Cance > TheRest said:Yes, the lineup will be very good. Add to that the teams with obvious GC contenders, that you missed including Astana, FdJ, Bora and Sunweb
I think Fuglsang and Majka will go for gc. Don't know about fdjOliwright said:Cance > TheRest said:Yes, the lineup will be very good. Add to that the teams with obvious GC contenders, that you missed including Astana, FdJ, Bora and Sunweb
Who do Astana, FDJ & Bora have for GC at the Tour??
Pozzo aint riding the GC. TJ is a mess, aint a factor either. Barguil will probably hunt KOM and stages. The rest should feature in the GC.Oliwright said:With all the drama & controversy aside, if everyone gets to the TDF healthy the GC race would be amazing!!
GC guys:
Sky: Froome, Thomas & even Bernal
Movistar: Valv, Quintana, Landa
Bahrain: Nibali & Pozzo
BMC: Porte & TJ
Ag2R: Bardet
EF: Uran
Michelton: A Yates
QS: Jungels
UAE: Martin
NL Jumbo: Kruiswijk & Roglic
Trek: Molema
Fortuneo: Barguil
Katusha: Zakarin
Also regarding teams, Sky's lineup will be pretty close to this: Froome, Bernal, Thomas, Kwiatko, Moscon, Castro, Rowe & Poels.
& Michelton aren't bringing any riders from the Giro. So A Yates, will be left mostly to his own devices as he'll split the team with Ewan.
Yes, but Fuglsang durning the last 12 months looks like a changed man, if everything goes his way he can finish top 5.Oliwright said:Fuglsang hasn't finished in the top 10 in the GC since 2013.
He's a real longshot for a top 10.
Forgot about Majka & Kelderman, they could be dark horses for the Top 5.
Probably it's a team decision to not put all eggs in Nibali basket considering that there is also Colbrelly that want to ride for himself and that means at least one between Haussler and Koren working for him, and even Pozzovivo yesterday posted an interview where he said he hope to win a stage at the Tour.Gigs_98 said:If someone really said that it was media nonsense. You can't just go to the tour as one of the top favorites while basically only having a six men team. Meanwhile it wouldn't surprise me if Nibali has a free role at the vuelta. After all the two izagirres are 29 and a 30 year old whose best gc placements in a gt have been 27th and 28th.Nirvana said:I remember an interview for Diario Vasco a couple of months ago where they said that at the Tour Nibali will be GC leader and them will go for stages whereas at the Vuelta will be the opposite.
Maybe they could help him in some occasion if needed but I highly doubt will be full domestiques, that will be the role of Pozzovivo and Pellizotti in the mountains.
So 4 riders don't have to work for Nibali, and two even shall work for Colbrelli, who has no chance to win a stage? This would only leave Pelizotti for Nibali... That sounds...rather unlikely to me (not questioning your sources, but common sense would suggest it's all in for Nibali.)Nirvana said:Probably it's a team decision to not put all eggs in Nibali basket considering that there is also Colbrelly that want to ride for himself and that means at least one between Haussler and Koren working for him, and even Pozzovivo yesterday posted an interview where he said he hope to win a stage at the Tour.Gigs_98 said:If someone really said that it was media nonsense. You can't just go to the tour as one of the top favorites while basically only having a six men team. Meanwhile it wouldn't surprise me if Nibali has a free role at the vuelta. After all the two izagirres are 29 and a 30 year old whose best gc placements in a gt have been 27th and 28th.Nirvana said:I remember an interview for Diario Vasco a couple of months ago where they said that at the Tour Nibali will be GC leader and them will go for stages whereas at the Vuelta will be the opposite.
Maybe they could help him in some occasion if needed but I highly doubt will be full domestiques, that will be the role of Pozzovivo and Pellizotti in the mountains.
Pathetic attention seeking post. If you want be a true Contrarian do try harder. Plenty of others over in the Clinic doing it far more subtle than you are.Bot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
Is the only reason why you like or dislike a rider whether he has ever ridden for sky? If yes I find that quite sadBot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
To be honest, if CF can compete in TdF I have no doubts, he will win it quite easily, with less effort than in Giro.Gigs_98 said:Is the only reason why you like or dislike a rider whether he has ever ridden for sky? If yes I find that quite sadBot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
Folk hate riders just because they ride for Sky, do you find that sad? I’ve never heard you say you do!Gigs_98 said:Is the only reason why you like or dislike a rider whether he has ever ridden for sky? If yes I find that quite sadBot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
ferryman said:Pathetic attention seeking post. If you want be a true Contrarian do try harder. Plenty of others over in the Clinic doing it far more subtle than you are.Bot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
I generally find it stupid if you only root for a rider because he rides for a specific team. It's just that this mostly happens with sky.rick james said:Folk hate riders just because they ride for Sky, do you find that sad? I’ve never heard you say you do!Gigs_98 said:Is the only reason why you like or dislike a rider whether he has ever ridden for sky? If yes I find that quite sadBot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
Gigs_98 said:I generally find it stupid if you only root for a rider because he rides for a specific team. It's just that this mostly happens with sky.rick james said:Folk hate riders just because they ride for Sky, do you find that sad? I’ve never heard you say you do!Gigs_98 said:Is the only reason why you like or dislike a rider whether he has ever ridden for sky? If yes I find that quite sadBot. Sky_Bot said:Prediction:
1. The Dark Knight
2. Ex-Sky Porte
3. Ex-Sky Landa
But yes, I'm afraid non-Sky Nibali might be at podium.
the first 2/3 of your post, spot on IMO.Son of Amsterhammer said:I just don't know what to predict with Froome. My head says look at how hard the Giro was, that HAS to set him back for the Tour. On the other hand, he is the best GC rider in the sport, so there is no way I can rule him out of a podium, or even winning again. I just don't know....
What if Tommy D comes too?? How does that impact things? Sunweb is a strong TTT team, so he has more TT kms to do damage with. He was done at the end of the Giro though, so I'm not sure he has it in him to mount any serious challenge for Podium.
The TT's will ruin Bardet again, but top 5 is pretty likely, he's consistent!
Nibs will be strong, I'm sure of that. It'll be a question of how he can limit loses in the hardest of Mountian stages to the very top climbers and pinch time here and there when he can.
Movistar is fascinating. My gut feeling is Landa will come out on top there. Valverde is amazing, but I don't see it for him in this race (in terms of GC). Quintana's star appears to be fading, after looking like he'd be the only threat to Froome a couple of years back. I have no expectations for him this time. If his new approach doesn't work, I wonder what he'll go back to next year?
Richie is a probably my favorite to win it this year. Of course...he has to make it through without a serious crash and that is going to be a 50/50 proposition. Without the crash last year, I believe he was the only one that could have made it difficult for Froome.
Dark Horse - Roglic. Showing all the signs of being a big GC contender.
2nd Dark Horse - Fuglsang. Needs things to go his way, but I think could play a role in this race.