Paris-Nice

[KazakhNeRider]

Sweet Baby Jesus may be out of Paris-Nice with knee pain. I wonder if they tap Tiralongo in his place.

there's info that Maxim Gourov will replace Gorazd Stangelj

 

[hfer07]

I hope this one reaches the same excitement as the last year's. this race is a very good indicator how riders have been progressing lately, and overall, there is more than a week-race training for most of them. the Usual suspects(Conti,Schleck,Leech-aimer,Val-piti, Kreuziger,Van Den Broeck, T-Martin,VVV, etc) are expected to perform well, and simply looking forward to the beginning of it

 

[Publicus]

there's info that Maxim Gourov will replace Gorazd Stangelj

Is Stangelj injured?

 

[auscyclefan94]

Team Radioshack
41 Beppu Fumiyuki
42 Bewley Sam
43 Busche Matthew
44 Hermans Ben
45 Machado Tiago
46 Muravyev Dimitri
47 Rovny Ivan
48 Selander Bjorn

He's not supposed to be in form this early. He says in his blog that he was surprised he was this good this early (at Algarve).

Jeez, they've put in a very strong squad. They put all their top riders into some races and give absolutely **** all to the other races. machado may go alright but i think they should show a bit more respect to the race organisers.

 

[Sasquatch]

I wouldn't think F Schleck is Saxo's leader. Saxo's leader would be Fuglsang. Perfect race to put him against the stronger climbers in the peloton as sole leader IMO. Frank is a domestique now and they are looking at Fuglsang in the future. Put him in the hot seat. He was in the hot seat in the Vuelta last year.

Anyway, there is only one mountaintop finish here and that climb doens't look steep. Rodriguez is a long shot here. I expect him to podium. I rated LLS to go well here last year and he won the thing. I'm thinking this is the race for Rodriguez to potentially pull off an upset.

I would love to see that uphill finish - how steep it is.

 

[Sasquatch]

3km & 10.7%

Valverde, Contador and Rodriguez will come top 3 in that stage. Choose the order.

Krueziger may be able to go with them and same with Martin, depending what he does in the time trial, but this stage will more than likely determine the winner of the race unless someone does an amateur mistake like Contador did last year in the penultimate stage.

 

[thehog]

Team Radioshack
41 Beppu Fumiyuki
42 Bewley Sam
43 Busche Matthew
44 Hermans Ben
45 Machado Tiago
46 Muravyev Dimitri
47 Rovny Ivan
48 Selander Bjorn

My gawd. Thats the "we don't want our blood profiles marked so send the B team" squad. Buts its not even a B team. Its a G team...

 

[Bluebeard]

You do know that this is the team for the Driedaagse West Vlaanderen, NOT Paris-Nice folks? Against the other teams being sent, this is a pretty good team - only MIlram seem to be taking it very seriously. Outside them, the biggest three names on the other teams are probably Kenny Van Hummel, Nico Eeckhout, and JJ Haedo's brother.

 

[issoisso]

You do know that this is the team for the Driedaagse West Vlaanderen, NOT Paris-Nice folks? Against the other teams being sent, this is a pretty good team - only MIlram seem to be taking it very seriously. Outside them, the biggest three names on the other teams are probably Kenny Van Hummel, Nico Eeckhout, and JJ Haedo's brother.

What the bearded one said

 

[KazakhNeRider]

Is Stangelj injured?

I hope - no, it's just one more test for Gourov to ride for Alberto

 

[Vicelard]

Team Radioshack
41 Beppu Fumiyuki
42 Bewley Sam
43 Busche Matthew
44 Hermans Ben
45 Machado Tiago
46 Muravyev Dimitri
47 Rovny Ivan
48 Selander Bjorn





He's not supposed to be in form this early. He says in his blog that he was surprised he was this good this early (at Algarve).

Honestly they should not send this "kid" (well, 25y.o) in belgian races. This is murder. May be Lance made the squad and choose his old body guards
The Portuguese young gun might have compete for a top 5 spot in Paris Nice... he's a small Contador, keen on climbing and time trialling.

 

[Mellow Velo]

TEAM RADIOSHACK For Paris-Nice

BRAJKOVIC Janez
HORNER Christopher
LEIPHEIMER Levi
LEQUATRE Geoffroy
POPOVYCH Yaroslav
ROSSELER Sébastien
STEEGMANS Gert
VAITKUS Tomas

Not quite the "G" team?

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Team Radioshack
41 Beppu Fumiyuki
42 Bewley Sam
43 Busche Matthew
44 Hermans Ben
45 Machado Tiago
46 Muravyev Dimitri
47 Rovny Ivan
48 Selander Bjorn

Where did you find that list? It's not on the race's website and none of those guys are the previsional start list?

 

[Publicus]

Where did you find that list? It's not on the race's website and none of those guys are the previsional start list?

That's the start list for the 3 Days of West Flanders. Still crazy to me that they have Machado riding West Flanders and not Paris-Nice.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

That's the start list for the 3 Days of West Flanders. Still crazy to me that they have Machado riding West Flanders and not Paris-Nice.

Ok I remember him pointing out Machado was riding there. When I saw that and then didn't see RadioShack's start list on the website, I got a little confused.

With the way Machado has ridden thus far, I'm shocked by it. I wonder if he'll make the Tour team. I've always assumed it would be 09 Astana minus AC plus Chris Horner, but Machado could be a valuable mountain domestique.

 

[Publicus]

Ok I remember him pointing out Machado was riding there. When I saw that and then didn't see RadioShack's start list on the website, I got a little confused.

With the way Machado has ridden thus far, I'm shocked by it. I wonder if he'll make the Tour team. I've always assumed it would be 09 Astana minus AC plus Chris Horner, but Machado could be a valuable mountain domestique.

I think the danger is that he may prove to be too good of a domestique and place higher than his charge.

 

[Christian]

TEAM RADIOSHACK For Paris-Nice
LEQUATRE Geoffroy

Oh wow I didn't know Lequatre scored a contract with the Shack - pretty cool!

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I think the danger is that he may prove to be too good of a domestique and place higher than his charge.

Perhaps, but he is middle of Radio Shack's pecking order. I think the tour team would look something like LA, LL, AK, then Machado. However, if he were in the Tour, I think he'll surpass Kloeden.

 

[Condorman]

Perhaps, but he is middle of Radio Shack's pecking order. I think the tour team would look something like LA, LL, AK, then Machado. However, if he were in the Tour, I think he'll surpass Kloeden.

You're talking about the Tour of California presumably?

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

The TdF. I'm wondering if Machado will make RS's TdF team. We're shocked he's not Riding Paris-Nice.

Now that you mention it though, I wonder if Machado will ride Cali too. I think somebody posted a list of his upcoming races somewhere, but I'm not sure.

Off topic I know

 

[Raupi7]

The TdF. I'm wondering if Machado will make RS's TdF team. We're shocked he's not Riding Paris-Nice.

Now that you mention it though, I wonder if Machado will ride Cali too. I think somebody posted a list of his upcoming races somewhere, but I'm not sure.

Off topic I know

So you think a guy who never raced the Tour or placed high in a Grand Tour will be better in the Tour than a rider who was on the podium and placed in the top 10 many time?
Sure Machado seems like a strong rider but he is no where near Klöden.
He had a good result in a small race this seaon he didn´t win a big race or something like that.

 

[Condorman]

The TdF. I'm wondering if Machado will make RS's TdF team. We're shocked he's not Riding Paris-Nice.

Now that you mention it though, I wonder if Machado will ride Cali too. I think somebody posted a list of his upcoming races somewhere, but I'm not sure.

Off topic I know

Why are you talking about RS's Tour de France team? They aren't invited yet.
Why isn't Armstrong riding Paris-Nice?

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

So you think a guy who never raced the Tour or placed high in a Grand Tour will be better in the Tour than a rider who was on the podium and placed in the top 10 many time?
Sure Machado seems like a strong rider but he is no where near Klöden.
He had a good result in a small race this seaon he didn´t win a big race or something like that.

I didn't necessarily mean in the GC. I mean in terms of value as mountain domestique.

Why are you talking about RS's Tour de France team? They aren't invited yet.

Can you imagine a TdF where Lance isn't invited? C'mon.

Why isn't Armstrong riding Paris-Nice?

Obvious answer: He's riding Murcia.
Real answer: Contador is riding Paris Nice.

 

[Raupi7]

Well Armstrong only rode Paris-Nice once during his Tour wins if I remember correct. he seems to prefer the small races to get the racing in europe going. Not everything he does is because of contador.

And since this is the Paris Nice thread I´m curious what Horner and Brajkovic can do. I doubt that Levi already has the form.

 

[Cerberus]

I didn't necessarily mean in the GC. I mean in terms of value as mountain domestique.

Still Klöden has a proven ability to be there on the final climb in a small group af favourites. What advantage would Machado have to match that?