Tour de Suisse 9-17/6/2012

[roundabout]

By the way, GP des Kantons Aargau is today. I think it should be in this thread as it's a warm up for the TdS for some of the teams

Starters

http://www.gippingen.ch/daten/radsporttage/gp/Startliste_definitiv_06.06.2012.pdf

Circuit (15 laps)

http://www.gippingen.ch/daten/radsporttage/guidetechnique/6._Rundstrecke.pdf

 

[classicomano]

I cant see Rabo lose this race, but im sure they'll find a way

 

[El Pistolero]

What an awful race, Sagan will dominate most stages here. 5 out of 9 victories with a possibility of the prologue here because Cancellara and Leipheimer aren't in shape.

 

[Leonardus]

Could be pretty much the same as in Toc. Sagan takes 4 stages in a row (3-6), Gesink rides a decent time trial and the Rabo guys finish it off in the mountain stages.
Wondering if they can drop bottle somewhere otherwise he has a good chance. Anyway not much competition for the gc, only the shack and rabo have a strong team so one of them should be able to get the overall. I think Gesink is the favorite and he already should have won TdS in 2010 so it's time he wins this.

 

[will10]

What an awful race, Sagan will dominate most stages here. 5 out of 9 victories with a possibility of the prologue here because Cancellara and Leipheimer aren't in shape.

Except the ones that actually matter. Deja vu back to Cali unfortunately.

 

[roundabout]

4 out of 9 actually. All mountain stages are too difficult for him.

 

[theyoungest]

I cant see Rabo lose this race, but im sure they'll find a way

I can see them lose it pretty easily.

Gesink: just returned from altitude, and maybe California turns out to be not such a great indicator of form after all.
Kruijswijk: just returned from altitude, hasn't raced since April.
Mollema: hasn't raced since April.

There you go

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

What an awful race, Sagan will dominate most stages here. 5 out of 9 victories with a possibility of the prologue here because Cancellara and Leipheimer aren't in shape.

It's actually one of the best stage routes of the year (huge achievement I know).

By no means awful anyway.

Agree Rabo won't win .

 

[dlwssonic]

hope sagan does not dominate. Not that I don't like him, its just pretty boring when he does.

 

[plooton]

By the way, GP des Kantons Aargau is today. I think it should be in this thread as it's a warm up for the TdS for some of the teams

Starters

http://www.gippingen.ch/daten/radsporttage/gp/Startliste_definitiv_06.06.2012.pdf

Circuit (15 laps)

http://www.gippingen.ch/daten/radsporttage/gp/Startliste_definitiv_06.06.2012.pdf

You stuck there the same link, is somewhere there detailed circuit map? I found only one without an altitude legend.

 

[roundabout]

Woops.

http://www.gippingen.ch/daten/radsporttage/guidetechnique/6._Rundstrecke.pdf

Thanks for noticing.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I can see them lose it pretty easily.

Gesink: just returned from altitude, and maybe California turns out to be not such a great indicator of form after all.
Kruijswijk: just returned from altitude, hasn't raced since April.
Mollema: hasn't raced since April.

There you go

Yeah indeed and it doesn't help that Verbier is already on the 2nd day. Coming straight from altitude training such a climb can hurt

 

[Wigwan]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2012-tour-de-suisse-start-list

Official start list.

Didn't know Anton was there. I hope he can win a stage.

 

[Arnout]

If Anton just has fun riding he won't care about winning ©hothra.

Anton is starting his Vuelta prep here, don't expect too much. The men to watch are Nieve and Gorka Izagirre, although I suspect the course is not hard enough for Nieve.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Half of the above mentioned names are not close to being GC contenders for a race like this - fx are Breschel, Oss, Rojas & Kolobnev great riders, but nowhere near capable to get a overall top30 finish in TDS.

2011 Tour de Suisse:
14 José Joaquín ROJAS GIL (MOV) +9'28"

2010 Tour de Suisse:
29 José Joaquín ROJAS GIL (GCE) +11'24"

2009 Tour de Suisse:
33 José Joaquín ROJAS GIL (GCE) +10'35"

I'd say Rojas is more than capable of a top 30.

http://www.cyclingcols.com/profiles/Arosa.gif

Gracias. Though I'd still say what the hell is it doing with HC categorisation.

 

[DominicDecoco]

This should be the race to follow. Great profiles by the looks of it.

 

[Wilba60]

hope sagan does not dominate. Not that I don't like him, its just pretty boring when he does.

I doubt that Sagan will dominate here, this field has much more depth with sprinters than California. If the finishes are tough and the pure sprinters can't stay with him, then he may be the one to beat but if the main group of sprinters arrive at the finish, then he will have much more to contend with. Petacchi, Farrar, Davis or Kroupis, Blythe are just a few, as well as guys like Haussler who may work in tandem with Farrar and wasn't too far behind him in California.

 

[manafana]

cant wait knowing the tour is just round corner.

 

[taiwan]

I doubt that Sagan will dominate here, this field has much more depth with sprinters than California. If the finishes are tough and the pure sprinters can't stay with him, then he may be the one to beat but if the main group of sprinters arrive at the finish, then he will have much more to contend with. Petacchi, Farrar, Davis or Kroupis, Blythe are just a few, as well as guys like Haussler who may work in tandem with Farrar and wasn't too far behind him in California.

For me he can quite possibly take even Petacchi and Farrar if they aren't at their best, which Farrar at least hasn't been this year. I don't wan't a predictable race, but if Sagan does things like his mountain stage win last year I would happily watch.

 

[Ruvu75]

If the finishes are tough and the pure sprinters can't stay with him, then he may be the one to beat but if the main group of sprinters arrive at the finish, then he will have much more to contend with.

I think most of the stages are tough enough... Maybe the only real sprint wil be the Gansingen stage...

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Can't wait to see Kiserlovski climb!

 

[manafana]

strange field anyway, nordhaug and danielson are my dark horses to go and make a push for this.

 

[BillytheKid]

A lot of the same players from last year. Klöden did a no show here last year, but looked great in the TdF until the crash. Leipheimer won, but finished in the laughing group in the mountain in TdF?

The pressure might be on Klöden to ride strong in the ITTs. Points for the sagging Shack. The beginning of a change of fortunes?

Nice parcours this year.

 

[dlwssonic]

Mathias frank is capable of a good position on GC. He was building up form at the Giro for this race.
Like last year.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Time for Klodi to show something. And even forgetting the Tour for a moment, this race would be a great one for him to win anyway.