People keep saying that Giro lineup is barren, but looking at contenders at TDF i see the same thing: no super favourite and lots of B++ riders.
What a difference one ban makes...
What a difference one ban makes...
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cineteq said:TTs among other stages
gustienordic said:I think Menchov is more of a ***, hes closer to Levi than he is Nibali, thats for sure.
I think the presence of Nibali changes the dynamic of the race considerably:
he has been attacking alot this year and is one more good climber.
It adds another climber to the ranks which could make the race better.
Angulo said:Please don't forget that Evans is 35 now.He already was the oldest winner of the last 40 years. So I don't believe he can keep his form for 3 weeks at this age.
Menchov is 34. Men in my country are known to decline early. So he is too old for the win.
Sanchez is 34 and he was not good in 2011 Grand tours. May be he can but he is not the best climber and not the best TT.
Wiggins? He never was good in the mountains. He lost EVERY stage in the mountains in GT to the favourites.
Andy Schleck lost 2001 TDF because he worked for Franck and lost about 2 minutes because of it. And remember that he is now with Bruyneel and he will be stronger than ever because of excellent doping system of Bruyneel. He will get his win.
Nibali will be second and hope Menchov will be 3rd. Van den Broeck 4th and Cadel 5th.
airstream said:Nibali is a weak TT'er regarding a long distance with lots of blown flat, even worse than Andy. That was always so. His TT is mediocre and climbing style is very defensive and closed. Yeh, he has a downhill edge, but first it is necessary to win the right to do something on a descent by surviving uphill.. I think he won't be even in top-5.
+1Parrulo said:samuel sanchez was the best climber of last year's tour overall. yes he blew up on the galibier after spending the entire race attacking instead of saving himself like all the rest did but he was once again super strong the following day with the fastest ascent of the Alpe. If last year's tour didn't have a TTT and that crazy accident on stage 1, samu would be on the podium maybe even on the top step.
Nibali's long itt on flat roads is so mediocre that on the worst shape he has shown in a GT since 08 he only lost a minute to wiggins over 52 flat k's, which is roughly the same amount of time a 24 year old Nibali put on wiggins on the only proper mountain stage of the 09 tour. And Nibali has worked all summer on his ITT which is something he hadn't done since 08 so he may have improved on that department as well but we will have to wait for the dauphine to see evidence of that. Now if you want to say wiggins is also a better climbers besides being a better time trialist, which he is, then Nibali i won't stop you but i will say i want something of what you are having if you think so.
You take his best long TT whereas we should reason comprehensively to try to be unbiased. That was rather weak than strong Wiggins and a very good day for Nibali. In the 2009 TdF TT he was mediocre, in the Giro 2011 as well. Well, perhaps, we call him quite an unpredictable time trialist. Although, I'm sure Nibali can beat in TT only Gesink and Rolland among the main contenders. At that, Vincenzo usually does not very good TT's if they are on the 3rd week. He will be able to make up his TT loses only in case Wiggins screws up completely. Hm, no... Nibali's TT is too debatable question that one of us could consider himself right at 100%. I don't say Wiggins is a better climber but I don't see how Nibali can podium, again, if 2-3 contenders don't fail.Parrulo said:Nibali's long itt on flat roads is so mediocre that on the worst shape he has shown in a GT since 08 he only lost a minute to wiggins over 52 flat k's, which is roughly the same amount of time a 24 year old Nibali put on wiggins on the only proper mountain stage of the 09 tour. And Nibali has worked all summer on his ITT which is something he hadn't done since 08 so he may have improved on that department as well but we will have to wait for the dauphine to see evidence of that. Now if you want to say wiggins is also a better climbers besides being a better time trialist, which he is, then Nibali i won't stop you but i will say i want something of what you are having if you think so.
samuel sanchez was the best climber of last year's tour overall. yes he blew up on the galibier after spending the entire race attacking instead of saving himself like all the rest did but he was once again super strong the following day with the fastest ascent of the Alpe. If last year's tour didn't have a TTT and that crazy accident on stage 1, samu would be on the podium maybe even on the top step.
Come on Hitch this is the best you can do? You give me numbers from 2010?The Hitch said:
Angulo said:Please don't forget that Evans is 35 now.He already was the oldest winner of the last 40 years. So I don't believe he can keep his form for 3 weeks at this age.
Sanchez is 34 and he was not good in 2011 Grand tours. May be he can but he is not the best climber and not the best TT.
Andy Schleck lost 2001 TDF because he worked for Franck and lost about 2 minutes because of it.
Nibali will be second and hope Menchov will be 3rd. Van den Broeck 4th and Cadel 5th.
TDF 09 route didn't suit Andy. However, he destroyed everyone but Contador in the race. As far as mountain stages are concerned TDF 09 could be even worse than TDF 12 - just one proper multiple climb stage and three single climb stages. In comparison TDF 12 has three proper multiple climb stages + an MTF in Vosges + 4 stages with small climbs at the end of the stage. If Andy is about to lose TDF 12 it will be because of bad form not the route.greenedge said:This course suits Evans a lot!!!
airstream said:I think many people will be surprised how easily Andy will take this Tour. Though seemingly no one will agree with me. )
airstream said:I think many people will be surprised how easily Andy will take this Tour. Though seemingly no one will agree with me. )
therhodeo said:I think you are right. If he takes it easily alot of us will be surprised. And surprise would immediately give way to suspicion and further hate of Brunyeel.
Stop tarnishing our image . We offer everything from cookies, rice cakes, opium cakes, tea (special recipe by granma Simoni), medicine for dogs to suitcases for three week Tours.Caruut said:Learn the ways of the clinic will you!
Easily winning leads to surprise. Surprise leads to suspicion. Suspicion leads to hatred, and that is that path to the dark side.
airstream said:I think many people will be surprised how easily Andy will take this Tour. Though seemingly no one will agree with me. )
airstream said:I think many people will be surprised how easily Andy will take this Tour. Though seemingly no one will agree with me. )
dlwssonic said:its irritating wiggins is rated so highly for the tdf.
He still has not shown anything on the big climbs and its not like this tour has any lack of it.
I wonder how sky will manage their leadout for cav and protection of wiggins.
Geraint will be one tired man.
dlwssonic said:its irritating wiggins is rated so highly for the tdf.
He still has not shown anything on the big climbs and its not like this tour has any lack of it.
I wonder how sky will manage their leadout for cav and protection of wiggins.
Geraint will be one tired man.
dlwssonic said:its irritating wiggins is rated so highly for the tdf.
He still has not shown anything on the big climbs and its not like this tour has any lack of it.
I wonder how sky will manage their leadout for cav and protection of wiggins.
Geraint will be one tired man.
dlwssonic said:its irritating wiggins is rated so highly for the tdf.
He still has not shown anything on the big climbs and its not like this tour has any lack of it.
I wonder how sky will manage their leadout for cav and protection of wiggins.
Geraint will be one tired man.
Timmy-loves-Rabo said:if he ever will, it will be this year.