Which team has the best climber squad?

[hfer07]

I wonder if the Shack will utilise Jani as their Joker. If they are clever enough and of course if he is strong enough they could make it pretty interesting. That's a big could but if I was Lance/Johan I would be looking to play that card.

Interesting theory-but then again-RS is all about Lance Asstrong- everybody in the team is at his disposal-sadly-

 

[gingerwallaceafro]

Radioshack is the best climbing team. They will have the most bullets left at the end.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

mmmmmmm as we are talking about climbing skills I would make some fixes to this list

Jesus Hernandez > Horner (Horner barely climbs "well")
De la Fuente >> Popovych (He is a mountain goat)
Navarro = Brajkovic (I really think that they have the same level but Dani is far more domestique as Jani and he just had one opportunity to show it and it was in Dauphiné)

De la Fuente is not a great climber. He's a lot like Matthew Lloyd, racks up so many KOM points on cat 2 and 3 climbs that you actually start to believe he's a great climber. On high mountain stages, he's not that useful.

 

[Publicus]

De la Fuente is not a great climber. He's a lot like Matthew Lloyd, racks up so many KOM points on cat 2 and 3 climbs that you actually start to believe he's a great climber. On high mountain stages, he's not that useful.

Sort of like Popo.

 

[Anonymous]

Radioshack is the best climbing team. They will have the most bullets left at the end.

What is sad, is that I think people actually believe this.

 

[hrotha]

What is sad is that people let their hatred of LA cloud their judgment. If you look at the issue with at least some objectivity, it's hard not to conclude that, when the group is reduced to 10 riders, RadioShack has a good chance of still having 2 or 3 domestiques up there. You can disagree, but dismissing the idea just like that is not reasonable.

 

[SpartacusRox]

If La église de Lance said it so is true hahahahaha...

The Uniballer Climbing Squad is going to crack... but that fight in the mountains is going to be great... That team at the end is going to look desperate cuz they dont have what it takes...

Sorry mate but you are dreaming. They won't crack they will be the squad with the most guys up there in the big climbs, look and learn fella.

Having said that I really like the look of the LG lineup too. look out for Basso in the last week I think he will will put some hurt on some of the more fancied GC guys.

 

[SpartacusRox]

What is sad is that people let their hatred of LA cloud their judgment. If you look at the issue with at least some objectivity, it's hard not to conclude that, when the group is reduced to 10 riders, RadioShack has a good chance of still having 2 or 3 domestiques up there. You can disagree, but dismissing the idea just like that is not reasonable.

Looking at it objectively I think you are right on the money. Cast your mind back 12 months and the same rubbish was being said then about RS cracking and lance being dropped on the first days in the mountains. The world is full of couch riders who have no idea. The same guys who were saying Cav was history a few days ago are now mumbling into their doughnuts.

Putting Lance aside, in Levi and Klody you have two of the best climbers in the world. Not only that they have been there and done the job on many occasions and only a complete fool would suggest that they won't be there do do it again this year.

 

[Dunedain]

What is sad is that people let their hatred of LA cloud their judgment. If you look at the issue with at least some objectivity, it's hard not to conclude that, when the group is reduced to 10 riders, RadioShack has a good chance of still having 2 or 3 domestiques up there. You can disagree, but dismissing the idea just like that is not reasonable.

Couldn't agree more. Objectively, it is probably Shack - Kloden, Levi, Lance, Horner, JB. The nice thing about this is that we are about to find out and we can allow it to be settled on the road as opposed to on a forum. Perhaps posters should get points for actually getting things correct as opposed to what they would LIKE to happen based on their own personal preferences.

 

[SpartacusRox]

What is sad, is that I think people actually believe this.

What is more sad is that you don't, as it will become readily apparent in the coming couple of weeks.

 

[Ryaguas]

De la Fuente is not a great climber. He's a lot like Matthew Lloyd, racks up so many KOM points on cat 2 and 3 climbs that you actually start to believe he's a great climber. On high mountain stages, he's not that useful.

He is not maybe sooo good but is way better than Popo... he is more used to climb...

Sorry mate but you are dreaming. They won't crack they will be the squad with the most guys up there in the big climbs, look and learn fella.

Having said that I really like the look of the LG lineup too. look out for Basso in the last week I think he will will put some hurt on some of the more fancied GC guys.

I'm saying that they are going to crack as an expression not that they are going to crack and they will be in the arriére of the peloton... of course that they can climb and do it well but the only one who could be in the Top 10 with the Uniballer in his wheel could be Kloeden... Levi just hasn't had this year... I think that Liquigas and Rabobank will be the team with most guys up... believe me Basso - Kreuziger - Szmyd and Menchov - Gesink - Tankink those are the fellas to watch and take care...

 

[hfer07]

What is sad is that people let their hatred of LA cloud their judgment. If you look at the issue with at least some objectivity, it's hard not to conclude that, when the group is reduced to 10 riders, RadioShack has a good chance of still having 2 or 3 domestiques up there. You can disagree, but dismissing the idea just like that is not reasonable.

But it really matters to have 2 guys at LA's side when AC & Schleck drop him?
Last year-those great domestics-now at LA's disposal-only served to carry him through the mountains(specifically it was only Kloden as I reckon)-not to set him to attack-and that's what counts.

 

[BYOP88]

Radioshack is the best climbing team. They will have the most bullets left at the end.

Surely it's about who fires the killer shot, not who has the most ammunition left.

 

[hrotha]

But it really matters to have 2 guys at LA's side when AC & Schleck drop him?
Last year-those great domestics-now at LA's disposal-only served to carry him through the mountains(specifically it was only Kloden as I reckon)-not to set him to attack-and that's what counts.

Well, no, but this thread is about the climbing strength of full teams, not about their leaders, isn't it?

If LA were strong enough (which I doubt), Klöden, Levi and possibly Jani and Horner could set him up for an attack just fine.

 

[SpartacusRox]

LOL I just love the total pointlessness of these threads and i am just as bad as anyone. As some wise person just said a few posts ago, the answer to the question will be revealed on the road in just a few days

 

[Maxiton]

The world is full of couch riders who have no idea. The same guys who were saying Cav was history a few days ago are now mumbling into their doughnuts.

+1

LOL, ain't it the truth.

LOL I just love the total pointlessness of these threads and i am just as bad as anyone. As some wise person just said a few posts ago, the answer to the question will be revealed on the road in just a few days

Same here. But I had to appreciate the doughnut comment.

 

[Ryaguas]

LOL I just love the total pointlessness of these threads and i am just as bad as anyone. As some wise person just said a few posts ago, the answer to the question will be revealed on the road in just a few days

Well we are here to talk and defend our points of view =D I like this thread... but we need to talk more about the teams and not only focus in The Shack... I want to hear your opinion about Liquigas, Rabobank, Katusha with Karpets, Ivanov and Rodriguez, Lampre with Il Principe Cunego, Sky climbing with Wiggo and Thomas, What about Le Mevel and Casar?, Andy and Fuglsang? etc etc etc...

 

[usedtobefast]

the mountains will sort this out. there are 4 or5 teams who
can rip uphill. the first weeks crashes are still being felt, so that is an issue.

 

[flicker]

The Shack Levi and Kloeden are going to show liquigas what time it is oh yeah!

 

[Ryaguas]

The Shack Levi and Kloeden are going to show liquigas what time it is oh yeah!

I'm looking forward to see it Basso - Kreuziger and Szmyd are not a piece of cake... Also I'm looking forward to see what is going to put in the table the Rabobank and Katusha...

 

[benpounder]

They have two diesels (Levi and Kloden) who can hang on to almost any pace, I'll grant you that.

I had a friend in college who had a German sport car. We both ski raced for our school and made many river trips. As such, we always loaded up that really fast sportster with people and equipment and drove it all across Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. Funny thing though, dragging that much baggage across all those mountains, that German sports car really didnt perform very well.

The point being, those well tuned sports cars, with 50L tanks, can perform well in short stints without any luggage, but in long runs carring baggage, a diesel with a 1000L tank will continue to drive on long after that sports car peters out.

I think Armstrong, Brajkovic, Horner, Kloden, and Leipheimer all have enough diesel to protect whatever sports car emerges. Lance falter, Janez will emerge.

 

[hfer07]

The Shack Levi and Kloeden are going to show liquigas what time it is oh yeah!

are they going to show off the watches they got from AC?

 

[Ryaguas]

are they going to show off the watches they got from AC?

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that's gotta hurt.... the only thing that is missing that post is "Yo mamma...."

 

[flicker]

I'm looking forward to see it Basso - Kreuziger and Szmyd are not a piece of cake... Also I'm looking forward to see what is going to put in the table the Rabobank and Katusha...

I do not think Basso will be an issue in the tour. Basso has got to be tired after Giro. Kreuziger and Szmyd could be an issue. Besides Gesink and Menchov and Boom who climbs good for Rabo. I do not follow Katusha. Doesn't that mean shoulder fired misle in Russian?

 

[Ryaguas]

I do not think Basso will be an issue in the tour. Basso has got to be tired after Giro. Kreuziger and Szmyd could be an issue. Besides Gesink and Menchov and Boom who climbs good for Rabo. I do not follow Katusha. Doesn't that mean shoulder fired misle in Russian?

ahhhhhh weeeeeell I dont know... my russian is shallow =D

Katusha have Karpets - Ivanov - Rodriguez - Pliushchin to climb...

What about Tankink in Rabobank? he can do it... of course not to support you in Le Tourmalet but to give you some wheel in lower ports...