Tour Rider Selection and Roles

[Geraint Too Fast]

Looks like a fairly strong team, but remains to be seen if they have a strong leader as well. Also good to see they didn't waste a spot on bringing a sprinter for Renshaw to leadout.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Leonardus]

Here we go!!!
Raboboys:
Gesink, Ten Dam, Kruijswijk, Mollema, Renshaw, LL Sanchez, Tankink, Tjallingii and Wynants.

Strong team. Little bit surprised about Wynants but he definitely deserves a spot. Also good to see Tankink back in the Tour, good rider and always great to hear his comments.

 

[theyoungest]

Looks like a fairly strong team, but remains to be seen if they have a strong leader as well. Also good to see they didn't waste a spot on bringing a leadout for Renshaw.

Tankink used to be in the leadout for Boonen

Pretty strong team. Indeed, it remains the question whether one of these guys can really challenge for the top spots on GC, but some success should at least be possible. And (to me) they have the no. 1 favourite for the white jersey.

 

[b.broadhurst]

There is only 1 team that everybody wants to know and that is Sky.

So this is it: Wiggins Froome Rogers Porte Sivtsov Boason-Hagen Cavendish Eisel Knees

 

[ruswilks]

There is only 1 team that everybody wants to know and that is Sky.

So this is it: Wiggins Froome Rogers Porte Sivtsov Boason-Hagen Cavendish Eisel Knees

Any link for that or just speculation?

 

[b.broadhurst]

Any link for that or just speculation?

My uncle is the mechanic and is preparing tour bikes as we speak.

 

[Justin Pain]

Any link for that or just speculation?

My uncle is the mechanic and is preparing tour bikes as we speak.

Then why bring Pate to the tour training camp?
http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17545_7815516,00.html

 

[Sydney21]

There is only 1 team that everybody wants to know and that is Sky.

So this is it: Wiggins Froome Rogers Porte Sivtsov Boason-Hagen Cavendish Eisel Knees

I think that is what the team will be too. Lovikist is battling Knees and his Knees for a spot.

Pretty sure GE team will be Goss Lancaster Cooke Impey O'Grady Langeveld Albasini Gerrans Weening. I'll be very surprised if they select Davis. Most guys there are pretty fast if they can make it to the finish in a break. Should have a shot at the Green jersey too with the strongest train in the race depending on who lotto bring...

 

[dlwssonic]

There is only 1 team that everybody wants to know and that is Sky.

So this is it: Wiggins Froome Rogers Porte Sivtsov Boason-Hagen Cavendish Eisel Knees

You realise not everyone here is crazy over sky right

 

[theyoungest]

Should have a shot at the Green jersey too with the strongest train in the race depending on who lotto bring...

The green jersey is almost certain to be for Sagan, I reckon.

 

[Ruudz0r]

Surprised Barredo isnt selected for Rabo, he was so loyal to Gesink last year in the tour and could be a helpfull domestic in the mountains for Rabo + also can keep someone out of the wind on the flat.

 

[LaFlorecita]

You realise not everyone here is crazy over sky right

Lol.......

 

[cineteq]

Surprised Barredo isnt selected for Rabo, he was so loyal to Gesink last year in the tour and could be a helpfull domestic in the mountains for Rabo + also can keep someone out of the wind on the flat.

Maybe ask Renshaw? What a waste.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Then why bring Pate to the tour training camp?
http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17545_7815516,00.html

Because he is part of the Tour squad consisting of 11, which is now 10 after Lokvist is injured.

 

[b.broadhurst]

You realise not everyone here is crazy over sky right

No s*** sherlock!! But you will b on ur knees when Sky win yellow and green and at least 5 stages.

 

[dlwssonic]

No s*** sherlock!! But you will b on ur knees when Sky win yellow and green and at least 5 stages.

Cool story bro.
If you are such a sky fan.
I thought you would have known cav isn't riding the whole tour.
So how are they supposed to win green.
Unless EBH can do it.
Yeah 5 stages is plausible with ebh,cav,wiggo.

but then again EBH will be a slave for wiggins, cav has lost much of his top speed and he has sagan, greipel, kittel to deal with.
I don't see wiggins winning a mountain stage. Yeah he can win a few TTs but if canc and martin get back their good form, wiggins should get beaten.

 

[b.broadhurst]

Cool story bro.
If you are such a sky fan.
I thought you would have known cav isn't riding the whole tour.
So how are they supposed to win green.
Unless EBH can do it.
Yeah 5 stages is plausible with ebh,cav,wiggo.

Obviously a big sky fan as is in my family.

Cav will finish the Tour in Green and with 4 consecutive wins on the Champs Elyssee.

He has never said he won't finish the Tour

 

[Havetts]

Surprised Barredo isnt selected for Rabo, he was so loyal to Gesink last year in the tour and could be a helpfull domestic in the mountains for Rabo + also can keep someone out of the wind on the flat.

Agreed.. I think it has something to do with the broken arm he had, its a shame. Barredo is a very offensive rider that sure sacrifices himself for his leaders and when he feels like it gets a lot of media attention for the sponsor too..

Shame they left him at ''home''

 

[dlwssonic]

Obviously a big sky fan as is in my family.

Cav will finish the Tour in Green and with 4 consecutive wins on the Champs Elyssee.

He has never said he won't finish the Tour

I just heard a lot of people saying cav wasn't going for green and leaving the tour early,
My mistake.
It will be hard this year.
Especially as Cav is aiming for the olympics and has lost a lot of his top speed.
Plus he does not have a full train working for him. Will have lesser now.
There is sagan, greipel and kittel who are all training solely for sprints.

 

[theyoungest]

Agreed.. I think it has something to do with the broken arm he had, its a shame. Barredo is a very offensive rider that sure sacrifices himself for his leaders and when he feels like it gets a lot of media attention for the sponsor too..

Shame they left him at ''home''

I think they needed a few tanks to keep all those scrawny climbers out of trouble on the flat stages. Now Gesink, Kruijswijk, and Mollema have a tank each

 

[Havetts]

I think they needed a few tanks to keep all those scrawny climbers out of trouble on the flat stages. Now Gesink, Kruijswijk, and Mollema have a tank each

It surprised me that Niermann, who is usually Gesinks "slaapie" doesnt go to the Tour. Although it isnt too surprising after he has ridden the Giro, but still somewhat strange.

The way you look at it makes a lot of sense and its quite smart actually .

 

[b.broadhurst]

I just heard a lot of people saying cav wasn't going for green and leaving the tour early,
My mistake.
It will be hard this year.
Especially as Cav is aiming for the olympics and has lost a lot of his top speed.
Plus he does not have a full train working for him. Will have lesser now.
There is sagan, greipel and kittel who are all training solely for sprints.

Cav will definitely finish the Tour and then go for Gold. It is Cav's toughest year for sure, completed a Giro already then with the Tour and Olympics so close together it will b hard. He hasn't lost his top speed, his form isn't there yet because he is having to prolong his peak for 4 weeks this year and not 3.

There will only b 2 pure sprint trains in GE and AS, but Cav still has the best positioning in the peloton and will have a train of Knees Sivtsov B-H Eisel.

 

[airstream]

Rojas can certainly win the green jersey.
Last year he would have won it if you take Cav out of the equation and that may very well happen this year...

Only problem is Sagan..

How and at the expense of what? He'll be able to do it only if Cavendish will be disqualified at the finish line twice. Rojas has the only quality, stability as his absolute finish speed is pretty low and he's out of 5-6 fastest guys in a decisive 100-150 meter punch. With Sagan, his only trump card doesn't work either. I expect Hutarovich to be higher than Rojas in points classification.

 

[roundabout]

Rojas seems worse this year than last year. It's mostly a feeling I have, but I can't recall noting his results this year as much as a year ago. With Valverde there he might also have less freedom, or at least on stages 1 and 3.

Rabobank have a strong team. Hopefully they'll have the luck this time around.

 

[Havetts]

No Barredo in the Tour because he has broken two ribs during a crash on a training ride.. No luck for him this season

He'll miss the Spanish nationals too.