need advice on fantasy team...

[joe_papp]

Not for a particular game or competition, but rather to sound smart at parties, I'm open to suggestions as to who I should name to my nine-man fantasy Grand Tour team. I have a feeling this is next on the question pads of the journalists and I want to be prepared. I'm more of a Classics man myself though, and yet don't want to just cite the 2011 BMC roster +/-...

Was thinking along lines of:

1 GC rider
3-4 mtn domestiques
3-4 übermensch-type riders who could just pull all day on the flats, might include someone like a Tony Martin, Cancellara, Hincapie (if still alive/not geriatric), or even an Eisel-type = control the field and road captain
1 free-lance sprinter like Zabel who could survive the mtns and take top-5/10's w/o needing a train but who could also pull for a bit at head of the bunch, like a Petacchi from his LPR days

Anyone?

 

[Eric8-A]

GC Rider: Andreas Kloden

Mountain Domestiques: Johan Vansummeren, George Hincapie, Chris Anker Sorensen, Amets Txurruka

Rouleurs: Dave Zabriskie, Fabian Cancellara, David Millar

Sprinter: JJ Rojas

 

[gustienordic]

GC Rider: Andreas Kloden

Mountain Domestiques: Johan Vansummeren, George Hincapie, Chris Anker Sorensen, Amets Txurruka

Rouleurs: Dave Zabriskie, Fabian Cancellara, David Millar

Sprinter: JJ Rojas

I would switch the GC rider to be Nibali/Wiggins/Scarponi,

Hincapie for Niemiec, Sorenson for Vanendert

Sprinter for Feillu

 

[joe_papp]

GC Rider: Andreas Kloden

Mountain Domestiques: Johan Vansummeren, George Hincapie, Chris Anker Sorensen, Amets Txurruka

Rouleurs: Dave Zabriskie, Fabian Cancellara, David Millar

Sprinter: JJ Rojas

Thanks for replying (really, thanks! - in this case, I don't think Kloden fits the structure I'm envisioning but I applaud your bold - and sentimental - pick! What's a challenge is whether or not to make MY party answer exceedingly complex by explaining that each rider on the roster would actually be an idealized version of himself regardless of relative time period. So ok, I name Hincapie as a climbing domestique - do I then go through the drama of explaining that it would actually be an Armstrong-era Hincapie, the rider who paced his leader over hill and dale while pure climbers went out the back?

Thoughts on Daniel Navarro as mtn domestique? Will he only work for a Spanish leader?

I like Rojas for the sprinter too and just hope that he wasn't turbocharged at the Tour this year, coming outta nowhere like that (or so it seemed) in comparison to years past.

I would switch the GC rider to be Nibali/Wiggins/Scarponi,

Hincapie for Niemiec, Sorenson for Vanendert

Sprinter for Feillu

I like Scarponi but he strikes me as fragile and just slight worn out to contend for GC again. Which is weird I know since he was 2nd at the Giro this year.

Is there any value in naming Vasili Kiryienka?

Come on guys, let's hear from you! Please explain briefly your thinking behind each rider if you have the time! Also, is it realistic to declare Kreuziger a super-domestique who could also step up to lead the fantasy team if top guy went out?

 

[Eric8-A]

I chose Klodi mainly because he's one of my favorite riders. But also, he showed he was in spectacular form this year. He's a rider who can climb, and his time trialing's just spot on. He's shown he can be good in a GT by landing three top 10's, two of those being the runner up.

Johan Vansummeren. Loyal domestique. Him, along with George Hincapie are both riders that can both work on the flats and on the climbs. We know George worked for Lance's 7 Tour wins, Alberto's '07 win, and this year with Cadel. Summie also worked for Cadel during his Lotto years and worked for Ryder at last year's Tour.

Cancellara's just a powerhouse on the flats. Could also set the pace at the beginning of a climb before he lets someone else takeover. Put him in the front to reel in breakways. Same can be said for Zabriskie and Millar. Zabriskie, before he left the Tour this year did alot of work at the front to set Tyler up. Millar is also capable of doing that. Not to mention he can also set up a sprinter for a win. Maybe not as good as a Renshaw, but can still put the hammer down in the final kilometer or two.

Sorensen and Txurukka are both riders that can ride well for themselves in the mountains. Where George and Summie aren't 100% pure climbers, these two are and can provide some much needed help when the gradient pitches up.

As for Rojas, he's the one that came to mind when I saw that you needed a sprinter who doesn't rely on a train. I was going to put Greipel, but he has one of his own, and with the new team next year, he's sticking with Henderson and Hansen if he stays. His sprint seems to be getting better. He's proved that at the Tour with some great results. And well, I really don't see a train on him like I see with Garmin or HTC.

 

[miguelvazpinto]

GC RIDER:

-Vincenzo Nibali (good balance between mountain and TT performances and has already had the experience of winning a GT. He already knows the taste of it.)

MOUNTAIN DOMESTIQUES:

-Mikel Nieve (resilient rider, a fighter. Very good in matter of ascending. Also a good choice in your tactic race if you want to put a man in a front race position in order to control it in a mountain stage).
-Maxime Monfort (also a good balance mountain/TT which in this role means that he also can be useful in flat stages).
-Roman Kreuziger (I agree with you. He could be an excellent vice-captain. I think he will achieve a top level in a few years).
-Sérgio Paulinho(a very experienced rider, loyal domestique of great GC riders lile Contador, Vinokourov and Armstrong. He has race´s superior perception almost all the time and he is a mature climber).

ROULEURS:

- Jens Voigt(he is 40 but still got it)
-Geraint Thomas(new generation rouleur. He will improve a lot next year helping Eisel in new Sky/Cavendish train).
-Thomas Lofkvist(great roulleur and also a good climber. In a word:versatile.

SPRINTER:

-Daniele Bennati(he is one of the top sprinters that usually survives in the mountains. I believe he can win much more stages than he actually do).

 

[greenedge]

GC Rider Chris Froome. I believe he has potential and could have a great year next year.

Mountain Riders:
Daniel Moreno. Strong rider who has good punch. If given an opportunity he can salvage a stage ( Chris Froome crashes )
Jakob Fuglsang. He would complement Froome's riding style in the mountains. Strong Time -Trialist.
Leopold Konig. Went well at the Tour of Austria and Britain. Should not be in a PC team.

You could also have riders like Syzmd, Pineau, Nieve, Tejay Van Garderen and Laurens Ten Dam.

Flat Riders:
Ian Stannard. Proved this year at the Tour of Austria he can win. He then did a good job for Cav at the WC.
Steve Morabito. Proved this year he can go well in races where he is given opportunities. Experienced and can also work on the mountains.
Dave Zabriskie. Strong worker. Could threaten in ITT's
Lars Bak. Did well for Cav at the TDF whilst also being given a chance in P-R.

You might need a rider like Geraint Thomas, Lars Boom or Marcel Sieberg who are strong men but can also lead out for
your
Sprinter:
Andre Greipel. We saw at M-SR that he pulled for Gilbert. He might need another rider for the flats though as none of them I think would be a good lead out ( Stannard could but usually he is like Eisel )

@Miguel. Won't at most races Cav does excluding the TDF Geraint be his lead-out. EBH will probably have a different schedule throughout the year excluding the GT's and probably the TDU which Cav probably will target ( not anymore )