Now Alberto is out, who will win the 2012 Tour de France?

[movingtarget]

I disagree. Schleck did very little work on the front and considering Evans had his break rubbing his wheel when the **** was hitting the fan it meant he still used a lot of energy to chase.

I agree. Schleck did some work but the bulk was done by Contador. Evans got no help from Europcar on Galibier and then had quite a long chase on the downhill to get back to Contador. I think Evans worked harder on that stage. Schleck was shot after the previous stage. It was obvious on the Alpe that he had not recovered. If Schleck's recovery was that great he would have showed up better in the TT as well but from the start he struggled.

 

[SimonC]

I punted for Wiggo, national pride probably blinding me a bit but i think he has a genuine chance of winning it given his ability against the clock. The mountains are where he will win or lose it.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Edit:

:s:s:s:s:s

 

[theyoungest]

Who is **** exactly? I hope not who I think it is?

Oversensitive Contador fangirl: "when the sh.t hits the fan" is a regular English expression. "When all hell breaks loose".

 

[LaFlorecita]

Oversensitive Contador fangirl: "when the sh.t hits the fan" is a regular English expression. "When all hell breaks loose".

*facepalm* Oh yeah, that's kind of stupid

I was kind of confused already, I mean, why would ACF be so mean?

 

[The Hitch]

Since when is riding behind a 176cm Contador the same as riding behind an entire peloton?

 

[airstream]

I don't get why so many people believe in miraculous TT by Evans and Menchov. If we assess the riders with their best form its possible to say: Samu Sachez is able to climb on Schleck level and ride TT like in Grenoble. This clear assumption equates his favourite status closely to Menchov and Evans' ones. A victorious experience is pretty important, but it gives nothing by itself.

 

[Havetts]

No, Samuel does not climb on Schleck's level. Look at the 2010 Tour, Madeleine stage. Samu chases Andy & Contador who are bickering, Andy sees Samu and accelerates and theyre easily away from him. It happens a few times and then they collaborate and take so much time easily.

 

[airstream]

No, Samuel does not climb on Schleck's level. Look at the 2010 Tour, Madeleine stage. Samu chases Andy & Contador who are bickering, Andy sees Samu and accelerates and theyre easily away from him. It happens a few times and then they collaborate and take so much time easily.

i was saying 'is able', not "does climb". he really can on a good day, without a doubt. probably then samu did a little mistake after the first andy's attack. instead of trying to sit on their wheels sanchez decided to pull one more time, even opening the gap, whereupon schleck attacked once again and dropped him outright. further samu competed with schleck plus voigt and had no chance to overtake

 

[krismtb]

HA, HA, HA, HA...!

Ehm... you are serious?

Nah, not really serious but I kinda wonder why people gotta crash so much int he TdF. The peloton needs to fricken chill out.

Oh yeah, whats the big deal with Menchov? He aint gunna win squat.

Froome has a chance if Sky doesn't waste itself on W.

 

[SilentAssassin]

Menchov is the greatest cyclist in the world, and Cadel is a close second right now, with AS at a very close 3rd(AS will be #1 if his time trialing ever improves).

If Menchov wins the TDF this year he can finally prove that he is the greatest cyclist in the world. He just has had a string of bad luck in the Tour, plus he's basically been competing against cheats like Contador, the latest banned cheater.

 

[CasperVg]

I'm hoping for a surprise win by someone like Weening, but it'll probably be Evans instead - I don't really believe that Menchov still has what it takes to win.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I don't really believe that Menchov still has what it takes to win.

And that is why he will win by 5 minutes over Schleck while Evans crashes and turns into old evans and finishes 3rd.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

And that is why he will win by 5 minutes over Schleck while Evans crashes and turns into old evans and finishes 3rd.

Old Evans won't be good enough for 3rd.


People really don't seem to have clocked quite how much better he was last year than most of the rest of his career.

 

[airstream]

Сrashing the field in TT by Menchov is equiprobable to winning le Tour by Wiggins. It is too perfect scenario, in which Menchov is supreme whereas all the rest are mediocre.

 

[theyoungest]

Сrashing the field in TT by Menchov is equiprobable to winning le Tour by Wiggins. It is too perfect scenario, in which Menchov is supreme whereas all the rest are mediocre.

Menchov already did crush the field in TTs, so what's improbable about it?

 

[airstream]

Menchov already did crush the field in TTs, so what's improbable about it?

not in the tour.its a key point. he need to be stronger than he was in the giro to win. that would be like sort of a marvelous reincarnation. dont believe in it

 

[theyoungest]

not in the tour.its a key point. he need to be stronger than he was in the giro to win. that would be like sort of a marvelous reincarnation. dont believe in it

Yes, in the Tour. While you were too busy watching Andy's chain, Menchov was crushing everyone in the TT.

 

[airstream]

Yes, in the Tour. While you were too busy watching Andy's chain, Menchov was crushing everyone in the TT.

it was a TT of his life. you've really got a lot of faith in him, thinking hes able to do it twice in july. i thought, assessing chances of big guns, we take into account their results over all years, not only the best ones

 

[theyoungest]

it was a TT of his life. you've really got a lot of faith in him, thinking hes able to do it twice in july. i thought, assessing chances of big guns, we take into account their results over all years, not only the best ones

You're constantly shifting the goal posts. The guy has it in him to do really well, whether he will is of course still a question, with Menchov as much as with Evans.

 

[mb2612]

it was a TT of his life. you've really got a lot of faith in him, thinking hes able to do it twice in july. i thought, assessing chances of big guns, we take into account their results over all years, not only the best ones

So his TT in the Giro as well then?

 

[airstream]

So his TT in the Giro as well then?

i offer to build on opponents who he beat. They were leipheimer, partially sick in that Giro, having been dropped on all of the climbs, plus natively anti time trialist di luca and Sastre, as it were, a pretty weak TT'er. if menchov will be able to show somethin like that in the Tour, ill eat my hat. seems to be totally unbelievable to me.

 

[Havetts]

Obviously after this tour of the Algarve, it is going to be Richie Porte..

 

[palmerq]

Obviously after this tour of the Algarve, it is going to be Richie Porte..

He should not waste his time at the tour de france and go for the tour of poland instead it's a better race



I usually bet on menchov to win the tour but I think he is a bit past it now and the tour is beyond him not sure if he still has it any more, although with some luck he could win it but I think top 5 is the best he can get.

 

[Richeypen]

I usually bet on menchov to win the tour but I think he is a bit past it now and the tour is beyond him not sure if he still has it any more, although with some luck he could win it but I think top 5 is the best he can get.

Looked the strongest rider in the 3rd week of the Vuelta last year so I dont think he is past it. Think he will be super motivated for the Tour as the one GT he hasnt won. With the amount of TT miles this years as well he got my vote.