Best TTT line-up for 2011

[nobilis]

Which team do you think will have the best line-up in a TTT, especially that the discipline is back in the tour, in addition to the Giro and probably the Vuelta.
I wasn't sure how strong SBS would be in TTT so i didn't include them.

 

[The Hitch]

HTC or Garmin

I think HTC. They may have let Rogers go but they have so many strong tters. Just 2 months ago, without Rogers or Grabsch or Martin they absolutely crushed a short 15 min ttt against the best Garmin could possibly offer.

 

[Kvinto]

1.Luxembourg 2.HTC 3.Liquigas 4.Garmin 5.Astana 6.RadioShack

 

[nobilis]

HTC or Garmin

I think HTC. They may have let Rogers go but they have so many strong tters. Just 2 months ago, without Rogers or Grabsch or Martin they absolutely crushed a short 15 min ttt against the best Garmin could possibly offer.

Well, i think it's more important in a TTT to have rather a homogeneous group than 4 or 5 super strong guys doing much of the work. Look at liquigas in the last Giro.

On the other hand, HTC have also the likes of Pinotti, Siutsou and Rabon who are top TTs as well.

 

[maltiv]

Sky will obviously have a very strong team for the TTT, with Wiggins, EBH, Rogers, Thomas, Henderson and a few more decent guys.

 

[The Hitch]

Well, i think it's more important in a TTT to have rather a homogeneous group than 4 or 5 super strong guys doing much of the work. Look at liquigas in the last Giro.

On the other hand, HTC have also the likes of Pinotti, Siutsou and Rabon who are top TTs as well.

Thats the point. I have long been of the opinion that 9 riders are better than 1 strong one and always argued against those who said Cancellara and Contador would 2 man the TDF ttt and put minutes into everyone else.

In so many stage race tts thr get so many top 10 spots. I remember in Turkey it was Greipel Tjvg Grabsh

The Romandie opening tt was won by Pinnoti.

Vuelta tt by Velits.
More than 1 tt this year by Martin.

Sprinters like Goss, Renshaw and Cav often do well in these ttts as well.

Thats why i see thr as being the strongest.

 

[Moondance]

I voted HTC... For me its a very close call between HTC, Garmin-Cervelo and Team Luxembourg...

If we're talking about the short (30km, or less) TTTs that we've been seeing more of recently I would say HTC are the best. If we're thinking the old-school, massive, 60km+ TTTs we saw in the past I would say Garmin-Cervelo have the best line-up. But since a 60km TTT hasn't been seen for years now, I voted for HTC.

 

[nobilis]

Thats the point. I have long been of the opinion that 9 riders are better than 1 strong one and always argued against those who said Cancellara and Contador would 2 man the TDF ttt and put minutes into everyone else.

In so many stage race tts thr get so many top 10 spots. I remember in Turkey it was Greipel Tjvg Grabsh

The Romandie opening tt was won by Pinnoti.

Vuelta tt by Velits.
More than 1 tt this year by Martin.

Sprinters like Goss, Renshaw and Cav often do well in these ttts as well.

Thats why i see thr as being the strongest.

I agree. I hesitated between them and Garmin i picked Garmin, don't know why, maybe because the addition from Cervelo would strenghten an already strong team in the discipline.

 

[schweinika]

The HTC guys are realy strong together. Luxembourg also one of the best teams for the TT.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

1. Lux 2. HTC

 

[Kvinto]

Garmin's TTT was a bit disappointing this year. I like Liquigas, they don't have great time trialists (not counting Nibali) but their TTT is really great.

 

[ingsve]

Are we talking a hypothetical TTT with the best possible lineup or are we talking a specific TTT in the Tour with riders that will likely be in the Tour.

Lux could probably string together a decent TTT but if they have both Schlecks in a 9 men team that will of course weaken the team a little.

 

[nobilis]

Are we talking a hypothetical TTT with the best possible lineup or are we talking a specific TTT in the Tour with riders that will likely be in the Tour.

Lux could probably string together a decent TTT but if they have both Schlecks in a 9 men team that will of course weaken the team a little.

It's rather a specific TTT in a GT, so the team would include non-specialists (sprinters or pure climbers).


Concerning the Schlecks, I don't think they are that bad TTs (especially for Andy). Maybe they are average when compared to other GC contenders.

 

[stefrees]

I don't think lux will in the top 5 ttt teams? Sky for me but htc liquigas and garmin are also stronger.

Lofkvist wiggins ebh Thomas Rogers cummings Henderson would be the basis of a brilliant ttt team

 

[Parrulo]

maybe the shlecks are average on a ITT in the last week of a GT. but on a TT in the first week they aren't. they will be slowing the team down. besides canc isn't confirmed yet. HTC on the other hand will show up at the tour with a line up pretty good(if nothing strange happens like an injury) cav, martin, both velits, TJVG and the whole chu chu train that pulls cav for his victories(just assuming ofc) so they seem like the kind of team that can beat lux.

is gustav larson staying with saxo bank or did he move to lux aswell?

 

[Rocksteady]

I voted Garmin. I chose them for 2 reasons.

1. All of their guys are good TTers for their discipline
GC: VDV, Tommy D.
Helpers/Stage Hunters: DZ, Millar, HesJay
Sprinters: Hushovd, Farrar
Young Guns: Bobridge, Meyer Bros

2. They are my favorite team and I'm allowed to be biased.

They had bad luck this year with fitness/accidents but I think they rank near the top.

What is Le Mevels TT like?

 

[Barrus]

HTC will remain the best

 

[bjaelkesex]

is gustav larson staying with saxo bank or did he move to lux aswell?

staying with riis

 

[The Hitch]

I don't think lux will in the top 5 ttt teams? Sky for me but htc liquigas and garmin are also stronger.

agree

maybe the shlecks are average on a ITT in the last week of a GT. but on a TT in the first week they aren't. they will be slowing the team down. besides canc isn't confirmed yet. HTC on the other hand will show up at the tour with a line up pretty good(if nothing strange happens like an injury) cav, martin, both velits, TJVG and the whole chu chu train that pulls cav for his victories(just assuming ofc) so they seem like the kind of team that can beat lux.

Agree almost completely. Lux are i would say weaker than others, and HTC are the kings,

But in the Tour i expect a HTC to pretty much spend the whole of stage 1 on the front, and play the part of both yellow jersey team and sprint hunters in stage 2.

So by the time we get to Les Essarts, with no GC contender anyway, they might just say screw it.


This is pretty much what happened last tdf ttt. THey could have contested that ttt but instead, the day before they organised a team break for 40 seconds and a Cav stage win.

Werent so great the next day

 

[nobilis]

What is Le Mevels TT like?

Le Mevel is average or below in TT. On average in the 50-100 bracket in tdf TTs. But his season last year was disappointing. Nothing compared to his 2009 season with 3 top 10 finishes in PN, Dauphiné and the Tour.

 

[ingsve]

If we say specifically for the Tour TTT then I think Sky has a good shot. They probably won't have anyone that would need to wait for except if they wanto to keep Uran in the GC if he is even riding the Tour. They will probably also have it as a major goal to win the TTT in the Tour.

Garmin also has a good team and looking at their roster I wonder if they'll have room for all their TT muscle. If they have both VDV and LeMevel, Farrar nad Hushovd with support for both then I wonder if there is room for both Millar and Zabriskie. Garmin like Sky will be looking to win the TTT and try to score a yellow jersey.

Lux will probably have Cancellara, Monfort, O'Grady and Voigt as their motors but they would need to keep a pace that at least Andy and Fränk could keep. I'm expecting Fuglsang and Feillu to be in the squad but they could probably drop off in the TTT. Lux will probably be content with not losing time.

Radioshack will probably also be strong if they bring their usual suspects but for each year that passes they can't be getting stronger one would think.

HTC usually does good but I think it will depend a lot on what riders they'll bring to the Tour and who they'll be riding for in the GC. They've losr Monfort and Rogers so that might affect them too.

 

[auscyclefan94]

BMC

Hincapie, Evans, Bookwalter, Phinney, Quinziato, Ballan, Kohler, Morabito, Burghardt

 

[Christian]

Lux will probably have Cancellara, Monfort, O'Grady and Voigt as their motors but they would need to keep a pace that at least Andy and Fränk could keep. I'm expecting Fuglsang and Feillu to be in the squad but they could probably drop off in the TTT. Lux will probably be content with not losing time.

Yeah they probably don't even want to win the TTT in the TdF, that'd be way too early to take the yellow jersey.
I'm expecting Posthuma to be in there too, he's pretty good

 

[Anonymous]

Are we talking a hypothetical TTT with the best possible lineup or are we talking a specific TTT in the Tour with riders that will likely be in the Tour.

Lux could probably string together a decent TTT but if they have both Schlecks in a 9 men team that will of course weaken the team a little.

Thats the thing, if its hypothetical then I have sky #1, but the likelehood of Dowsett, EBH, Thomas, Wiggins, Kennaugh and Rogers all making the tour squad is unlikely.

 

[ferryman]

I voted Sky but I think you could throw a blanket over 4 or 5 teams here.