le Tour team thread

[just some guy]

As teams are slowly coming together who will have the strongest GC teams

If we look at the Giro saxo as a unit were quite weak really.

To start the thread I will give my top teams

Lopo - trek
Liq -cannondale
Saxo
Shack and BMC same level
EE
Rabo / Garmin
OPL

Right that should get things going.

BMC have 1 leader and 1 job in mind a united effort - high high mths they might miss but Cadel is used to that and good use of breaks will help

Radioshack 4 leader 2 of which levi and Jani if off form will be spat out the back, horner and kodi will ride for others as well Levi not know Lance has retired imo.

Bring out the stones

This has been edited - strongest GC teams

 

[Bavarianrider]

As teams are slowly coming together who will have the strongest teams.

If we look at the Giro saxo as a unit were quite weak really.

To start the thread I will give my top teams

Lopo - trek
Liq -cannondale
Saxo
Shack and BMC same level
EE
Rabo
OPL

Right that should get things going.

BMC have 1 leader and 1 job in mind a united effort - high high mths they might miss but Cadel is used to that and good use of breaks will help

Radioshack 4 leader 2 of which levi and Jani if off form will be spat out the back, horner and kodi will ride for others as well Levi not know Lance has retired imo.

Bring out the stones

HTC They have the top sprinter, will win the TT and have a classement contender.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

HTC will arguably start as favourite in 9 stages (7 flat/flatish, the hilly ITT and the TTT). That's pretty strong.

 

[just some guy]

Sorry folks.

I came on to edit my post.

GC teams ie teams going for GC place

HTC are clearly the strongest sprint team.

Edit will be done

 

[El Pistolero]

Rabo is not stronger than OPL. With Gilbert they have someone that can win like 3 stages and wear the yellow jersey for a couple of days. Greipel can also win a stage IMO and VDB can top 5 this Tour.

It's better than a team that has focused it self completely on Gesink who will not win a stage or win this Tour. He'll probably place higher than VDB, but still doesn't make them a stronger team than OPL this Tour de France.

edit: oh GC teams. Yes, Rabo above OPL then.

 

[just some guy]

HTC They have the top sprinter, will win the TT and have a classement contender.

TT - Fabian rides for lepo-trek

And Garmin or radioshack for the TTT

Top sprinter for sure

 

[auscyclefan94]

Liquigas and Saxo above Rabobank and BMC? Who does Liquigas really have for the ttt?

How is Euskatel so high? Maybe we should list all the top gc riders and their possible teams and then people can make a jusgement on ordering the teams.

 

[Bavarianrider]

TT - Fabian rides for lepo-trek

And Garmin or radioshack for the TTT

Top sprinter for sure

Sorry i meant the TTT.
Hmm i don't see anyone who can beat HTC in the TTT

 

[nvpacchi]

Liquigas and Saxo above Rabobank and BMC? Who does Liquigas really have for the ttt?

How is Euskatel so high? Maybe we should list all the top gc riders and their possible teams and then people can make a jusgement on ordering the teams.

EuskaLtel just happen to have a rider who has a chance to podium, 5 domestiques in Velasco, Verdugo, Martinez, G. Izagirre, and Txurruka who have been great this year, and there is a chance that Castroviejo rides, helping out immensely in the TTT.

With Sanchez, Verdugo, Martinez, and Castroviejo guiding through the TTT, they have a nice lineup.

 

[Gloin22]

I'd say you underestimate Sky a bit. They rode the course all together twice now ( read that soemwhere ) and are targeting it for a stage win.

 

[Mambo95]

Liquigas and Saxo above Rabobank and BMC? Who does Liquigas really have for the ttt?

Whoever it is that coaches them.

Liquigas consistently do well in TTTs because they are very well organised and have a well thought out strategy. That's far more important than individual abilities.

 

[Gloin22]

Sky might be very strong. Versatlie in sprints Hagen and Henderson might mix up and very strong train with Thomas a big help. Good in mountains with wiggo as leader and than Uran as back up with Zandio and others to help. Hope they don't fail this time.

 

[craig1985]

EuskaLtel just happen to have a rider who has a chance to podium, 5 domestiques in Velasco, Verdugo, Martinez, G. Izagirre, and Txurruka who have been great this year, and there is a chance that Castroviejo rides, helping out immensely in the TTT.

With Sanchez, Verdugo, Martinez, and Castroviejo guiding through the TTT, they have a nice lineup.

And Amets to go in a 1001 breakaways. Even if they are pointless and he gets nowhere.

 

[The Hitch]

Anyone know what Scarponi is doing. Is he going to ride the Tour, save himself for a challenge at the Vuelta, or just rest and do Lombardy?

EuskaLtel just happen to have a rider who has a chance to podium, 5 domestiques in Velasco, Verdugo, Martinez, G. Izagirre, and Txurruka who have been great this year, and there is a chance that Castroviejo rides, helping out immensely in the TTT.

With Sanchez, Verdugo, Martinez, and Castroviejo guiding through the TTT, they have a nice lineup.

Samu (and Evans and Vino) will lose probably about 2 minutes in the ttt and have to do much of the work themselves, while Basso, Schleck and Gesink get shielded all the way and will end up with a very comfortable head start over the Asturian.

 

[Greenflame]

Leopard and Liquigas are a cut above the rest here. Leopard are obviously incredibly strong with Fuglsang, Monfort, Cancellara, Zaugg, etc., but they might lack what Liquigas has in Szmyd and Saxo in Navarro: someone who can pull on a mountain until just the favourites are left. Fuglsang doesn't look up to this task, or he didn't last year anyway. Frank could take on this role if his chances for a GC are blown, but as long as he's within range of a top 5 spot they won't sacrifice him for Andy.
Liquigas are strong, but we'll have to wait and see how Basso will perform against an in-form Schleck.

Rabobank have an excellent GC team as well: Ten Dam, Mollema, Sanchez, Garate... Plenty of support for Gesink in the mountains. Their only problem is that Gesink most likely won't win a stage and won't finish on the podium. I just hope they won't devote their entire squad to helping Gesink and allow riders to go for breakaways and stage wins. Gesink will probably win the white jersey, so they'll achieve some succes anyway (Andy doesn't qualify for white any more right?).

Saxo is a strange case: They potentially have the absolute best team for the mountains with CA Sorensen and Navarro as two superdomestiques, but wether Contador will be rested enough for the Tour is a big if. Also a lot of their potentially optimal Tour team has worked in the Giro and could be worn out there.

Shack has a lot of candidates for a GC, but won't be top-5. Some stages and the team classification is all they can realistically aim for. BMC and EE both have good candidates for a top 5 or even podium and a decent squad to support them. HTC, Garmin and OPL have good teams, but not really focused on delivering a GC: the HTC and Garmin will be focused on sprints most of all, OPL has three leaders which all require some support. Sky is a strong team for both GC and sprints, but their leaders are questionable for both. Henderson and Hagen won't beat Cav and Ferrar, Wiggins and Uran definitely won't end up higher than Schleck and COntador

My eventual list would be:
1. Leopard
2. Liquigas
3. Saxo
4. Rabobank
5. BMC
6. Euskaltel
7. Radioshack
8. OPL
9. Sky
10. HTC
11. Garmin

 

[dlwssonic]

HTC They have the top sprinter, will win the TT and have a classement contender.

first of all tony martin is not a classement contender. Yes they have the top sprinter. I will like to see your martin beating cancellara in the TT.

 

[The Hitch]

first of all tony martin is not a classement contender. Yes they have the top sprinter. I will like to see your martin beating cancellara in the TT.

Ill feel sorry for Martin if he doesnt put in a good performance at the Tour. He has afterall said that this is the only race that counts. And yet its a race that doesnt suit him at all.

Poor guy.

 

[Bavarianrider]

first of all tony martin is not a classement contender. Yes they have the top sprinter. I will like to see your martin beating cancellara in the TT.

Was a typo meant the TTT. Tony could beat Cancellara in this hilly TT. However, Cance can safe energy while Tony has to go full throttle in the alps the days before. So Cance should win it.

 

[nesocip]

Tony has to go full throttle in the alps the days before.

To stay ahead of the broom?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Rabo is not stronger than OPL. With Gilbert they have someone that can win like 3 stages and wear the yellow jersey for a couple of days. Greipel can also win a stage IMO and VDB can top 5 this Tour.

It's better than a team that has focused it self completely on Gesink who will not win a stage or win this Tour. He'll probably place higher than VDB, but still doesn't make them a stronger team than OPL this Tour de France.

edit: oh GC teams. Yes, Rabo above OPL then.

individuals not many teams will beat the opl 3. but that wont make it effective.
Gilbert is the big one.

In terms of team strength rabo will have an extremely strong team at the tour.
Gesink wont be able to complain

I expect:
Gesink

LLS
Mollema
Barredo
Garate
LTD

Boom
Niermann
Tjallingii

Other Possibility: Matti Breschel. Who I would assume would change with Niermann or Tjallingii.

lota of mountain men, a strong team for the TTT and good roulers.

bets team they have ever had at a tour, on paper.

 

[theyoungest]

Rabo is not stronger than OPL. With Gilbert they have someone that can win like 3 stages and wear the yellow jersey for a couple of days. Greipel can also win a stage IMO and VDB can top 5 this Tour.

It's better than a team that has focused it self completely on Gesink who will not win a stage or win this Tour. He'll probably place higher than VDB, but still doesn't make them a stronger team than OPL this Tour de France.

edit: oh GC teams. Yes, Rabo above OPL then.

Does VDB have even one decent mountain domestique? Philippe Gilbert?

I expect:
Gesink

LLS
Mollema
Barredo
Garate
LTD

Boom
Niermann
Tjallingii

Other Possibility: Matti Breschel. Who I would assume would change with Niermann or Tjallingii.

lota of mountain men, a strong team for the TTT and good roulers.

bets team they have ever had at a tour, on paper.

Best team ever? How about 2007: Rasmussen, Menchov, Boogerd, T. Dekker, Freire...

 

[El Pistolero]

Does VDB have even one decent mountain domestique? Philippe Gilbert?

Why would he need one? OPL will never have to control the race in the mountains. I just don't understand a team's mentality when they're putting their whole team in support of someone who'll at best be 4th or 5th with not much chance of stage wins of said person. Leech from other teams is much better.

And to answer your question. Don't know, perhaps Vanendert and Gilbert will be able to do some domestique work on the mountains. But why bother.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Does VDB have even one decent mountain domestique? Philippe Gilbert?


Best team ever? How about 2007: Rasmussen, Menchov, Boogerd, T. Dekker, Freire...

The depth on a whole I mean. And that race is probably best to be forgotten

 

[theyoungest]

Why would he need one? OPL will never have to control the race in the mountains. I just don't understand a team's mentality when they're putting their whole team in support of someone who'll at best be 4th or 5th with not much chance of stage wins of said person. Leech from other teams is much better.

And to answer your question. Don't know, perhaps Vanendert and Gilbert will be able to do some domestique work on the mountains. But why bother.

There's a difference between having a team to control the race, and having no-one who can make it over a mountain with the best 20-30 riders. You don't want your guy to be alone 50 k before the line, now do you.

 

[El Pistolero]

There's a difference between having a team to control the race, and having no-one who can make it over a mountain with the best 20-30 riders. You don't want your guy to be alone 50 k before the line, now do you.

Won't happen on a course like this year's TDF. Besides Contador managed just fine without a team to help him in the mountains. Having a team is overrated

And yes, I know VDB is no Contador, that's why he'll be riding for a 5th place or something instead of the win.