le Tour team thread

[roundabout]

Thing is neither Haedo nor especially Cooke are likely to win anything.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cooke could be useful in the TTT I assume.

BMC's team is striking fear into thier rivals

I agree that the climbers are going to need to support Cadel better than at Dauphine but if they have strong form throughout the tour I think the support will be sufficient. With guys like Cadel, Bookwalter, Quinziato, Schar and Burghardt they should form a strong TTT lineup and have some training camps together to purely work on ttt'ing.

I am really glad Schar got a spot on the team. Thoroughly deserves his spot after all his hard work on the front this season.


ACF is staying positive!

 

[Publicus]

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.

Thing is neither Haedo nor especially Cooke are likely to win anything.

Agree with Roundabout. Cooke's role may be as road captain. JJ makes no sense.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Cooke would be useful in the TTT as well and I guess could go in the role as A Stuart O'Grady.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Any news about the OPL selection?
VDB & Gilbert of course, but who else?

 

[Sydney21]

I agree that the climbers are going to need to support Cadel better than at Dauphine but if they have strong form throughout the tour I think the support will be sufficient. With guys like Cadel, Bookwalter, Quinziato, Schar and Burghardt they should form a strong TTT lineup and have some training camps together to purely work on ttt'ing.

I am really glad Schar got a spot on the team. Thoroughly deserves his spot after all his hard work on the front this season.


ACF is staying positive!

Schar has been awesome this year but I wouldnt have picked him as I think this team is too heavily balanced towards having a top TTT (Cadel, Bookwalter, Quinziato, Schar, Burghardt, Morabito and Hincapie all very good TTT'ers) and not enough towards performing in the mtns. Certainly selecting Santambrogio and possibly Tschopp or Frank would have made for a more balanced team for me (even though those two rode Giro and Suisse. Moniard and Morabito should be strong in the mountains but Santaromita is a touch overrated IMO. Missing Ballan is not terrible because he probably would have replaced Burghardt or Schar who will do a similar job. Team is quite strong overall.

For Saxo I would have Contador, Navarro, Hernandez, Porte, CA Sorenson, Larsson, N Sorenson, Vandborg and Cooke.

And the hardest selection I think is for Garmin. I would have Hejadel, CVV, Danielson, Dan Martin, Vansummeran, Millar, Zabriskie, Farrar and Hushovd

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Any news about the OPL selection?
VDB & Gilbert of course, but who else?

VDB, Gilbert, Greipel, Vanendert, Roelandts, Lang, Van de Walle, Sieberg should be secured a spot, and then I'd guess maybe Hansen as well.

 

[jens_attacks]

wow that bmc squad is super weak,when they'll hit a bump only morabito will remain with cadel,when they'll hit a hill,he'll be gone too.you can't be serious to say you'll win le tour with that team i'm sorry for cadel.they will lose too a minute in the ttt to radioshack and leopard.

 

[just some guy]

Cycling fever updated list http://tour.cyclingfever.com/editie.html?detp=view&_ap=startlijst&editie_id=21549

 

[dlwssonic]

wow that bmc squad is super weak,when they'll hit a bump only morabito will remain with cadel,when they'll hit a hill,he'll be gone too.you can't be serious to say you'll win le tour with that team i'm sorry for cadel.they will lose too a minute in the ttt to radioshack and leopard.

you are just underestimating them because you dont know much about them.

 

[dlwssonic]

I really dont understand JJ Haedo. Doesnt riis have enough confidence in contador that he will at least podium in the overall. they shouldnt be looking for alternative stage wins. or is JJ inclusion simply for the TTT.

 

[just some guy]

I really dont understand JJ Haedo. Doesnt riis have enough confidence in contador that he will at least podium in the overall. they shouldnt be looking for alternative stage wins. or is JJ inclusion simply for the TTT.

I don´t get it either - and if you were thinking that then Luke Roberts much better option and add Larsson good TTT - Larsson must have p!ssed Riis off never gets a go at the big Dance

 

[dlwssonic]

I don´t get it either - and if you were thinking that then Luke Roberts much better option.

they should just concentrate their squad on contador instead

 

[jens_attacks]

you are just underestimating them because you dont know much about them.

lol please enlighten me.

 

[Sasquatch]

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

If the TTT was about 14km or less, then HTC would be unstoppable.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I don´t get it either - and if you were thinking that then Luke Roberts much better option and add Larsson good TTT - Larsson must have p!ssed Riis off never gets a go at the big Dance

Luke Roberts was a much better short time trial rider than Larsson has ever been. That's what you need in a ttt thoough Roberts really hasn't shown much in that department recently.

 

[Magnus]

Luke Roberts was a much better short time trial rider than Larsson has ever been. That's what you need in a ttt thoough Roberts really hasn't shown much in that department recently.

Did Roberts ever win a short tt in a gt?

 

[hrotha]

I don't see the problem in taking Haedo to the Tour. Saxo isn't exactly a strong team overall, they have enough quality riders to make up a strong squad for one GT but will struggle to do the same for the second, and many of Contador's designated domestiques already did the Giro.

 

[Ferminal]

Did Roberts ever win a short tt in a gt?

TP Olympic Champion/World Champion/Former WR Holder...

Probably about the same as GEL in a TTT.

 

[Magnus]

TP Olympic Champion/World Champion/Former WR Holder...

Probably about the same as GEL in a TTT.

TP?

Gustav has certainly shown better shape in Suisse than Luke (finishing 0:18 and 1:30 behind on the TT's).

 

[Moondance]

Hmmm, while its perfectly understandable that BMC decided to ditch Kroon for the Tour, this does impact the hopes I had there there would be double digits worth of Dutchies at the Tour, especially since I think Posthuma will get shafted from the final Leopard squad.

Rabobank might have to ditch either Barredo or Niermann and make sure the bring both Boom and Tjallingii in addition to Gesink, Mollema, and LTD.

 

[Havetts]

Rabobank might have to ditch either Barredo or Niermann and make sure the bring both Boom and Tjallingii in addition to Gesink, Mollema, and LTD.

No way they'll drop Niermann from the squad, I can't believe that and won't see it happen. Too much value as a domestique and so much experience.

 

[theyoungest]

The Telegraaf mentions that Rabo are seriously considering to leave Luis Leon out of the Tour squad. Apparently he's very up and down mentally, which affects his performance (obviously). Communication is hampered by Luis Leon's very poor English.

Considering he was mentioned as a certainty before the season even started, LLS really f**ked it up.

 

[Cimber]

Cooke would be useful in the TTT as well and I guess could go in the role as A Stuart O'Grady.

Ye Cooke is an obvious choice in that regard. Probably he was selected over Noval.

JJ makes no sense at all, and tbh I think the newspaper got it wrong. I dont think we will see JJ in the Tour.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

I feel for Cadel Evans. He's a rider who has gone up massively in my eyes over the last few years and he deserves to have another crack at a top finish at the tour. However, the BMC team looks so weak I fear he'll have to work twice as hard as any of the other main GC contenders.

Take Evans out of their team and they have to be the weakest pro tour team.

If I was Cadel I'd be a little bit cheesed off that with their money they don't seem to have been able to build a team capable of giving him the best chance possible at the Tour.