Best TTT line-up for 2011

[peloton]

Voted HTC.

My top 4 teams for a TTT
1. HTC
2. Garmin
3. Sky
4. Liquigas

 

[PCutter]

Not sure where all this support for Lux is coming - Cancellara does not make a TTT team by himself. Stu, Jens have big engines, but not in the TT league of some of what the other top teams, HTC, Sky, Garmin can put together. I think these 3 teams will fight it out, as they are the 3 teams likely to focus on winning the TTT's (and thus practicing more) above teams like Lux. Garmin will add a bit of firepower this year through Bobridge and at least one of the Meyer brothers who have a lot of team pursuit experience and will be in their second year as pro's.

And given the length of the TTT in the tour, teams with a serious view to winning the GC won't be stacking there team with TT'ers for a few seconds gain (like adding Phinney), climbing help, as always, will be what matters, not 10s extra in a short TTT

 

[Ferminal]

Garmin's Tour squad will probably something like this:

Farrar
Hushovd
Haussler
Dean
Millar
Zabriskie
Hesjedal
Le Mevel
Vansummeren

Bold are most likely certainties, barring injury. Not sure about Haussler as he's said that his only focused on the classics, but he would be in their best team. Dean would be unlucky to miss out, they might feel a bit heavy if they take all four of the big sprinters. If Dean or Haussler miss out I think it would be between Dan Martin and Vandevelde for the final spot.

Regardles it's quite a strong lineup, maybe they could beat HTC.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Garmin's Tour squad will probably something like this:

Farrar
Hushovd
Haussler
Dean
Millar
Zabriskie
Hesjedal
Le Mevel
Vansummeren

Bold are most likely certainties, barring injury. Not sure about Haussler as he's said that his only focused on the classics, but he would be in their best team. Dean would be unlucky to miss out, they might feel a bit heavy if they take all four of the big sprinters. If Dean or Haussler miss out I think it would be between Dan Martin and Vandevelde for the final spot.

Regardles it's quite a strong lineup, maybe they could beat HTC.

What about Vandevelde? I think he would be a definite. I am surprised le Mevel is in the team.

 

[Ferminal]

What about Vandevelde? I think he would be a definite. I am surprised le Mevel is in the team.

It would be a huge slap in the face of Le Mevel to recruit him and then not let him ride his home race. It's either Le Mevel or Tommy D...

Vandevelde has had two very difficult seasons, if he gets some form early in the season he will probably be there, but is not a certainty at this stage.

 

[bicycles_rule]

saxo bank will at the very least not lose much. contador, larsson, porte,

I mean, you need 9 men of course but those 3 are looking good...

anyways I don't get why rabo is thinking they can gain some time in the ttt. they lost 2 of their better men and it was not very good even last year. as a fan I'm afraid they're going to lose some major time there.

 

[Sophistic]

if we are talking bout the 23km TTT at the Tour, then i'm going with Garmin.
9x2,5(and even those 2,5 broken into intervals) are definietly something for a team with Hushovd, Farrar, Haussler.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It would be a huge slap in the face of Le Mevel to recruit him and then not let him ride his home race. It's either Le Mevel or Tommy D...

Vandevelde has had two very difficult seasons, if he gets some form early in the season he will probably be there, but is not a certainty at this stage.

I guess it is a crime for any other french rider who does not get a spot on the tdf team ahead of any other non french rider then. Ridiculous statement.

saxobank with contador would lose a fair bit of time.

- Garmin, Sky & HTC will duke it out ftw.

There is about 8-10 other teams in my opinion who could fill the spots from 4th to 12th.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Sky
HTC
Garmin
Team lux
Liquigas
BMC
Radioshack
Rabobank
Katusha








Omega Pharma Lotto

 

[auscyclefan94]

The first day of racing's placings will be super important in the sprint as wouldn't it decide the starting order of the ttt? Teams will want to have riders finishing highly in the sprint so they start later in the order.

 

[Ferminal]

I guess it is a crime for any other french rider who does not get a spot on the tdf team ahead of any other non french rider then. Ridiculous statement.

Don't twist my words, I was simply observing the reality of the situation. Although I can understand if that may be a foreign concept to you.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Don't twist my words, I was simply observing the reality of the situation. Although I can understand if that may be a foreign concept to you.

That is a pretty unfair comment and generalisation.

 

[ingsve]

Garmin's Tour squad will probably something like this:

Farrar
Hushovd
Haussler
Dean
Millar
Zabriskie
Hesjedal
Le Mevel
Vansummeren

Bold are most likely certainties, barring injury. Not sure about Haussler as he's said that his only focused on the classics, but he would be in their best team. Dean would be unlucky to miss out, they might feel a bit heavy if they take all four of the big sprinters. If Dean or Haussler miss out I think it would be between Dan Martin and Vandevelde for the final spot.

Regardles it's quite a strong lineup, maybe they could beat HTC.

Dean will definately be there and I suspect they might add Lancaster as well. The green jersey is a goal for them and they would want to have the best possible leadout for Farrar. Hushovd and Haussler are not the leadout types. I doubt that Haussler will get a spot in the Tour. I don't see what the purpose of that would be. He would just be superfluous given that they have Farrar for flat sprints and Hushovd for any other stage that Haussler could win. I don't see a spot for Van Summeren either.

I can imagine something like:

Farrar
Hushovd
Vandevelde
Hesjedal
Le Mevel
Dean
Millar
Zabriskie
Martin/Lancaster/Danielson

I think it will depend how much they want to go for the GC with someone and how to support that GC rider. If they want to go even stronger for Farrar then perhaps they ccould add Haussler as a part of the early leadout train but that would be a waste of his talents in my opinion.

 

[nobilis]

Sky
HTC
Garmin
Team lux
Liquigas
BMC
Radioshack
Rabobank
Katusha








Omega Pharma Lotto

I know that you have personal issues (as Cadel's fan) Omega Pharma Lotto but i think they performed pretty well in the TTT last year and despite a big movement in the team during the transfer season, they will still have a decent line-up and they made good additions to the team including 5 from HTC.

 

[nobilis]

Farrar
Hushovd
Vandevelde
Hesjedal
Le Mevel
Dean
Millar
Zabriskie
Martin/Lancaster/Danielson

I think it will depend how much they want to go for the GC with someone and how to support that GC rider. If they want to go even stronger for Farrar then perhaps they ccould add Haussler as a part of the early leadout train but that would be a waste of his talents in my opinion.

Which one of VdV, Hesjedal or Le Mevel would you pick for the GC?
I think VdV has his best years behind him and had really bad luck the last 2 years. So we might see Hesjedal confirming his good form.

 

[Frosty]

I guess it is a crime for any other french rider who does not get a spot on the tdf team ahead of any other non french rider then. Ridiculous statement.

I dont think he's saying that, just that when a french rider has finished 10th in the tour (even if he did have a breakaway giving him a few minutes) you would normally think that they would want a contract ensuring them that they will be doing the Tour.

Does anyone know what Le Mevel is like in a TTT? I know that a TTT is different to simply averaging the best 5/7 riders' ITT times as it is a question of going above threshold for, say, 10 seconds and then having 80 seconds just below threshold. However, being a good ITTer is a good starting point and i cant find any examples of him being really good. Be interesting to see how his move pans out.

How is it determined who is the leader after the TTT stage in the tour? Does the placing from the previous day count? I assume it would and if so then it might mean that the rider inheriting the yellow jersey after stage 2 is not the most obvious - ie not necessarily Cav for HTC. HTC's leader on the first stage could be Peter Velits, Garmin's could be Hushovd, Farrar, Hesjedal or even Millar, Sky's looks like being Boasson Hagen. Sky havent had a yellow jersey wearer and im pretty sure Garmin havent either - maybe the extra lure of a first yellow jersey will focus their minds even more on the TTT? I cant help thinking that this is an event that Sky since this is closest to the team pursuit. Then again the TTT has been raced fairly often in recent years so i think this is unlikely to make much difference.

 

[nobilis]

Does anyone know what Le Mevel is like in a TTT? I know that a TTT is different to simply averaging the best 5/7 riders' ITT times as it is a question of going above threshold for, say, 10 seconds and then having 80 seconds just below threshold. However, being a good ITTer is a good starting point and i cant find any examples of him being really good. Be interesting to see how his move pans out.

Le Mevel is really average in TT. Never in the top 50 in a tour TT.

How is it determined who is the leader after the TTT stage in the tour? Does the placing from the previous day count? I assume it would and if so then it might mean that the rider inheriting the yellow jersey after stage 2 is not the most obvious - ie not necessarily Cav for HTC. HTC's leader on the first stage could be Peter Velits, Garmin's could be Hushovd, Farrar, Hesjedal or even Millar, Sky's looks like being Boasson Hagen. Sky havent had a yellow jersey wearer and im pretty sure Garmin havent either - maybe the extra lure of a first yellow jersey will focus their minds even more on the TTT? I cant help thinking that this is an event that Sky since this is closest to the team pursuit. Then again the TTT has been raced fairly often in recent years so i think this is unlikely to make much difference.

That's why time bonuses make more sense to me and make things less confusing.

 

[The Hitch]

Which one of VdV, Hesjedal or Le Mevel would you pick for the GC?
I think VdV has his best years behind him and had really bad luck the last 2 years. So we might see Hesjedal confirming his good form.

All of them.

+ Daniel Martin.

With that they can do what Caisse did in gts this season. Insert themselves into gc battles.
Half the team for the sprints - Hushovd, Farrar Dean Haussler. Just say to htc - do the work or no sprint. I bet my hous Htc will work for the sprints, and then Farrar Dean, try for the sprints. Hushovd in the wheel of Farrar in sprints and doing his own thing for the green in the hilly stages. Doesnt need a team for that.

Then Le Mevel VDV Martin and Hejsedal for GC. personally i dont expect that much from either but together, they can do well.

Having said that thats probably the ideal team. But they might want to save Danny boy for Giro. There he can team up with Danielson.

Use Millar instead as he can help with ttt and leadouts.

Farrar and Haussler can do the 1st half of the Giro then drop out, so they wont be too badly effected.

 

[ingsve]

Which one of VdV, Hesjedal or Le Mevel would you pick for the GC?
I think VdV has his best years behind him and had really bad luck the last 2 years. So we might see Hesjedal confirming his good form.

That's very though to know. I think they might now that best themselves. It's hard to dismiss VDV since it has been injuries that has kept him away from the top 10 in his last GTs so I don't think we can say conclusively that he is passed his prime.

I'm still very hesitant about Hesjedal. I think that in the Tour he was pushing himself right at the edge of his ability to stay up there so I don't know how easy it would be for him to repeat or better that. VDV seemed to have a little more margin of error in his top 10s-

Le Mevel is hard to predict. His overall capacity is perhaps a little lower than the other two so I don't think I would make him the prime captain.

In the long term I think Dan Martin is a future top 10 GT rider at least but he will still only be 25 next year so I wouldn't expect his best years to be for another 4-5 years.