Predict the Top 5 GC in Tour de France

[Walkman]

My top ten for this years race:

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Nibali
4. Van Garderen
5. Contador
6. Pinot
7. Mollema
8. Rodriguez
9. Bardet
10. Gesink

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Re:

1. Chris Froome - Seriously, has everyone forgotten how insane he was in 2013? Last year he crashed out and was clearly not up to form in the Vuelta. His attack on AC earlier in the year was monstrous. If he is in good form, which I see no reason he won't be, he will beat a tired AC.
2. Alberto Contador - It's tough to say how this hard Giro will effect him, but I think his savviness and will power will get him to second, though not be enough to handle Froome. I predict a tough mountain day or two will set him back.
3. Nibali - Everything I've read says Nibali's 2014 Tour performance was basically indistinguishable from Froome's 2013 and comparable to performances in the doping era. He also has won all three GT's. I think he is underrated on these forums, though perhaps my ranking him 3rd is a continuation of that.
4. Quintana - He might be the next Contador, but he is the least proven by far of the big 4. I have heard many times on here that he is the best climber, but I am not sure where that view comes from. Is it merely because he is the worst TTer? I have seen him drop Contador when Contador was not in form, but Froome was a better climber than him in the 2013 Tour and he hasn't gone against an in form Nibali. So I'm not convinced.
5. TJVG - As an American, I will predict the American with a history of 5th place finishes to finish 5th.

Just last month, a lot of people were making serious arguments that Froome was done. Still early in the Tour, but so far it is sure looking like I am correct that Froome is still the force he was in 2013. He is a Tour focused rider in the mold of LA. Losing a Vuelta has little significance. I knew he'd be the class of the field. Really really hoping he will lose time tomorrow. Contador might ride himself into shape to compete in the mountains, but I don't see Froome losing enough form to lose this on a pure mountain slugfest. Maybe the cobbles will have a say.

 

[buchanan]

1. Froome ( I said the same in the weeks before the Tour)
2. Nibali
3. Quintana
4. Rodriguez
5. TJV or Pinot or Contador

 

[nelsonsmen71]

Bassano - Valverde 15th with enough non climbers above him to get him into top 10 for our bet, good luck

 

[bassano]

Bassano - Valverde 15th with enough non climbers above him to get him into top 10 for our bet, good luck

thanks, but for now he had well suited stages for him, I expected more frim him on Huy, good luck even to you
significant stages will came soon

 

[nelsonsmen71]

Re:

1st Froome
2nd Quintana
3rd Pinot
4th Nibali
5th TJVG

Contador - retires in week 3

Apart from Pinot having bronchitis this would be bang on it and not a bad top 5 which can still easily be the top 5

 

[qwer]

Re: Re:

1st Froome
2nd Quintana
3rd Pinot
4th Nibali
5th TJVG

Contador - retires in week 3

Apart from Pinot having bronchitis this would be bang on it and not a bad top 5 which can still easily be the top 5

ahahahahahahahahahahah. please stop. contador with one leg is way better than pinot. he doesn't have bronchitis, he only has bad legs...

 

[dicanio_michael]

Re: Re:

I've yet to make a prediction yet because there are just so many riders this Tour who can top 10 and even top 5. Of course there are the obvious choices, but some guys could show up in monster form.
Alberto Contador
Vincenzo Nibali
Chris Froome
Nairo Quintana
Pinot
Rodriguez
Valverde
Rolland
Barguil
Van Garderen
Peraud
Bardet
Mollema
Gesink
Kelderman
Costa
Talansky
Martin
Meintjes
Sepulveda
Frank
Nerz

And this isn't counting the surprise riders or the super domestic he's such as Poels, Majka or Fuglsang for example. Just to finish top 10 in this Tour will be an incredible achievement.

No Uran even in this long list ? Drop out ?

 

[nelsonsmen71]

Nibali not in top 5 as i said , whilst the boards experts said i was mad, Nibali won a weak TDF last year , fact, he will never win again, fact

 

[nelsonsmen71]

Re: Re:

So your favourite is Nibali, sorry he will never win a TDF again, last years TDF was weak this one is not AND then we come to your 2nd choice Valverde, strewth he wont even make top 15, the rest of your list and others isnt too bad although you hugely have under-rated Froome, you miss out 3 words from your description of him, Hunger, determination and relentless

Where is your it is sport and everyone can beat everyone from start of the page?
I believe that froome have less chance to win TDF again then Nibali, because he is really too overrate for that what he won, he is far away from Nibali according to GT results so how you can say that Nibali will never win again, quite funny declaration
Valverde is maybe not going to podium but also he will not have problem to finish inside top 10, his form always been consistent, quite never failed what I remember, simply he is not enough strong to win GT anymore but one of the best still

Ha ha! I just love stiring the hornets nest over Nibali !!! Honestly though Nibali will NEVER win the TDF again and as for Valverde being in the top 10 I wish i could go down the bookies and place a bet on this, trust me Valverde will not make top 15, fact, Remember these posts come 26 July ok? Just for a laugh!

Quite funny guy so what's stopping you to place a bet? Wanna avatar bet?

where are the so called experts now??? Nibali is over rated as i said, he won a weak TDF and he will never win again or podium this year

 

[Pantani Attacks]

Froome
Porte
Thomas
Roche
Poels
Sir Dave
Carlton Kirby

Quintana
Contador
TJ
Nibali
etc

 

[SoigneurNL]

Froome
A GIANT RIP IN THE SPACE/TIME CONTINUUM
Everybody elkse

 

[nelsonsmen71]

Re: Re:

Bassano - like I said I am very happy for fairness to you that IF Valverde does not finish the race for ANY reason the bet is void? So that covers everything possible, if Valverde does not cross the line in Paris the bet is off. OK? good on ya!

OK that sounds fair enough, definition if he will cross the line in Paris is straight and easy
also good luck and lot of fun with watching tour, this year should be lot of fun

Valverde is going backwards lose 5 mins today and thats him out of top 10

 

[Warhawk]

My prediction in the poll thread was:

1. Contador
2. Quintana
3. Tejay
4. Pinot
5. Nibali

I'm not going to buy any lottery tickets anytime soon.

 

[46&twoWheels]

Contador and Nibali being able to drop both Thomas and Valverde (a big if) will put things in the "right place"

 

[djpbaltimore]

So with the race reaching its conclusion, the top 5 is the 'big 4' and Valverde. Chalk looks like it will win the day.

 

[phanatic]

Re: Re:

Uh oh, this one is difficult. The assumption is, that none of the top GC contenders have bad luck, crash, injury or illness. Which is quite hypothetical.

The battle for the overall win, I suspect will be between Froome and Contador, they'll sit on each other. Spoonwise. When the battles go on, they're plenty times above limit, so I suspect the loser of them not to be second.

And the loser will be Contador.

I figure that, since every of his competitors knows he is in lack of time to hit a second peak after Il Giro. So they will take advantage of that and put maximum stress on Contador and Tinkoff-Saxo. I suspect both Astana, Sky, Movistar to start the first week with a handfull of grenades. Just to shake Berto.

In the second week, I suspect the first real mountain stage to explode and reveal Froome and Contador to be a level up upon Quintana, Nibali and Valverde.

Albertos nature is not conservative rides. He will suffer from that with the pressure from Sky, Astana and Movistar.

Hence, with no ilness, chute, bad luck, the GC in Paris will be something like this:

1. Froome
2. Valverde +3m
3. Quintana +3m
4. Nibali +4m
5. Contador +5m

For this kind of result Froome must be better than 2013 and Valverde better than 2000everything

And yet this was the closest. For all the wrong reasons.

Edit: if I missed a correct prediction, I apologize.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

1. Froome
2. Valverde +3m
3. Quintana +3m
4. Nibali +4m
5. Contador +5m

Impressive!

 

[Netserk]

And people talked about how unlikely it was for all of the Big Four to finish in the top-5...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Even more unlikely for Gesink to finish behind them as best of the rest.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

And people talked about how unlikely it was for all of the Big Four to finish in the top-5...

 

[malakassis]

My top ten for this years race:

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Nibali
4. Van Garderen
5. Contador
6. Pinot
7. Mollema
8. Rodriguez
9. Bardet
10. Gesink

5 outta 10 right? THIS is impressive, chapeau.

 

[DBotero]

Expectations:
1.Froome
2.Quintana
3.J.Rod
4.Valverde
5.Nibali

Reality check:
1.Froome
2.Quintana
3.Valverde
4.Nibali
5.Contador

I blame J.Rod for not getting it right

 

[del1962]

Re: Re:

Quintana
Froome
Pinot
Kelderman
Contador

Nibali with is downhill riding skills will surely finish ahead of Pinot (I admire Pinot but his downhill riding is... ).

Let me fill in the gaps for you

his downhill riding is improved

This is only a guess a top 5 and obviously casn be effected by many factors

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Contador
4. Porte
5. Nibali

only Joking about number 4

OK top two correct and 2 others in top 5

 

[PremierAndrew]

My top ten for this years race:

1. Froome
2. Quintana
3. Nibali
4. Van Garderen
5. Contador
6. Pinot
7. Mollema
8. Rodriguez
9. Bardet
10. Gesink

5 outta 10 right? THIS is impressive, chapeau.

I suspect he may have been right about Van Garderen being below Nibali and above Contador if he had finished the race too