Le Tour de France 2011 - the big one is coming

[Michielveedeebee]

I don't see Contador doing the Vuelta if that is what you mean by the tripple

Guy needs a break after the Tour.

yep but how awesome would it be, even if he would just try it even if he fails miserably at the vuelta it would be amazing to know that you're watching aGT in which history could be written

 

[perico]

whoa people I wasn't trying to make a comparison to cycling. I just wanted to mention that man u looked like amatures It was actually a good watch, watching barca like that doesn't get old.

although in a way barca did to man u what ac did to the peleton

----

Anyway back to cycling.
ANy ideas on the team line-ups (no need to post cycling fever, seen it also), and who will lead thier teams.

I feel pretty confident the rabo team will be:
Gesink
Mollema
LLS
Barredo
Garate
Boom
LTD
Tjallingi
Niermann

I'm curious as to who the leaders will be tho..
shack? Klodi, Horner, bottle, Braj?
Garmin? Hesj again? I hope they let Martin do his thing.

According to JV, Le Meveland Millar, Garmin will start with Vande Velde as their designated GC leader, with Hesjedal protected and Farrar as their sprinter. Danielson is definitely in. Martin has climbing talent, but has yet to do anything in a GT, and looks really brittle.

I would guess they will take:

Vande Velde
Hesjedal
Zabriskie
Millar
Danielson
Van Summeren
Thor
Farrar
Haussler, Le Mevel, Martin, or maybe Hammond would be my best guess for 9th spot.

 

[Angliru]

evans. He might not beat gilbert but he will be up there. He has a pretty good sprint for those hill finishes.

Wouldn't he be better served saving his energies than pursuing an early stage win?

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Wouldn't he be better served saving his energies than pursuing an early stage win?

he might gain time on his rivals like that + a sprint doesn't cost that much energy...

 

[Angliru]

he might gain time on his rivals like that + a sprint doesn't cost that much energy...

Excuse my ignorance, but are there time bonuses for the top 3 finishes of each stage like the Giro?

Valverde was often criticized for his early efforts in grand tours, for instance his stage win in 2007 or 2008 on an uphill grade, beating out Evans and Kirchen I believe. The theory was that it was the reason for his up and down/always disappointing grand tour performances. It wasn't until his ultra conservative effort at the Vuelta did he finally find his ultimate grand tour success (short of a Tour win of course).

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Excuse my ignorance, but are there time bonuses for the top 3 finishes of each stage like the Giro?

Valverde was often criticized for his early efforts in grand tours, for instance his stage win in 2007 or 2008 on an uphill grade, beating out Evans and Kirchen I believe. The theory was that it was the reason for his up and down/always disappointing grand tour performances. It wasn't until his ultra conservative effort at the Vuelta did he finally find his ultimate grand tour success (short of a Tour win of course).

nope no time bonuses but gaps can be easily created in such sprints

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

then it'll just be

Gilbert

--

bunch of gc riders +20
bunch of less explosive gc riders +35

etc, nothing big

 

[The Hitch]

Don't be so absurd

Ha!. Thanks for sticking up for me but I think ACF was just trying to offer a freidnly bait.

Had i taken it it would have no doubt included a smiley face followed by one of those captioned images about how i am so easy to wind up or something.

Also ACF does in a way hit on a point as my post was part of a process in which i have tried to tie Samuel Sanchez's tour fate to my own on the forum so that i will have all the more reason to cheer for him.

Now that the Tour is approaching i felt greenedges post gave me a perfect opportunity to connect myself to the Samu brand.

Judging by the fact that when he won GP Mig, the first few comments were "congratulations Hitch", i would say its on schedule

 

[auscyclefan94]

Except horribly inaccurate due to its early release time. Its only for the once a year cycling enthusiasts.

I personally think it is actually very good and I am certainly not a "once a year cycling enthusiast".


Who will be going for the KOM this year?

 

[El Pistolero]

Just Moncoutie. His biggest threat will be one of the GC boys.

 

[Ferminal]

I personally think it is actually very good and I am certainly not a "once a year cycling enthusiast".

I will buy it as something trivial to read, I think the most exciting part from last year's was where they estimated the team budgets.

 

[greenedge]

Lloyd if he signs anytime soon. Di Gregorio, Vino even might, Westra. Damm i am annoyed i said somewhere about Charteau probably not contesting and another rider going to try heaps hard? ( help anyone? ) Found it it was Uran

Hitch i admire Samu and hope he gets on the podium this yr. It's my Evans fanboyism but i think Samu is the only one who could really match Shleck OVERALL not in climbing but yeah that would only happen if Contador was not there and he is. Also Hitch i corrected myself saying it was EVEN yrs that he performs at the TDF

ACF how can i join the CADEOLOGY group ( got the invite ) and how come Hitch is in it?????

 

[Tuarts]

Excuse me? What's with your sig? I'm not in any faction thank you. I support the riders I like but I'm degenerating into some feverish fanatical squabble over them. I have an Aussie focus because guess what, that's where I'm from but I watch cycling for the cycling not because of rider-x.

 

[Tuarts]

I personally think it is actually very good and I am certainly not a "once a year cycling enthusiast".


Who will be going for the KOM this year?

Yes well, simple things...

 

[auscyclefan94]

Lloyd if he signs anytime soon. Di Gregorio, Vino even might, Westra. Damm i am annoyed i said somewhere about Charteau probably not contesting and another rider going to try heaps hard? ( help anyone? ) Found it it was Uran

Hitch i admire Samu and hope he gets on the podium this yr. It's my Evans fanboyism but i think Samu is the only one who could really match Shleck OVERALL not in climbing but yeah that would only happen if Contador was not there and he is. Also Hitch i corrected myself saying it was EVEN yrs that he performs at the TDF

ACF how can i join the CADEOLOGY group ( got the invite ) and how come Hitch is in it?????

Accept the invite that I sent! Hiitch was the original founder of the group and he has shown his allegiances to the ACF mafia!

 

[auscyclefan94]

The BMC team for the tour are in Zolder doing TTT practise and also asjusting equipment on their time trial bikes. BMC have made a new tt bike which is suppose to be really good. I guess that is an upside to having a bike manafacturer as your sponsor.

Quinziato refers to it in a tweet.


It should be interesting to see how the gc teams go in the ttt.

Any predictions on that?

 

[Frosty]

Just Moncoutie. His biggest threat will be one of the GC boys.

I would have thought that others would have an eye on it too. Charteau will look to repeat although i think it is unlikely. Bound to be some others who look to get in the breaks on the big mountain stages.

Moncoutie didnt do very well in 2009 but this route is probably more suited to him. Maybe Cofidis will have this as one of their goals, trying to get both him and Taaramae into breaks on the mountain stages (or alternating mountain stages) and hope that one of them can get enough points.

Come to that, what do people think Taaramae will do? Is he good enough to give the GC a go (10th to 20th), at least start off doing that and see what happens? He has done well in week-long races but my only memory of him in a three week race was the Vuelta when he cracked and came to a stop.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Accept the invite that I sent! Hiitch was the original founder of the group and he has shown his allegiances to the ACF mafia!

yes but he bertrayed us to the dutchies as well

 

[jobiwan]

Apologies if these have already been posted, but the profiles for the 4 MTFs are up:

Luz Ardiden

Plateau du Beille

Galibier - Serre Chavalier

Alpe d'Huez

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Excuse me? What's with your sig? I'm not in any faction thank you. I support the riders I like but I'm degenerating into some feverish fanatical squabble over them. I have an Aussie focus because guess what, that's where I'm from but I watch cycling for the cycling not because of rider-x.

go prey at your cuddles shrine boy.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I was just having a look at the list of Australian riders who will make teams for the tdf.

Definetly
Evans
Goss
O'Grady
Renshaw
Hayman

Maybe
Wurf
S. Clarke
Davis
hansen
Haussler
McEwen
Roberts
Rogers
Gerrans


Any changes to that list? Who will and won't to those lists will ride le tour?

I personally think we might have a few less than past years.

 

[just some guy]

Devolder made the short list for the Tour - would have thought someone else would have deserved a spot on performance.

 

[just some guy]

I was just having a look at the list of Australian riders who will make teams for the tdf.

Definetly
Evans
Goss
O'Grady
Renshaw
Hayman

Maybe
Wurf
Hayman
S. Clarke
Davis
hansen
Haussler
McEwen
Roberts
Rogers
Gerrans


Any changes to that list? Who will and won't to those lists will ride le tour?

I personally think we might have a few less than past years.

you have Haymen on both lists

Davis and Wurf will ride

Davis was told 6 months ago he is in - no indications that has changed
Wurf is Basso´s training partner and has a massive engine for the TTT and windy flat stages.

Also recon Roberts will ride and Simon Clarke

hansen
Haussler
McEwen
Roberts
Rogers all will watch on TV imo

Gerrans not sure recon they might take him for the 1st week though

 

[auscyclefan94]

you have Haymen on both lists

Davis and Wurf will ride

Davis was told 6 months ago he is in - no indications that has changed
Wurf is Basso´s training partner and has a massive engine for the TTT and windy flat stages.

Also recon Roberts will ride and Simon Clarke

hansen
Haussler
McEwen
Roberts
Rogers all will watch on TV imo

Gerrans not sure recon they might take him for the 1st week though

RE: DAvis, deserving to be in and actually being in are to be are two different things. I think Simon Clarke definetly deserves a ride. Maybe roberts will get a nod due to the ttt. I am still unsure about Davis though. He''s been back in Australia for a while and hasn't shown anything at all this season. I'd be surprised if Astana really take the risk on him unless he shows something at suisse.

 

[johngoat]

Hivert

Do you expect something from sprintern Jonathan Hivert?