Riders to watch in 2012

[Michele]

Keukeleire

 

[taiwan]

Keukeleire

What happened to his 2011 season anyhow?

 

[gustienordic]

I woudl like to see what becomes of Daniele Bennati. Circa 2008 the best sprinter until the full emergence of Cav. Gets injured. Spends this early season as the king of 2nd and 3rd places with a few wins here and there. Finally wins a GT statge at the end of the Vuelta. Now Leopard merges with the team of the DS who he never had anything to do with sprinters. It seems to me that a once promising career will be coming to a quiet close.

This saddens me... Bennati is one of my favorite riders, and it seems like he won't get much of a chance anymore. It really is too bad.

I hope Feillu & Haussler have good years; They are my other favorite sprinters and could see Feillu especially pulling in quite a few wins

 

[Michele]

What happened to his 2011 season anyhow?

Donno exactly, but much lower results than he could have archivied (at least by looking at his 2010 season).

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I woudl like to see what becomes of Daniele Bennati. Circa 2008 the best sprinter until the full emergence of Cav. Gets injured. Spends this early season as the king of 2nd and 3rd places with a few wins here and there. Finally wins a GT statge at the end of the Vuelta. Now Leopard merges with the team of the DS who he never had anything to do with sprinters. It seems to me that a once promising career will be coming to a quiet close.

He would never have been the best sprinter at that time if Ale-Jet hadn't been suspended anyway. Bennati can get over a fair few lumps and bumps, and can handle himself. I'm sure he'll have a few chances to pick up some victories in the races Bruyneel isn't DSing.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

What happened to his 2011 season anyhow?

typical belgian one day fly. lack of engine and totally overhyped.

 

[Nick C.]

He would never have been the best sprinter at that time if Ale-Jet hadn't been suspended anyway. Bennati can get over a fair few lumps and bumps, and can handle himself. I'm sure he'll have a few chances to pick up some victories in the races Bruyneel isn't DSing.

fair enough. still a comedown to go from winning multiple stages in GTs, (was he the last guy to win on Champs b4 Cav?) points jersey(s) to Max VanHeyswycks career (no offense to Max).

My quirky favorties aside, Sagan in the classics, Degenkolb and Kittel, can either be competition for Cav, EBHs trajectory, will any HTC GC riders shine now that they are relieved of leadout duites, Kruiswick (sp?) Mollema Gesinck will any of them move up to podium contenders.

 

[taiwan]

Marco Marcato:
The eternal second. Only one win in 2011. I have a feeling that Marcato will step up in 2012 and finally start winning a bunch of races.

I'm also a big supporter of Marcato. Hate to do what if's, but it was only a fall which kept him out of the MSR finale. Not saying he would have won, but he would have tried. It would have played out differently and he might have been on the podium.

 

[The Hitch]

Totaly agree with Marcatto. Top rider.

 

[greenedge]

Costa, Kessiakoff, Paulinho, Clarke, Davis, Durbridge, Rowe, Oss, Devolder ( like every year will probably be looked for in despair when we find he is at the back of the pack at the RvV ), Larsson, Ruijgh, Travis Meyer, Tuft, Rovny ( if he was still at RSNT ), Cataldo, Bardet, Gretsch, Moreno Moser, Talansky, Fenn and Leopold Konig.

Froome ( even if he can show that he is stronger than Wiggins and finish above him at the TDF i think it would have been a good year for him ), Porte, EBH, Farrar, Haussler.

Kennaugh, King, Pinot, Henao, Monsalve.

I think whoever chose Pavel Brutt for 2011 would have been satisfied.

 

[greenedge]

Yes, kind of shocked considering he's already achieved everything on the track, and giving up the cobbles only to inevitably get beaten by the fast improving Australians in Olympic 4K pursuit.

Doesn't make sense.

Trust me victory for the aussies is not assured. Thomas along with Bobridge is the best track rider in the 4k ( pity the individual pursuit is not on anymore )

 

[taiwan]

Aside from posting my CQ game rejects, though, I genuinely wonder who'll be this year's Kittel, or Sagan.

Henao maybe? Genuinely a neopro, and likely to come straight in at the top tier of the WT. Not that I claim to know the rider that well - I'm just jumping on the bandwagon.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

2012 we will see an incredible rujano. wout poels. quintana, duarte, henao, mollema, cancellara, greipel, haedo, thomas dekker, gilbert, sagan and contador

Interesting. I didn't think you rated Mollema, thing with Mollema is his progress got halted so I believe there is still room for growth. It didn't really feel like it but he seem to make solid progress this year. Result wise anyway.
Poels IMO will be best dutch rider next year.

I think Greipel will do well also. And haedo is an obvious one, still the most promising colombian imo.

 

[Eric8-A]

I hope Maxim Iglinskiy can do better in 2012. I also want to see Sebastian Haedo do something. I know it's more likely that Saxo Bank's gonna be more for JJ, but I want to see Seba get a win.

 

[Tank Engine]

And haedo is an obvious one, still the most promising colombian imo.

I guess you mean Henao. The only Haedos I know are Argentinian.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Interesting. I didn't think you rated Mollema, thing with Mollema is his progress got halted so I believe there is still room for growth. It didn't really feel like it but he seem to make solid progress this year. Result wise anyway.
Poels IMO will be best dutch rider next year.

I think Greipel will do well also. And haedo is an obvious one, still the most promising colombian imo.

mollema actually started racing when he was 17 so to me must have progress to make. and haedo colombian :O

and yes poels will be the best dutch rider next year. he will still make a lot of progress and I believe his itt will become very strong too. better than mollema by quite a bit

 

[PedalCastro]

TGBM will have a great seson methinks, he did look a lot stronger this year than previous seasons.
What about Gesink? Do people see him as being a major contender for the Tour?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

no he will crash again and again and whine even more. after 2012 gesink is maybe the 5th best dutch rider and he could become a good gregario ala szmyd

 

[auscyclefan94]

no he will crash again and again and whine even more. after 2012 gesink is maybe the 5th best dutch rider and he could become a good gregario ala szmyd

After 2012 he will be heading off to Retirement Shack! I guess he already has the grandpa haircut!

 

[theyoungest]

no he will crash again and again and whine even more. after 2012 gesink is maybe the 5th best dutch rider and he could become a good gregario ala szmyd

A gregario for whom? He'll drop nearly everyone.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

and he already has children too... the only thing that doesn't make him look 35+ is his birthdate

 

[El Pistolero]

and he already has children too... the only thing that doesn't make him look 35+ is his birthdate

What does that have to do with anything?

Phil, Cavendish and Lars Boom have kids too.

 

[Havetts]

What about Gesink? Do people see him as being a major contender for the Tour?

Will make the top 5 at most if hes climbing really good, 100 km of TTing is his enemy. Thats why he should ride the Giro, perfect long steep climbs, 50 km of TTing and no pressure of the Tour..

 

[auscyclefan94]

and he already has children too... the only thing that doesn't make him look 35+ is his birthdate

His wife or girlfriend looks like he could be his Mum!

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

What does that have to do with anything?

Phil, Cavendish and Lars Boom have kids too.

sorry but I can't take guys in their 20s having kids very seriously