Tour de France 2010

[karlboss]

Early I know, but i always start thinking about the next tour pretty much the day one ends.
I can't see anything but a more competitive tour. why?
i see more competitve teams.
Whichever team contador is on. Garmin, saxobank, columbia, liquigas, radioshack, sky...

 

[Cobber]

Well.... it can't be worse than this years race....

I am looking forward to AC vs Andy. I hope they will both be in good form, on good teams, and on a good parcours. May the best man win!

Disclaimer: LA was not mentioned intentionally.

 

[RigelKent]

I'm going to wait until the route is announced. I think that's when it really starts.

 

[cody_57]

Armstrong

I will mention Armstrong: does the team already have a guarantee that Radio Shack will even be invited to the Tour? And just think of the frothing at the mouth all the rabid LA supporters will be doing if that team does not get invited!! Nobody blinked an eye (in the american press) when AC could not defend his title last year, but God forbid if the same thing should happen to LA.

 

[scribe]

Le Tour will let the team in, no problem. $$$

 

[Hugh Januss]

I will mention Armstrong: does the team already have a guarantee that Radio Shack will even be invited to the Tour? And just think of the frothing at the mouth all the rabid LA supporters will be doing if that team does not get invited!! Nobody blinked an eye (in the american press) when AC could not defend his title last year, but God forbid if the same thing should happen to LA.

Oh, come on you can't have forgotten the Let Levi Ride campaign already.

 

[pedaling squares]

2010 does promise to be a much more interesting tour, but then next year often seems better at the end of July.

For GC: Radio Shack will get an invite for sure, and you know the team will be constructed with the sole intention of getting Lance back on the top step. That in itself will be interesting, especially if he has quality support like Levi, George, Popo, Kloden. If a strong team like Caisse lands Contador, he will have everything he needs to tackle the wily old coyote. Saxo will probably use all their marbles to support Andy instead of hedging bets with Frank, making him even better.

For stages/points: Garmin and Cervelo have a year to learn what Columbia did right, and a year to wonder if it would have made any difference against the missile. Garmin has 364 days to work on leading a sprinter through a corner! I forgot Quickstep... but were they even in this tour?

Throw in the usual wild cards and transfers and, depending on the route, we could have a much more even chase for the podium. But like I said, it always looks good at this time of year.

 

[scribe]

If Sky and theShack get in, who do they omit?

 

[iceaxe]

I will mention Armstrong: does the team already have a guarantee that Radio Shack will even be invited to the Tour? And just think of the frothing at the mouth all the rabid LA supporters will be doing if that team does not get invited!! Nobody blinked an eye (in the american press) when AC could not defend his title last year, but God forbid if the same thing should happen to LA.

Revenues this year were double that of last year thanks to Lance. He could compete using a wheel chair for all they care.

 

[auscyclefan94]

If Sky and theShack get in, who do they omit?

Skil Shimano and lampre

 

[auscyclefan94]

i hope the route is more interesting this year starting from rottedam. Does anybody have any rumours about the route. I hope it's a more closer race than last years.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Skil Shimano and lampre

........ASTANA! Don't think there will be any Vino in France next year.

Actually the Pro Tour is a mess as only the top 17 teams gain automatic invitations for next year.
Although ASO and the UCI have yet to agree a strategy - one of the options is reducing the number of riders per team to 8, but that is only a rumour yet

 

[Anonymous]

If Sky and theShack get in, who do they omit?

astana

the sky v radio shack battle is going to be fasinating.. .both with money to spend, both brand new teams..

on one side, JB probably the most succesful DS in recent history, on the other side, Dave Brailsford who even if the non brits dont know much about him, this guy means business.. anyone who can take a track team from also rans, to the most dominant country the sport has ever seen, will be a serious force to be reckoned with on the road.. its going to be amazing..

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

Cycling is kind of a crazy sport since 98, who knows who will be there next year? A lot can happen in a year, it's a tad early to guess who will be in or not. Even though Radio Shack would probably get the invite, who knows?
Is Sky really gonna field a competitive team? I'm sure they have a lot of money but will their results warrant an invite?
As for which team wouldn't make the cut next year: Maybe Skil will imporve further, who knows what will happen with "Astana" (which is about to be turned in an empty shell) or even Katusha, Agritubel will now longer exists (but will probably be replaced by another french team), Lampre was really lackluster this year but I think that if they do not make the cut another Italian team will, Cervelo is still a young team...

I wouldn't mind a showdown between Armstrong, Contador, the Schleck and to see the return of Basso in good form, maybe even Valverde (and... the Chicken and Vino ), a lot of that depends on "legal developments" I suppose. Will Wiggins and VDV confirm? Will other teams try to contest Columbia on the sprint or maybe aim for GC? Will Columbia themselves try to aim for GC?
Astana hold over the GC was one of the reasons of what went wrong with this year TdF, likely won't be repeated.

 

[idiort]

hopefully there will be more dedicated leadout train like columbia...

miss the days of petacchi vs boonen with mcewen and hushovd lurking around

 

[kease7]

Agritubel & Skil will be out.... Sky & Radio Shack in!!!

 

[TRDean]

Agritubel & Skil will be out.... Sky & Radio Shack in!!!

Sky? Doubt it. But as stated earlier...too early to even hazard a guess.

 

[auscyclefan94]

hopefully there will be more dedicated leadout train like columbia...

miss the days of petacchi vs boonen with mcewen and hushovd lurking around

In the sprints McEwan owns Boonen

 

[anubisza]

Radioshack will get an invite without any problems I would imagine.
Sky, not so sure, depends on what riders they have.

A number of teams could be left out, and after all, the wild card system is unpredictable every year, so we won't notice the difference anyway.

 

[Animal]

They could drop QuickStep and nobody would notice.

 

[CycleViking]

If Sky and theShack get in, who do they omit?

If Contador leaves Astana, then they will for sure not be invited to TdF 2010 - with Vino coming back they might not be invited anyway
I think Contador will leave Astana, hence no Astana next year.
Agritubel is history, so they will not be there either.

But it is actually rumored that there will be a new Spanish team built up around AC - with F1 champion Fernando Alonso (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-to-burn-rubber-for-formula-1-star)
What happens if this should become reality?

I think AC will be invited no matter what team colors he has (save light blue & yellow...), Lance's RadioShack because of the PR value that comes with Le Circe Lance, and Sky HD because they have both the money AND the management for more than just one year to attract good riders.

So my tip is Astana and Agritubel out, and also Skil-Shimano out if there is an new team with AC in 2010.

________________________________________________
"Not very talented, but a lot of expensive equipment "

 

[scribe]

i hope the route is more interesting this year starting from rottedam. Does anybody have any rumours about the route. I hope it's a more closer race than last years.

The only way to make it closer is to shorten it by 2 weeks and make no mountaintop finishes.

 

[Anonymous]

from what i read a few months ago sky are already in..

Radioshack will obviously be in, santander, not so sure, depends who the riders are and what they do early season.. we are losing one, or maybe two teams this year so that will help their cause, and i cant see a vino led astana being let in..

 

[Boleyn]

If Contador leaves Astana, then they will for sure not be invited to TdF 2010 - with Vino coming back they might not be invited anyway
I think Contador will leave Astana, hence no Astana next year.
Agritubel is history, so they will not be there either.

But it is actually rumored that there will be a new Spanish team built up around AC - with F1 champion Fernando Alonso (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/contador-to-burn-rubber-for-formula-1-star)
What happens if this should become reality?

I think AC will be invited no matter what team colors he has (save light blue & yellow...), Lance's RadioShack because of the PR value that comes with Le Circe Lance, and Sky HD because they have both the money AND the management for more than just one year to attract good riders.

So my tip is Astana and Agritubel out, and also Skil-Shimano out if there is an new team with AC in 2010.

I don't think the Alonso team will be formed in time for TdF 2010. I reckon there will be no Astana - replaced by Team Lance - but I am not sure about who else will be missing to allow Team Sky in.

Agritubel did have a stage win this year. What about Lampre - they weren't there this year so will they be missed next year?

 

[benpounder]

astana

the sky v radio shack battle is going to be fasinating.. .both with money to spend, both brand new teams..

Who will Sky sign? Without Wiggo, Cav, and/or Millar who are the marque riders that would warrant in invitation?

Agreed on Astana. Dont see ASO welcoming back Vino, even if there is another marque rider on the squad.