climbs in world cycling,

He also came top 10 in one of the ardennes a few years ago i think.

While i dont expect everyone to say him, i certainatly think its comparable enough to Roches 7 against a weak field at the Vuelta, to gain him a few mentions.

outside the giro gadret did little.

Roche
vuelta - 7th (maybe not the best field but it was his 2nd GT, and he didn't soft pedal the tour at all).
tour - 15th
Top ten in san sebastian.
5th @ Catalunya

Amongst other decent results. A very nice season.

A couple decent results at the giro, 13th overall in a pretty weak field also tho. Considering this is all he did last year, it isn't enough to justify best rier in the team.

Maybe if gadret was the 26 year old, and roche the 31 year old I could look at this situation in a different perspective. But the age factor only supports Roche as the best rider.

PS: noncentini is a better shout then gadret imo, but roche still better.

 

[sky forever]

• Ag2r-La Mondiale - roche
• Astana- vino
• BMC Racing Team - Cadel
• Euskaltel-Euskadi -Sammy
• Garmin-Cervélo-thor
• HTC-Highroad -cav
• Lampre-ISD-scarponi
• Leopard Trek-sparticus
• Liquigas-Cannondale-basso
• Omega Pharma-Lotto- gilbert
• Quick Step- chavenel
• Rabobank- flecha
• Team Katusha- rodriguez
• Team Movistar- tondo
• Team RadioShack-brachkovic(excuse my spelling)
• Team Saxo Bank-SunGard- contador
• Team Sky-Boasson Haggen
• Vacansoleil-DCM0- Duvolder

Flecha is at Sky now!!!!