Redo your top10 predictions (post stage 3)

[Ferminal]

We can have one of these threads every day there's a big change (who knows how few that will be)

The following is the list of overall GC contenders after today's stage (thanks Moondance)

3. EVANS Cadel 121 BMC RACING TEAM 14h 54' 39" + 00' 39"
6. SCHLECK Andy 11 TEAM SAXO BANK 14h 55' 09" + 01' 09"
8. VINOKOUROV Alexandre 9 ASTANA 14h 55' 31" + 01' 31"
9. CONTADOR Alberto 1 ASTANA 14h 55' 40" + 01' 40"
10. VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen 101 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 14h 55' 42" + 01' 42"
13. MENCHOV Denis 191 RABOBANK 14h 55' 49" + 01' 49"
14. WIGGINS Bradley 31 SKY PRO CYCLING 14h 55' 49" + 01' 49"
16. KREUZIGER Roman 44 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 14h 56' 24" + 02' 24"
17. SANCHEZ Luis-Leon 161 CAISSE D’EPARGNE 14h 56' 25" + 02' 25"
18. ARMSTRONG Lance 21 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 56' 30" + 02' 30"
19. LÖVKVIST Thomas 37 SKY PRO CYCLING 14h 56' 34" + 02' 34"
21. MARTIN Tony 115 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 14h 56' 35" + 02' 35"
24. LEIPHEIMER Levi 25 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 56' 53" + 02' 53"
27. BRAJKOVIC Janez 22 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 57' 00" + 03' 00"
28. ROGERS Michael 118 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 14h 57' 00" + 03' 00"
29. KLÖDEN Andréas 24 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 57' 01" + 03' 01"
32. SANCHEZ Samuel 181 EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI 14h 57' 04" + 03' 04"
34. KARPETS Vladimir 71 KATUSHA TEAM 14h 57' 05" + 03' 05"
35. MONFORT Maxime 116 TEAM HTC - COLUMBIA 14h 57' 06" + 03' 06"
38. LE MEVEL Christophe 61 FDJ 14h 57' 12" + 03' 12"
41. CASAR Sandy 62 FDJ 14h 57' 14" + 03' 14"
43. GESINK Robert 195 RABOBANK 14h 57' 16" + 03' 16"
44. HORNER Christopher 23 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 57' 17" + 03' 17"
48. SASTRE Carlos 91 CERVELO TEST TEAM 14h 57' 19" + 03' 19"
49. BASSO Ivan 41 LIQUIGAS-DOIMO 14h 57' 20" + 03' 20"
52. MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel 107 OMEGA PHARMA - LOTTO 14h 57' 25" + 03' 25"
54. POPOVYCH Yaroslav 28 TEAM RADIOSHACK 14h 57' 26" + 03' 26"
58. GADRET John 85 AG2R LA MONDIALE 14h 57' 30" + 03' 30"
60. RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin 77 KATUSHA TEAM 14h 57' 33" + 03' 33"

 

[Ferminal]

My new top10:

1. Contador
2. Wiggins
3. Menchov
4. Evans
5. Andy Schleck
6. Armstrong
7. S. Sanchez
8. Basso
9. Kreuziger
10. Van den Broeck

----------------------------

My original top10:

1. Contador
2. Armstrong
3. Wiggins
4. Andy Schleck
5. Menchov
6. Basso
7. Klöden
8. Sanchez
9. Evans
10. Frank Schleck

 

[Bobby G]

1. Contador
2. Schleck
3. Evans
4. Wiggins
5. Armstrong
6. Basso
7. Kreuziger
8. Gesink
9. Van Den Broek
10. Menchov

 

[ingsve]

1. Contador
2. A Schleck
3. Wiggins
4. Menchov
5. Evans
6. Kreuziger
7. Armstrong
8. Van den Broeck
9. Vinokourov
10. Roche

Nicholas Roche was forgotten in list. He's 11th now and could possibly be the Le Mevel of this year.

Löfkvist rode well today and I hope he can stay strong to finish in the top 20.

 

[Zaschrona]

1. Schleck
2. Contador
3. Basso
4. Evans
5. Armstrong
6. Kreuziger
7. Wiggins
8. Menchov
9. Van den Broeck
10. S Sanchez

 

[warmfuzzies]

What results has Wiggans achieved that would suggest his mountain climbing is as strong or stronger than last year? And what of Cadel's team strength this year?

 

[palmerq]

hard to say right now.. well for the order of the top 10.. but i think today doesnt change too much.

contador
A Schleck
Armstrong
Evans
Wiggins
Menchov
Basso
Martin
Leipheimer
Kreuziger


Infact I have no idea :S but i think evans and basso will suffer in the end due to their Giro exploits.. and kreuziger could do better than that... And I dont have much faith in menchov anymore..

 

[Carl0880]

I am surprised only 1 has Vino in the Top 10 after seeing his strength today. Grant it he will have one sub par mountain performance, but I think he could be the Heras 02, Azevedo 04, Schlecks 08, Kloden of any year, the domestique who gets top 5.

1. Contador
2. Schleck
3. Evans
4. Armstrong
5. Vino
6. Kreuziger
7. Wiggins
8. Menchov
9. Basso
10. S. Sanchez

Menchov has shown over and over the Tour pressure is too much for him. He has the talent to podium, but its a I will believe it when I see it approach. For whatever reason, he struggles in the Tour.

The vino pick is partially my bias opinion, but I was afraid he would not have the strength left from the Giro, but based on what i saw today, I was impressed. As i said on the Stage 3 thread, he and Spartacus for the most part did a mano vs mano TT against each other the last 20 km for their respective groups, and Vino only lost about 15 secs in that time.

 

[ingsve]

What results has Wiggans achieved that would suggest his mountain climbing is as strong or stronger than last year? And what of Cadel's team strength this year?

No results, only the fact that he has managed to duplicate getting down to his ideal weight and that thus year he has prepared as if he's a GC rider as opposed to last year when he didn't have any expectatations or the same preparations going into the tour.

 

[luckyboy]

My original top 3 was: AC, AS, Menchov. Think I'll stick with that. Remains to be seen what Cadel does in the mountains though.

No results, only the fact that he has managed to duplicate getting down to his ideal weight and that thus year he has prepared as if he's a GC rider as opposed to last year when he didn't have any expectatations or the same preparations going into the tour.

I saw some interview with him the other day where the guy was asking him repeatedly what his weight was. Wigans just said it was lower than last year. Don't know if he was being obtuse or what though.

 

[Rob_Roy]

What results has Wiggans achieved that would suggest his mountain climbing is as strong or stronger than last year? And what of Cadel's team strength this year?

Good questions,I would like to add something I wonder about..

I havent seen Andy making that many superresults this year,while his brother won ToS a few weeks ago.
I do wonder if Team Saxobank lost their Captain Nr 1 today.

Can someone help me out here,what have I missed about Andy this year??
If he is in the same shape as last year he will be tough though...

 

[Publicus]

Good questions,I would like to add something I wonder about..

I havent seen Andy making that many superresults this year,while his brother won ToS a few weeks ago.
I do wonder if Team Saxobank lost their Captain Nr 1 today.

Can someone help me out here,what have I missed about Andy this year??
If he is in the same shape as last year he will be tough though...

Based on the ToS and the prologue, I think Frank was the strongest man on the team for the overall. Of course, Andy could round himself into shape over the next week or so. Though I think he is really going to miss Frank.

 

[kurtinsc]

1. Contador
2. Andy Schleck
3. Menchov
4. Wiggins
5. Armstrong
6. Evans
7. Kreuziger
8. Basso
9. Kloden
10. Leipheimer

 

[Barrus]

Based on the ToS and the prologue, I think Frank was the strongest man on the team for the overall. Of course, Andy could round himself into shape over the next week or so. Though I think he is really going to miss Frank.

Perhaps this could be used by him as a means to create a bigger motivation, that he wants to win it for his brother, perhaps Riis could inspire something like that in Andy as I think it would really work.

 

[kurtinsc]

What results has Wiggans achieved that would suggest his mountain climbing is as strong or stronger than last year? And what of Cadel's team strength this year?

Wiggins rode a decent 11th on stage 14 of the Giro while in training. Not great, but not horrible for a training race mountain stage. As for Cadel... the team looks stronger then his Giro team. Not sure if it will be strong enough though.

 

[flicker]

armstrong
klooden
kruetzenger
wiggins
cuddles
andy
dave z

 

[VeloCity]

armstrong
klooden
kruetzenger
wiggins
cuddles
andy
dave z

You are aware that Zabriskie is already like 15 minutes down and can't climb.

No idea about top 10, but podium:

1. Contador
2. Evans
3. Schleck

I think Evans won't lose much very much time in the mountains and will make up minutes on AS in the ITT. But barring complete disaster, can't see anyone beating Contador.

 

[ManInFull]

Yes, has Wiggins dropped some Kilos? He was a little heavy last year.

 

[hrotha]

You are aware that Zabriskie is already like 15 minutes down and can't climb.

He spelled Kreuziger as Kruetzenger. I mean...

At any rate, Zabriskie doesn't seem too concerned about those 15 minutes. Gotta love some of the stuff he's posted on Twitter today:

I thought the roads in L.A. were bumpy...they need to set aside some funds over here for road work. I'd be ****ed if I payed taxes here.

 

[kjetilraknerud]

1. Contador
2. Schleck
3. Menchov
4. Kreuziger
5. Armstrong
6. Basso
7. Rogers
8. Wiggins
9. Evans
10. Van den Broeck

 

[SoCalCyclingfan]

Vino indeed

I am surprised only 1 has Vino in the Top 10 after seeing his strength today. Grant it he will have one sub par mountain performance, but I think he could be the Heras 02, Azevedo 04, Schlecks 08, Kloden of any year, the domestique who gets top 5.

1. Contador
2. Schleck
3. Evans
4. Armstrong
5. Vino
6. Kreuziger
7. Wiggins
8. Menchov
9. Basso
10. S. Sanchez

Menchov has shown over and over the Tour pressure is too much for him. He has the talent to podium, but its a I will believe it when I see it approach. For whatever reason, he struggles in the Tour.

The vino pick is partially my bias opinion, but I was afraid he would not have the strength left from the Giro, but based on what i saw today, I was impressed. As i said on the Stage 3 thread, he and Spartacus for the most part did a mano vs mano TT against each other the last 20 km for their respective groups, and Vino only lost about 15 secs in that time.

I agree, Vino looked strong in the prologue and again today. In fact, Contador should be a bit worried about that. I love watching Vino race...but has he ever truly been the superdomestique he promised to be before the race started?

I think he can't help himself. He starts to think "I can win this stage!" or even "I can win this race!" and attacks at will. He did it to Ullrich, and he may very well do it to Contador.

 

[Arnout]

I agree, Vino looked strong in the prologue and again today. In fact, Contador should be a bit worried about that. I love watching Vino race...but has he ever truly been the superdomestique he promised to be before the race started?

I think he can't help himself. He starts to think "I can win this stage!" or even "I can win this race!" and attacks at will. He did it to Ullrich, and he may very well do it to Contador.

I think that now he's on his own team winning with the team will be the same to him as winning alone. What's more, he experienced in the Giro that he can be very strong in heavy stages but in the high mountains he will most likely not be able to follow the best.

That said, its still Vino, so you never know.

 

[ulrikmm]

I still think Fuglsang will make it in top 10 this year. He is just so cool, doing nothing wrong, avoiding crashes, placing himself cleverly, doing all terrains equally well.

 

[hfer07]

Winner: Alberto Contador
2nd & 3rd: Between Andy Schleck & Cadel Evans
4th: Kreuziger

 

[Ninety5rpm]

I still think LA looks strong and AS will suffer in TTs and in mountains without Frank. Evans will blow up in the mountains and not do so well in TTs.

1. Contador
2. Armstrong
3. Schleck
4. Wiggins
5. Vino
6. Rogers
7. Kloden
8. Leipheimer
9. Basso
10. Evans