Tour de l'Ain 2011 2.1 09/08 - 13/08

[greenedge]

Forgot about Pinot. He shall top 10 i think. He's just not a great ITTer

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

cyclismactu.net favorites...
**** Pierre Rolland, Jean-Christophe Péraud

*** Jérôme Coppel, Thibaut Pinot, John Gadret, Rein Taaramae

** David Moncoutié, Wouter Poels, John Atapuma, Damien Monier

* Wilco Keldermann, Anthony Charteau, Thomas Bonnin, Romain Bardet, Hubert Dupont


Freaking joke if you ask me Coppel, Pinot and half-dead Gadret to match Taaramae, Atapuma and Monier in the same class as Moncoutie and Poels? Anyways as Rolland is concerned, I don't think that he can be considered as a huge favorite to all the tours from now on cause of a 1 Grand Tour 11th place. I mean yes, he is a huge talent and ofcourse I know that, but he hasn't done anything BIG before that... let's see, starts tomorrow and I'd expect both of the Estonians to be comfortably in the top 10 after the prologue

don't underestimate Atapuma, a decent youngster (unless you are underestimating poels and such, which is also a mistake imo).

I agree about Rolland, he is a very good rider, but i get the feeling he wont show here, hope i am wrong.

 

[Tuarts]

Taaramae should at least be one of the main favourites, why wouldn't you back the last winner?. I tip Ruijgh to be the best from Vacansoliel. Gadret to win Colombier.

Its going to be a rather good race though to see all these French (teams) GC riders go against each other with no distractions. It's not comparable to the Tour but with the parcours on the last 2 stages no one can hide.

 

[l.Harm]

Don't know about Ruijghs form after TdF. Poels showed he's good in Poland, he could be their best man.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Poels was 2nd here last year in the same time as Zubeldia, Poels won the Grand Colombier stage (Pinot was 5th back then).

Poels is a better climber than Ruijgh at any rate anyway, so I don't see why Ruijgh would be leader.
Poels is the man to expect here

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Last years GC
1. [ESP] ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar RSH 13h44'32" 110
2. [NED] POELS Wout VAC 83
3. [FRA] MONCOUTIÉ David COF 05" 66
4. [USA] VAN GARDEREN Tejay THR 07" 58
5. [FRA] PINOT Thibaut FDJ 10" 50
6. [FRA] COPPEL Jérôme SAU 11" 44
7. [FRA] JEANDESBOZ Fabrice SAU 13" 38
8. [SUI] TSCHOPP Johann BTL 19" 33
9. [BEL] VAN AVERMAET Greg OLO 23" 29
10. [FRA] GALLOPIN Tony COF 31" 25
11. [FRA] BOUET Maxime ALM 37" 21
12. [NED] KELDERMAN Wilco RB3 38" 18
13. [SUI] MORABITO Steve BMC 41" 15
14. [NED] HOOGERLAND Johnny VAC 43" 12
15. [NOR] WILMANN Frederik SKS 44" 10

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Yeah I agree with poels. He should do a good ride here, he looked good at poland.

It is a shame he was injured at le tour.

 

[Lupetto]

Poels was 2nd here last year in the same time as Zubeldia, Poels won the Grand Colombier stage (Pinot was 5th back then).

Poels is a better climber than Ruijgh at any rate anyway, so I don't see why Ruijgh would be leader.
Poels is the man to expect here

Ruijgh isn't on the startlist. He is replaced by Matteo Carrara.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

any chance of coverage?

 

[Lupetto]

any chance of coverage?

The Grand Colombier stage will be live on France 3.

 

[theyoungest]

Poels was 2nd here last year in the same time as Zubeldia, Poels won the Grand Colombier stage (Pinot was 5th back then).

Poels is a better climber than Ruijgh at any rate anyway, so I don't see why Ruijgh would be leader.
Poels is the man to expect here

Why is Poels even riding here? Give him some time and rest to prepare for the Vuelta!

Vacansoleil are weird that way. I'd rather see him at Rabobank, TBH.

 

[Fetisoff]

Assan Bazaev or Nazar Jumabekov ftw

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I know. Poels also rode way too many races before the classics (in which he was ofcourse tired and crap) and the Tour (4 stage races...)

 

[theyoungest]

I know. Poels also rode way too many races before the classics (in which he was ofcourse tired and crap) and the Tour (4 stage races...)

The guy has great form. What's the best way to ruin that form before the Vuelta? Tire him out!

 

[Kwibus]

Why is Poels even riding here? Give him some time and rest to prepare for the Vuelta!

Vacansoleil are weird that way. I'd rather see him at Rabobank, TBH.

I was thinking the same.
What's positive about it is that Poels can win this race, while he can't win the Vuelta in good form. Still I'd rather see him win a stage in the Vuelta or perform well in mountain stages than him winning the Tour L'Ain.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I was thinking the same.
What's positive about it is that Poels can win this race, while he can't win the Vuelta in good form. Still I'd rather see him win a stage in the Vuelta or perform well in mountain stages than him winning the Tour L'Ain.

He hasn't won anything of note, has he? A stage of the Tour of Britain and a stage of the Tour de L'Ain? I'd rather see him win his first decent stage race than fight to come 13th in the Vuelta.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Why is Poels even riding here? Give him some time and rest to prepare for the Vuelta!

Vacansoleil are weird that way. I'd rather see him at Rabobank, TBH.

this is true.

also as DT said earlier in the season he raced so much he had nothing left in the ardennes. Personally I think he is the best suited out of the young dutchies atm for those races. That was a annoying. Vasc. often did the same with hoogie too. aka last year.

 

[LaFleur]

Anyone got a live ticker? (think that it started about 30 mins ago.) Without it would be sad -ish

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

this is true.

also as DT said earlier in the season he raced so much he had nothing left in the ardennes. Personally I think he is the best suited out of the young dutchies atm for those races. That was a annoying. Vasc. often did the same with hoogie too. aka last year.

Check this out, Poels before the classics
-Tour de Mediterraneen (3rd)
-Volta ao Algarve (15th)
-Vuelta a Murcia (4th)
-Tirreno Adriatico (18th)
-Criterium International (49th)
-Pais Vasco (40th)

It is clear that he hit his peak somewhere around Murcia/Tirreno (2nd in a stage there). After that it was pretty much over.
I find it incredible that they let him ride Algarve, Murcia, Tirreno AND Crit Int in 1 month time. Super bad management.
No miracle he DNF-ed in LBL.

Then before the Tour:
-Circuit de Lorraine (85th - end may)
-Tour of Luxemburg (52th - begin june)
-Tour de Suisse (25th - mid june)
-Dutch championships (24th - end june)

Again questionable. He could have done without Lorrain or Luxembourg in my opinion.

And now before the Vuelta, Pologne followed by Ain.
The guy has 67 race days this season already!!
Contador had 65 race days and is already end of season.

 

[LaFleur]

Taaramae also has 61 days and will probably could very possibly do the Vuelta, as well as the Worlds.

Hoogerland has done 79 race days and will compete in here, and who knows?

 

[theyoungest]

Anyone got a live ticker? (think that it started about 30 mins ago.) Without it would be sad -ish

Absolutely nothing... will this be the same for the road stages? I remember Direct Velo used to have updates, not anymore apparently.

 

[LaFleur]

Absolutely nothing... will this be the same for the road stages? I remember Direct Velo used to have updates, not anymore apparently.

Just checked that as well as the live coverage for the last stage, they will have highlights for every stage. So I don't understand at all, no timing for a short prologue??

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Taaramae also has 61 days and will probably could very possibly do the Vuelta, as well as the Worlds.

Hoogerland has done 79 race days and will compete in here, and who knows?

yes, but Poels is only 24 years old, that's the problem I have with this

 

[LaFleur]

yes, but Poels is only 24 years old, that's the problem I have with this

Rein Taaramae is also 24, and I checked that he has about 60-70 racing km's more than Taaramae.

 

[theyoungest]

Kelderman has the best time, with 6 riders to go.