Tour Rider Selection and Roles

[Ferminal]

Siutsout lost a lot of time in the high mountains where he was poor and only made top10 due to the break he got into and the fact that he had a superior start to the favorites

What race were you watching?

6th Etna
16th Grossglockner
8th Zoncolan
16th Gardeccia
9th Macugnaga
20th Sestriere

= top 15 average.

There is no rider in line for the Tour squad with the exception of Froome/Wiggins who has climbed that well in a GT since... Rogers 06?

 

[element]

On the topic of Lofkvist, does anyone know what's happened to him? He seemed so promising, but seems to be getting progressively worse year on year. I thought maybe he was unhappy at Sky at the end of last year, but then he signed up for another year, so can't be that. Is he just collecting the paycheques?

 

[maltiv]

On the topic of Lofkvist, does anyone know what's happened to him? He seemed so promising, but seems to be getting progressively worse year on year. I thought maybe he was unhappy at Sky at the end of last year, but then he signed up for another year, so can't be that. Is he just collecting the paycheques?

As far as I know, he had no offers elsewhere. Sky doesn't really seem to care about him either, as he's not on Wiggins' climber team (perhaps he's not into...err, tenerife). It's remarkable how anonymous he is now considering how great he was in his early twenties, when he was consistently climbing and TTing in the top 10. I think he must have lost motivation or confidence, those touted as future GT winners at a very young age often tend to get screwed up mentally.

Who knows, perhaps he's even chronically over-trained after FDJ completely killed him by sending him to every race on the calendar as a neo-pro.

 

[Nastyy]

Saur Sojasun

Jerome Coppel - GC leader
Jimmy Engoulvent - Flat domestique/free role/road captain
Anthony Delaplace - Domestique/free role
Fabrice Jeandesboz - Mountain domestique
Jean-Marc Marino - Domestique
Julien Simon - Sprinter
Julien Hivert - Mountain domestique
Brice Feillu - Mountain domestique
Guillaume Levarlet - Mountain domestique

Team pretty much built around Coppel. Feillu and Hivert will get more freedom if Coppel loses sight of a good GC finish. Delaplace and Engoulvent are domestiques but probably are given the freedom to get into breakaways in the flat stages. Simon is probably the only one not having to work at all for Coppel.

 

[Ruby United]

Clearly the best climbers in Sky except Froome and Wiggins are Uran and Henao, certainly not Porte. Okay, so they're not riding the TDF I guess because they did the Giro, but they are probably better climbers than even Wiggins and Froome.

True but i meant who is riding the tour

 

[Ruby United]

A climber for Algarve and for the Tour are different climbers. Siutsou almost always was stronger than his captains on the climbs (Kirchen in the 2008 Tour, Rogers in the 2009 Giro) but lacks personal ambitions so he's a gregario. I'm absolutely certain regarding his climber capacities and comparing him to Porte is just ridiculous.

True about a climber for Algrave and the Tour are different riders, but porte hasn't had the chance to prove himself in the tour. Especially this year where he has been in the form of his life.

And, as i have said, porte has been amazing when he has had a chance so far this year, and siutsou hasn't proven much this year compared to him.

Yes, in their whole careers so far siutsou has been better, but porte is in better form then he ever has been and is starting to 'come of age' properly.

 

[airstream]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek

Andy Schleck (captain)
Frank Schleck (nominal captain that's doomed to get a gregario but still strong enough to hit top-15 by himself)
Andreas Klöden (the rider with a free role, he will race for himself at least up to La Toussuire. Upon doing well first TT and the Alps, he will become a co-captain and maybe #1 in the team)
Chris Horner (mountain domestique)
Maxime Monfort (mountain domestique)
Jacob Fuglsang (domestique all-rounder )
Fabian Cancellara (flat domestique at Frankie's service)
Jens Voigt (domestique all-rounder and flat helper at Andy)
Yaroslav Popovych / Haimar Zubeldia (domestique all-rounder / mountain domestique)

 

[Panda Claws]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek

Andy Schleck (captain)
Frank Schleck (nominal captain that's doomed to get a gregario but still strong enough to hit top-15 by himself)
Andreas Klöden (the rider with a free role, he will race for himself at least up to La Toussuire. Upon doing well first TT and the Alps, he will become a co-captain and maybe #1 in the team)
Chris Horner (mountain domestique)
Maxime Monfort (mountain domestique)
Jacob Fuglsang (domestique all-rounder )
Fabian Cancellara (flat domestique at Frankie's service)
Jens Voigt (domestique all-rounder and flat helper at Andy)
Yaroslav Popovych / Haimar Zubeldia (domestique all-rounder / mountain domestique)

Why the sudden admiring of Klöden?
Weren't you the one telling us for months now that Andy would win the Tour easily?

 

[airstream]

Why the sudden admiring of Klöden?
Weren't you the one telling us for months now that Andy would win the Tour easily?

No, regarding Kloden I expressed the same way since October. He will win, don't worry.

 

[Stilletto]

KatushaMenchov
Florencio
Trofimov
Freire
Vorganov
Horrach
Moreno
Spilak
Gusev

 

[Stilletto]

Cofidis

Taaramäe
Vogondy
Di Gregorio
Mate
Moncoutie
Valentin
Dumoulin
Foucher
Monier

 

[Stilletto]

Lampre

Petacchi
Hondo
Possoni
Marzano
Stortini
Cimolai
Krivtsov
Vigano
Kostyuk

 

[Stilletto]

Astana

Brajkovic (GC leader/Mountain dom.)
Kiserlovski (Super Mountain dom.)
Kashechkin (Super Mountain dom/Lantern rouge!)
Vinokourov (LEGEND)
Kessiakoff (Mountain dom.)
Grivko (Flat dom.)
Muravyev (Flat dom.)
M.Iglinskiy (Universal dom.)
Silin (Flat dom)

 

[deValtos]

RadioShack-Nissan-Trek

Andy Schleck (captain)
Frank Schleck (nominal captain that's doomed to get a gregario but still strong enough to hit top-15 by himself)
Andreas Klöden (the rider with a free role, he will race for himself at least up to La Toussuire. Upon doing well first TT and the Alps, he will become a co-captain and maybe #1 in the team)
Chris Horner (mountain domestique)
Maxime Monfort (mountain domestique)
Jacob Fuglsang (domestique all-rounder )
Fabian Cancellara (flat domestique at Frankie's service)
Jens Voigt (domestique all-rounder and flat helper at Andy)
Yaroslav Popovych / Haimar Zubeldia (domestique all-rounder / mountain domestique)

I think both Popo and Zubeldia will be in the team. One of Horner/Fuglsang/Monfort won't be.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

Astana

Brajkovic (GC leader/Mountain dom.)
Kiserlovski (Super Mountain dom.)
Kashechkin (Super Mountain dom/Lantern rouge!)
Vinokourov (LEGEND)
Kessiakoff (Mountain dom.)
Grivko (Flat dom.)
Muravyev (Flat dom.)
M.Iglinskiy (Universal dom.)
Silin (Flat dom)

Kash if in form will be be much better than Brajkovi, but yea Lantern rouge is absolutely a possibility

Vino = legend, agreed

 

[Wigwan]

Cofidis

Taaramäe
Vogondy
Di Gregorio
Mate
Moncoutie
Valentin
Dumoulin
Foucher
Monier

Is Moncoutié confirmed? He said last year that it was his last Tour, but the he admited he would go if Cofidis really needs him.

Lampre

Petacchi
Hondo
Possoni
Marzano
Stortini
Cimolai
Krivtsov
Vigano
Kostyuk

Lloyd will be there for the KoM.

 

[jobiwan]

What I would do with Garmin-Barracuda

T.Danielson - co-leader
R.Hesjedal - co-leader
C.Vande Velde - road captain, domestique
D.Millar - domestique
D.Zabriskie - domestique
D.Martin - free element, go for KOM and stages
H. Haussler - domestique, leadout for Farrar
J.Van Summeren - domestique
T. Farrar - sprinter

Hunter could take the place of Haussler, and maybe Maaskant (or Dekker?) could find his way in the team.

I would save Le Mevel and Talansky as the main leaders for the Vuelta.

 

[whittashau]

Liquigas
Cayetano Sarmiento - Mountain domestique
Alessandro Vanotti - Domestique
Timmy Duggan - Super domestique
Ted King - Domestique
Daniel Oss - Leadouts/domestique
Peter Sagan - Free role
Dominik Nerz - Breakaways
Kristjan Koren - Domestique
Nibali - Leader

I think depending on his shape that Szymd could ride in the place of Nerz or King. Likewise for Basso unless they plan on him riding the Vuelta.

 

[AntonioRossi]

Rabobank with the BIG 3

Gesink - presumably leader - we'll see after TdS. Coming off a strong ToC
Mollema - co leader - again we'll see after TdS
Kruijswijk - same as Mollema
LLS - strong guy, domestique, will have his own chances
Barredo - showing himself in Dauphine
Breschel - good domestique, strong on the flats
Ten Dam - good mountain domestique (if he is fit coming from injury)

then 2 out of these 4: Martens, Tjallingi, Tankink, Wynants


I am assuming they will leave Renshaw at home. Rabo will surely focus on just the GC because they have 3 GC hopefuls

 

[Fetisoff]

KatushaMenchov
Florencio
Trofimov
Freire
Vorganov
Horrach
Moreno
Spilak
Gusev

Don't think Moreno's riding, but I think Kolobnev actually is. Whether Florencio will ride or whether it will be Isaychev/Ignatenko/Porsev/Tsarevitch/Someone else is hard to predict. I might actually even see them putting Porsev/Tsarevitch as a last resort for Olympic preparation.

Menchov - GT leader
Spilak - Main Mountain domestique - maybe stage hunter if Menchov fails
Florencio - flat domestique
Trofimov - Mountain domestique
Freire - Sprinter
Vorganov - flat/mountain domestique, breakaway guy
Horrach - Mountain domestique
Kolobnev - Stage hunter
Gusev - Mountain domestique

(If instead of Florencio it's Isaichev - lead out for Freire, if Porsev/Tsarevitch - will try some sprints)

P.S. Got reminded in another thread, Caruso's likely to go as well as a mountain domestique

 

[airstream]

Menchov - GT leader
Spilak - Main Mountain domestique - maybe stage hunter if Menchov fails
Florencio - flat domestique
Trofimov - Mountain domestique
Freire - Sprinter
Vorganov - flat/mountain domestique, breakaway guy
Horrach - Mountain domestique
Kolobnev - Stage hunter
Gusev - Mountain domestique

Are you kidding?

 

[Fetisoff]

Are you kidding?

Well in last two years Vuelta with J-Rod in red he's been drilling it at the front in the mountains, before passing it off to Karpets/whoever.

So maybe not exactly a mountain domestique, but what would you call that

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Rabobank with the BIG 3

Gesink - presumably leader - we'll see after TdS. Coming off a strong ToC
Mollema - co leader - again we'll see after TdS
Kruijswijk - same as Mollema
LLS - strong guy, domestique, will have his own chances
Barredo - showing himself in Dauphine
Breschel - good domestique, strong on the flats
Ten Dam - good mountain domestique (if he is fit coming from injury)

then 2 out of these 4: Martens, Tjallingi, Tankink, Wynants


I am assuming they will leave Renshaw at home. Rabo will surely focus on just the GC because they have 3 GC hopefuls

Renshaw said he dropped out of the Giro to start TDF prep, I think.... not sure what the plan currently is, but the plan seems to be to have Renshaw there as well, at least it was back then

 

[taiwan]

Don't think Moreno's riding, but I think Kolobnev actually is. Whether Florencio will ride or whether it will be Isaychev/Ignatenko/Porsev/Tsarevitch/Someone else is hard to predict. I might actually even see them putting Porsev/Tsarevitch as a last resort for Olympic preparation.

Menchov - GT leader
Spilak - Main Mountain domestique - maybe stage hunter if Menchov fails
Florencio - flat domestique
Trofimov - Mountain domestique
Freire - Sprinter
Vorganov - flat/mountain domestique, breakaway guy
Horrach - Mountain domestique
Kolobnev - Stage hunter
Gusev - Mountain domestique

(If instead of Florencio it's Isaichev - lead out for Freire, if Porsev/Tsarevitch - will try some sprints)

P.S. Got reminded in another thread, Caruso's likely to go as well as a mountain domestique

KatushaMenchov
Florencio
Trofimov
Freire
Vorganov
Horrach
Moreno
Spilak
Gusev

Caruso.

more char

 

[Fetisoff]

Caruso.

more char

Yeah, I completely forgot about him till you mentioned him in the "Tour winners" thread, he's been more invisible than usual
It'll be a major WTF if they don't send him actually, since he didn't go to the Giro (which he should have gone to, IMHO)