le Tour team thread

[muscat]

Vaughters on twitter:

I am really stressed about making the TdF selection. There are 11 guys that deserve to go. I can only take 9. Someone will be upset.

http://twitter.com/Vaughters/status/82128320250126336

So, who are the eleven?

Why does Vaughters make comments about his team selection for the tour on Twitter?. Why does he not announce a short list and final list through normal channels like any other Tour team? I can imagine what publicly airing his thoughts on selection is doing for team morale.

 

[Clemson Cycling]

I think Tommy D punched his spot on the squad after the Tour de Suisse ride.

 

[amp300]

I think Tommy D punched his spot on the squad after the Tour de Suisse ride.

I hope so, he has ridden very well this year.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Guess they should take both Tommy D and Daniel Martin, they both showed their form today, Martin had allergic reactions again in the Dauphine.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Martin won today tho

 

[Ruudz0r]

Ye, thats why I said he showed his form today

 

[seidodge]

Vaughters also tweeted after Dan's win that he has a hard decision to make.

My guess at the Garmin Cervelo team;
Definites
Van de velde
Hesjedal
Zabriskie
Hushovd
Farrar

Probable
Miller
van summeran
Le Mevel

Leaving the last spot between Dan Martin and Tom danielson

Really hope Martin gets it

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Vaughters also tweeted after Dan's win that he has a hard decision to make.

My guess at the Garmin Cervelo team;
Definites
Van de velde
Hesjedal
Zabriskie
Hushovd
Farrar

Probable
Miller
van summeran
Le Mevel

Leaving the last spot between Dan Martin and Tom danielson

Really hope Martin gets it

I'd be very surprised if Le Mevel is in the Tour squad, given that he rode the Giro hard. It's difficult to see what he would bring over Danielson or Martin if he's not in peak form. I also suspect that there might be another helper in there for the sprints, perhaps Dean.

Garmin's problem for the Tour is that they have a number of guys who can top 10, but nobody who can podium. They have an excellent sprinter, but one who has been consistently slower than his main rival. They have an excellent difficult finish sprinter, but one who probably isn't the very best. They have excellent Time Triallists, but not someone who can expect to beat Cancellara. And so on down through the specialties. Good at everything, the best at nothing.

As it stands, they've got top 10s on GC before but they haven't won a stage. Because of that, I'd expect them to prioritise stage wins over their GC chances. That gives guys for the TTT and sprint helpers an edge over climbing helpers, which favours Danielson over Martin. On the other hand, Martin, is capable of winning stages himself in a way that Danielson is not. It really is a tough choice.

Martin is a win or come last guy. Danielson is an eighth place guy.

 

[pmcg76]

Despite his win today, I think Dan Martin will lose out, unfortunately. The TTT is the big thing for JV and he has said Martin is a weak TT rider.

I think Martin deserves a spot but I just dont see him fitting into the JV masterplan, I think the spot was between Tommy D and Martin and Danielson has earned his spot with his Swiss ride plus he is a better TT rider than Martin.

I think the team will be

Vandevelde
Hysjedal
Millar
Hushovd
Zabriskie
Farrar
Danielson
Dean
Le Mevel or Van Summeren

Would love to be wrong though.

 

[Ruudz0r]

I think JV goes for:

Vandevelde
Hesjedal
Millar
Hushovd
Zabriskie
Farrar
Danielson
Dean
Martin

 

[halamala]

According to SB Sport Director Nick Gates:

BADEN Cooke may be on the wrong side of 30, but he will be one of the first riders picked when the Saxo Bank-Sunguard squad is named in Zurich tomorrow, to ride alongside defending champion Alberto Contador at the Tour de France starting on July 2.

"Cookie deserves his place, he's been strong and reliable for the team all season," Gates said.

"He's mentally tough enough not to be overawed by being on the start line in Vendee for the start of three weeks of hard, tough racing."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...y-with-saxo-bank/story-fn8sc2wz-1226078084400

Saxo-Bank has filled eight places of its nine-man roster for France: Contador, Porte, Cooke, Nicki Sosensen, Chris Anker Sorensen, Juan Jose Haedo, Jesus Hernandez and Daniel Navarro.

Cooke and JJ Haedo, WTF? No Larsson, no Noval, no Vandborg???

 

[Publicus]

According to SB Sport Director Nick Gates:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...y-with-saxo-bank/story-fn8sc2wz-1226078084400

Saxo-Bank has filled eight places of its nine-man roster for France: Contador, Porte, Cooke, Nicki Sosensen, Chris Anker Sorensen, Juan Jose Haedo, Jesus Hernandez and Daniel Navarro.

Cooke and JJ Haedo, WTF? No Larsson, no Noval, no Vandborg???

JJ and Cooke make no sense unless they are hedging on AC's form. Given the TTT I'd be shocked if Larsson isn't on the team.

 

[Frosty]

JJ and Cooke make no sense unless they are hedging on AC's form. Given the TTT I'd be shocked if Larsson isn't on the team.

yeah me too. Maybe Cooke has changed from being a sprinter into being a top domestique/road captain?

 

[Magnus]

Baden Cooke might get a spot, but JJ?
No way!

 

[lucybears]

http://www.bmc-racing.com/int-en/team/news/team/bmc-racing-team-reveals-tour-de-france-roster.html

 

[hrotha]

http://www.bmc-racing.com/int-en/team/news/team/bmc-racing-team-reveals-tour-de-france-roster.html

Pretty weak team. Only Morabito could be consistently relied on to be some help in the mountains. Compared to last year, they have Moinard instead of Santambrogio, which I guess is an improvement if Moinard is in form, but overall the team is still very weak.

Anyway, I'm more concerned with Tommy D. JV, if you select him for the Tour squad I'll give you a free hug.

 

[gustienordic]

Radioshack

Radioshack might have too many riders that could be top 10, but what if all four of them are 5 - 15? Thats a very realistic possibility.

 

[Clemson Cycling]

The Radioshack team should something like this?

Janez Brajkovič
Matthew Busche
Chris Horner
Andreas Klöden
Levi Leipheimer
Tiago Machado
Robbie McEwen (might be a waste of a spot to bring an average sprinter)
Sérgio Paulinho
Yaroslav Popovych

 

[Parrulo]

machado is riding the vuelta.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

JJ and Cooke make no sense unless they are hedging on AC's form. Given the TTT I'd be shocked if Larsson isn't on the team.

I suspect that the article is wrong.

 

[auscyclefan94]

BMC Racing Team reveals Tour de France Roster - BMC Racing Team

I am glad they selected Burghardt and Schar over Kroon and Ballan.

Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burghardt (GER), Cadel Evans (AUS), George Hincapie (USA), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Ivan Santaromita (ITA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA) and Michael Schär (SUI).


Go Beautiful Male Cyclists

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Cooke could be useful in the TTT I assume.

BMC's team is striking fear into thier rivals

 

[hrotha]

Cooke could be useful in the TTT I assume.

BMC's team is striking fear into thier rivals

Yep, can't wait to compare it to Lotto.

 

[roundabout]

Now acf is just being creepy.

It seems that Cadel will arguably have a better support team in the Vuelta. Then again being a Contadorless GT it would make sense.

 

[auscyclefan94]

JJ and Cooke make no sense unless they are hedging on AC's form. Given the TTT I'd be shocked if Larsson isn't on the team.

I am as well but going on history the tour double is very hard to do so you may as well give some others a go at winnign some stages or something.