Three Cheers for the Tour de France

[Alpechraxler]

1) Mikel Nieve for another epic nice stage win some world tour points for Euskatel and hopefully a 10th place in GC. He's a specialist for 10 th place.

2) Quintana

3) Pinot

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Here's a list of the "votes" so far, counting only the choices of people who named clear three favourites or less. Only three riders have reached double figures, Quintana, Contador and Martin. Outside of the "podium" but placing well are Schleck, Cavendish Voeckler, Purito, Pinot and Mollema.

Anker Sorensen
Anton 3
Bardet
Bouhanni
Cavendish 7
Contador 11
Costa 2
Cunego 3
Evans 3
Froome 2
Fuglsang 2
Gesink
Goss
Hesjedal 2
Kadri
Kittel
Kreuziger
D. Martin 10
Mollema 6
Morkov
Nieve 2
Pinot 6
Poels
Porte 4
Purito 6
Quintana 16
Roche
Rolland 2
Sagan 2
Schleck 8
Taaramae
Talansky 4
Thomas 2
Van Den Broeck
Van Garderen 3
Voeckler 6
Voigt 2

 

[Ruby United]

Voeckler of course!

 

[armchairclimber]

Here's a list of the "votes" so far, counting only the choices of people who named clear three favourites or less. Only three riders have reached double figures, Quintana, Contador and Martin. Outside of the "podium" but placing well are Schleck, Cavendish Voeckler, Purito, Pinot and Mollema.

Anker Sorensen
Anton 3
Bardet
Bouhanni
Cavendish 7
Contador 11
Costa 2
Cunego 3
Evans 3
Froome 2
Fuglsang 2
Gesink
Goss
Hesjedal 2
Kadri
Kittel
Kreuziger
D. Martin 10
Mollema 6
Morkov
Nieve 2
Pinot 6
Poels
Porte 4
Purito 6
Quintana 16
Roche
Rolland 2
Sagan 2
Schleck 8
Taaramae
Talansky 4
Thomas 2
Van Den Broeck
Van Garderen 3
Voeckler 6
Voigt 2

For my tally up I counted the first 3 names mentioned by those who ran off a long list. There's a good spread of riders and allegiances, which is how it should be. I'm not sure where all the supposed Skybots are hiding though.

 

[nesocip]

1. Obviously ill be cheering for the whole Euskaltel squad first and foremost, but since they wont win **** (Nieve will come 10th in GC though, thats a sure thing) ill pick 1 guy in particular. Ion Izagirre for a stage win. Strong in Suisse finale, just where he should be.

Now non-carrot guys:

2. Peter Sagan, cuz i love his swag. Cycling needs more guys like him (character wise, not performace wise)

3. Alberto Contador , but mostly because i dont want Skyborgs to win this, and i feel if anyone can do it, its AC

 

[Richeypen]

EBH. Hoping he gets a chance to get into some breaks.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Apart from the obvious the 3 I will be cheering loudest for will be:

Cavendish

Pinot

Voigt

 

[Pricey_sky]

Cav - He gave the finger to the Skyborgs who shafted him last year and is back where he should be as the best and most exciting Sprinter road racing has had for many many years, Green Jersey.

On the contrary he actually showed his appreciation to Sky for letting him go without a fee and also it would have been unwise to burn any bridges considering he would be working with many of the staff at a later date when riding for GB.

 

[Torrrr]

1. Andy - for old times
2. Alberto
3. Pinot - any Frenchie will do but most particularly Pinot

but most especially I want to see Corsica put on the grandest of Grands Départs - Forza SCB!

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

1. Kash to go balistic
2. Birsong to top 3
3. Vino to drive the team car into the other team cars until Astana is the only team left with spare bikes. Then Vinos mafia buddies put nails on the tarmac so Astana can do a 1-9th combo on the stage and gc (this measn Birdsong will only be the third best Astana rider this July

 

[ferryman]

Andrew Raymond Schleck - got to stick with your boy

Realistically, Contador for the brief moments he can put Sky in trouble.

Valverde for those tricky uphill finishes.

JRod - see above and hopefully more.

Cunego, when he makes it into one of the breaks of the day on one of the smaller mountain stages.

Greipel on any sprint stage

 

[Siriuscat]

On the contrary he actually showed his appreciation to Sky for letting him go without a fee and also it would have been unwise to burn any bridges considering he would be working with many of the staff at a later date when riding for GB.

My attempts at jocular irony failed miserably again

 

[Lord Stanley]

Andy Schleck
Peter Sagan
Nairo Quintana

 

[blaxland]

Alberto Contador
Thibot pinot
Cameron Meyer(if selected)or Jacob Fuglsang(great dane)
Contador to win the tour
Pinot to be on the podium
Meyer to finish top 15 overall.

 

[Pippo_San]

1. Birdsong, the 2013 Vino-option, first and foremost. Sexy hero.

2. (but also 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10.) Sagan

3/b. Sir Bradley Marc Wiggins. Oh wait...

3/b/b. Moreno Moser. Because I can.

 

[shalgo]

1. Hesjedal. He's had bad luck this year and I'd like something to go right for him.

2. Pinot. I would like to see a new French GC contender.

3. Cuddles. Now that he is such a grizzled old cur, I find I can identify more with him than with the other contenders.

I suspect, however, that I am going to end up being disappointed by at least two of the three.

 

[leftover pie]

evans, alberto, rolland plus anyone who is in a break that looks like succeeding.

i love it when the break wins.

 

[hfer07]

1. Quintana
2. Quintana
3. Quintana

 

[sacrifice&hardwork]

1. Alberto Contador - because he's Alberto Contador
2. Peter Sagan - because he's Peter Sagan
3. The eight other Saxo riders - because it's my favorite team

 

[Spicco]

1. Purito
2. Contador
3. Sagan

 

[armchairclimber]

All in? Time to tot up the scores then. I wonder who Hoggy, Hitch, Bro Deal, Dear Wiggo and Benotti will be cheering.

 

[gjb483]

Chouchou - Tommy V is always a fun rider to watch, cagey and willing to risk it in a big break and will defend any jersey he gets.
Ted King - Local rider, I'd like to see him pulling the Tourminator to a few stage wins.
Hesjedal - Hoping he can show some form and salvage his season.

 

[trevim]

On the awesomeness list:
1. Velasco - enough said, this one won't go down without a fight. A very big one I believe. Anyway, my hopes that he win are probably just wishfull thinking.
2. Nairo Quintana - Probably the best colombian climber which says a lot. Definitely, a pure climber from the past.
3. Thibaut Pinot - Great talent, I think he'll be with the very best on the long climbs.

On the stage hunting list:
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen - only if he'll be stage hunting somewhere along the race.
2. Daniel Martin - lower top10 of GC isn't for guys with such a great sprint and climbing skills; polka dot and stages are the goal!
3. Mikel Nieve - Is there any stage in Tour epic enough for him? Or should I ask: is there any stage in the Tour that deserves Nieve's epicness?

On the old, experienced riders list:
1. Thor Hushovd - Now this is really just a fanboy thing
2. Purito - I've been a fan ever since the first Vuelta I followed, back in 2009, when he stopped at Sierra Nevada for Valverde. Amazing domestique.
3. Sylvester Szmyd - lot has been said about Rui Costa, Quintana and Valverde. Now just imagine if Szmyd get there in top shape, without the Giro in his legs

On the let's hope for the best and prepare for the worse list:
1. Rolland - I hope he's climbing like an angel again this year, with that smashing pedals style.
2. Andy Schleck - Heavy pedal style just like Rolland. Back in top shape again?
3. Thomas De Gendt - A guy that can pull off a solo on the Mortirolo-Stelvio combo deserves everyone to root for him.

On the he's portuguese list:
1. Sérgio Paulinho - Another Fuente De kind of stage with the overall contenders 2min back is fine by me and I'm sure Velasco wouldn't mind either.
2. Rui Costa - I'm too tired to do the maths of a team focusing on GC with Valverde, with Quintana as an awesome sidekick and where would Rui fit in. I don't care even if rides full domestique for Quintana and Valverde, this isn't his race anyway.

 

[Pulpstar]

Aru, Caruso, Viviani - They are the 3 cheap picks for my TdF team

And the Katusha team

 

[Roderick]

Aru, Caruso, Viviani - They are the 3 cheap picks for my TdF team

And the Katusha team

I hope you are aware of the fact none of those guys is doing the Tour?