Tdf prediction thread

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Still not as bad as Miraboto (the way Smeets pronounced Morabito)

 

[auscyclefan94]

I actually found something even funnier.
Bob Roll on versus video is talking about his critics and how he does not pay attention to the forums.

How could you take a guy who looks like this seriously?

 

[Bike Boy]

1. Contador
2. A. Schleck
3. Johnny Schleck (Uh! I meant Fränk)
4. Nibali
5. Armstrong
6. Kreuziger
7. Evans
8. Klöden
9. Wiggins
10. Gesink

Points Jersey = Cavendish
KOM = Soler
White Jersey = A. Schleck
Team classification = HTC Columbia (in a close contest with Saxo and the Shack)

 

[auscyclefan94]

1. Contador
2. A. Schleck
3. Johnny Schleck (Uh! I meant Fränk)
4. Nibali
5. Armstrong
6. Kreuziger
7. Evans
8. Klöden
9. Wiggins
10. Gesink

Points Jersey = Cavendish
KOM = Soler
White Jersey = A. Schleck
Team classification = HTC Columbia (in a close contest with Saxo and the Shack)

How could HTC win the team classification if two saxo riders are 2nd and 3rd?

 

[mowie133]

1. Contador
2. A. Schleck
3. Johnny Schleck (Uh! I meant Fränk)
4. Nibali
5. Armstrong
6. Kreuziger
7. Evans
8. Klöden
9. Wiggins
10. Gesink

Points Jersey = Cavendish
KOM = Soler
White Jersey = A. Schleck
Team classification = HTC Columbia (in a close contest with Saxo and the Shack)

Nibali isn't rideing the tour mate..

 

[Bike Boy]

How could HTC win the team classification if two saxo riders are 2nd and 3rd?

No problem... Oh dear do I really have to educate you on how team classification works?

 

[Bike Boy]

Nibali isn't rideing the tour mate..

Thanks mate. My schedule has been pretty hectic lately and it shows

 

[Cerberus]

No problem... Oh dear do I really have to educate you on how team classification works?

Sure it's possible, but is it really likely? 2nd and 3rd means they'd have to do well every mountain stage and with Fuglsang and the Sørensens the third man probably won't be to far behind. Columbia should loose a lot of time almost every mountain stage. Columbia has an advantage on the TT probably, but that's only one stage and Saxo bank aren't exactly bad in the TT department. That leaves breakaways for them to counter Saxo Bank's probably large advantage from the mountain stages, and I don't think Columbia are going to focus that much on breakaways.

ETA: Columbia wasn't even in the top 10 of the team competition last year.

 

[Bike Boy]

Sure it's possible, but is it really likely? 2nd and 3rd means they'd have to do well every mountain stage and with Fuglsang and the Sørensens the third man probably won't be to far behind. Columbia should loose a lot of time almost every mountain stage. Columbia has an advantage on the TT probably, but that's only one stage and Saxo bank aren't exactly bad in the TT department. That leaves breakaways for them to counter Saxo Bank's probably large advantage from the mountain stages, and I don't think Columbia are going to focus that much on breakaways.

ETA: Columbia wasn't even in the top 10 of the team competition last year.

Just because Saxo is the obvious favourite dosen't mean I have to pick them. Although I'm suprised to find out that HTC didn't do better last year... but I'm sticking with it. This is where I win my money back

 

[auscyclefan94]

No problem... Oh dear do I really have to educate you on how team classification works?

Your the silly one, boy!
It goes by the top 3 of each of the team in the gc. Nearly impossible for HTC to be ahead in the teams classification with your top 10.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Your the silly one, boy!
It goes by the top 3 of each of the team in the gc. Nearly impossible for HTC to be ahead in the teams classification with your top 10.

GC is irrelevant. It is the times of the top 3 for each stage, totalled up.

EDIT: to be totally precise:

The team classification is currently calculated by adding the times of the three best riders of each team per stage; time bonuses and penalties are ignored. If a team has fewer than three cyclists remaining, it is removed from this classification.

 

[auscyclefan94]

GC is irrelevant. It is the times of the top 3 for each stage, totalled up.

EDIT: to be totally precise:

The team classification is currently calculated by adding the times of the three best riders of each team per stage; time bonuses and penalties are ignored. If a team has fewer than three cyclists remaining, it is removed from this classification.

My apologies but even so they will still not be better than saxo.

 

[Publicus]

Andy Schleck tweeted today that he crashed on a training ride and left a lot of skin on the road. But he says he'll be fine. For the record, when he hurt his knee earlier this year, he down played it as well.

Was out training with@schleckfrank hit a big bump in the road, went down pretty hard,lost quit lot of skin all over my body but I be okay

 

[Ferminal]

GC is irrelevant. It is the times of the top 3 for each stage, totalled up.

EDIT: to be totally precise:

The team classification is currently calculated by adding the times of the three best riders of each team per stage; time bonuses and penalties are ignored. If a team has fewer than three cyclists remaining, it is removed from this classification.

BMC just made it in the Giro then?

 

[Anonymous]

I think predictions are pretty lame

might as well predict what the temperature, wind direction and speed, and relative humidity will be on July 14th....

I PREDICT: Paul and Phil and Bob will say 1) nearly every English speaking rider has a great chance of (something wonderful) 2) the "LA" phrase every few minutes to keep us Americans awake and 3) nothing about that unfortunate doping business. you can count on it

 

[Boleyn]

might as well predict what the temperature, wind direction and speed, and relative humidity will be on July 14th....

Having watched the Versus Tour Preview last night that's about the only thing worth predicting. I now know that the battle for the MJ is going to be between Contador and Armstrong because of their intense rivalry!

I PREDICT: Paul and Phil and Bob will say 1) nearly every English speaking rider has a great chance of (something wonderful)

They did mention Wiggins, VdV, and Bottle as contenders and that the Sprint battle would be between Cavendish and Farrar.

2) the "LA" phrase every few minutes to keep us Americans awake

Thanks to Paul and Phil's stage reviews, I now know everything that Armstrong did on similar stages 1999-2005.

and 3) nothing about that unfortunate doping business. you can count on it

Doping? Whats that then?

 

[Kodiak]

Having watched the Versus Tour Preview last night that's about the only thing worth predicting. I now know that the battle for the MJ is going to be between Contador and Armstrong because of their intense rivalry!



They did mention Wiggins, VdV, and Bottle as contenders and that the Sprint battle would be between Cavendish and Farrar.



Thanks to Paul and Phil's stage reviews, I now know everything that Armstrong did on similar stages 1999-2005. Whats that then?

I turned that drivel on and it put me to sleep in less than 5 minutes. Now I know to DVR that for those inevitable insomnia nights in the future.
Doping?

 

[Bike Boy]

Your the silly one, boy!
It goes by the top 3 of each of the team in the gc. Nearly impossible for HTC to be ahead in the teams classification with your top 10.

Not silly just a fact. Judged on the latest posts in this thread, it looks like this educational problem of yours, have been sorted out.

 

[Beech Mtn]

That is a Liggett pronunciation, along with Maaskrant

Goes well with Sherwen's pronunciation of Full's Gang.
Those two make quite a pair.

On topic predictions-
Green Jersey - Farrar
Dots - Rodriguez
White - Baby Schleck

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not silly just a fact. Judged on the latest posts in this thread, it looks like this educational problem of yours, have been sorted out.

Even so, your crazy to think HTC will win the teams classification as on the mountains stages they will be way behind saxo as the sprint stages won't do much to that classification. You are still wrong.

 

[blaxland]

Saxo Bank will win the Team classification award this TDF,Theres now way that HTC will win it considering Cavendish and stage wins are the target...BMC will be better placed than HTC..

 

[spanky wanderlust]

the team classification? really? this is what you guys spend so much time arguing over? man. this really is going to be a boring tour if we are reduced to predicting the utterly pointless team competition.

fwiw, i can't see anyone competing with the shack for the prestigious team competition. not even saxo is strong enough to compete with this lineup in the high mountains. they may be old, but let's face it. this may be the only competition they can win. lance cannot win this tour, but the shack will have 3-5 riders gaining major time on the domestiques of other teams on every stage that matters for the gc. not that gc matters for the team comp, but you know what i mean.

 

[spanky wanderlust]

what are thor's chances for green? will he win any stages?

 

[mowie133]

Saxo Bank will win the Team classification award this TDF,Theres now way that HTC will win it considering Cavendish and stage wins are the target...BMC will be better placed than HTC..

does anyong no if Cavendish wants green or is just wanting to get as many wins as he can ???

 

[auscyclefan94]

Just some stats about all the squads and riders who are eligible to ride the tour. These are averages of the teams.
Oldest team: Radioshack, Ave years 30 (no joke!)
Youngest team: Footon, 25.4
Heaviest team Omega Pharma Lotto: 71.1 kg
Lightest team: Footon, 64.7kg
Tallest team: Quickstep 182.6cm
Shortest teams: lampre and astana 177.1cm
Highest BMI team: HTC Columbia
Most days raced this season: 831 HTC Columbia
Least days races this season: 490 BMC
team with most career wins from it's riders: Saxo bank

tally taken from 24th of may thanks to RIDE magazine