Who are the best time trialers heading in the Pais Vasco TT?

[taiwan]

Vino does scare me though

He probably gets that a lot.

 

[El Pistolero]

I hope either Vino or Sanchez.

 

[Moncoutie]

Think Sanchez will do better than most, hope Intxausti can perform well again.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

1 vino
2 kloden
3 horner

I hope

 

[Sasquatch]

Final GC will read - top 8

1. Horner
2. Kloden
3. Sanchez
4. Vino
5. Intxausti
6. Gesink
7. Rodriguez
8. Hesjedal

 

[theyoungest]

Final GC will read - top 8

1. Horner
2. Kloden
3. Sanchez
4. Vino
5. Intxausti
6. Gesink
7. Rodriguez
8. Hesjedal

Tondo is quite a good time trialist. And he has the form. I'd go for

1. Vino
2. Horner
3. Sanchez
4. Klöden
5. Tondo
6. Intxausti
7. Toss up between Gesink and Hesjedal

 

[Rocksteady]

So many of these guys CAN be good if they want to...

I think it will all come down to motivation on the day.

My picks:
Kloden
Horner
Hesjedal

(Ok, I'm biased for American teams, So sue me)

 

[hrotha]

Tondo massively underrated around here, it seems.

 

[nvpacchi]

So many of these guys CAN be good if they want to...

I think it will all come down to motivation on the day.

My picks:
Kloden
Horner
Hesjedal

(Ok, I'm biased for American teams, So sue me)

If it comes down to motivation wouldn't Sanchez and Intxausti have loads more motivation than the guys mentioned??

 

[cineteq]

Final podium:

1. Klöden
2. Vinokourov
3. Gesink

 

[movingtarget]

Gesink is the obvious danger to Kloden. His time trialling has improved a lot. I will say Gesink.

 

[The Hitch]

Gesink is the obvious danger to Kloden. His time trialling has improved a lot. I will say Gesink.

Yes, someone who won that time trial to end all time trials in Oman is the major threat.

Lets ignore people like Samuel Sanchez who won a grant tour time trial beating Denis Menchov in the proccess, or Horner who won this tt last year, or Vino who put one of the great tt displays of all time in tdf 07.

No. none of that is even comparable to doing one great time trial at.... (wait for it) the tour of Oman

He is the major threat. Sanchez Horner and Vino might as well just give up

 

[jaylew]

Why doesn't he just do a Horner next year, i.e. peak for this race and forget about those Ardennes classics? He has a very slim chance to win any of them. At least 10 riders are stronger.

Pretty sure Horner was actually trying to peak for the Ardennes last year and was using Vasco to fine tune for those races Of course he found out he was on terrific form there so went for the win. Still managed the three top 10s at the Ardennes but that's probably his ceiling. At best I could see him with a 4th or 5th in one. Podium is probably out of reach.

Kloden definitely for the GC win.
The other podium spots could go to Tondo, Sanchez, Horner, Gesink, Vino, even Intxausti or Hesjedal. The hilly nature of the TT makes it harder to predict. If it were flat you'd definitely go with Vino; I guess it will go down to the form on the day.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

it's just like cycling manager... it all comes down to form of the day

here's hoping for a +5 for Gesink and a -5 day for Sanchez, Klöden and all others...

 

[Havetts]

it's just like cycling manager... it all comes down to form of the day

here's hoping for a +5 for Gesink and a -5 day for Sanchez, Klöden and all others...

+1 haha.

Personally I think Klödens got this one rest is all up for grabs.

 

[theyoungest]

Pretty sure Horner was actually trying to peak for the Ardennes last year and was using Vasco to fine tune for those races Of course he found out he was on terrific form there so went for the win. Still managed the three top 10s at the Ardennes but that's probably his ceiling. At best I could see him with a 4th or 5th in one. Podium is probably out of reach.

Kloden definitely for the GC win.
The other podium spots could go to Tondo, Sanchez, Horner, Gesink, Vino, even Intxausti or Hesjedal. The hilly nature of the TT makes it harder to predict. If it were flat you'd definitely go with Vino; I guess it will go down to the form on the day.

I remember Horner saying something like this was his favourite race, and he'd always wanted to win it. So when he got a chance to lead the team, he took it with both hands. I'm not sure his form in the Ardennes was quite what it was in Pais Vasco.

 

[xmoonx]

I remember Horner saying something like this was his favourite race, and he'd always wanted to win it. So when he got a chance to lead the team, he took it with both hands. I'm not sure his form in the Ardennes was quite what it was in Pais Vasco.

Well his form here is exceptional; he's ridden an incredible race. As has been pointed out there are quite a few strong possible winners within the top 9. I think Kloden has a slight edge if only 'cause he launches off second to last.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The thing with this is, any one of them could win it. A País Vasco ITT is usually a somewhat balanced affair, with enough up-and-down to stop it being a procession for the powerhouses, but not enough to prevent them from contending for the win.

Any of the following could take it:
Samu - underrated TTer, better than Evans over similar distances in Vuelta, home support
Klöden - very good TTer in excellent form, but how long can it last?
Horner - defending champ, has looked in good form, probably peaking, won the TT last year
Tondó - won his Volta a Portugal in the final ITT, over an only slightly longer distance. Capable of springing a surprise
Gesink - has really shown a lot in the ITT this year plus is one of the more capable climbers out there
Vino - really blasting back into form and has a long history of ITT gold when it counts
Intxausti - 4th in the ITT last year, should be stronger now, and targeting this race

Really, you can make a valid case for anybody still in with a GC shout being able to win it, except maybe David López.

It could be a dramatic day tomorrow.

 

[ferryman]

The thing with this is, any one of them could win it. A País Vasco ITT is usually a somewhat balanced affair, with enough up-and-down to stop it being a procession for the powerhouses, but not enough to prevent them from contending for the win.

Any of the following could take it:
Samu - underrated TTer, better than Evans over similar distances in Vuelta, home support
Klöden - very good TTer in excellent form, but how long can it last?
Horner - defending champ, has looked in good form, probably peaking, won the TT last year
Tondó - won his Volta a Portugal in the final ITT, over an only slightly longer distance. Capable of springing a surprise
Gesink - has really shown a lot in the ITT this year plus is one of the more capable climbers out there
Vino - really blasting back into form and has a long history of ITT gold when it counts
Intxausti - 4th in the ITT last year, should be stronger now, and targeting this race

Really, you can make a valid case for anybody still in with a GC shout being able to win it, except maybe David López.

It could be a dramatic day tomorrow.

Nice summary. I've got a feeling this is going to be between Kloden and Vino, with Vino getting it.

Tony Martin to scorch everyone though?

 

[The Hitch]

Ill go outside the box and predict that Tony wont win the tt.

Both the tts Tony crushed this year were for the GC. Having won Algarve and Paris Nice, im not sure if a stage win at Pais Vasco will inspire him enough.

Normally that wouldnt be enough to stop him but he isnt on form, and the tt is hilly whereas Vino klodi, Horner and gonzalez are favoured by the fact that the tt is hilly and they are on form and they have lots of motivation.

So i predict Vino for the stage, Klodi for the overall, Horner for Liege and Samu to smash his fist against his handlebars.

 

[Ildabaoth]

it's just like cycling manager... it all comes down to form of the day

here's hoping for a +5 for Gesink and a -5 day for Sanchez, Klöden and all others...

Too bad there aren't punctures in PCM's TTs too.

 

[Eric8-A]

I think the overall will belong to Kloden. Not sure if he'll win, but he looks best to win the overall. I don't think Sanchez will be able to take time off of Klodi. Look back at the Tour last year when he was fighting Menchov for a podium sport in the final TT. The TT here is much shorter than the one at the TdF, but Klodi is a better TT'ist.

I havn't seen anyone mention Pinotti.

 

[The Hitch]

Look back at the Tour last year when he was fighting Menchov for a podium sport in the final TT. The TT here is much shorter than the one at the TdF, but Klodi is a better TT'ist.

He had a broken wrist

On the other hand, at the 2007 Vuelta tt when Menchov was on top form, Sanchez beat him.

 

[beer_thirty]

Vino looks incredible but his stage win is different than a time trial.. I think Kloden can hang in there for FTW tomorrow. Going to be a very dramatic day, obviously!

I am hoping actually that Horner is undercooked at the moment; he is so well suited for LBL I'd love to see him sneak in for a podium; a top 5 would be incredible.

For tomorrow, Kloden, Vino, Tondo in that order for win and GC. Can't wait to watch this one!

 

[gregrowlerson]

My prediction for the final overall is:

1. Kloden
2. Gesink
3. Sanchez

A good point was made though that Andreas has been on form for some time now, and therefore how long can it last? He was racing quite well in late February - hopefully he can hold his peak from the recent Criterium ITT for this final stage. Then back off before raising his game again for the TDF. If Klodi fails then I'd like to see Vino come through for the win, but I feel that Robert and Samu are more reliable riders to pick for the podium.