Surprise Rider of the Tour

[Hedebooo]

Who do you predict will be the biggest surprise of this year's Tour de France and why? Any surprise will do - both GC riders, breakthroughs, teams etc.

Personally, I look forward to seeing if Coquard has improved his top speed since last year. In that case, I think he is a very serious contender for the green jersey
Also, it will be interesting to see whether Astana have another Landa up their sleeve

 

[rune1107]

Hopefully Michael Valgren will get a TDF spot on Tinkoff-Saxo. Huge talent, and he could do a very good stage to Huy!

 

[Hedebooo]

With Contador's overall ambitions in mind, and the fact that Sagan is on the same team, do you think TS will allow Valgren his own opportunity?

 

[rune1107]

Re:

With Contador's overall ambitions in mind, and the fact that Sagan is on the same team, do you think TS will allow Valgren his own opportunity?

No i doubt it. But if Alberto decides to do something on Huy, Bretegne etc. Valgren could be a valuable man to lead out an attack. I don't think you have to have a free role, to be a surprise rider. He could just prove to be a brilliant helper in a lot of different terrain!

 

[BigMac]

I too want to see Bryan spoil many a party. I think Machado can surprise in the third week,

 

[Vroome.exe]

Nibali will be a suprise with his shitty climbing.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

Re:

Nibali will be a suprise with his shitty climbing.

Ok so the suspected troll profile got confirmed.

 

[Hedebooo]

Could Kruijswijk continue his form from the Giro? Finishing in the top-6 in seven stages and third overall in the mountains classification, he could be interesting in the last week of the Tour

 

[Jspear]

Simon Yates doing very good in the gc. Orica is protecting these Yates brothers a lot. I don't even know if White would let Simon try. I hope he does. I'd love to see him going for gc. Really curious to see what he could do at his young age (or see if he could even last 3 weeks.)

 

[Escarabajo]

Thomas has Brailsford blessing already. Besides this is the rotation year for team Sky.

 

[gunara]

Re:

Thomas has Brailsford blessing already. Besides this is the rotation year for team Sky.

Exactly, but after today would it be still surprising? Will still be funny to most, I know

 

[RedheadDane]

I suppose the biggest surprise would be someone who isn't mentioned in this thread.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Merhawi Kudus!

 

[Bushman]

Hopefully Michael Valgren will get a TDF spot on Tinkoff-Saxo. Huge talent, and he could do a very good stage to Huy!

Dont think he will ride the Tour, honestly.

 

[staubsauger]

What about Eduardo Sepulveda? Ain't he Bretagne's leader for the cols?

 

[Gloin22]

Re:

What about Eduardo Sepulveda? Ain't he Bretagne's leader for the cols?

He's decent at 1.1 level but when it comes to WT he's blown away. If Bretagne wins a stage it will come from someone like Fedrigo who's having preety good season so far.

Obviously Sepulveda would be a massive surprise hence perfect for this thread of course, just saying he kinda struggled in WT races so far

 

[Samamba]

Who do you predict will be the biggest surprise of this year's Tour de France and why? Any surprise will do - both GC riders, breakthroughs, teams etc.

Personally, I look forward to seeing if Coquard has improved his top speed since last year. In that case, I think he is a very serious contender for the green jersey
Also, it will be interesting to see whether Astana have another Landa up their sleeve

Cocquard is sprinting 'backwards' this year.

 

[Netserk]

Hopefully Michael Valgren will get a TDF spot on Tinkoff-Saxo. Huge talent, and he could do a very good stage to Huy!

He is still too heavy and not explosive enough on a hill like Mur de Huy.

 

[oncehadhair]

Re:

Simon Yates doing very good in the gc. Orica is protecting these Yates brothers a lot. I don't even know if White would let Simon try. I hope he does. I'd love to see him going for gc. Really curious to see what he could do at his young age (or see if he could even last 3 weeks.)

It would be good to see how he goes - he's certainly showing a lot of promise so far - looked to be performing well and coping well in the Dauphine.

At 22 an astute team director might try to give him a little more time to mature before making him suffer through a gt - and Matt White seems to be making good decisions for oge.

Although Fabio Aru has done a couple of gt's and is only 24 now, and seeming to be coping - we'll never know what effect holding him back for a year or two would have had.

It would be good to see Yates in le tour but it would be understandable if he isn't.

 

[staubsauger]

Re: Re:

What about Eduardo Sepulveda? Ain't he Bretagne's leader for the cols?

He's decent at 1.1 level but when it comes to WT he's blown away. If Bretagne wins a stage it will come from someone like Fedrigo who's having preety good season so far.

Obviously Sepulveda would be a massive surprise hence perfect for this thread of course, just saying he kinda struggled in WT races so far

Well, sadly I wasn't able to watch Tour of Turkey this year. That's why I asked about his current shape.

We've obviously seen worse worse climbers winning the polka dot jersey, though! That was my first thought in terms of "surprise"!

(Sorry Anthony! )

 

[vedrafjord]

To go all Ryo and nationalistic for a minute, really hoping for a good showing by Sam Bennett. Might be a stretch for him to win a stage - obviously sprinting is an 'all or nothing' thing where typically whatever sprinter has the best form will hoover up most of the stages, but I'm hoping for high placings for him at least. With Kittel off song the sprints are arguably quite open this year, depending on how strong Cavendish is.

 

[vedrafjord]

I checked my old posts and looks like I've been talking Sam Bennett up for a couple of years now http://forum.cyclingnews.imdserve.c...sid=5982eb5c48dd3ed9ca53bc2e5b3af6c6#p1368317

 

[johngoat]

Sepulveda or Durasek

 

[Orbit501]

Nicolas Edet and Rudy Molard to take turns smashing every single breakaway stage going.

Oh sorry, that's two riders. I'll have to have another think about it.

 

[Gigs_98]

Does a negative surprise also count?
If yes I guess that Contador won't even be nearly as good as most people expect him to be