Ramunas over Martin and Summeren

[gustienordic]

I was more surprised to see that Heinrich Haussler was not selected. That breakaway performance from 2009 showed real guts and talent. Then again, it seems that JV likes to race for 2nd or 4th rather than go for the win. Such is their faith in the Great Hype Tyler Farrar that we'll see Thor, who has a proven Tour pedigree lead out TF rather than the other way around.

I'm still of the opinion that Roubaix was a fluke win for the team. They might go well in the TTT but I doubt Tyler will win a sprint. And while I'd love to see CVdV do well on GC, I agree with an earlier post that without a lot of good climbers they'll have to rely on other teams.

How Tommy D performs given his past collapses should be interesting though and someone to watch.

I think the time for Tyler to be sprinting is over. Thor might not be as fast, but he still gets wins. Tyler hasn't gotten anything yet. I agree that HH should be on the team. He is a superb sprinter. When he is on form, he is one of the closest sprinters to Cav. I think the Garmin - Cervelo lineup should have been

Hesjedal, Haussler, THOR, Millar, Zabriske, VDV, Meyer or Bobridge, Le Mevel, Dean

Le Mevel is a great rider and its a shame not to see him riding. He put in an excellent Giro, staying up in the standings until the real big mtns.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

ramunas over johan is certainly an odd choice. i wonder if the fact that ramunas just won the lithuanina national championship had any effect on the choice by JV. by picking him, they're including a pretty distinctive jersey in the team, maybe JV thinks having a national champion in the roster will add to the publicity?

I'm sure it doesn't hurt that he's a national champion, but to be honest I think that Vansummeren's Roubaix win would be more likely to be mentioned by commentators than Ramunas' Lithuanian jersey.

I think the time for Tyler to be sprinting is over. Thor might not be as fast, but he still gets wins. Tyler hasn't gotten anything yet.

Farrar has more wins this season than Hushovd. As for his time as a sprinter being over, he's still young enough that he hasn't yet reached his probable peak. The fact is, he's not as fast as Cavendish. Neither is anyone else. But if I had to bet on which of Farrar and Hushovd would be most likely to beat Cavendish once in five flat bunch sprints, my money would be on Farrar every time.

Hushovd is more likely to win a difficult sprint, and you'd have to assume that Garmin will be riding for him on those stages.

I agree that HH should be on the team. He is a superb sprinter. When he is on form, he is one of the closest sprinters to Cav.

I like Haussler, but he really hasn't produced many results since his come back.

I think the Garmin - Cervelo lineup should have been

Hesjedal, Haussler, THOR, Millar, Zabriske, VDV, Meyer or Bobridge, Le Mevel, Dean

Le Mevel is a great rider and its a shame not to see him riding. He put in an excellent Giro, staying up in the standings until the real big mtns.

You'd take a Le Mevel who just rode a remarkably difficult Giro with maximum effort over a fresh Danielson and a fresh Martin? I just can't fathom that at all.

Also, you'd prefer either one of Meyer and Bobridge as domestiques to Vansummeren? What are they going to bring to that role that he would not?

 

[function]

Domestique duty

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2011/4/12/2106139/peter-stetina-diary-2

He sounds like a good man to have around.

 

[kanari]

Haussler was never meant to ride the tour this year. He said already in January that he wasn't going to do it, he was going for the classics then Vuelta + WC. I like Haussler but honestly his results this year have been dismal, was in good form in Qatar or Oman or wherever it was, but seemed totally out of it in the classics. I don't think he's even raced since the classics so would have been very strange to pick him for the tour. Hope his second part of the season will be better, was a bit surprised to see him perform so poorly in the classics as there were no reports of injuries or illness.

 

[blackcat]

Ttttttttttttttt

 

[mwbyrd]

How Tommy D performs given his past collapses should be interesting though and someone to watch.

What collapses?

 

[Eric8-A]

I really havn't seen much of Ramunas' TT'in. In fact, I havn't. But if that's why they brought him, wouldn't Matt Wilson be a good asset? He's a guy who can be at the front and work hard. Look what he did for Cam Meyer at the TdU. The thing I keep in mind is that Ramunas will not finish the TTT with everybody. I only see the major players crossing the line together (Zabriskie, Millar, Vandevelde, Danielson, Hushovd, Dean).

It kind of just hit me, could they maybe use him as a secret weapon if Farrar or Hushovd don't work out?

 

[greenedge]

I think it is a good choice to not divide team loyalties any more. However he is definetly not the strongest and shall be the only real bottle carrier on every stage as Dean shall sheperd the sprinters.