Tour de France Teams 2010 - early rumours

[bianchigirl]

Sanchez, Martinez, Perez, Verdugo, Txurruka. Then any 4 from Hernandez, Isasi, Oroz, Perez and Velasco

Sicard named as reserve

 

[unsheath]

Do these ultra long range forecasts actually mean anything? Season proper hasn't even started yet.

 

[luckyboy]

Means that Euskaltel are gonna kick ***!

like last year

 

[Angliru]

Sanchez, Martinez, Perez, Verdugo, Txurruka. Then any 4 from Hernandez, Isasi, Oroz, Perez and Velasco

Sicard named as reserve

So that means their saving Anton and Benat Inxausti for the Vuelta.
I hope Anton puts in a good performance. In 2008 he was riding well but I believe he crashed out early in the race. Inxausti seems to be someone they have high hopes for in the stage races and Ardennes classics. Still young yet but he's placed well in some events. Although I don't see his name on cyclingnews' list of their riders although he is mentioned in the team overview.

 

[lucybears]

http://startlist.cyclingfever.com/startlist.html?_p=startlijst&id=19662

 

[Anonymous]

Possibly, maybe list for Sky, on the assumption they get granted a spot.
The list is based purely on rider interviews where they have said they are riding the tour, or have it on their aims for the year.

Arversen - Mentioned in interview with Wiggins - February 2010
Edvald Boasson Hagen - Has said in interviews his aim is green, and appearance seemingly confirmed in several interviews.
Calzati - listed on blog and interview his aim is to have a good tour de france.
Flecha - Interview in late 2009, listed his season goals.
Simon Gerrans - Quoted 4th of January as being in the Tour Squad
Greg Henderson - Quoted in December 2009 as focussing his season to being on form for the tour.
Thomas Lloftvist - Listed in several interviews as being in the tour to support Brad and perhaps go for a stage.
Serge Pauwells - Quoted in interview December 2009 as saying a strong Tour is his goal.
Geraint Thomas - mentioned in Brad Wiggins interview - February 2010
Brad Wiggins - Team Leader

But very much a shot in the dark. will be interesting to see how close it is.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Well thats 10 riders, so someone there will definately not make it.

But isnt it better at this stage to speculate on which teams, if such speculation is even required so early, before moving on to the riders from those teams?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I see Geraint Thomas missing out from that list.
Indeed it is early for such a discussion, no harm done though.

 

[Señor_Contador]

Means that Euskaltel are gonna kick ***!

like last year

And that also means there will be 9 Basques riding a bike and making people happy instead of setting bombs or shooting someone point-blank.

Oh shoot, did I say that aloud?

 

[Anonymous]

I see Geraint Thomas missing out from that list.
Indeed it is early for such a discussion, no harm done though.

I see loftvist missing out from those ten, each sky rider with the exception of brad wiggins is only riding one tour this year, so 26 riders, 27 tour spots, brad doing two, leaves one each, and if Thomas rides the giro, thats his GT for the year..

 

[sublimit]

i reckon Froome will go. i dont think Pauwels will make it and Arveson wont because of his injury not sure about Calzati... that list looks close though.

time will tell but that still looks a decent team. lovkvist should go because he's a solid rider on the flat and can do well in time trials.

 

[Anonymous]

i reckon Froome will go. i dont think Pauwels will make it and Arveson wont because of his injury not sure about Calzati... that list looks close though.

time will tell but that still looks a decent team. lovkvist should go because he's a solid rider on the flat and can do well in time trials.

We will know a lot more when the giro squad is announced. Every sky rider has been guaranteed one grand tour ride, so it stands to reason that none of the giro riders (except wiggins) will ride the tour, unless of course wiggins doesnt ride the tour.

 

[stefrees]

We will know a lot more when the giro squad is announced. Every sky rider has been guaranteed one grand tour ride, so it stands to reason that none of the giro riders (except wiggins) will ride the tour, unless of course wiggins doesnt ride the tour.

didnt know every sky rider had been promised a gt ride? cool if so.

 

[hfer07]

the early rumor is simply that is "too early" to speculate

 

[theyoungest]

I see loftvist missing out from those ten, each sky rider with the exception of brad wiggins is only riding one tour this year, so 26 riders, 27 tour spots, brad doing two, leaves one each, and if Thomas rides the giro, thats his GT for the year..

I'd be very surprised if Löfkvist won't do the Tour this year, as one of his main reasons for leaving Columbia was not being selected for the Tour. I'm sure he's had some kind of guarantee.

 

[maltiv]

Edvald Boasson Hagen - Has said in interviews his aim is green, and appearance seemingly confirmed in several interviews.

No he has not, but some people have claimed that he can win green. Never heard EBH say anything like that.

 

[goggalor]

I don't think it's uncommon to tell as many as 15 riders that they're riding the Tour early in the season. For extra motivation, I guess.

On Pauwels...remembering how he rode for Sastre in the Giro, I think he could be very useful for Wiggins in the Tour. Though, if he rode like he did then he'd probably ride Wiggo off his wheel.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I see loftvist missing out from those ten, each sky rider with the exception of brad wiggins is only riding one tour this year, so 26 riders, 27 tour spots, brad doing two, leaves one each, and if Thomas rides the giro, thats his GT for the year..

Sky would need lovkist for the mountains you would think? Get rid of Henderson. His time for the tour will have to wait. have another guy for the flats or the hills for Wiggo and then you would have quite a strong lineup.

 

[Winterfold]

Sky still need a Kloden or F Schleck mega-domestique to give Brad a fighting chance.

 

[hektoren]

No he has not, but some people have claimed that he can win green. Never heard EBH say anything like that.

If you read norwegian, here's one interview with Edvald where he mentions the green jersey: http://mobil.tv2.no/sporten/sykkel/edvald-utfordrer-hushovd-om-den-groenne-troeyen-2902955.html
For the norwegian-challenged people out there, here goes a rough translation:
Edvald takes on Hushovd for the green jersey in 2010.

Edvald Boasson Hagen may go for green in next TdF.
Thor Hushovd outsmarted Cavendish in this years TdF in the battle for the green jersey.

- "Ive shown that I can sprint well. "
Next years' tour can see two norwegians battling for the green jersey.

- "It's possible, as there's a new competitor to Thor on the circuit", laughs Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Hardly something to laugh at, though.

- "I've shown that I can sprint quite well, and I'm often better in the hills than the pure sprinters", says Boasson Hagen to TV 2 Sports.

- "Challenger for the green jersey in 2010."
Scott Sunderland, in Team Sky, is full of praise for his norwegian super-talent, and thinks he can be a challenger for green in 2010.

- "He will be the new challenger next year. He's got what it takes", says Sunderlandl

 

[luckyboy]

Sky still need a Kloden or F Schleck mega-domestique to give Brad a fighting chance.

Kloden or Schleck wouldn't be working for Bradley Wiggins.

 

[Anonymous]

No he has not, but some people have claimed that he can win green. Never heard EBH say anything like that.

Scott Sunderland has said that this years route partilarly suits EbH, and EbH has told his fan club that he wants to win a stage in this years tour and challenge for the green jersey.

Scott Sundarland article

" I will certainly do the Classics (Flanders, Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix), the Tour de France and all the races in between,"" [http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2314/Boasson-Hagen-aiming-to-step-up-a-level-in-2010-will-make-Tour-debut.aspx]

will try did out the other links later.. he will be riding the tour anyway, thats come from him and about four of his teammates, unless they are just teasing us

If you read norwegian, here's one interview with Edvald where he mentions the green jersey: http://mobil.tv2.no/sporten/sykkel/edvald-utfordrer-hushovd-om-den-groenne-troeyen-2902955.html
For the norwegian-challenged people out there, here goes a rough translation:
Edvald takes on Hushovd for the green jersey in 2010.l

thank you hektoren.. thats one of the links i was also looking for.

 

[Angliru]

Sky still need a Kloden or F Schleck mega-domestique to give Brad a fighting chance.

If they had either one of them, Wiggins would end up as the domestique on the 2010 Tour parcours.

 

[Publicus]

If they had either one of them, Wiggins would end up as the domestique on the 2010 Tour parcours.

LOL. So true....

 

[analo69]

Saxo Bank director Bjarne Riis has put names on the short list tour squad. It only contains 10 names, so one will be sorted out. But off course injuries and bad form can change everything.

A Schleck
F Schleck
F Cancellara
S O'grady
J Voigt
G Larsson
J Fuglsang
CA Sørensen
M Breschel
N Sørensen

Quite a good team in my opinion. According to a very recent interview with Bjarne Riis The schlecks, Cancellara and O'grady are the most sure for the tour team. My guess is that Larsson, Breschel or Voigt will be sorted out in June. Probably Larsson because there is no TTT this year.

Of last years tour team only KA Arvesen has changed team, and the only additions are Breschel and Fuglsang.

4 Danes on the short list is quite fantastic. Then it is posible with 6 Danes in the tour this year with Martin Pedersen from Fotoon and Brian Vandborg from Liquigas. I think it is almost as many as in the mid nineties with Rolf Sørensen, Bjarne Riis, Bo Hamburger, Jesper Skibby, Brian Holm and more.

But if a couple of riders get injured or is in very bad shape in July it will be difficult to find more riders with tour quality to put on the tour team. Saxo Bank this year only has 10 very good riders. The rest in mostly young talented riders(+ Baden Cooke) who will need to step up.

Saxo Bank has one of the best classic teams and one of the best Tour teams.