Official thread: le Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré

[RdBiker]

Valverde has no other option but to win it, since his TDF participation is pending..
I'd like to see Contador destroying the competition in the Ventoux Stage and then twitter to LA "is it truth that U haven't won here, have U?

About Valverde: you never know what the Spanish juridical system or UCI pull out of the hat.

 

[Bala Verde]

About Valverde: you never know what the Spanish juridical system or UCI pull out of the hat.

I somehow heard that Contador doesn't really like the Ventoux climb (doesn't mean he won't climb it as quickly as possible ). I know Gesink and Evans contested a win there in P-N, and given Basso's preference for long steady climbs, it might suit him as well (and he's got schmyd right). But Valverde?

 

[*G*K*S*]

I'd like to see Linus Gerdeman do something. Also, whatever happened to Moreau? Where's he at this year? I couldn't find him on the provisional start list, and I think the race will be hurt by his absence.
EDIT: Add to the above a possible stage win from Cyril Dessel. That would be cool.

Agritubel - Non invite

2009 results:

4º in Stage 4 Paris - Nice, Saint-Étienne (FRA)
9º in Stage 6 Paris - Nice, La Montagne de Lure (FRA)
9º in Stage 7 Paris - Nice, Fayence (FRA)
5º in Stage 8 Paris - Nice, Nice (FRA)
11º in General Classification Paris - Nice (FRA)
2º in Stage 3 Volta ao Alentejo, Beja (POR)
5º in Stage 4 Volta ao Alentejo, Nisa (POR)
4º in General Classification Volta ao Alentejo (POR)
24º in Liège - Bastogne - Liège, Ans (BEL)

http://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureuruitslagenfiche.php?coureurid=6185

 

[Bala Verde]

So who'll be in the top 10 in the first prologue stage (12k) that features a 3k steady 4.5% climb? It's a rather long prologue, more like a short TT. It could be that it's too short for the pure TT specialist, while the hill blows away the explosive sprinter like prologue specialist.

Going trough the provisional start list, trying to pick riders who are either TT or prologue riders or people who fall in between but are don't lose time uphill, I found the following:

Valverde
Guttierez
Uran
Lang
Evans
Dekker
Contador
Gesink
Posthuma
Clement
Tuft
Millar
Grabsch
Rabon
Devolder
Nibali

and that's excluding all the frenchmen of which I know too little. Any additions?

It seems that it favours guys like Contador (given his strong short TT record and his knack for climbs) as well as a powerhouse like Devolder who does well on climbs. I wonder how well Evans will do, while I think it's likely to see Valverde perform well here.

 

[Zoncolan]

Any additions?

Oscar Pereiro

 

[*G*K*S*]

Any additions?

.

Barredo
Zubeldia

 

[elapid]

Posted in The Age: "The last two years (I've finished) second at the tour and the last two years (I've finished) second at Dauphine. If I go to Dauphine and come second again what does that say?" Evans said jokingly last night. "It seems to be a pretty good indicator of how I perform at the tour so anything less than first is maybe a bad indication, I don't know."

Joking or not, I think Evans will be aiming for a high result at the Dauphine.

 

[Bala Verde]

Posted in The Age: "The last two years (I've finished) second at the tour and the last two years (I've finished) second at Dauphine. If I go to Dauphine and come second again what does that say?" Evans said jokingly last night. "It seems to be a pretty good indicator of how I perform at the tour so anything less than first is maybe a bad indication, I don't know."

Joking or not, I think Evans will be aiming for a high result at the Dauphine.

Maybe it's an indication that he does not direct his energy properly. Too much in too short of a period. Perhpas he should come in 11th in the DL which might allow him to become 1 in the TdF

 

[Escarabajo]

This is the starting line up for the Valverde team according to Cyclingnews:

Caisse D'Epargne
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa)
2 Andrey Amador (CRc)
3 Arnaud Coyot (Fra)
4 José Ivan Gutierrez (Fra)
5 Luis Pasamontes (Spa)
6 Oscar Peireiro (Spa)
7 Marlon Perrez (Col)

Now This is what I found on the Caisse D'Epargne website:

Découvrez la sélection de l'équipe pour le Dauphiné Libéré qui débutera le 7 juin prochain :

Coureurs :
Arnaud Coyot
Imanol Erviti
Iván Gutiérrez
Luis Pasamontes
Oscar Pereiro
Rigoberto Uran
Alejandro Valverde
Xavier Zandio

Directeur :
Yvon Ledanois

Who do I believe?

 

[lucybears]

cant find a tour de suisse provisional list yet:/

http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19127

 

[lucybears]

How do I believe?

Caisse
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19126

 

[Zoncolan]

Caisse
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19126

So, it seems Basso will participate after all.
CN confirms it:http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/

 

[lucybears]

So, it seems Basso will participate after all.
CN confirms it:http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/

Basso (& Boonen) are believed to be going, yes. But CN would be more convincing in their 'confirmation' if THEIR startlist showed Basso on it and listed 8 riders on each team instead of just 7 (or have we had a radical change here)
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/jun09/dauphinelibere09/?id=startlist

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Any additions?.

Gerdemann (I'm pretty shure, he'll be real close at least)
Rosseler
Ignatiev
Chavanel
Astarloza
Cobo (does anyone have a clue on what kind of a form that guy is on?)
Ladagnous

 

[Kazistuta]

I can guarantee you that Ignatiev and Rosseler won't be there for the GC, and even though Ladagnous have had kind of a breakthrough season I don't see him "eating cherries with the big names"....

Gerdemann is a clear top5 candidate in my book as well.

 

[Jasper]

Rosseler could do very wel in the TT though. He's finally getting back in top shape again after a chain of nasty injuries, and when he's at full strength he's a powerhouse like Cancellara.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Rosseler for the TT, yes, but not for the GC

 

[*G*K*S*]

Gerdemann (I'm pretty shure, he'll be real close at least)
Rosseler
Ignatiev
Chavanel
Astarloza
Cobo (does anyone have a clue on what kind of a form that guy is on?)
Ladagnous

Cobo hasn't produced anything since winning a stage and 10th overall at the Vuelta Castillo back in March, but his teammate De La Fuente seems to be on form as of late.

CyclingFever has taken Gerdemann and Barredo off of their startlist.

 

[Nastyy]

Any additions?

Jerome Coppel
Remi Pauriol

 

[Bala Verde]

OK, so we have narrowed our list down to around 40 riders, who are likely to occupy a top 10 position after the prologue. It's going to be crowded in the GC

 

[marshan]

Also out of cyclingfever's start list: rohregger, renshaw.

 

[lookkg386]

What's with Gerdemann, has he raced at all this season?

 

[lucybears]

What's with Gerdemann, has he raced at all this season?

see if he does anything today
http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19305

 

[jaylew]

What's with Gerdemann, has he raced at all this season?

He won the GC at Bayern Rundfahrt a week ago.

 

[180mmCrank]

So what do we think for the prologue - My top 3 for what it's worth are

Contador
Valverde
Rabon

Any other thoughts folks?